HEAT EXCHANGER FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine, developed for cooling air by means of a cooling fluid, comprising a housing that comprises in its interior volume tubes for conducting the air to be cooled that extend through the housing, an inlet and an outlet for the cooling fluid that are developed in the housing, wherein the housing comprises several plate elements forming the housing,

wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed in different plate elements, and wherein the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided in a protrusion of the plate elements, wherein the protrusion(s) has or have an extent along the housing that has a component perpendicular to a straight line connecting the inlet and the outlet.

Claims

1.-7. (canceled)

8. A heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine, developed for cooling air by means of a cooling fluid, comprising: a housing that comprises in its interior volume tubes for conducting the air to be cooled that extend through the housing; an inlet and an outlet for the cooling fluid that are developed in the housing, wherein the housing comprises several plate elements that form the housing, wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed in different plate elements, and wherein the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided in a protrusion of the plate elements, wherein the protrusion has or have an extent along the housing, that has a component perpendicular to a straight line connecting the inlet and the outlet.

9. A heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the tubes open out into base plates of the heat exchanger and wherein the inlet and/or the outlet for the cooling fluid is and/or are developed in a plate element that is integral with the associated base plate.

10. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the base plate and the component of the plate element into which the inlet or the outlet open out are substantially perpendicular with respect to one another.

11. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the plate element of the base plate further comprises encompassing components that border on the base plate and wherein these encompassing components, together with the component into which the inlet or the outlet opens out, encompass the base plate.

12. A heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the plate element in which the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided overlaps another plate element of the housing such that the other plate element partially delimits the hollow volume formed by the protrusion.

13. A heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

14. A heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

15. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the plate element in which the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided overlaps another plate element of the housing such that the other plate element partially delimits the hollow volume formed by the protrusion.

16. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the plate element in which the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided overlaps another plate element of the housing such that the other plate element partially delimits the hollow volume formed by the protrusion.

17. A heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the plate element in which the inlet and/or the outlet is or are provided overlaps another plate element of the housing such that the other plate element partially delimits the hollow volume formed by the protrusion.

18. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

19. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

20. A heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

21. A heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

22. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the housing has substantially the form of a parallelepiped and wherein the inlet and the outlet are developed on the same side of the parallelepiped.

23. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

24. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

25. A heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

26. A heat exchanger according to claim 20, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

27. A heat exchanger according to claim 21, wherein at least one protrusion is in the shape of an L.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 2A shows an exploded representation of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. 2B shows the heat exchanger of FIG. 2A from different views

[0024] FIG. 3 shows, in comparison, an inflow of prior art.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a functional principle of an inflow according to the first embodiment.

[0026] FIGS. 5A to 5C show a second embodiment of the invention.

[0027] FIG. 6A to 6C show a third embodiment of the invention.

[0028] FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.

[0029] FIG. 8 shows a fifth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a heat exchanger 10 according to a first embodiment.

[0031] FIG. 2A shows an exploded representation of the heat exchanger of FIG. 1, while FIG. 2B shows the heat exchanger from different views.

[0032] A heat exchanger 10 comprises a housing 11 through which extend the tubes 25 for conducting through them the air to be cooled. These tubes open out into base plates 24 that form an interface to the surrounding of the heat exchanger. The base plates 24, provided at the inlet and outlet side of the tubes, together with side plates 16, lower plate 30 and upper plate 18 form the housing 11 which has the form of a parallelepiped. In the context of the present invention side plates 16, lower plate 30, upper plate 18 and base plates 24 are denoted as plate elements. In tubes 25 are received fins 25 that are produced of a metal material and increase the heat conduction. These fins 25 extend between the walls of the tubes 25.

[0033] The side plates 16 have a simple rectangular shape, while the lower plate 30 has the form of a rectangle with projecting side edges that overlap the side plates 16.

[0034] At these overlaps the lower plate 30 and the side plates 16 are connected. The upper plate 18 has essentially the shape of an H, wherein it is connected at its longitudinal sides with the side plates 16. At the openings of the H, elements 20 of the base plate 24 are emplaced and connected with the upper plate 18. Each of these elements 20 includes a protrusion 21 that extends perpendicularly to the extension direction of tubes 25 for conducting the air to be cooled.

[0035] In these protrusions 21 are provided an inlet 12 and an outlet 14 for the cooling fluid (for example water). The cooling fluid entering through inlet 12 spreads out in the protrusion 21 perpendicular to the direction of flow of the air passing through that is to be cooled, while it flows simultaneously between the pipes in the direction of the lower plate 30. The cooling fluid subsequently exits the heat exchanger 10 again through outlet 14 provided in protrusion 21. To connect to the cooling air supply, further, adapters 26 and 28 are provided at the inlet or outlet, respectively, for the air to be cooled.

[0036] As is evident in FIG. 4, there is an overlap a between the upper plate 18 and the hollow volume 21 that is delimited by the protrusion 12. Through this overlap the area through which the cooling fluid can exit can be controlled. The cooling fluid must subsequently flow off as indicated in FIG. 4 by the dashed line. Since the overlap a can be varied in simple manner, a corresponding heat exchanger can be readily adapted to different applications. This differs from the example of prior art shown in FIG. 3 in which such variable adaptation is not possible. Herein the cooling fluid enters the hollow volume 20 through inlet 12, without the capability being available of intentionally regulating the outflow of the cooling fluid.

[0037] A second embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C. The essential difference from the first embodiment resides therein that the base plate 124 comprises further components 120 which, together with the component 120, encompass the base plate 124 in the form of an apron. Into this apron the remaining components of the housing 111 can be introduced, with this apron stabilizing these components. In this respect such a parallelepiped-shaped housing 110 can be produced more easily. At the sides surrounding the base plate 124 which adjoin the protrusion 121 the component 120 is not as high as on other sides. Since according to experience the forces acting at these sites are comparatively low, material can consequently be saved without impairing the stability and robustness of the heat exchanger 110. Apart from said differences, the implementation of the housing is otherwise identical. In FIG. 5A and 5B the reference numbers 126 and 128 denote the corresponding adapters.

[0038] A third embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C. This embodiment involves a modification of the second embodiment depicted in FIGS. 5A and 5B. While in the second embodiment the additional components 120 extend at a variable height with respect to the base plate 124, the components 222 in the third embodiment have a constant height with respect to the base plate 224. Such implementation of the plate element 220 leads to increased robustness of the heat exchanger 210 since no height variations occur. In this embodiment the inlet and the outlet are also provided on opposite faces of the parallelepiped, which decreases the flow resistance and can consequently lead to an increased possible through-flow rate. In this regard, the cooling efficiency can be improved.

[0039] A fourth embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 7. Herein only one of the protrusions 321 is provided in the form of an L. Such implementation of the protrusion leads to improved distribution of the cooling fluid and consequently to lower flow resistance. This is of advantage especially when this protrusion is provided at the inlet for the cooling fluid.

[0040] In FIG. 8 a fifth embodiment of the invention is shown. Herein the protrusions of the inlet and of the outlet are each shaped like an L. Such implementation reduces the flow resistance still further.