HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

A heat exchanger for heating a vehicle interior may include a heat exchanger block including a plurality of air ducts and a plurality of coolant ducts arranged according to a cross flow principle. The heat exchanger block may have a first heat exchanger stage including an air inlet side and a second heat exchanger stage including an air outlet side. The plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts may extend through the heat exchanger block and may be coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in both the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage. The heat exchanger may further include a plurality of thermoelectric modules, configured to operate as a heat pump to transfer heat from the coolant flow to the air flow, arranged between the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for heating a vehicle interior comprising: a heat exchanger block including a plurality of air ducts through which an air flow is flowable in parallel, and a plurality of coolant ducts through which a coolant flow is flowable, the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner; the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts arranged in the heat exchanger block according to a cross flow principle; the heat exchanger block having a first heat exchanger stage and a second heat exchanger stage, the first heat exchanger stage including an air inlet side of the heat exchanger block and the second heat exchanger stage including an air outlet side of the heat exchanger block; wherein the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts extend through the first heat exchanger stage and through the second heat exchanger stage such that the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in the first heat exchanger stage and in the second heat exchanger stage; and wherein a plurality of thermoelectric modules, configured to operate as a heat pump to transfer heat from the coolant flow to the air flow, are arranged between the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts only in the second heat exchanger stage.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein: the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage adjoin one another in a depth direction of the heat exchanger block; at least two coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extend parallel to one another in the heat exchanger block and are arranged next to one another in the depth direction; a subset of coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extend parallel to one another in the heat exchanger block and are arranged next to one another in a height direction of the heat exchanger block, the height direction extending perpendicular to the depth direction; and the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are arranged in an alternating manner in the height direction.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein: the plurality of air ducts extend continuously from the air inlet side to the air outlet side; and each of the plurality of air ducts has a duct height in the height direction that is at least one of i) substantially constant along the depth direction and ii) approximately the same in the first heat exchanger stage as in the second heat exchanger stage.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein an arrangement including at least one thermoelectric module of the plurality of thermoelectric modules and a coolant duct of the plurality of coolant ducts is arranged in the second heat exchanger stage between two air ducts of the plurality of air ducts, the two air ducts arranged adjacent to one another in the height direction.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the arrangement includes only one thermoelectric module of the plurality of thermoelectric modules.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the arrangement includes two thermoelectric modules of the plurality of thermoelectric modules, and wherein the coolant duct is arranged between the two thermoelectric modules relative to the height direction.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the arrangement has an arrangement height in the height direction larger than a duct height, in the height direction, of an adjacent coolant duct of the plurality of cooling ducts, the adjacent coolant duct extending in the first heat exchanger stage and arranged adjacent to the arrangement in the depth direction.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts extend substantially straight and parallel to one another as well as parallel to a width direction of the heat exchanger block, the width direction extending perpendicular to the height direction and perpendicular to the depth direction.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts are structured as a plurality of coolant pipes extending in the heat exchanger block and configured to guide the coolant flow.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of air ducts are limited by the plurality of coolant pipes in the first heat exchanger stage and by at least one of the plurality of thermoelectric modules in the second heat exchanger stage.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts are fluidically connected to one another such that the coolant flow is flowable through the plurality of coolant ducts in the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage in parallel.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, further comprising: a distributor box shared by the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage, the distributor box including a coolant inlet; and a header box shared by the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage, the header box including a coolant outlet; wherein the distributor box and the header box are arranged on opposite sides of the heat exchanger block facing away from one another in a width direction of the heat exchanger block and are fluidically connected to one another via the plurality of coolant ducts; and wherein the width direction extends perpendicular to the height direction and perpendicular to the depth direction.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts are fluidically connected to one another such that the coolant flow is flowable through the plurality of coolant ducts in the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage in series.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, further comprising: a distributor box associated with one of the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage, the distributor box including a coolant inlet; a header box associated with the other of the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage, the header box including a coolant outlet; and a deflection box fluidically connected to the distributor box and to the header box via the plurality of coolant ducts; wherein the distributor box and the header box are arranged on a first side of the head exchanger block and the deflection block is arranged on a second side of the heat exchanger block facing away from the first side in a width direction of the heat exchanger block, the width direction extending perpendicular to the height direction and perpendicular to the depth direction.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts and the plurality of air ducts are arranged in the heat exchanger block according to a cross co-flow principle.

16. A vehicle having one of an electric drive and a hybrid drive comprising: a cooling circuit including a coolant and configured to cool at least one component that heats up during operation; a heat exchanger including: a heat exchanger block including a plurality of air ducts through which an air flow is flowable in parallel and a plurality of coolant ducts through which a coolant flow is flowable, the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner and arranged in the heat exchanger block according to a cross flow principle, the heat exchanger block having a first heat exchanger stage and a second heat exchanger stage, the first heat exchanger stage including an air inlet side of the heat exchanger block and the second heat exchanger stage including an air outlet side of the heat exchanger block, the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts extending through the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage such that the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in both the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage; and a plurality of thermoelectric modules arranged in the second heat exchanger stage between the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts, the plurality of thermoelectric modules configured to operate as a heat pump to transfer heat from the coolant flow to the air flow; a fan configured to provide the air flow, the air flow guidable through the plurality of air ducts of the heat exchanger and into a vehicle interior; and a control device configured to control the plurality of thermoelectric modules of the heat exchanger; wherein the heat exchanger is integrated into the cooling circuit such that the cooling circuit provides the coolant flow to the heat exchanger; and wherein the control device is configured to adjust a strength of the plurality of thermoelectric modules to heat the air flow based on a temperature of the coolant and a setpoint-actual deviation of a temperature for the vehicle interior.

17. The vehicle according to claim 16, wherein: the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage adjoin one another in a depth direction of the heat exchanger block; at least two coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extend parallel to one another in the heat exchanger block and are arranged next to one another in the depth direction; a subset of coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extend parallel to one another in the heat exchanger block and are arranged next to one another in a height direction of the heat exchanger block, the height direction extending perpendicular to the depth direction; and the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are arranged in an alternating manner in the height direction.

18. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts are fluidically connected to one another such that the coolant flow is flowable through the plurality of coolant ducts in the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage in parallel.

19. The vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of coolant ducts are fluidically connected to one another such that the coolant flow is flowable through the plurality of coolant ducts in the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage in series.

20. A heat exchanger comprising: a heat exchanger block defining a depth direction, a height direction extending perpendicular to the depth direction, and a width direction extending perpendicular to both the depth direction and the height direction, the heat exchanger having a first heat exchanger stage and a second heat exchanger stage adjoining the first heat exchanger stage in the depth direction, the first heat exchanger stage including an air inlet side of the heat exchanger block, and the second heat exchanger stage including an air outlet side of the heat exchanger block; a plurality of air ducts through which an air flow is flowable in parallel, the plurality of air ducts arranged within the heat exchanger block and extending continuously from the air inlet side to the air outlet side, each of the plurality of air ducts having a duct height in the height direction that is at least one of i) substantially constant along the depth direction and ii) approximately the same in the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage; a plurality of coolant ducts through which a coolant flow is flowable, the plurality of coolant ducts arranged within the heat exchanger block and extending substantially straight and parallel to one another in the width direction, the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts extending through the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage such that the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in both the first heat exchanger stage and the second heat exchanger stage, the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts arranged in an alternating manner in the height direction, at least two coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extending parallel to one another and arranged next to one another in the depth direction, a subset of coolant ducts of the plurality of coolant ducts extending parallel to one another and arranged next to one another in the height direction; and a plurality of thermoelectric modules arranged in the second heat exchanger stage between the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts, the plurality of thermoelectric modules configured to operate as a heat pump to transfer heat from the coolant flow to the air flow; wherein the plurality of air ducts and the plurality of coolant ducts are arranged in the heat exchanger block according to a cross flow principle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In each case schematically,

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a highly simplified, circuit diagrammatic schematic diagram of a vehicle comprising a hybrid drive, which is equipped with a heat exchanger,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a highly simplified longitudinal section of the heat exchanger,

[0031] FIGS. 3 and 4 in each case show a longitudinal section of the heat exchanger as in FIG. 2, but in a sectional plane, which is rotated by 90, as well as in two different embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] According to FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 comprises a hybrid drive 2 comprising at least one cooling circuit 3 for cooling at least one component of the vehicle 1. In the shown example, the hybrid drive 2 is embodied as serial hybrid, in the case of which an internal combustion engine 4 drives a module 5, which charges a battery 7 via a power electronics 6. The drive of the vehicle 1 occurs only electrically via at least one electric motor 8, which is supplied with power by the battery 7, and which is connected to at least one drive wheel 9 of the vehicle 1 in a suitable manner. The power electronics 6 controls the power supply of the electric motor 8 and the charging of the battery 7. Each of the mentioned components can heat up during the operation of the vehicle 1. It is common thereby to connect the internal combustion engine 4 to a cooling circuit 3. The module 5 can also be connected to a cooling circuit 3. The battery 7, the power electronics 6, and the respective electric motor 8 can likewise also each be connected to a cooling circuit 3. On principle, different cooling circuits 3 can be used here. They can likewise be different circuits or sections of a joint cooling circuit 3. In any event, a heat exchanger 10 is integrated into at least one such cooling circuit 3, so that coolant, which circulates in the cooling circuit 3, can also flow through the heat exchanger 10. The vehicle 1 is further equipped with a fan 11, with the help of which an air flow 12 can be generated, which is also guided through the heat exchanger 10. A heat-transferring coupling between the air flow 12 and a coolant flow 13 occurs in the heat exchanger 10. The air flow 12 is supplied to a vehicle interior 14, in order to heat the latter as needed.

[0033] In another embodiment, the hybrid drive 2 can also be embodied as parallel hybrid or as power-split mixed hybrid or as mixed hybrid, respectively.

[0034] According to FIGS. 1 to 4, the heat exchanger 10 has a heat exchanger block 15, which has a plurality of air ducts 16, through which the air flow 12 can flow in parallel, and a plurality of coolant ducts 17, through which the coolant flow 13 can flow. The air ducts 16 and the coolant ducts 17 are coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in the heat exchanger block 15, so that an efficient heat transfer occurs between coolant flow 13 and air flow 12, while no mixing of air and coolant occurs.

[0035] According to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the air ducts 16 and the coolant ducts 17 are arranged in the heat exchanger block 15 according to the cross flow principle. The heat exchanger 10 or its heat exchanger block 15, respectively, has a depth direction T, which is defined by the flow-through direction, with which the air flow 12 flows through the heat exchanger block 15, a height direction H, which runs perpendicular to the depth direction T and which can be seen in FIG. 2, as well as a width direction B, which runs perpendicular to the depth direction T and perpendicular to the height direction H and which can be seen in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. The air flow 12 flows through the heat exchanger block 15 in the depth direction T, while the coolant flow 13 flows through the heat exchanger block 15 substantially parallel to the width direction B. The flow paths of air flow 12 and coolant flow 13 thus cross one another in the heat exchanger block 15, whereby the cross flow principle is realized.

[0036] The heat exchanger 10 introduced here has a first heat exchanger stage 18 and a second heat exchanger stage 19 within the one heat exchanger block 15. While an air inlet side 20 of the heat exchanger block 15 is assigned to the first heat exchanger stage 18, an air outlet side 21 of the heat exchanger block 15 is assigned to the second heat exchanger stage 19. The air flow 12 thus flows through the first heat exchanger stage 18 and then through the second heat exchanger stage 19. The air ducts 16 and the coolant ducts 17 are installed in such a way in the heat exchanger block 15 that they are guided through the first heat exchanger stage 18 as well as through the second heat exchanger stage 19, namely in such a way that the air ducts 16 and the coolant ducts 17 are coupled to one another in a heat-transferring and media-separated manner in the first heat exchanger stage 18 as well as in the second heat exchanger stage 19. In other words, a heat transfer between coolant flow 13 and air flow 12 occurs in the first heat exchanger stage 18 as well as in the second heat exchanger stage 19, which is attained by means of a corresponding installation of the air ducts 16 and of the coolant ducts 17.

[0037] In the second heat exchanger stage 19, a plurality of thermoelectric modules 22 is also arranged in the heat exchanger block 15, namely in each case between one air duct 16 each and one coolant duct 17 each. These thermoelectric modules 22 can be operated as heat pump as needed to transfer heat from the coolant flow 13 to the air flow 12. As can be seen, the thermoelectric modules 22 are only provided in the second heat exchanger stage 19. No thermoelectric modules 22 are thus provided in the first heat exchanger stage 18.

[0038] According to FIG. 1, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a control device 23, which is electrically connected to the thermoelectric modules 22 via suitable control lines 24 so as to operate the thermoelectric modules 22. The control device 23 can furthermore be connected to temperature sensors 26, 27 via signal lines 25. The one temperature sensor 26 determines the temperature of the coolant directly upstream of the heat exchanger 10. The other temperature sensor 27 determines the actual temperature in the vehicle interior 14. The control device 23 can now be programmed or designed in such a way, respectively, that it controls or regulates, respectively, the heating of the air flow 12 as a function of a desired temperature for the vehicle interior 14, which can also be identified as setpoint temperature. It can thereby switch on the thermoelectric modules 22 more or less strongly as a function of the current temperature of the coolant and as a function of the current setpoint-actual deviation of the temperature of the vehicle interior 14.

[0039] According to FIGS. 2 to 4, the two heat exchanger stages 18, 19 are arranged downstream from one another in the depth direction T, so that they adjoin one another in the depth direction T. In the height direction H, a plurality of coolant ducts 17 are arranged on top of one another or next to one another, respectively, according to FIG. 2. In the depth direction T, at least two coolant ducts 17 are arranged downstream from one another. The coolant ducts 17 in each case extend parallel to one another. The air ducts 18 are also arranged parallel to one another in the height direction H as well as on top of or next to one another, respectively. The air ducts 16 are thereby in each case provided between two coolant ducts 17, which are adjacent to one another in the height direction H. In the height direction H, air ducts 16 and coolant ducts 17 thus alternate with one another.

[0040] As can be seen, the air ducts 16 extend continuously from the air inlet side 20 to the air outlet side 21 through the heat exchanger block 15. Each individual air duct 16 has a duct height 28, measured in the height direction H, which is constant along the depth direction T. The duct height 28 in the first heat exchanger stage 18 is thus the same as in the second heat exchanger stage 19.

[0041] In the first heat exchanger stage 18, air duct 16 and coolant duct 17 alternate directly and indirectly in the height direction H, so that a coolant duct 17 is in each case arranged between two air ducts 16, which are adjacent in the height direction H. In the second heat exchanger stage 19, an arrangement 29, which in each case consists of two thermoelectric modules 22 and a coolant duct 17, is arranged between two air ducts 16, which are adjacent in the height direction H. In the height direction H, the coolant duct 17 is thereby arranged between the two thermoelectric modules 22 within the respective arrangement 29. The respective arrangement 29 has an arrangement height 30, which is measured in the height direction H. The arrangement height 30 is identical to a duct height 31, which is also measured in the height direction H and which belongs to that coolant duct 17, which is adjacent thereto in the first heat exchanger stage 18 in the depth direction T. A constant outer dimension can thus also be ensured across both heat exchanger stage 18, 19 during operation of the coolant ducts 17 along the depth direction T, which simplifies a constant duct height 28 for the adjacent air ducts 16.

[0042] In the simplified embodiments shown here, the coolant ducts 17 and the air ducts 16 in each case extend straight and parallel to one another. The coolant ducts 17 can advantageously be formed by coolant pipes 32, which guide the coolant flow 13 and which run in the heat exchanger block 15. The coolant pipes 32 can also extend parallel to the width direction B, which can be gathered from the sectional views of FIGS. 3 and 4. Turbulators, which are not shown here, can be arranged in the coolant ducts 16 in the usual way to improve the heat transfer.

[0043] To realize the air ducts 16, no separate pipe bodies are required on principle. Only end plates 33 can be provided on the ends of the heat exchanger block 15, which are spaced apart from one another in the height direction H, to limit the respective last or outermost air duct 16 at that location. Moreover, the air ducts 16 within the first heat exchanger stage 18 are limited by the coolant pipes 17 and within the second heat exchanger stage 19 by the thermoelectric modules 22. Turbulators or lamellae can be arranged in the usual way in the air ducts 16 to improve the heat transfer. The thermoelectric modules 22 can in particular be equipped with cooling ribs on their outer sides, which are subjected to the air flow 12, to improve the heat transfer.

[0044] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the coolant ducts 17 are fluidically connected to one another in such a way in the heat exchanger block 15 that the coolant flow 13 flows parallel through the coolant ducts 17, which run in the first heat exchanger stage 18, and through the coolant ducts 17, which run in the second heat exchanger stage 19. This parallel connection is identified with 34 in FIG. 3. In contrast thereto, FIG. 4 shows an embodiment, in which a series connection or connection in series 35, respectively, is realized. In other words, the coolant ducts 17 are fluidically connected to one another in the heat exchanger block 15 in such a way that the coolant flow 13 flows through the coolant ducts 17, which run in the first heat exchanger stage 18, and through the coolant ducts 17, which run in the second heat exchanger stage 19, in series, thus in succession.

[0045] In both examples of FIGS. 3 and 4, the coolant flows through the coolant ducts 17 in the first heat exchanger stage 18 in parallel. The coolant likewise flows through the coolant ducts 17 within the second heat exchanger stage 19 in parallel. In the case of the parallel connection 34 according to FIG. 3, the coolant ducts 17 are flown through in the first heat exchanger stage 18 and in the second heat exchanger stage 19 in the same direction. In contrast, coolant flows through the coolant ducts 17 of the first heat exchanger stage 18 and of the second exchanger stage 19 in opposite direction, in the case of the series connection 35 according to FIG. 4.

[0046] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the parallel connection is reached with the help of a distributor box 36, which is provided on the heat exchanger block 15 jointly for both heat exchanger stages 18, 19. Provision is furthermore made for a joint header box 37 on the heat exchanger block 15, which is also assigned to both heat exchanger stages 18, 19. Distributor box 36 and header box 37 are arranged on sides 41, 42 of the heat exchanger block 15, which face away from one another, with respect to the width direction B. Distributor box 36 and header box 37 are further fluidically connected to one another via the coolant ducts 17 or the coolant pipes 33, respectively. The distributor box 36 has a coolant inlet 38. In contrast, the header box has a coolant outlet 39.

[0047] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the series connection 35 is also realized with the help of a distributor box 36, which has the coolant inlet 38, and a header box 37, which has the coolant outlet 39, in connection with a deflection box 40. The distributor box 36 is thereby arranged on the one or first side 41 of the heat exchanger block 15 and is thereby only assigned to one of the heat exchanger stages 18, 19, here to the first heat exchanger stage 18. The header box 37 is also arranged on the first side 41 of the heat exchanger block 15 and is assigned to the respective other, here to the second heat exchanger stage 19. The deflection box 40 is arranged on the other or second side 42 of the heat exchanger block 15, which is located opposite to or faces away from, respectively, the first side 41 in the width direction B. The deflection box 40 is assigned to both heat exchanger stages 18, 19. The deflection box 40 is thus fluidically connected to the distributor box 36 via the coolant ducts 17, which run in the first heat exchanger stage 18, while it is fluidically connected to the header box 37 via the coolant ducts 17, which run in the second heat exchanger stage 19. In the example of FIG. 4, the air ducts 16 and the coolant ducts 17 are arranged within the heat exchanger block 15 in such a way that a flow-through according to the cross co-flow principle sets in. The coolant thus flows through the first heat exchanger stage 18 first and then through the second heat exchanger stage 19. An arrangement according to the cross-counter flow principle, however, is conceivable as well.