Air Duct Arrangement and Cooler

Abstract

The invention relates to an air duct arrangement (100), in particular a charge air duct for a turbocharged engine, having an inlet air duct (60), a cooler (10) with an inlet (37) and an outlet (38), the cooler (10) having at least one air flow path portion (12, 14, 16, 18) extending between the inlet (37) and the outlet (38) along a longitudinal elongation (66) of the cooler (10) and having an outlet aperture (13, 15, 17, 19), and at least two runners (22, 24, 26, 28) of an air intake manifold (20) of an engine (40). The cooler (10) is arranged between the inlet air duct (60) and the runners (22, 24, 26, 28). Each runner (22, 24, 26, 28) has an inlet aperture (23, 25. 27, 29) and the outlet (38) of the cooler (10) is providing connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) for the inlet apertures (23, 25. 27, 29) of the runners (22, 24, 26, 28).

Claims

1. A charge air duct for a turbocharged engine, comprising: an inlet air duct (60); a cooler (10) having an inlet (37) and an outlet (38), the cooler (10) having at least one air flow path portion (12, 14, 16, 18) along a longitudinal elongation (66) of the cooler (10) and having an outlet aperture (13, 15, 17, 19); and at least two runners (22, 24, 26, 28) of an air intake manifold (20) of an engine (40); wherein the cooler (10) is arranged between the inlet air duct (60) and the runners (22, 24, 26, 28); wherein each runner (22, 24, 26, 28) has an inlet aperture (23, 25. 27, 29); wherein the outlet (38) of the cooler (10) provides connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) for the inlet apertures (23, 25. 27, 29) of the runners (22, 24, 26, 28).

2. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the cooler (10) is configured to provide an air flow being predominantly parallel to the longitudinal elongation (66) between the inlet (37) and the outlet (38) of the cooler (10).

3. The charge air duct according to claim 2, wherein at least two air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18) are provided between the inlet (37) and the outlet (38) of the cooler (10); and at least one of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18) is connected with its outlet aperture (13, 15, 17, 19) to the inlet aperture (23, 25. 27, 29) of one of the runners (22, 24, 26, 28).

4. The charge air duct according to claim 2, further including air guiding walls (30, 32, 34, 36) arranged in the cooler (10), such that an air flow from the inlet air duct (60) through the cooler (10) is split and guided along separate air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18) through the cooler (10) to the connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) for the runners (22, 24, 26, 28).

5. The charge air duct according to claim 4, wherein a length (62) of the air guiding wall (30, 32, 34, 36) is in a range of zero to a total length (64) of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

6. The charge air duct according to claim 4, wherein the air guiding wall has a shape configured to provide a smooth air flow into the respective runner (22, 24, 26, 28).

7. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein an outlet aperture (61) of the inlet air duct (60) covers the inlet (37) of the cooler (10).

8. The charge air duct according claim 7, wherein the outlet aperture (61) of the inlet air duct (60) covers inlet apertures (83, 85, 87, 89) of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

9. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the inlet air duct (60) provides at least two gas flow channels (67, 68, 69, 70) at least partially along its longitudinal elongation.

10. The charge air duct according to claim 9, wherein the gas flow channels (67, 68, 69, 18) correspond to the inlet apertures (83, 85, 87, 89) of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

11. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the inlet apertures (23, 25, 27, 29) of the runners (22, 24, 26, 28) are connected to the connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) at the outlet (38) of the cooler (10) in a rigid and/or gas-tight manner.

12. The charge air duct according to claim 11, wherein the inlet apertures (23, 25, 27, 29) of the runners (22, 24, 26, 28) are sealed with gaskets (54) to the connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) at the outlet (38) of the cooler (10).

13. The charge air duct according to claim 11, wherein the runners (22, 24, 26, 28) are fixed to the connection interfaces (73, 75, 77, 79) at the outlet (38) of the cooler (10) by one of gluing, welding, press fit.

14. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the air path of the cooler (10) is composed of parallel air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

15. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the runners (22, 24, 26, 28) are at least partially made with a shape decomposition inside the cooler (10).

16. The charge air duct according to claim 1, wherein the cooler (10) is a water charge air cooler.

17. A cooler (10) for a charge air duct (100) according to claim 1, wherein the cooler (10) has an inlet (37) and an outlet (38) and a longitudinal elongation (66) between the inlet (37) and the outlet (38), wherein an air flow path is provided between the inlet (37) and the outlet (38).

18. The cooler according to claim 17, wherein at least two air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18) are arranged in parallel and providing an air flow predominantly in parallel with the longitudinal elongation (66).

19. The cooler according to claim 18, wherein the at least two air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18) are separated at least partially by air guiding walls (30, 32, 34, 36).

20. The cooler according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the air guiding walls (30, 32, 34, 36) is shorter than the total length (66) of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

21. The cooler according to claim 19, wherein at least one of the air guiding walls (30, 32, 34, 36) is as long as the total length (66) of the air flow path portions (12, 14, 16, 18).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present invention together with the above-mentioned and other objects and advantages may best be understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments, but not restricted to the embodiments, wherein is shown in:

[0033] FIG. 1 in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement, comprising an inlet air duct, a cooler and four runners of an air intake manifold, attached to a four cylinder engine, according to an example embodiment of the invention;

[0034] FIG. 2 in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement, comprising an inlet air duct, a cooler and four runners of an air intake manifold, attached to a four cylinder engine, according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0035] FIG. 3 a top view of a cooler having a square-shaped cross section according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0036] FIG. 4 a top view along section line A-A in FIG. 1 of the air duct arrangement with a cooler having an oblong cross section according to an example embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1;

[0037] FIG. 5 a top view of an air duct arrangement with a cooler having a circular cross section according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0038] FIG. 6 a top view of an air duct arrangement with a cooler having an oblong cross section for a three cylinder engine according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 7 a top view of an air duct arrangement with a cooler having a circular cross section for a three cylinder engine according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 8 in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement, comprising an inlet air duct, a cooler with air guiding walls of different length and four runners of an air intake manifold, connected to a four cylinder engine, according to a further example embodiment of the invention;

[0041] FIG. 9 in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement comprising an inlet air duct and two runners of an air intake manifold, where dedicated air flow path portions of a cooler are used, one for each runner, according to a further example embodiment of the invention; and

[0042] FIG. 10 in a schematic longitudinal cut view a cooler with four air flow path portions and air guiding walls of different length, according to the example embodiment of the invention of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] In the drawings, like elements are referred to with equal reference numerals. The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. Moreover, the drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0044] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement 100 according to an example embodiment of the invention, comprising an inlet air duct 60, a cooler 10 and four runners 22, 24, 26, 28 of an air intake manifold 20, connected to an engine 40 with four cylinders 42, 44, 46, 48. In particular, the air duct arrangement 100 is foreseen as a charge air duct for a turbocharged engine. Hot air is entering the air duct arrangement 100 through the inlet air duct 60, followed by streaming through the cooler 10 along its elongation 66, where it gets cooled and then is distributed by runners 22, 24, 26, 28 into cylinders 42, 44, 46, 48 of the engine 40. For cooling of the streaming air water is entering the two stage water charge air cooler 10 via the water inlet 50, flows in a heat exchanger structure 58 inside the cooler 10, enabling the streaming air to transfer heat to the water, and leaves cooler 10 via the water outlet 52.

[0045] The cooler 10, which preferably may be a water charge air cooler, exhibits an inlet 37 and an outlet 38, and further comprises four parallel air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 extending between the inlet 37 and the outlet 38 along a longitudinal elongation 66 of the cooler 10.

[0046] The air path of the cooler 10 is composed of parallel air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18. The air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 exhibit inlet apertures 83, 85, 87, 89 and outlet apertures 13, 15, 17, 19. Cooler 10 is arranged between the inlet air duct 60 and the runners 22, 24, 26, 28. Each runner 22, 24, 26, 28 has an inlet aperture 23, 25. 27, 29. The air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 are connected with its outlet aperture 13, 15, 17, 19 to the inlet aperture 23, 25. 27, 29 of one of the runners 22, 24, 26, 28.

[0047] The outlet 38 of the cooler 10 is providing connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 for the inlet apertures 23, 25. 27, 29 of the runners 22, 24, 26, 28. The inlet apertures 23, 25, 27, 29 of the runners 22, 24, 26, 28 are connected with their inlet apertures to the connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 at outlet 38 of the cooler 10 in a rigid and/or gas-tight manner, wherein the inlet apertures 23, 25, 27, 29 may be sealed with gaskets 54 to the connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10, as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the runners 22, 24, 26, 28 may be fixed to the connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10 by one of gluing, welding, press fit.

[0048] An outlet aperture 61 of the inlet air duct 60 covers the inlet 37 of the cooler 10, in particular, the outlet aperture 61 covers the inlet apertures 83, 85, 87, 89 of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18.

[0049] The cooler 10 is configured to provide an air flow being predominantly parallel to the longitudinal elongation 66 between the inlet 37 and the outlet 38 of the cooler 10. The runners 22, 24, 26, 28 may at least partially be made with a shape decomposition inside the cooler 10 in order to guarantee a steady flow of the air inside the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 as well as a smooth transition of the air flow from the cooler 10 into the inlet apertures 23, 25, 27, 29.

[0050] Air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 of the cooler 10 are arranged in parallel and providing an air flow predominantly in parallel with the longitudinal elongation 66 of the cooler 10. Air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 are arranged in the cooler 10, such that an air flow from the inlet air duct 60 through the cooler 10 is split and guided along separate air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 through the cooler 10 to the connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 for the runners 22, 24, 26, 28. At least two air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 are separated at least partially by air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36.

[0051] FIG. 2 shows in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement 100 according to a further example embodiment of the invention, comprising an inlet air duct 60, a cooler 10 and four runners 22, 24, 26, 28 of an air intake manifold 20, connected to an engine 40 with four cylinders 42, 44, 46, 48. In particular, the air duct arrangement 100 is foreseen as a charge air duct for a turbocharged engine.

[0052] The arrangement corresponds predominantly to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1. In the present example, the inlet air duct 60 provides separate gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 close to its outlet aperture 61.

[0053] The gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 are attached with its air guiding walls in a rigid and/or gas tight manner to the inlet 37 of the cooler 10. Thus the inlet duct 60 may be split into several gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70, which may be positioned close to each other wall by wall, as shown in FIG. 2, but which could also be located separated one from each other, as long as they are attached to the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 of the cooler 10.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 correspond to the inlet apertures 83, 85, 87, 89 of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18. Thus air streaming in the gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 is flowing directly into the corresponding air flow path portion 12, 14, 16, 18 of the cooler 10. The advantage is that the air flow may be already preconditioned in the gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 for parallel flow in the cooler 10.

[0055] Optionally the inlet air duct 60 may provide an equal number or less or more gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 than air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 present in the cooler 10. Thus, air streaming in different air flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 may be merged to flow into one of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, if more gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 than air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 are provided. Alternatively air streaming in different air flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 may be split to flow into more than one of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, if less gas flow channels 67, 68, 69, 70 than air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 are provided.

[0056] In FIGS. 3 to 7 schematic top views on different configurations of a cooler 10 with a view on the outlet 38 of the cooler 10 along a section line between the outlet 38 of the cooler 10 and the runners 22, 24, 26, 28 of an air duct arrangement 100 are depicted.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows a top view of an air duct arrangement 100 with a cooler 10 having a square-shaped cross section at its outlet 38 according to a further example embodiment of the invention. The cooler 10 is separated into four air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, which have a square-shaped cross section each and are placed according to a square shaped cross section of the cooler 10. Air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 are arranged between the different air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, in order to separate air flows at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10, entering the respective runners 22, 24, 26, 28 each. Inside the cooler 10 schematically a heat exchanger structure 58 is shown, which may be some fins with water tubes for cooling the hot air. On the front side of the air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 a sealing area 56 is referenced for connecting the runners 22, 24, 26, 28 in a gas-tight manner to the outlet 38 of the cooler 10 and particularly connecting the inlet apertures 23, 25, 27, 29 of the runners 22, 24, 26, 28 to the connection interfaces 73, 75, 77, 79 of the cooler 10 in a gas-tight manner and sealed against each other runner 22, 24, 26, 28.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a top view along the section line A-A in FIG. 1 of the air duct arrangement 100 with a cooler 10 having an oblong cross section at its outlet 38 according to an example embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1. In this cooler configuration the flat shaped cooler 10 is separated into four air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, which have a square shape each are placed side by side in a row. Air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 are arranged between the different air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, in order to result in separate air flows at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10, entering the respective runners 22, 24, 26, 28 each. Thus the air flow through the cooler 10 may be separated into the different air flow paths at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10, entering the respective runners 22, 24, 26, 28 each. On the front side of the air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 the sealing area 56 is depicted.

[0059] In FIG. 5 a top view of an air duct arrangement 100 with a cooler 10 having a circular cross section at its outlet 38 according to a further example embodiment of the invention is depicted. The circular cooler 10 exhibits four air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, which are arranged in a square configuration, but with an outer wall of a part of a tube, the tube representing the cooler 10 in a circular shape. Again air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 are arranged between the different air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, in order to result in separate air flows at the outlet 38 of the cooler 10, entering the respective runners 22, 24, 26, 28 each. On the front side of the air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 the sealing area 56 is depicted.

[0060] In FIG. 6 a top view of an air duct arrangement 100 with a cooler 10 having an oblong cross section at its outlet 38 for a three cylinder engine according to a further example embodiment of the invention is depicted. The principal arrangement resembles the embodiment of FIG. 4, but here the cooler 10 is only separated into three air flow path portions 12, 14, 16.

[0061] In FIG. 7 a top view of an air duct arrangement 100 with a cooler 10 having a circular cross section at its outlet 38 for a three cylinder engine according to a further example embodiment of the invention is depicted. The principal arrangement resembles the embodiment of FIG. 5, but here the cooler 10 is only separated into three air flow path portions 12, 14, 16.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement 100, comprising an inlet air duct 60, a cooler 10 with air guiding walls 30, 32, 34 of different length and four runners 22, 24, 26, 28 of an air intake manifold 20, connected to a four cylinder engine 40, according to a further example embodiment of the invention. The configuration resembles the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 exhibits air guiding wall 30, 32, 34, 36 with a length 62 which is in a range of zero to a total length 64 of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18. In more details this is to be seen in FIG. 10. According to appropriate fluid dynamics of the respective air intake manifold 10 the length 62 of the air guiding walls 30, 32, 34, 36 may be adapted in length. So some air guiding wall 30 may cover the total length 64 of the air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18, some air guiding wall 34 may cover only half the length 64, or some air guiding wall 32 may cover only a small portion of the total length 64. Additionally a shape of an air guiding wall 30, 32, 34, 36 may be configured to provide a smooth air flow into the respective runner 22, 24, 26, 28.

[0063] FIG. 9 depicts in a schematic longitudinal cut view an air duct arrangement 100 comprising an inlet air duct 60 and two runners 26, 28 of an air intake manifold 20, where dedicated air flow path portions 16, 18 of a cooler 10 are used, one for each runner 26, 28, according to a further example embodiment of the invention. In this example embodiment the air flow path portions 16, 18 are no longer arranged in a common housing of a cooler 10, but are arranged distributed at the outlet 61 of the inlet air duct 60. The advantage of this embodiment is that dedicated air flow path portions 16, 18 may be used for each runner 26, 28, optimized concerning e.g. air flow and cooling conditions. Thus the air flow path portions 16, 18 may be represented in a kind of separate coolers each. The air flow path portions 16, 18 could also be positioned at an angle to each other, according to available space, thus deviating from the parallel position as depicted in FIG. 9.

[0064] The runners 26, 28 are tightly connected to the connection interfaces 77, 79 of the air flow path portions 16, 18 as an outlet 38 of the cooler 10, which may be sealed with a gasket 54 at the connection interface 77, 79 of the respective air flow path portion 16, 18. Alternatively the runners 26, 28 could be connected in a rigid way to the connection interfaces 77, 79 by a quick lock connection or by gluing, welding or press fitting.

[0065] Water inlet 50 and outlet 52 of the cooler 10 are omitted in FIG. 9 for simplification.

[0066] In FIG. 10 in a schematic longitudinal cut view a cooler 10 is depicted with four air flow path portions 12, 14, 16, 18 and air guiding walls 30, 32, 34 of different length, according to the example embodiment of the invention, shown in FIG. 8. Air guiding walls 32, 34 are shorter than the longitudinal elongation 66, where the air guiding wall 32 covers only a small part of the total length 64 and air guiding wall 34 covers about half of the total length 64. One of the air guiding walls 30 is as long as the total length 64.