HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular for a motor vehicle, having a first coolant circuit which has multiple first tubes and having a second coolant circuit which has multiple second tubes, having a plate, wherein the plate has a bead, wherein the plate has a first plate region with openings for receiving the first tubes and a second plate region with openings for receiving the second tubes, having a cover which is connected to the plate, wherein the cover has a first collecting tank and a second collecting tank, wherein the first collecting tank is connected in fluid-tight fashion to the first plate region and the second collecting tank is connected in fluid-tight fashion to the second plate region, wherein the cover has, between the first and the second collecting tank, an opening for receiving the bead.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, in particular for a motor vehicle, having a first coolant circuit which has multiple first tubes, and having a second coolant circuit which has multiple second tubes, having a plate, wherein the plate has a bead, wherein the plate has a first plate region with openings for receiving the first tubes and a second plate region with openings for receiving the second tubes, having a cover which is connected to the plate, wherein the cover has a first collecting tank and a second collecting tank, wherein the first collecting tank is connected in fluid-tight fashion to the first plate region and the second collecting tank is connected in fluid-tight fashion to the second plate region, wherein the cover has, between the first and the second collecting tank, an opening for receiving the bead.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the opening is punched out of the cover.

3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate has an encircling region.

4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover is connected to the plate in non-positively locking and positively locking fashion.

5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover, together with the plate, forms a second inflow duct and a second outflow duct for the second collecting tank and a first duct for the first collecting tank.

6. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate has openings for a first inflow duct, the first outflow duct and the inflow and outflow duct.

7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is an indirect charge-air cooler for the cooling of charge air.

8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first heat exchanger element and a second heat exchanger element are provided, which are arranged adjacent and parallel to one another.

9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger element and the second heat exchanger element each have tubes, wherein the tubes of the first and of the second heat exchanger element are arranged parallel to one another.

10. A motor vehicle having a heat exchanger, in particular a charge-air cooler, as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING

[0025] Below, the invention will be discussed in more detail, on the basis of at least one exemplary embodiment, with reference to the figures of the drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a first collecting tank having a plate and having tubes of a heat exchanger in an exploded illustration,

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the heat exchanger of FIG. 1 in a housing in a perspective illustration,

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the heat exchanger in a view of a first collecting tank and a second collecting tank,

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the heat exchanger with the first collecting tank and the second collecting tank in a sectional illustration along the longitudinal extent of the first and second tubes,

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a photograph of an encircling brazed connection on the first and second collecting tanks.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0031] FIG. 1 shows, in an exploded illustration, a heat exchanger 10. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the heat exchanger 10 is a charge-air cooler 10 and may serve for the cooling of charge air for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the heat exchanger 10 has a first heat exchanger element 12, which is constructed as an I-flow heat exchanger, and a second heat exchanger element 14, which is constructed as a U-flow heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger element 12 is preferably a high-temperature cooler, and the second heat exchanger element 14 is preferably a low-temperature cooler. The first heat exchanger element 12 is part of a first coolant circuit (not illustrated), and the second heat exchanger element is part of a second coolant circuit (not illustrated.). The heat exchanger 10 may in this case be in particular a sequential, indirect charge-air cooler (iCAC) 10.

[0032] The indirect charge-air cooler may have two mutually independent, separate coolant circuits. In a multistage, sequential indirect charge-air cooler of said type, the hot charge air is, in one stage, pre-cooled by way of warm coolant, for example from the main cooling circuit of the engine, and, in a second stage situated downstream, is cooled by way of cold coolant from a low-temperature cooler. A known type of construction of a sequential, indirect charge-air cooler is the fin-tube system.

[0033] The first coolant circuit with the heat exchanger element 12 and the second coolant circuit with the second heat exchanger element 14 each have a multiplicity of tubes 15, 19, wherein a first coolant can flow through the tubes 15 of the first coolant circuit and a second fluid can flow through the tubes 19 of the second coolant circuit. The tubes 15 and 19 are preferably flat tubes. Here, coolant circuits are preferably independent of one another, and can in particular be operated with different parameters. For example, the coolant of the first coolant circuit and the coolant of the second coolant circuit may be at different pressures. The coolant may be a liquid or a gaseous fluid.

[0034] Below, all objects labeled first are associated with the first coolant circuit or with the first heat exchanger element 12. Objects labeled second are associated with the second coolant circuit or with the second heat exchanger element 14.

[0035] The first tubes 15 of the first heat exchanger element 12 are arranged, in a direction of longitudinal extent 16 of the heat exchanger 10, in a housing (not illustrated). The tubes 15, 19 are each arranged, at a first tube end 20 and/or at a second tube end 22, on or in a plate 23, and are fixed in their posit ion by said plate. As viewed in the direction of longitudinal extent 16 of the tubes 15, 19, the plate 23 is arranged between the tubes 15 and a first collecting tank 24 and between the tubes 19 and a second. collecting tank 28, which is arranged adjacent to the first collecting tank 24. The first and the second collecting tank 24 and 28 are preferably each arranged at both ends 20, 22 of the tubes 15, 19. On the first collecting tank 24, at the end. 20, there is arranged a connection duct or outlet duct 26. The first and the second collecting tank 24 and 28 are of substantially trough-like form. The first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28 together form the cover 25.

[0036] The second tubes 19 of the second heat exchanger element 14 are, as viewed in the direction of longitudinal extent 16, arranged substantially parallel to one another and parallel to the first tubes 15 of the first heat exchanger element 12.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows the heat exchanger 10 in a perspective illustration in the assembled state. Identical parts are denoted by the same reference designations.

[0038] The tubes 15, 19, in particular flat tubes 15, 19, are optionally arranged in a housing 18, and form the tube-fin block of a fin-tube heat exchanger. The cover 25 has the first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28 and closes off the housing 18 at least at one of the sides 20, 22. A cover 25 is preferably arranged on each side. On the end 20 of the tubes 15 and 19 there is arranged a flange 30. The plate 23 and the cover 25 may likewise be arranged on the flange 30. The flange 30 preferably has at least one encircling region which projects beyond the in the direction of transverse extent 17 of the tubes 15 and 19. The flange 30 preferably has a region which projects beyond the cover 25.

[0039] On the flange 30, there are arranged a first inflow duct 32 and a first outlet duct 34. Also arranged on the flange 30 is a second connection duct 36 which is preferably an inflow duct 36 and which is situated opposite the first connection duct 26, the latter preferably being an outlet duct 26. The inflow duct 32 and the outlet duct 34 are part of the heat exchanger element 14, which is in the form of a U-flow. The duct 26 and the duct 36 are part of the heat exchanger element 12, which is in the form of an I-flow. The plate 23 is arranged between the cover 25, which has the first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28, and the tubes 15 and 19.

[0040] The embodiment of the heat exchanger 10 as a three-part heat exchanger 10 is to be understood merely as an example. The heat exchanger 10 may likewise be a four-part heat exchanger, which has two U-flow heat exchanger elements.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows the heat exchanger 10 in a perspective illustration in a viewing direction toward the cover 25, specifically toward the end 20 of the tubes 15 and 19. The plate 23 comprises, in the region of the respective collecting tank 24, 28, the first plate section 44 and the second plate section 46, wherein the first plate section 44 is assigned to the first collecting tank 24 and the second plate section 46 is assigned to the second collecting tank 28.

[0042] Between the first plate section 44 and the second. plate section 46, there is arranged a connecting seam 48. The connecting seam. 48 is formed by virtue of a bead 52 engaging into, and being brazed in, a recess 50. The first collecting tank 24 is in this case directly connected in fluid-tight fashion, preferably non-detachable fashion, to the plate 23. The connection between the plate 23 may preferably be realized by way of brazing. Use may however also be made of any other connecting technique known per se, such as for example adhesive bonding or welding, which is suitable for producing a fluid-tight connection, in particular of a bead 52 arranged in the recess 50. In this way, a non-positively locking and positively locking connection is produced between the plate 23 and the cover 25.

[0043] A multiplicity of first tubes 15 of the first heat exchanger element 12 is arranged on or in the first plate section 44 and is fixed on or in said first plate section. A multiplicity of second tubes 19 is arranged in the second plate section 46 and is fixed on or in said second plate section. The connecting section 48 or the connecting seam 48 has the punched-out portion 50, formed in the collecting tank and/or in the collecting tank 28, in particular in the cover 25, and has the bead 52 arranged in the plate 23. The bead 52 can enter into engagement, in particular mechanical engagement, with the recess 50 or punched-out portion 50. The punched-out portion/bead pairing can considerably simplify the mounting of the collecting tank 24 on the plate 23, by virtue of the fact that virtually automatic centering is possible. After the connecting process, preferably the brazing process, the punched-out portion/bead connection forms the connecting seam 48, preferably the brazed seam 48.

[0044] Between the feed line and the return line of the second heat exchanger element 14, there is arranged in the collecting tank 28 a partition 49 which can realize diversion of the coolant flow between coolant feed line and coolant return line. The partition 49 is shown in the sectional illustration of the heat exchanger 10 of FIG. 4.

[0045] The first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28 may be formed as a unipartite component, as the cover 25. The first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28 may also initially be produced in two parts and connected so as to form the cover 25.

[0046] The punched-out portion 50 is configured such that the bead 52 can engage into it.

[0047] FIG. 5 is an illustration of an assembled and brazed heat exchanger 10 in a plan view of the collecting tanks 24 and 28, that is to say in a frontal view, in the direction of longitudinal extent 16, of the first collecting tank 24 and the second collecting tank 28. It is possible to see the connecting seam 48, which is in the form of a brazed seam 48. The connecting seam 48 is preferably an encircling connecting seam 48 or part of an encircling connecting seam.