Air-to-air charge air cooler (A-CAC) for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10273872-B2
Application number	US-201615350595-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2016
Priority date	Nov 14, 2016
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

A charge air cooler (CAC) includes a first header including a first interior portion, a second header spaced from the first header. The second header includes a second interior portion. At least one conduit extends between the first header and the second header. The at least one conduit includes a first end fluidically connected to the first interior portion, a second end fluidically connected to the second interior portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween. A heating system is arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the at least one conduit. The heating system is selectively operable to increase a temperature of fluids passing through the at least one conduit into one of the first and second headers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charge air cooler (CAC) comprising:
a first header including a first interior portion;
a second header spaced from the first header, the second header including a second interior portion;
a plurality of conduits extending between the first header and the second header, the plurality of conduits defining an air-to-air heat exchanger including a first end fluidically connected to the first interior portion, a second end fluidically connected to the second interior portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween; and
a heating system arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the plurality of conduits, the heating system including at least one heating element extending through a gap defined between adjacent ones of the plurality of conduits substantially perpendicularly relative to the intermediate portion, the heating system being selectively operable to increase a temperature of fluids passing through the plurality of conduits into one of the first and second headers.

2. The CAC according to claim 1 , wherein the first header defines an inlet header for receiving a flow of gases from a turbocharger and the second header defines an outlet header for delivering the flow of gases to an internal combustion engine.

3. The CAC according to claim 2 , wherein the heating system is arranged adjacent to the outlet header.

4. The CAC according to claim 3 , wherein the gap includes a first gap defined between a first conduit of the plurality of conduits and a second conduit of the plurality of conduits spaced from the first conduit and a second gap defined between a third conduit of the plurality of conduits spaced from the second conduit of the plurality of conduits.

5. The CAC according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one heating element includes a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate section extending into each of the first and second gaps.

6. The CAC according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one heating element comprises a liquid coolant conduit.

7. The CAC according to claim 6 , further comprising: a thermostatically controlled valve connected to the liquid coolant conduit.

8. The CAC according to claim 5 , wherein the at least one heating element comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element.

9. The CAC according to claim 8 , further comprising: a thermostatically controlled switch electrically connected to the PTC heating element.

10. The CAC according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one heating element includes a first heating portion and at least two second heating portions connected to the first heating portion, one of the at least two second heating portions extending into the first gap and another of the at least two second heating portions extending into the second gap.

11. The CAC according to claim 3 , wherein the heating system includes a coolant member including an inlet and an outlet arranged at the second header and at least one coolant pipe including a first end fluidically connected to the inlet portion, a second end fluidically connected to the outlet, and an intermediate portion arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the at least one conduit.

12. The CAC according to claim 3 , wherein the heating system includes a heating element including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate section extending between the first and second headers in a heat exchange relationship with the plurality of conduits.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a body;
a powertrain mechanically linked to the body, the powertrain including an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold having an inlet and an exhaust manifold fluidically connected to an exhaust outlet;
a turbocharger including a turbine portion and a compressor portion, the turbine portion receiving a portion of exhaust gases passing from the exhaust manifold; and
a charge air cooler (CAC) fluidically connected between the compressor portion and the intake manifold, the CAC comprising:
a first header including a first interior portion fluidically connected to the compressor portion;
a second header spaced from the first header, the second header including a second interior portion fluidically connected to the inlet;
a plurality of conduits extending between the first header and the second header, the plurality of conduits defining an air-to-air heat exchanger including a first end fluidically connected to the first interior portion, a second end fluidically connected to the second interior portion, and an intermediate portion extending therebetween; and
a heating system arranged in a heat exchange relationship with the plurality of conduits, the heating system including at least one heating element extending through a gap defined between adjacent ones of the plurality of conduits substantially perpendicularly relative to the intermediate portion, the heating system being selectively operable to increase a temperature of fluids passing through the plurality of conduits into one of the first and second headers.

14. The CAC according to claim 13 , wherein the first header defines an inlet header for receiving a flow of gases from a turbocharger and the second header defines an outlet header for delivering the flow of gases to an internal combustion engine.

15. The CAC according to claim 14 , wherein the heating system is arranged adjacent to the outlet header.

16. The CAC according to claim 15 , wherein the gap includes a first gap defined between a first conduit of the plurality of conduits and a second conduit of the plurality of conduits spaced from the first conduit and a second gap defined between a third conduit of the plurality of conduits spaced from the second conduit of the plurality of conduits.

17. The CAC according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating element comprises a coolant conduit.

18. The CAC according to claim 16 , wherein the at least one heating element comprises a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heating element.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Quelhas Sergio
• Myers John W
• Filsinger Werner

Classifications

• F02B39/00

  Component parts, details, or accessories relating to, driven charging or scavenging pumps, not provided for in groups F02B33/00 - F02B37/00 · CPC title

• F02B29/0475

  the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location · CPC title

• F02B29/0425 Primary

  Air cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• F01N5/02

  the devices using heat · CPC title

• F02M31/205

  Control · CPC title