Aerodynamic device to optimize air flow through heat exchangers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10293679-B2
Application number	US-201414546353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2014
Priority date	Nov 18, 2014
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

An air flow optimization device is provided for motor vehicle heat exchangers. The device includes a body having a first air flow opening with an inlet side and an outlet side. A series of fixed vanes are provided across the opening and divide the opening into a plurality of air flow channels.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An air flow optimization device for motor vehicle heat exchangers comprising:
a body including a first air flow opening having an inlet side and an outlet side, a second air flow opening and a ribbed panel between the first and second air flow openings; and
a series of fixed vanes provided across said first air flow opening and dividing said first air flow opening into a plurality of air flow channels.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said fixed vanes extend at least partially across said body from said inlet side to said outlet side.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said body includes a first perimeter around said first opening.

4. The device of claim 3 , including a seal member extending around said first perimeter and projecting forwardly from said inlet side.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein said body further includes a second series of fixed vanes provided across said second opening and dividing said second opening into a second plurality of air flow channels.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein said body includes a second perimeter around said second opening.

7. The device of claim 6 , including a second seal member extending around said second perimeter and projecting forwardly from said inlet side.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein said ribbed panel connects said first and second perimeters.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein said second air flow opening is below and partially offset from said first air flow opening.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein each air flow channel of said plurality of second air flow channels has a cross-sectional area of between about 4700 mm 2 and about 5050 mm 2 .

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of total cross-sectional area of said first air flow opening to said second air flow opening is between about 1.32 to 1 and about 1.25 to 1.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein each air flow channel of said plurality of second air flow channels has a cross-sectional area of between about 4300 mm 2 and about 5450 mm 2 .

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein each air flow channel of said plurality of air flow channels has a cross-sectional area of between about 4300 mm 2 and about 5450 mm 2 .

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein each air flow channel of said plurality of air flow channels has a cross-sectional area of between about 4700 mm 2 and about 5050 mm 2 .

15. A method for improving efficiency and performance and extending service life of a heat exchanger, comprising:
uniformly distributing air flow through said heat exchanger by directing that air flow through an air flow optimization device including a pair of air flow openings connected by a ribbed panel, each of said openings including a plurality of fixed vanes dividing said pair of openings into a plurality of air flow channels.

16. An air flow optimization system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a heat exchanger;
an air flow optimization device upstream from said heat exchanger, said air flow optimization device having:
a body including a first opening, a second opening and a ribbed panel between said openings, each of said openings having an inlet side and an outlet side; and
a series of fixed vanes provided across said openings and dividing said openings into a plurality of air flow channels,
whereby said ribbed panel is orientated to direct air flow toward the plurality of air flow channels.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein said heat exchanger is selected from a group consisting of a radiator, an intercooler, a condenser and combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dubey Prashant
• Phan Lucas Apandi
• Klop Aaron Peter

Classifications

• B60K11/08 Primary

  Air inlets for cooling; Shutters or blinds therefor · CPC title

• B60K11/04

  Arrangement or mounting of radiators, radiator shutters, or radiator blinds · CPC title

• B60Y2410/123

  Over-moulded parts · CPC title