Heat transfer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11339691-B2
Application number	US-202016921697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Nov 3, 2017
Publication date	May 24, 2022
Grant date	May 24, 2022

Abstract

A heat transfer system for a vehicle including an axle assembly having a carrier housing. A sump defined by the carrier housing contains a fluid lubricant. The heat transfer system further includes a heat exchanger within the sump. The heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a battery cooling unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat transfer system for a vehicle, comprising:
an axle assembly having a carrier housing, wherein said carrier housing defines a sump;
a fluid lubricant at least partially disposed within said sump;
a heat exchanger at least partially disposed within said sump; and
a battery cooling unit having a liquid coolant, wherein said liquid coolant is in fluid communication with said heat exchanger.

2. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises:
at least one fluid conduit;
a fluid inlet in fluid communication with said fluid conduit; and
a fluid outlet in fluid communication with said fluid conduit.

3. The heat transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein said fluid inlet is disposed at a first surface of said heat exchanger and said fluid outlet is disposed at a second surface of said heat exchanger, said first and second surfaces are opposite to at least one surface facing said ring gear.

4. The heat transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein said liquid coolant from said battery cooling unit is circulated through said heat exchanger via said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet.

5. The heat transfer system according to claim 4 , wherein heat from said liquid coolant is transferred to said lubricant via said heat exchanger.

6. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises:
a stacked-plate heat exchanger.

7. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is disposed axially adjacent to a ring gear within said carrier housing.

8. The heat transfer system according to claim 7 , wherein said ring gear is coupled to a differential case within said carrier housing, said differential case including one or more pinion gears and one or more side gears; and wherein said heat exchanger is disposed adjacent to said differential case.

9. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein said battery cooling unit extracts heat from one or more battery cells of said vehicle.

10. The heat transfer system according to claim 9 , wherein said vehicle is an electric vehicle or a hybrid-electric vehicle.

11. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is disposed toward a rearward portion of said carrier housing.

12. The heat transfer system according to claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of said heat exchanger is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of a pinion shaft within said carrier housing.

13. A lubricant heating system for a vehicle, comprising:
an axle assembly having a carrier housing, wherein the carrier housing defines a sump;
a fluid lubricant at least partially disposed within the sump;
a differential case rotatably mounted within the carrier housing;
a heat exchanger at least partially disposed within said sump and outside the differential case; and
a battery cooling unit having a liquid coolant, wherein said liquid coolant is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger.

14. The lubricant heating system of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger includes at least one fluid conduit; at least one fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit; and at least one fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid conduit.

15. The lubricant heating system of claim 14 , wherein the liquid coolant from the battery cooling unit is circulated through the heat exchanger via the at least one fluid inlet and the at least one fluid outlet.

16. The lubricant heating system of claim 15 , wherein the differential case is coupled to a ring gear within the carrier housing, and wherein the heat exchanger is positioned axially adjacent to the ring gear.

17. The lubricant heating system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one fluid inlet and the at least one fluid outlet are positioned on a same side of the heat exchanger, the same side opposite to a side facing the ring gear.

18. The lubricant heating system of claim 13 , wherein the heat exchanger is a stacked plate heat exchanger.

19. The lubricant heating system of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle.

20. The lubricant heating system of claim 13 , wherein the battery cooling unit extracts heat from one or more battery cells of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Dana Heavy Vehicle Sys Group

Inventors

• Slesinski Steven G
• Trost Harry W

Classifications

• F16H57/0409 Primary

  characterised by increasing efficiency, e.g. by reducing splash losses · CPC title

• F01M2011/0025

  with heat exchangers · CPC title

• F16H57/0483

  Axle or inter-axle differentials · CPC title

• F16H57/0417

  Heat exchangers adapted or integrated in the gearing · CPC title

• F16H48/38

  Constructional details (the outer casing comprising the differential and supporting input and output shafts F16H57/037) · CPC title