Heat Exchanger with Self-Retaining Bypass Seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016097596-A1
Application number	US-201514873270-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Apr 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas/liquid heat exchanger comprises a stack of flat tubes, defining liquid flow passages. Spaces between the flat tubes define gas flow passages, with the sides of the core having an irregular comb-like arrangement. The heat exchanger further comprises a housing having side covers over the sides of the core, and being spaced from the sides of the core. The core has at least one portion of reduced width, so as to provide channels extending throughout the height of the core. The heat exchanger further comprises a pair of side seals at least partly received in the gap between the side cover of the housing and the core, and more particularly in the channels along the sides of the core. The side seal extends throughout the height of the core and has a thickness which is greater than that of the gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gas/liquid heat exchanger comprising:
(a) a core having a length, a height, and a pair of opposed sides extending throughout the length and the height of the core,
wherein the core comprises a plurality of flat tubes arranged in a stack with a space provided between each adjacent pair of said flat tubes, each of the flat tubes having a hollow interior defining a liquid flow passage, and each of the spaces defining a gas flow passage;
wherein each of the flat tubes has a pair of peripheral edges extending along the length of the core, the peripheral edges of the flat tubes partly defining the sides of the core;
wherein each of the gas flow passages has a pair of open ends and a pair of opposed sides, wherein a width of each said gas flow passage is defined between the opposed sides, the opposed sides of the gas flow passages partly defining the sides of the core;
wherein the core comprises a first portion in which the flat tubes have a first width which is greater than the width of each of the gas flow passages, wherein the first width is defined between the peripheral edges of the flat tubes in said first portion;
wherein the core has a second portion in which the flat tubes have a second width which is substantially the same as the width of each of the gas flow passages, wherein the second width is defined between the peripheral edges of the flat tubes in said second portion;
(b) a housing surrounding the core, wherein the housing comprises an inlet end portion with a gas inlet opening and an outlet end portion with a gas inlet opening, wherein the gas inlet and outlet opening communicate with the open ends of the gas flow passages of the core;
wherein the housing includes at least one side cover extending along, and spaced from, the at least one side of the core, wherein a first gap between the side cover and the side of the core in the first portion of the core is less than a second gap between the side cover and the side of the core in the second portion of the core; and
(c) a side seal at least partly received in the gap between the side cover of the housing and the second portion of the core;
wherein the side seal extends throughout the height of the core and has a thickness which is greater than the first gap.

2 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein each of the gas flow passages is provided with a turbulence-enhancing insert;
wherein each of the turbulence-enhancing inserts comprises a corrugated fin defined by a plurality of parallel sidewalls extending along the length of the core, wherein the sidewalls have crests at their tops and bottoms at which they are joined to each other and to adjacent ones of said flat tubes, wherein each of the corrugated fins has a pair of side edges between which a width of the corrugated fin is defined, wherein at least one of the side edges of the corrugated fin is defined by an endmost sidewall of said corrugated fin, and wherein the endmost sidewall is substantially free of perforations and defines one of the opposed sides of one of the gas flow passages.

3 . The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein each of the side edges of the corrugated fin is defined by one of said endmost sidewalls of the corrugated fin.

4 . The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein each of said corrugated fins has a width which defines the width of the gas flow passage in which it is provided, such that each of the opposed sides of each of the gas flow passages is defined by one of the endmost sidewalls of said corrugated fin.

5 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein each of the flat tubes comprises a pair of core plates having a planar peripheral flange surrounding a raised central area, and wherein said peripheral edges of the tubes are defined by portions of said planar peripheral flange extending along the length of the core; and
wherein each of the raised central areas of the core plates and each of the liquid flow passages of the flat tubes have a width in the second portion of the core which is less than a width in the first portion of the core.

6 . The heat exchanger according to claim 5 , wherein the planar peripheral flanges include inwardly extending portions in the second portion of the core.

7 . The heat exchanger according to claim 6 , wherein the inwardly extending portions extend inwardly by a maximum amount which is substantially equal to a width of the planar peripheral flange along the first portion of the core; and
wherein each of the inwardly extending portions includes an interlocking element which is adapted to engage and retain an inner edge of the side seal.

8 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the core has a length which is less than a length of the first portion of the core; and
wherein the second portion forms a recessed channel extending throughout substantially the entire height of the core.

9 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the core further comprises a top and a bottom, and wherein the housing includes a top cover provided over the top of the core, a bottom cover provided over the bottom of the core, and a pair of said side covers over the sides of the core.

10 . The heat exchanger according to claim 9 , wherein the bottom of the core is spaced from the bottom cover of the housing and a bottom seal is provided between the bottom of the core and the bottom cover of the housing.

11 . The heat exchanger according to claim 10 , wherein the top of the core is spaced from the top cover of the housing and a top seal is provided between the top of the core and the top cover of the housing.

12 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the seal is resilient and has an uncompressed thickness which is greater than said second gap.

13 . The heat exchanger according to claim 12 , wherein the seal includes two legs having ends which engage the core in the second portion thereof; and wherein the seal is U-shaped.

14 . The heat exchanger according to claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the core includes interlocking elements which engage and retain the ends of the legs; and
wherein the ends of the legs have portions of increased thickness which are adapted to be engaged and retained by the interlocking elements.

15 . The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the side seals, the top seal and the bottom seal comprise a continuous seal member which extends along the top, bottom and sides of the core.

16 . The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , wherein all portions of the continuous seal lie in a single transverse plane.

17 . The heat exchanger according to claim 16 , wherein the continuous seal comprises an elongate, resilient member.

18 . The heat exchanger according to claim 17 , wherein the continuous seal includes wrappable corner portions which are adapted to wrap around corners between the sides and the adjoining top and bottom of the core;
wherein the wrappable corner portions comprise notches extending partly through the thickness of the continuous seal; and wherein the notches are V-shaped and are open toward the core.

19 . The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger includes two or more of said side seals, which are spaced apart along the length of the core, and wherein the core comprises two of said second portions in which the flat tubes have a second width which is substantially the same as the width of each of the gas flow passages.

20 . The

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Stewart Nikolas S
• Shore Colin A
• Kinder Lee M

Classifications

• F28D1/0233 Primary

  with air flow channels · CPC title

• F28F1/128

  Fins with openings, e.g. louvered fins · CPC title

• F28F1/045

  with assemblies of stacked elements · CPC title

• F28D1/05366

  Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators · CPC title

• F02B29/0462 Primary

  Liquid cooled heat exchangers · CPC title