Exhaust gas heat exchanger with an oscillation attenuated bundle of exchanger tubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9534529-B2
Application number	US-201313759157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 5, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2007
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger is disclosed for the exhaust gas train of a motor vehicle. The heat exchanger includes a bundle of separately formed exhaust gas carrying exchanger tubes that is disposed in a closed housing formed separately, a coolant flowing through the housing and around the outside of the exchanger tubes. A bandage is disposed on the bundle of exchanger tubes mechanically connecting a plurality of the exchanger tubes to militate against an oscillation of the exchanger tubes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for the exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle comprising:
a closed housing;
a bundle of separately formed exhaust gas carrying exchanger tubes disposed in the housing, wherein a coolant flows through the housing and around an outer surface of the exchanger tubes, wherein each of the exchanger tubes is substantially U-shaped and includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion, and a bend region connecting the first straight portion to the second straight portion;
a stiffening element abutting the bend region of each of a first plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the first plurality of the exchanger tubes; and
a baffle extending between the first straight portion and the second straight portion of each of the exchanger tubes, the baffle abutting at least one of the first straight portion and the second straight portion of each of a second plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the second plurality of the exchanger tubes.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the stiffening element is formed from a strip of material.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the strip of material includes at least one contoured portion formed therein, wherein the at least one contoured portion substantially conforms to and receives at least a portion of the outer surface of the exchanger tubes.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the stiffening element and the outer surface of the exchanger tube are soldered together.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the strip of material further includes a first resilient tongue formed at a first end of the strip and a second resilient tongue formed at a second end of the strip, the first resilient tongue and second resilient tongue mechanically abutting an inner surface of the housing.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the strip of material includes a plurality of contoured portions and the stiffening element further includes a plurality of spacer elements disposed between adjacent contoured portions of the strip of material.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 6 , wherein the spacer elements include an angled portion and a flat portion, the angled portion angled 90 degrees with respect to the flat portion.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 7 , wherein the spacer elements further include a resilient second spring element.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the second spring element is angled 90 degrees with respect to the angled portion of the spacer elements.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the outer surface of the exchanger tubes abut the second spring element.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the strip of material includes at least one first portion bent in a first direction and at least one second portion bent in a second direction, wherein the at least one first portion and the at least one second portion are successively arranged to form a substantially linear saw-tooth configuration having at least one substantially V-shaped opening to one side of the stiffening element for receiving at least a portion of one of the exchanger tubes and at least one substantially V-shaped opening to an opposite side of the stiffening element for receiving at least a portion of another one of the exchanger tubes.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the strip of material further includes a first resilient tongue formed at a first end of the strip and a second resilient tongue formed at a second end of the strip, the first resilient tongue and second resilient tongue mechanically abutting an inner surface of the housing.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , wherein the stiffening element and the outer surface of the exchanger tube are soldered together.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the strip of material is formed from one of a resilient corrosion-resistant steel and aluminium.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the baffle includes a first spacer element protruding from a first side of the baffle and a second spacer element protruding from a second side of the baffle opposite the first side.

16. The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , wherein the first spacer element abuts the first straight portion of each of the second plurality of the exchanger tubes and the second spacer abuts the second straight portion of each of the second plurality of the exchanger tubes.

17. The heat exchanger according to claim 16 , wherein the baffle is oriented on a first plane and the second plurality of the heat exchanger tubes includes a first exchanger tube oriented on a second plane inclined with respect to the first plane and a second exchanger tube oriented on a third plane inclined with respect to the first plane, the second plane and the third plane transversely arranged.

18. A heat exchanger for the exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle comprising:
a closed housing;
a bundle of separately formed exhaust gas carrying exchanger tubes disposed in the housing, wherein a coolant flows through the housing and around an outer surface of the exchanger tubes, wherein each of the exchanger tubes is substantially U-shaped and includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion, and a bend region connecting the first straight portion to the second straight portion; and
a stiffening element abutting the bend region of each of a first plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the first plurality of the exchanger tubes; and
a grid sheet including a plurality of linearly extending slots, each of the linearly extending slots receiving the bend region of each of a second plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the second plurality of the exchanger tubes.

19. A heat exchanger for the exhaust gas system of a motor vehicle comprising:
a closed housing;
a bundle of separately formed exhaust gas carrying exchanger tubes disposed in the housing, wherein a coolant flows through the housing and around an outer surface of the exchanger tubes, wherein each of the exchanger tubes is substantially U-shaped and includes a first straight portion, a second straight portion, and a bend region connecting the first straight portion to the second straight portion; and
a stiffening element abutting the bend region of a first plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the first plurality of the exchanger tubes;
a grid sheet including a plurality of linearly extending slots, each of the linearly extending slots receiving the bend region of each of a second plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the second plurality of the exchanger tubes; and
a baffle extending between the first straight portion and the second straight portion of each of the exchanger tubes, the baffle abutting at least one of the first straight portion and the second straight portion of a third plurality of the exchanger tubes to mechanically interconnect the third plurality of the exchanger tubes.

Assignees

• Visteon Global Tech Inc
• Hanon Systems

Inventors

• Capelle Andreas
• Hebert Guillaume
• Repa Andrej

Classifications

• F28F1/06

  crimped or corrugated in cross-section · CPC title

• F02M26/11

  Manufacture or assembly of EGR systems; Materials or coatings specially adapted for EGR systems · CPC title

• F28F9/0132

  formed by slats, tie-rods, articulated or expandable rods · CPC title

• F28F1/08

  Tubular elements crimped or corrugated in longitudinal section · CPC title

• F28F2225/04

  for conduits · CPC title