Heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9709344-B2
Application number	US-201314043990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2013
Priority date	Oct 2, 2012
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A coolant cooler has a cooling block formed by tubes arranged parallel to one another. The tubes form multiple first flow ducts through which a first fluid can flow. In regions between the tubes multiple second flow ducts are formed through which a second fluid can flow. The coolant cooler includes a first collecting box on which a first fluid inlet is arranged and a second collecting box on which a first fluid outlet is arranged. The first flow ducts are in fluid communication with a first cooling circuit via the first fluid inlet, the first fluid outlet, and the collecting boxes. The first or second collecting box has a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet such that the second fluid inlet, the respective collecting box, and the second fluid outlet are in fluid communication with a second cooling circuit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for a motor vehicle comprising:
at least one block comprising parallel tubes, wherein fins are arranged between said parallel tubes, wherein the parallel tubes form multiple first flow ducts through which a first fluid can flow, wherein the regions between the parallel tubes form multiple second flow ducts through which a second fluid can flow around the parallel tubes,
a first collecting box comprising a first fluid port,
a second collecting box comprising a second fluid port and a third fluid port,
a first cooling circuit comprising the multiple first flow ducts, the first fluid port, the second fluid port, the first collecting box, and the second collecting box,
a second cooling circuit comprising the third fluid port, the second collecting box, at least two of the multiple first flow ducts, and the second fluid port,
a fluid which flows through the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit wherein the fluid in the first cooling circuit flows in part in a direction from the first fluid port to the second fluid port and the third fluid port;
wherein the fluid in the second cooling circuit flows in part in a direction from the second fluid port to the third fluid port;
wherein the first cooling circuit and the second cooling circuit are joined along the same flow path in at least one of the multiple first flow ducts, wherein second cooling circuit branches off from the first cooling circuit downstream of the heat exchanger and rejoins the first cooling circuit at the third fluid port.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 ,
wherein a plan of the flow ducts or flat tubes refers to a plane encompassing a plurality of central axes of the multiple first flow ducts, wherein the first fluid port, the second fluid port, and the third fluid port are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the flow ducts or flat tubes.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 ,
wherein second collecting box further comprises a partition, valve, or flap to reduce or prevent a fluid from flowing directly between the second fluid port and the third fluid port.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 ,
wherein, by way of the partition, valve, or flap, the pressure loss in the second collecting box is variable as a function of a pressure difference between the third fluid port and the first fluid port or as a function of the fluid temperature in the second cooling circuit.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second cooling circuit is formed between the second fluid port and the third fluid port.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 ,
wherein the heat exchanger is of multi-part construction having multiple subsections, wherein each subsection of the heat exchanger comprises a subsection first collecting box and a subsection second collecting box, wherein each subsection of the heat exchanger has two fluid ports.

7. A motor vehicle comprising a heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein a component to be cooled is integrated into the second cooling circuit, or a component to be cooled and a fluid pump are integrated into the second cooling circuit.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein, in the second cooling circuit, there is arranged a thermostat valve for regulating or controlling the fluid flow through the component to be cooled.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the second cooling circuit comprises a bypass duct allowing for fluid communication between the two fluid ports of one collecting box or between in each case one fluid port of the first collecting box and one fluid port of the second collecting box.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 7 , wherein the first cooling circuit is in fluid communication with the second cooling circuit via a connecting point outside the heat exchanger.

Assignees

• Behr Gmbh & Co Kg
• Mahle Int Gmbh

Inventors

• Brümmer Richard
• Hentschel Gunther

Classifications

• F28F1/12

  the means being only outside the tubular element · CPC title

• F28F9/0209 Primary

  having only transversal partitions · CPC title

• F28D1/05375

  with particular pattern of flow, e.g. change of flow direction (F28D1/05391 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01P7/165

  characterised by systems with two or more loops · CPC title

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title