Heat exchanger in a housing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9766023-B2
Application number	US-201414312933-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger including a stack of tubes, a cover plate, and a housing in which the stack of tubes is arranged. The housing includes first, second, and third adjacent housing sides having a respective first, second, and third housing openings each having a edge around the respective housing opening. The second housing opening is closed by the edge of the cover plate on the edge of the second housing opening. The housing further includes first and second exposed struts. The first exposed strut is positioned between the first and the second housing openings and the second exposed strut is positioned between the second and the third housing openings, and a first side of an edge of the cover plate is fastened to the first exposed strut and a second side of the edge of the cover plate is fasted to the second exposed strut.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one stack of tubes with fins arranged in between the tubes;
a cover plate extending over the at least one stack of tubes and coupled to the at least one stack of tubes, the cover plate including a first side and a second side parallel to the first side; and
a housing, the at least one stack arranged in the housing,
the housing comprising:
first, second, and third adjacent housing sides including a respective first, second, and third housing openings each having an edge around the respective housing opening, wherein the second housing opening is a middle housing opening between the first and the third housing openings and is an insertion opening for the at least one stack of tubes, wherein the middle housing opening is closed by a continous edge of the cover plate on the edge of the middle housing opening;
fourth, fifth, and sixth adjacent closed housing sides; and
first and second exposed struts, wherein the first exposed strut is positioned between the first and the middle housing openings and the second exposed strut is positioned between the middle and the third housing openings,

wherein the first side of the cover plate is fastened to the first exposed strut and the second side of the cover plate is fasted to the second exposed strut, and
wherein the first and second exposed struts each have a generally Z-shaped cross section with first and second steps.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a first collection box having an edge section that lies on the first exposed strut to close the first housing opening.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2 , further comprising a second collection box having an edge section that lies on the second exposed strut to close the second housing opening.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the first collection box is an inlet collection box that is welded onto the edge of the first housing opening.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the first collection box is formed from an aluminum casting.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the first collection box is formed from sheet metal.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the second collection box is an outlet collection box that is made as an injection molding from plastic and is fastened mechanically to the edge of the third housing opening.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first step of the cross section of the first and second exposed struts each defines a portion of the edge of the middle housing opening, the second step of the first exposed strut defines a portion of the edge of the first housing opening, and the second step of the second exposed strut defines a portion of the edge of the third housing opening.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first exposed strut represents a first longitudinal edge of the housing and the second exposed strut represents a second longitudinal edge of the housing.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the cover plate includes fastening eyes that correspond to fastening eyes of at least one of the first and second collection boxes.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the fastening eyes of the cover plate are brazed onto the cover plate, and the fastening eyes of the at least one of the first and second collection boxes are integrally formed as a single unitary piece with said collection box.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the edge of the cover plate is fastened to the edge of the middle housing opening.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 12 , wherein the edge of the cover plate is welded to the edge of the middle housing opening.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the second housing side has an area, and wherein the middle housing opening has an area that is approximately the area of the second housing side.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first and third housing openings are the same size and wherein the middle housing opening is larger than each of the first and third housing openings.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first housing side in which the first housing opening is located further includes a first partial housing wall, and wherein the position and extent of the first partial housing wall correspond with an inlet area for coolant in the stack of plates and fins.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stack of tubes includes pairs of plates.

18. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the housing has a one-piece, cage-like cast structure.

19. A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one stack of tubes with fins arranged in between the tubes;
cover plate extending over the at least one stack of tubes and coupled to the at least one stack of tubes, the cover plate including a first side and a second side parallel to the first side;
a housing, the at least one stack arranged in the housing,
the housing comprising:
first, second, and third adjacent housing sides including a respective first, second, and third housing openings each having an edge around the respective housing opening, wherein the second housing opening is a middle housing opening between the first and the third housing openings and is an insertion opening for the at least one stack of tubes, wherein the middle housing opening is closed by a continuous edge of the cover plate on a middle opening seat of the middle housing opening, wherein the first housing opening includes a first opening seat, and wherein the third housing opening includes a third opening seat;
fourth, fifth, and sixth adjacent generally closed housing sides; and
first and second exposed struts, wherein the first exposed strut is positioned between the first and the middle housing openings and the second exposed strut is positioned between the middle and the third housing openings;

a first collection box located at least partially within the housing in the first housing side; and
a second collection box located at least partially within the housing in the third housing side,
wherein the continuous edge of the cover plate lies in a common plane,
wherein the middle opening seat is defined by a first step of the first strut, a second step of the second strut, and middle opening steps of two other edges of the middle opening,
wherein the continuous edge of the cover plate is seated on the middle opening seat of the middle housing opening,
wherein the first opening seat is defined by steps of edges of the first opening, the steps being in a common plane,
wherein the third opening seat is defined by steps of edges of the third opening, the steps being in a common plane,
wherein the first collection box includes a continuous edge that is seated on the first opening seat, and
wherein the second collection box includes a continuous edge that is seated on the third opening seat.

20. A heat exchanger comprising:
at least one stack of tubes including fins arranged in between the tubes, an inlet channel, and an outlet channel, wherein the inlet and outlet channels are arranged on the same side of the stack;
a cover plate extending over the at least one stack of tubes and coupled to the at least one stack of tubes; and
a housing, the at least one stack arranged in the housing,
the housing comprising:
first, second, and third adjacent housing sides including a respective first, second, and third housing openings each having an edge around the respective housing opening, wherein the second housing opening is a middle housing opening betwee

Assignees

• Modine Mfg Co

Inventors

• Schatz-Knecht Wolfgang

Classifications

• F28D7/1653

  the conduit assemblies having a square or rectangular shape · CPC title

• F28F9/0219

  Arrangements for sealing end plates into casing or header box; Header box sub-elements (F28F9/0236 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F21/067

  Details · CPC title

• F28D2021/0082

  Charged air coolers · CPC title

• F28F9/001 Primary

  Casings in the form of plate-like arrangements; Frames enclosing a heat exchange core · CPC title