Cooling fan module and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9909485-B2
Application number	US-201514689162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2015
Priority date	Apr 17, 2015
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A cooling fan module includes a frame, and a fan impeller having a plurality of fan impeller blades is located in an opening of the frame. The fan impeller blades are connected to a base portion of an outer fan ring. A lip portion of the outer fan ring extends from the base portion radially outward, and a leading end of the lip portion is turned in direction to the downstream side of the frame. A recirculating flow guiding device includes a plurality of guide vanes located on an upstream side of the frame and around the opening of the frame. An air gap is provided between the outer fan ring and the frame. A recirculating flow travels from downstream side of the cooling fan module through the air gap, and is turned by the leading end of the lip portion into the recirculating flow guiding device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Cooling fan module, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a frame, wherein the frame is provided with an opening;
a fan impeller located in the opening of the frame, wherein the fan impeller comprises a plurality of fan impeller blades, wherein the fan impeller blades are connected to one another at an outer end via an outer fan ring, wherein the fan ring comprises a base portion and a lip portion, wherein the fan impeller blades are connected to the base portion, wherein the lip portion extends from the base portion radially outward, and wherein a leading end of the lip portion is turned in direction to the downstream side of the frame;
a recirculating flow guiding device including a plurality of guide vanes located on the upstream side of the frame and around the opening of the frame;
wherein an air gap is provided between the fan ring and the frame, a recirculating flow from downstream side of the cooling fan module flowing through said air gap, and is turned by the leading end of the lip portion into the recirculating flow guiding device to remove swirl motion from the recirculating flow, wherein the plurality of guide vanes are located on the upstream side of the frame outside of the fan impeller and are radially displaced from the air gap relative to the fan impeller, or an upper portion of each of the plurality of guide vanes is located on the upstream side of the frame outside of the fan impeller and is radially displaced from the air gap relative to the fan impeller.

2. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least a downstream side of the lip section is turned in direction to the downstream side of the frame, wherein an upstream side of the lip section is also turned in direction to the downstream side of the frame or extends at least partially straight to the base section of the fan ring.

3. Cooling fan module according to claim 2 ,
wherein at least one of a leading edge or a trailing edge of the leading end is rounded or forms a sharp edge.

4. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the leading end of the lip section is curved or folded to turn the leading end in direction to the downstream side of the frame, wherein, when the leading end is folded, the leading end forms a sharp folding edge or a rounded folding edge.

5. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the recirculating flow guiding device is located between the frame and the fan impeller on the upstream side of the frame and the leading end of the lip portion is turned in direction of outwards radially and towards the downstream side of the frame.

6. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the recirculating flow guiding device comprises guide vanes which are arranged around the opening of the frame and the circumference of the fan impeller and wherein the guide vanes are oriented preferably in the radial direction of the fan impeller.

7. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least two of the guide vanes comprise the same length or are different in length.

8. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least two of the guide vanes comprise at least one curved portion and/or at least one flat portion, wherein the curved portion of guide vanes is preferably aligned with incoming recirculating airflow to avoid separation.

9. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least two of the guide vanes extend to an outer edge of the frame or terminate at the outer edge of the frame.

10. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein at least an outer portion of at least one of the guide vanes comprises a height, so that the outer portion of the guide vane extends beyond the upstream side of the fan ring, terminates at the upstream side of the fan ring or terminates before the lip section of the fan ring.

11. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein the guides vanes are equally and/or unequally spaced around the circumference of the fan impeller, wherein the angular spacing between at least two neighbouring guide vanes is preferably in a range between 1° degree to 5° degree.

12. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein a clearance in a radial direction relative to the fan impeller between the guide vanes and the fan ring is in a range of 4 mm to 6 mm, and a clearance in an axial direction relative to the fan impeller is in a range of 5 mm to 7 mm.

13. Cooling fan module according to claim 12 , wherein for a 400 mm to 500 mm diameter fan impeller the clearance is in a range between 4 to 6 mm in radial direction and in a range between 5 mm to 7 mm in axial direction of the fan impeller.

14. Cooling fan module according to claim 6 ,
wherein the thickness of at least one guide vane is in a range of 1 mm to 3 mm.

15. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 ,
wherein the frame is configured so that an airflow passing through an exit of an airflow passage formed by the air gap can go straight or essentially straight outwards radially without been blocked by the frame.

16. Cooling fan module according to claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the guide vanes extends beyond an upstream side of the fan ring, while a lower portion of the guide vanes is arranged in the air gap between the frame and the fan ring and terminates before the base section of the fan ring.

17. System comprising a cooling fan module according to claim 1 and a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is arranged on the upstream side and/or the downstream side of the fan module.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile
• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Hong Tao

Classifications

• F01P1/06

  Arrangements for cooling other engine or machine parts · CPC title

• F04D29/326

  comprising a rotating shroud · CPC title

• F04D29/164 Primary

  of an axial flow wheel · CPC title

• F01P11/12

  Filtering, cooling, or silencing cooling-air · CPC title

• F01P5/02 Primary

  Pumping cooling-air; Arrangements of cooling-air pumps, e.g. fans or blowers · CPC title