Patent Application
20070084592
The invention relates to a heat exchanger, especially charge-air/coolant radiator, of disk-type construction, according to the precharacterizing clause of claim 1.
In the case of conventional charge-air/coolant radiators of disk-type construction, the charge air and the coolant are introduced into the disks via a single connecting branch in each case which has a circular cross section. A charge-air/coolant radiator of this type can still leave something to be desired in particular with regard to the cooling capacity.
It is the object of the invention to provide an improved heat exchanger.
This object is achieved by a heat exchanger with the features of claim 1. Advantageous refinements are the subject matter of the subclaims.
According to the invention, a heat exchanger, especially charge-air/coolant radiator, of disk-type construction is provided, with two adjacent disks defining an intermediate space through which a heat exchanger medium, in particular a coolant, preferably a mixture with water and glycol, or a second medium to be cooled or to be heated flows, the entry and/or exit region of the heat exchanger medium and/or second medium being expanded at least on the diskharge side or inflow side. In this connection, in particular the entry and/or exit region of a fluid to be cooled, for example charge air, which forms the second medium, is of expanded design.
Instead of a charge-air/coolant radiator, use can also be made of any other desired, correspondingly constructed heat exchanger, for example an oil cooler. A heat exchanger of this type which is designed in accordance with the invention permits good distribution of the corresponding medium over the surface, which is relevant for the heat exchange, of the individual disks which form the heat exchanger. The uniform distribution of the flow reduces the boiling problems in heat exchangers used in critical regions of this type.
The region preferably runs rectilinearly at least over a third, in particular over half, of the width of the disk.
The region preferably runs at least over part of the width of the disk perpendicularly or essentially transversely, i.e. at an angle of 80° to 100°, to the average flow direction of the second medium, in particular a fluid which is to be cooled.
The opening for the second medium in an end region of the disk preferably extends essentially over the entire surface of the same, except for edge regions and regions in which passages for the heat exchanger medium are arranged.
At least two heat exchanger medium passages are preferably provided per heat exchanger medium inlet and/or outlet. A heat exchanger designed in such a manner permits good distribution of the heat exchanger medium over the surface, which is relevant for the heat exchange, of the individual disks which form the heat exchanger. The uniform distribution of the flow reduces the boiling problems in the case of heat exchangers used in critical regions of this type. In this case, the heat exchanger medium passages, in the same manner as the entry and/or exit regions of the medium to be cooled/heated, are preferably formed by apertures, in particular aligned with one another, in the individual disks.
The distribution of the heat exchanger medium is assisted by an axially symmetrical configuration of the disks with respect to their longitudinal axis with regard to the heat exchanger medium passages. If, furthermore, the disks are of axially symmetrical design with respect to their transverse axis with regard to the heat exchanger medium passages, then the installation is simplified.
A single heat exchanger medium inlet and/or a single heat exchanger medium outlet, having a branching and/or junction, is preferably provided. This permits a relatively simple construction with improved heat transfer owing to the better distribution of the flow.
The branching and/or the junction are preferably designed in the shape of an arc of a circle, with the result that a space-saving construction around the bolts or the like holding the individual disks together is possible.
A bend of 30° to 90° is preferably provided—as seen in the direction of flow—in the region of the branching and/or of the junction, with the forked part of the branching and/or junction being oriented parallel to the disks.
The heat exchanger medium inlet, which merges into two heat exchanger medium passages after the branching, preferably runs parallel to the heat exchanger medium passages while the two-part part of the branching is preferably arranged in a plane lying perpendicularly thereto. The heat exchanger medium outlet, which merges from two heat exchanger medium passages into the junction, preferably runs parallel to the heat exchanger medium passages while the two-part part of the branching is preferably arranged in a plane lying perpendicularly thereto. This permits a compact and space-saving construction of the heat exchanger. As an alternative, supply may also take place by means of two individual, separately formed pipes which are connected to each other via a Y-shaped connecting piece.
A heat exchanger of this type is preferably used as a charge-air/coolant radiator for cooling the charge air. In this connection, a mixture with water and glycol is preferably used as the heat exchanger medium (coolant).
The invention is explained in detail below using three exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:
A charge-air/coolant radiator 1 used as a heat exchanger between charge air and coolant has a plurality of coolant disks 2 stacked on one another. In this case, two inlet openings 3 and two outlet openings 4 are provided in each coolant disk 2, through which openings coolant, as the heat exchanger medium, is supplied to or removed from the intermediate spaces of the coolant disks 2. The direction of flow is indicated in the figures by arrows. The coolant spreads here after being inlet through the inlet openings 3 over the entire width of the intermediate spaces of the coolant disks 2 and flows uniformly in the direction of the outlet openings 4 (see
The openings 3 and 4 of the coolant disks 2 which are stacked on one another form coolant passages 5 and 6. For this, the regions of the openings 3 and 4 are of correspondingly raised design, so that there is sufficient intermediate space for the charge air to be able to flow between the coolant disks 2 and be cooled.
The two coolant passages 5 begin—as seen in the direction of flow of the coolant—at a branching 7 which has a forking 8 in the shape of an arc of a circle and has a coolant inlet 9 which is arranged centrally in the arc of the circle of the same and is arranged parallel to the coolant passages 5. The coolant supplied through the coolant inlet 9 is thus divided uniformly between the two coolant passages 5.
The outlet is of corresponding design to the inlet. The two coolant passages 6 thus end with a junction 10 which is of corresponding design to the branching 7 and has a coolant outlet 11.
The charge air (second medium) is supplied via a charge-air inlet 20, and then is supplied via a charge-air passage 21, which is formed by openings 22 in the coolant disks 2 stacked on one another, to the intermediate spaces between the intermediate spaces, through which the coolant flows, of the coolant disks 2 and passes via openings 23, which are formed on the other side of the coolant disks 2 and form a second charge-air passage 24, to the charge-air outlet 25.
Unlike in the prior art (illustrated by dashed lines in
The openings 22 and 23 each take up the entire end region of the coolant disk 2, apart from an outer edge 27, the two coolant passages 5 and 6 and an edge 28 in each case surrounding the coolant passages.
According to a second exemplary embodiment which is illustrated in
According to a third exemplary embodiment illustrated in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 103 52 881.4 | Nov 2003 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP04/12719 | 11/10/2004 | WO | 5/10/2006 |
