This disclosure relates to a heat exchanger with flexible port elevation and mixing.
A vehicle typically includes a heat exchanger or radiator for removing heat from a fluid that flows through the heat exchanger. The fluid may be an engine coolant, a transmission fluid, a differential fluid, or any other fluid used in the vehicle. The heat exchanger may be a one-pass heat exchanger or any other heat exchanger used in a vehicle. The heat exchanger may use air as a coolant to cool the fluid. The fluid typically flows through the heat exchanger in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle. The air typically flows across the heat exchanger in a direction parallel to and opposite of the direction of travel of the vehicle.
The heat exchanger typically includes an entry end tank, a core, and an exit end tank. The fluid enters the heat exchanger at an entry port on the entry end tank located at or near the top of the entry end tank. The fluid then flows out of the entry end tank and into and through the core. The fluid then flows out of the core and into the exit end tank. The fluid exits the exit end tank through an exit port located at or near the bottom of the exit end tank. The core may include a plurality of tubes arranged perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel at a plurality of heights or elevations relative to the ground. The tubes may have fins or other features to promote removal of heat by the air flowing across the heat exchanger.
For efficient function of the heat exchanger, the hot fluid typically enters the heat exchanger through the entry port located at or near the top of the entry end tank and the cooled fluid typically exits the heat exchanger through the exit port located at or near the bottom of the exit end tank. Inefficient mixing or dispersion of the hot fluid entering the entry end tank and/or the cooled fluid exiting the exit tank may reduce heat exchanger efficiency and/or may cause thermal gradients in the heat exchanger.
A heat exchanger and a vehicle are provided herein. The heat exchanger transfers heat from a fluid to a coolant. The heat exchanger includes a core, an entry end tank, and an exit end tank. The core has a first port in fluid communication with a second port. The fluid flows between the first and second ports. The entry end tank forms an entry port and is attached to and in fluid communication with the first port of the core. The exit end tank forms an exit port and is attached to and in fluid communication with the second port of the core. At least one of the end tanks includes a duct therein attached to and in fluid communication with the respective port and configured to control the flow of the fluid in the end tank. The duct may be configured to allow the port to be positioned at any desired elevation on the end tank. The duct may form an open end within the end tank at an elevation that simulates a standard port elevation for efficient transfer of heat from the fluid to the coolant. The duct may form a plurality of openings at a plurality of elevations for fluid communication between the port and the end tank.
The vehicle includes a fluid and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the fluid to air. The heat exchanger includes a core, an entry end tank, and an exit end tank. The core has a first port in fluid communication with a second port. The fluid flows between the first and second ports. The entry end tank forms an entry port and is attached to and in fluid communication with the first port of the core. The exit end tank forms an exit port and is attached to and in fluid communication with the second port of the core. At least one of the entry end tank and the exit end tank includes a duct therein attached to and in fluid communication with the respective port and configured to control the flow of the fluid in the end tank. The duct may be configured to allow the port to be positioned at any desired elevation on the end tank. The duct may form an open end within the end tank at an elevation that simulates a standard port elevation for efficient transfer of heat from the fluid to the air. The duct may form a plurality of openings at a plurality of elevations for fluid communication between the port and the end tank.
The heat exchanger and the vehicle provide flexibility in entry and exit port elevation on the end tanks The heat exchanger and the vehicle also provide improved dispersion or mixing of the hot fluid entering the entry end tank and/or the cooled fluid exiting the exit tank. The heat exchanger and the vehicle may improve heat exchanger efficiency and may reduce thermal gradients in the heat exchanger. This disclosure applies to any heat exchanger in any machine or manufacture for removing heat from any fluid with air or with any other coolant. This disclosure also applies to any heat exchanger that removes heat from air with a coolant.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the present teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components throughout the views,
The heat exchanger 14 may be a one-pass heat exchanger, as shown, or any other type of heat exchanger, as understood by those skilled in the art. The coolant 18 may be air, as shown, or any other suitable coolant. The vehicle 10 has a direction of travel (arrow T). The coolant or air 18 may flow across the heat exchanger 14 in a direction of coolant flow (arrow C), substantially parallel and opposite to the direction of travel (arrow T) of the vehicle 10. The fluid 16 may flow through the heat exchanger 14 generally in a fluid flow direction (arrow F), substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel (arrow T) of the vehicle 10.
The heat exchanger 14 includes a core 20, an entry end tank 22, and an exit end tank 24. The core 20 is for transferring the heat from the fluid 16 to the coolant 18. The core 20 has a first port 26 for entry of the fluid 16 and a second port 28 for exit of the fluid 16. The first port 26 is in fluid communication with the second port 28. The fluid 16 flows between the first port 26 and second port 28 of the core 20. The core 20 may include a plurality of tubes or passages (not shown) arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of vehicle travel (arrow T) at a plurality of heights or elevations relative to the ground. The tubes or passages may have fins or other features to promote removal of heat by the coolant or air 18 flowing across the heat exchanger 14.
The entry end tank 22 forms an entry port 30 and is attached to and in fluid communication with the first port 26 of the core 20. An entry hose or tube 32 may be connected to the entry port 30 to supply the flow of hot fluid 16 to the heat exchanger 14 for cooling. The exit end tank 24 forms an exit port 34 and is attached to and in fluid communication with the second port 28 of the core 20. An exit hose or tube 36 may be connected to the exit port 34 to remove the flow of cooled fluid 16 exiting the heat exchanger 14.
At least one of the end tanks 22, 24 includes a duct 38 attached to and in fluid communication with the respective port 30, 34. The duct 38 is configured to control the flow of the fluid 16 in the end tank 22, 24. The duct 38 may be a tube, a canal, a pipe, or a conduit by which the fluid 16 is transferred, conducted, or conveyed within the end tank 22, 24. The duct 38 may be integrated into the end tank 22, 24. The duct 38 may include one or more flow changing elements to control the flow and dispersion of the fluid 16 which enters or exits the end tank 22, 24 through the respective port 30, 34. The one or more flow changing elements may include one of an opening 48, 52 formed in the duct 38, a baffle 58, and a chamber 62, as best seen in
Referring now to
The duct 38 may form an open end 48 within the end tank 22, 24 at an elevation that simulates the standard port elevation 40, 42 for efficient transfer of heat from the fluid 16 to the coolant 18. The duct 38 may be configured to simulate an optimal port elevation (not shown) regardless of the port 30, 34 elevation. The optimal port elevation is defined as the port elevation on the end tank 22, 24 that results in the most efficient operation of the heat exchanger 14. The duct 38 may allow the exit port 34 to be positioned at an upper or alternative exit port elevation 46 on the exit end tank 24. The duct 38 may allow the entry port 30 to be positioned at a lower or alternative entry port location 44 on the entry end tank 22. The alternative port elevations 44, 46 may include a range of elevations, as shown.
Referring now to
In the embodiment shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
The exit end tank 24 and the duct 38 may form a clearance 54 between them. The clearance 54 may allow the fluid 16 to flow within the exit end tank 24 before entering the duct 38 at the one or more openings 52 and/or at the open end 48. The duct 38 configuration shown in
Referring now to
In this embodiment, the fluid 16 internal flow (arrows FF) is from the entry port 30 into the duct 38 and is dispersed into the entry end tank 22 at a plurality of elevations. The duct 38 configuration shown in
While the best modes for carrying out the many aspects of the present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are within the scope of the appended claims.