A heater core is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from engine coolant to flowing air in a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) unit of an automobile. Liquid engine coolant is pumped through coolant paths in an internal combustion engine to carry waste heat from the engine and keep the engine within operational temperature limits. A heater core may be installed in the coolant path and in an airflow path within the HVAC unit. A fan may blow air through the heater core that has been warmed by the engine coolant. As the air passes through the heater core, the engine waste heat is transferred from the liquid engine coolant to the air, thereby raising the temperature of the air. The heated air is ducted to the passenger compartment of the vehicle to raise the temperature of the air in the passenger compartment.
A heater core includes a plurality of plate pairs. Each plate pair defines a respective fluid flow chamber. Each plate pair has a proximal plate defining a respective proximal plate plane and a distal plate defining a respective distal plate plane. Each of the proximal plate planes and the distal plate planes are parallel. Each plate pair has bilateral symmetry about a medial plane orthogonal to the proximal plate planes. A circular inlet aperture is defined in each respective proximal plate and each respective distal plate of the plurality of plate pairs. Each inlet aperture has a center on the medial plane. A circular outlet aperture is defined in each respective proximal plate and each respective distal plate of the plurality of plate pairs. Each outlet aperture has a center on the medial plane. The inlet apertures are aligned on a common inlet aperture axis.
Features and advantages of examples of the present disclosure will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings, in which like reference numerals correspond to the same or similar, though perhaps not identical, components. For the sake of brevity, reference numerals or features having a previously described function may or may not be described in connection with other drawings in which they appear.
Some existing heater cores are heat exchangers having opposed end tanks and tubes connecting the end tanks with fins between the tubes. Coolant flows from an inlet tank through the tubes to an outlet tank. Air is warmed (and the coolant is cooled) as the air is blown over the tubes and fins. Another type of existing heat exchanger is a stacked plate heat exchanger. In an example of an existing stacked plate heat exchanger, aligned pairs of stamped plates form integral headers and flow tubes. Each plate of each aligned pair is rectangular, and has an inner surface that faces the inner surface of the other plate. The two plates are sealed together by brazing to create a thin, wide flow tube between the inner surfaces of the plates. Cups are stamped at the ends of the plates (e.g. one cup at each end, or two cups at one end). The cups protrude away from the outer surface of the plates and are open to the inner surface of the plates. When the plate pairs (flow tubes) are stacked together to assemble the generally box shaped heat exchanger, the pairs of oppositely protruding cups align to create header pipes, either one pipe on each side of the heat exchanger or two adjacent pipes on one side. The stacked cups of the aligned plate pairs also act to space out the plate pairs to provide space for corrugated air cooling fins.
The package space available in an HVAC unit in a vehicle may be narrowest at the corners of the heater core. In some existing heater cores that have the coolant inlet tubes and outlet tubes at a corner of the heater core, providing space for the coolant inlet tubes and outlet tubes reduces the space available for the stacked plates. In some existing heater cores, with bent inlet and outlet tubes, a straight portion 102 is required between the bent portion 104 and the interface between the inlet line 106 and the end plate 108 (e.g., see
Examples of the present disclosure use more of the available space for the active heat exchange surface area of the heater core. The increased active heat exchange surface area may reduce the air side pressure drop and improve the power (rate of heat transfer) of the HVAC unit. Further, examples of the heater core of the present disclosure may have manufacturing and cost advantages that will be pointed out in the discussion below.
Referring now to
In the example depicted in
As depicted in
Examples of the heater core 10 may include a tubular outlet manifold 33 having a linear outlet manifold portion 35 with an outlet manifold axis 37 disposed through each of the outlet apertures 27. The outlet manifold 33 may have a curved outlet manifold portion 39 with another bend 41 formed with another radius of curvature 43 centered on the end proximal plate plane 44. (See
Similarly to the single inlet tube 46, it is to be understood that the single cylindrical outlet tube 47 spans all of the brazed plate pairs 12. This is in sharp contrast to existing stacked plate heat exchangers having a header formed from a plurality of tubes and cups stacked and brazed together. The single cylindrical outlet tube 47 may cause better alignment of the brazed plate pairs 12 and more strength and durability of the brazed heater core 10. The independently sizable outlet slots 49 and the tunable flow to each of the brazed plate pairs 12 further differentiate the present disclosure from existing stacked plate heat exchangers.
In examples of the heater core 10 of the present disclosure, a first edge 62 of each of the brazed plate pairs 12 lies in a first plane 64 to define a first face 66 of the heater core 10. A second edge 63 of each of the brazed plate pairs 12 opposite the first edge 62 includes a protuberance 68 to surround a portion of a perimeter 70 of the outlet aperture 27 in the brazed plate pair 12. The protuberances 68 are aligned to define a mound 74 on a second face 76 of the heater core 10 opposite the first face 66.
In the example of the heater core depicted in
Similarly, each proximal plate 16 has a proximal outlet collar 83 defining the outlet aperture 27. The proximal outlet collar 83 defines a proximal outlet surface of revolution 93 coaxial to the outlet manifold 33. The proximal outlet collar 83 is convex to the fluid flow chamber 14 of the corresponding brazed plate pair 12.
Also similarly, each distal plate 20 has a distal inlet collar 84 defining the inlet aperture 26. The distal inlet collar 84 defines a distal inlet surface of revolution 94 coaxial to the inlet manifold 32. The distal inlet collar 84 is convex to the fluid flow chamber 14 of the corresponding brazed plate pair 12.
Similarly, each distal plate 20 has a distal outlet collar 85 defining the outlet aperture 27. The distal outlet collar 85 defines a distal outlet surface of revolution 95 coaxial to the outlet manifold 33. The distal outlet collar 85 is convex to the fluid flow chamber 14 of the corresponding brazed plate pair 12. As depicted in
In the example of the heater core 10 as depicted in
As depicted in
As depicted in
Referring to
Reference throughout the specification to “one example”, “another example”, “an example”, and so forth, means that a particular element (e.g., feature, structure, and/or characteristic) described in connection with the example is included in at least one example described herein, and may or may not be present in other examples. In addition, it is to be understood that the described elements for any example may be combined in any suitable manner in the various examples unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
In describing and claiming the examples disclosed herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The terms “connect/connected/connection” and/or the like are broadly defined herein to encompass a variety of divergent connected arrangements and assembly techniques. These arrangements and techniques include, but are not limited to (1) the direct communication between one component and another component with no intervening components therebetween; and (2) the communication of one component and another component with one or more components therebetween, provided that the one component being “connected to” the other component is somehow in communication with the other component (notwithstanding the presence of one or more additional components therebetween). Additionally, two components may be permanently, semi-permanently, or releasably engaged with and/or connected to one another.
It is to be further understood that “communication” is to be construed to include all forms of communication, including direct and indirect communication. Indirect communication may include communication between two components with additional component(s) located therebetween.
While several examples have been described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed examples may be modified. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered non-limiting.
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Number | Date | Country |
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2873796 | Feb 2006 | FR |
Entry |
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Gilles Elliot, Heater core for motor vehicle, Feb. 3, 2006, Google translation for FR 2873796 A1. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20160091253 A1 | Mar 2016 | US |