This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to German application DE 101 52 363.7 filed Oct. 24, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
This invention is directed towards heat exchangers, and more particularly, toward housing-less plate heat exchangers wherein at least one inlet or outlet emerges laterally from the heat exchanger.
Housing-less plate heat exchangers are known that include a nested stack of heat exchange plates that define flow channels between the plates for the transfer of heat between first and second fluids flowing through the channels, with aligned openings in each of the plates defining inlet and outlet manifolds for the respective first and second fluids to distribute and collect the first and second fluids from the flow channels. Such heat exchangers are often used as oil coolers for vehicular engines or other machines. Typically, such heat exchangers include inlet ports and outlet ports located on the ends of the heat exchangers. However, some housing-less plate heat exchangers include inlet and outlet ports that emerge laterally from the heat exchanger. An example of such a construction is shown in International Patent Application WO 99/51926 wherein an inlet port and outlet port emerge laterally from an intermediate plate arranged between the nested stack of heat exchange plates. The disclosed heat exchanger is intended for heat exchange between three media and consists of two separate plate heat exchangers connected by the intermediate plate on which the lateral connections are arranged. The intermediate plate has a number of openings for the passage of various fluids, and its extent corresponds to the extent of the nested heat exchange plates and cover plates. The diameter of the connections for the inlet and outlet ports determines the thickness of the intermediate plate, so that a relatively thick intermediate plate is be present at large diameters.
An intermediate plate fitting for heat exchangers is also known from German patent document DE 31 02 314 C2, which does not however belong to the housing-less design. Rather, the construction is that of a coolant radiator that is provided with cooling fins for a cooling air stream flow. The construction does provide for inlet or outlet ports that emerge laterally from a plate type heat exchanger, but that require a two-part intermediate plate fittings to accommodate the corresponding intermediate plate fitting. These intermediate plates require that the adjacent heat exchange plates be modified so that they are configured differently then the other heat exchange plates in the construction. This can require an additional dye and an associated increase in terms of the logistic requirements associated with an increase in the number of different parts for the construction.
A housing-less plate heat exchanger is provided for transferring heat between at least a first fluid and a second fluid. The housing-less plate heat exchanger includes a first inlet manifold that distribute the first fluid, a first outlet manifold to collect the first fluid, a second inlet manifold to distribute the second fluid, and a second outlet manifold to collect the second fluid. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of heat exchange plates stacked to enclose flow channels for the first and second fluids between the plates, a first intermediate plate pair sandwiched between a first and second stack of the heat exchange plates, and a barrier located between the plates of the intermediate plate pair to separate the first fluid from the second fluid. Each of the heat exchange plates includes a first inlet opening aligned with the first inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first inlet manifold, a first outlet opening aligned with the first outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first outlet manifold, a second inlet opening aligned with the second inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the second inlet manifold, and a second outlet opening aligned with the second outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define a second outlet manifold. The first intermediate plate pair includes a first fluid port extending laterally from the heat exchanger to transfer the first fluid between the heat exchanger and a device other than the heat exchanger. Each plate of the intermediate plate pair includes a first inlet opening aligned with the first inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first inlet manifold, a first outlet opening aligned with the first outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first outlet manifold, a second inlet opening aligned with the second inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the second inlet manifold, and a second outlet opening aligned with the second outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the second outlet manifold. The intermediate plates are joined to enclose a first chamber. The first chamber opens to the first fluid port and to one of the first fluid inlet and outlet manifolds to direct the first fluid between the first fluid port and the one of the first fluid inlet and outlet manifolds.
In one form, the barrier includes embossed features formed on the intermediate plates.
In one form, each heat exchange plate located adjacent the intermediate plate pair has a surface facing the intermediate plate pair, and each plate of the intermediate plate pair extends substantially over the entire facing surface of the adjacent heat exchange plate.
According to one form, the intermediate plate pair further includes a second fluid port extending laterally from the heat exchanger to transfer the first fluid between the heat exchanger and a device other than the heat exchanger. The intermediate plates enclose a second chamber, with the second chamber opening to the second fluid port and to the other of the first fluid inlet and outlet manifolds to direct the first fluid between the second fluid port and the other of the first fluid inlet and outlet manifolds. The first and second chambers are separated by a barrier to restrict the flow of the first fluid between the first and second chambers.
According to one form, the housing-less plate heat exchanger further includes a second intermediate plate pair located at a opposite end of one of the first and second stacks of the heat exchanger plates from the first intermediate plate pair. The second intermediate plate pair includes a second fluid port extending laterally from the heat exchanger to transfer the first fluid between the heat exchanger and a device other than the heat exchanger. Each plate of the second intermediate plate pair includes a first inlet opening aligned with the first inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first inlet manifold, a first outlet opening aligned with the first outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the first outlet manifold, a second inlet opening aligned with the second inlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the second inlet manifold, and a second outlet opening aligned with the second outlet opening of an adjacent heat exchange plate to define the second outlet manifold. The second intermediate plates are joined to enclose a second chamber, with the second chamber opening to the second fluid port and to the other of the first fluid inlet and outlet manifolds to direct the first fluid between the second fluid port and the other of the first inlet and outlet manifolds. The housing-less plate heat exchanger further includes a second barrier located between the second intermediate plates to separate the first fluid from the second fluid.
In one form, the intermediate plates are mirror images of each other.
In one form, the intermediate plates are identical.
According to one form, the intermediate plates enclose an additional chamber that is separated from the first chamber by an additional barrier, and the additional barrier includes interruptions to allow a restricted flow of the first fluid between the first chamber and the additional chamber.
In one form, each of the intermediate plates includes a laterally extending semi-cylindrical feature that mates with the laterally extending semi-cylindrical feature of the other intermediate plate to form a cylindrical shape for the first inlet port.
According to one form, each of the heat exchange plates and each of the intermediate plates includes an additional opening, with the additional openings being aligned to provide a through hole in the heat exchanger.
In one form, each of the heat exchange plates has a continuous outer rim that can be nested in the continuous outer rim of an adjacent heat exchange plate, with the rims of each of the first and second stacks turned away from the intermediate plate pair.
In one form, the heat exchange plates and the intermediate plates are joined by soldering.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after reviewing the entire disclosure, including the appended claims and drawings.
With reference to
The heat exchanger 10 includes a plurality of trough shaped heat exchange plates 12 arranged in first and second nested stacks 14 and 16 on either side of an intermediate plate pair 18, as best seen in
As best seen in
Having described the general features of the heat exchanger 10, the detailed features of the heat exchanger 10 will now be discussed with reference to
The arrows in
As best seen in
The intermediate plate pair 18 includes a pair of mating plates 80 which are mirror images of each other and identical. Preferably, each of the plates 80 include a pair of laterally extending, semi-cylindrical features 82, with each semi-cylindrical feature 82 mating with one of the semi-cylindrical features 82 of the other intermediate plate 80 to form a cylindrical shape for one of the ports 20 and 22. This allows the ports 20 and 22 to accept a cylindrical connector 84 in the form of a standard hose connector. Preferably, the features 82 are formed by deformation of the plates 80. This allows for the inlet and outlet ports 20, 22 to have a larger diameter without requiring an increase thickness of the intermediate plate pair 18. It is preferred that the plates 80 be made from aluminum sheets of relatively limited sheet thickness so as to minimize the weight of the heat exchanger 10.
As best seen in
Additionally, each of the openings 90 and 92 is surrounded by an embossed, continuous edge or flange 104 and 106, respectively that abut the flange 104 and 106, respectively, on the opposite intermediate plate 80 to block or restrict the flow of oil from the manifolds 42 and 48 into the space enclosed between the intermediate plates 80, i.e. the chambers 94, 96, 102, and 103. It should be appreciated that any one of the beads 98,100 or continuous edges 104, 106 can serve as a barrier that is located between the plates 80 to separate the coolant from the oil if one or more of the other features 98, 100, 104, 106 are not provided. In this regard, one example of a possible modification is that the continuous edges 104 and 106 could be completely eliminated from the plates 80. In such a construction it would be apparent from reviewing
It should be noted that it is not always absolutely necessary that the bead 98 or the bead 100 would absolutely prevent the flow of coolant between the chambers 94, 96, 102, and 103. Indeed, in some applications it may be advantages to provide any individual bead 98, 100 or all of the beads 98, 100 with interruptions 110 that allow a metered or restricted flow of the coolant between the chambers 94, 96, 102, and 103, as shown by the arrows in
It should also be understood that while embossed features 98, 100, 104, and 106 are preferred, in some embodiments it may be advantages to replace these features by loose parts, such as rods and/or rings, that are inserted between the intermediate plates 80 and are later bonded, such as by soldering, to the intermediate plates 80.
Each of the intermediate plates 80 include a continuous outer flange or edge 112 around its outer perimeter that engages the continuous flange 112 on the opposite plate 80 and is abutted and bonded thereto to seal the interior of the intermediate plate pair 18 from the exterior of the intermediate plate pair 18. Additionally, each of the intermediate plates 80 includes an opening 113 that is aligned with the openings 52 to define the through hole 40, with each of the openings 113 being surrounded by a continuous flange 114 that is abutted and bonded to the continuous flange 114 on the other intermediate plate to seal the interior of the intermediate plate pair 18 from the exterior of the intermediate plate pair 18.
As another alternative, it is conceivable in some applications not to use the laterally extending ports 20, 22 for the same fluid, but instead to use one of the ports 20,22 as an inlet or outlet for one fluid and the other port 20,22 as an inlet or outlet for another fluid. This could make it necessary to employ intermediate plates 80 that are not identical or mirror images of each other. It should also be understood that there may be other applications where more than two intermediate plate pairs 18 are desired.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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101 52 363 | Oct 2001 | DE | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20030106679 A1 | Jun 2003 | US |