VENTILATION DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE HEAT EXCHANGE MODULE WITH AIR GUIDES FOR GUIDING THE AIR FLOW PASSING THROUGH THE AIR MANIFOLDS

Abstract

A ventilation device (2) for generating an air flow through a motor vehicle heat exchanger (1) is disclosed. The ventilation device (2) includes a plurality of ducts (8), at least one air manifold (12) including at least one air flow inlet (131; 132) and ports, each duct (8) opening at one of the ends thereof into a port (14) separate from the air manifold (12), where the air manifold (12; 100; 200; 300; 400; 500) is provided with air guides (104, 402) configured to guide the air flow passing through the air manifold (12; 100; 200; 300; 400; 500).

Description

The present invention concerns a motor vehicle heat exchanger module.

A motor vehicle heat exchanger generally comprises tubes in which a heat-transfer fluid is intended to circulate, and heat-exchange elements connected to those tubes, often designated by the term “fins” or “spacer”.

The fins enable the area of exchange between the tubes and the surrounding air to be increased. However, in order to increase the exchange of heat between the heat-transfer fluid and the surrounding air, a ventilation device is frequently used as well to generate a flow of air directed toward the tubes and the fins.

A ventilation device of the above kind most often comprises a helical fan, which has numerous disadvantages.

Firstly, the assembly formed by the helical fan and its drive system occupies a large volume.

Moreover, the distribution of the air blown by the fan, often placed at the center of the row of heat-exchange tubes, is not homogeneous over all of the area of the heat exchanger. In particular, certain regions of the heat exchanger, such as the ends of the heat-exchange tubes and the corners of the heat exchanger, are not reached much if at all by the flow of air blown by the fan.

Finally, if it proves unnecessary to start up the ventilation device, in particular when the flow of surrounding air created by the movement of the motor vehicle is sufficient to cool the heat-transfer fluid, the blades of the fan mask part of the heat exchanger. Part of the heat exchanger is therefore not or not much impacted by the flow of surrounding air in this case, which limits the exchange of heat between the heat exchanger and the flow of surrounding air.

Moreover, there is known from the German patent DE 10 2011 120 865 a motor vehicle having a ventilation device and a heat exchanger, the ventilation device being adapted to generate a flow of air through the heat exchanger. The ventilation device is adapted to create a secondary flow of air from a primary flow of air emitted from one or more annular elements, the secondary flow of air being much stronger than the primary flow of air. According to the above patent, the ventilation device forms part of a cooling grille disposed on the front panel of the motor vehicle.

In this kind of motor vehicle each annular element is fed with a flow of primary air by a single fan disposed outside the annular element, via a duct opening in a localized manner into the annular element. Consequently, the flow of ejected air emitted by the annular element is not homogeneous over the contour of the annular element. To the contrary, the flow of emitted air is greater closer to the fan. There follows from this the creation of a secondary flow of air through the heat exchanger that is also not homogeneous.

Finally, there is known from the application DE 10 2015 205 415 a ventilation device intended to generate a flow of air through a heat exchanger comprising a hollow frame and at least one hollow crossmember dividing the surface delimited by the frame into cells. The frame and the crossmember(s) are in fluid communication with an air flow feed turbomachine. The turbomachine is disposed outside the frame. The frame and where applicable the crossmember(s) are moreover provided with an opening for ejection of the flow of air through them.

Once again, the ventilation device does not enable generation of a homogeneous flow of air through the heat exchanger. To the contrary, the flow of air emitted by the device is all the greater if it is ejected from the ventilation device in the vicinity of the turbomachine.

The invention aims to propose an improved ventilation device free of at least some of the disadvantages referred to above.

To this end, the invention proposes a ventilation device intended to generate a flow of air through a motor vehicle heat exchanger, the ventilation device comprising:

• • a plurality of ducts,
  • at least one air manifold including at least one air flow inlet and ports, each duct opening at one of the ends thereof into a port separate from the air manifold, each duct having at least one opening for the passage of a flow of air through said duct, the opening being separate from the ends of the corresponding duct, the opening being situated outside the at least one air manifold,

in which the at least one air manifold is provided with air guides configured to guide the flow of air passing through the air manifold.

The air guides for the flow of air advantageously enable more homogeneous feeding of the various ducts of the ventilation device, thereby enabling a more homogeneous effect of the ventilation device over all of its surface. The air guides also make it possible to limit the head losses of the flow of air in the ventilation device, which makes it possible to improve the efficiency of that ventilation device.

The ventilation device preferably has one or more of the following features, separately or in combination:

• • the air guides comprise means for distributing the flow of air entering the manifold via said at least one air flow inlet toward the ports,
  • the distribution means include partitions inside the at least one air manifold,
  • for each air manifold:
    • the number of partitions is zero if the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is greater than 1.5, and/or
    • the number of partitions is equal to three if the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is between 1 and 1.5 inclusive; and/or
    • the number of partitions is equal to 5 or more if the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is less than 1,
  • the or each partition is rectilinear, partly rectilinear or curved,
  • at least one partition extends, in the vicinity of the air flow inlet, in a first direction, said at least one partition extends, in the vicinity of the ports, in a second direction, and the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular,
  • the air guides comprise, in the vicinity of the ports, deflectors adapted to deviate the flow of air to the vicinity of the ports, so that the flow of air passing through the ports is directly substantially in a direction normal to the section of the ports,
  • each deflector is rectilinear, partly rectilinear or curved,
  • the deflectors are in one piece with the at least one air manifold,
  • at least one partition and/or at least one deflector include(s) an electrically conductive material,
  • each duct has, over at least one portion, a geometrical section comprising:
    • a leading edge;
    • a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;
    • first and second profiles, each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge,

said at least one opening of the duct being on the first profile, said at least one opening being configured so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the first profile,

• • each duct has, over at least one portion, a geometrical section comprising:
    • a leading edge;
    • a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;
    • first and second profiles each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge,

at least one opening of the duct being configured on the first profile so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the first profile and at least one opening of the duct being configured on the second profile so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the second profile,

• • the ducts are substantially rectilinear tubes, aligned in such a manner as to form a row of tubes;
  • the opening is a slot in an external wall of the duct, the slot extending in a lengthwise direction of the duct, preferably over a least 90% of the duct length and/or the height of said at least one opening is greater than or equal to 0 5 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 0 7 mm, and/or less than or equal to 2 mm, preferably less than or equal to 1.5 mm;
  • each duct has, over at least one portion, a geometrical section comprising:
  • a leading edge;
  • a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;
  • first and second profiles, each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge,

said at least one opening of the duct being on the first profile, said at least one opening being configured so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the first profile,

• • said at least one opening of the first profile being delimited by an outer lip and an inner lip, one end of the inner lip being extended, in the direction of the second profile, beyond a plane normal to the free end of the outer lip, the passage section then being defined as the portion of the section of the tube disposed between said end of the inner lip and the trailing edge, on the one hand, and between the first and second profiles, on the other hand,
  • the maximum distance between the first and second profiles, in a lengthwise direction of the ducts, is downstream of said at least one opening, in the direction of flow of said flow of air ejected via said at least one opening, the maximum distance preferably being greater than or equal to 5 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 10 mm, and/or less than or equal to 20 mm, preferably less than or equal to 15 mm, the maximum distance being even more preferably equal to 11.5 mm,
  • the first profile includes a convex portion the summit of which defines the point of the first profile corresponding to the maximum distance, the convex portion being disposed downstream of the opening in the direction of flow of the flow of air ejected via said at least one opening,
  • the first profile includes a substantially rectilinear first portion, preferably downstream of the convex portion in the direction of flow of said flow of air ejected via the at least one opening, in which the second profile includes a substantially rectilinear portion, preferably extending over a majority of the length of the second profile, the first rectilinear portion of the first profile and the rectilinear portion of the second profile forming a non-flat angle, the angle preferably being greater than or equal to 5° and/or less than or equal to 20°, preferably substantially equal to 10°;
  • the rectilinear first portion extends over a length of the first profile corresponding to a length, measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of alignment of the ducts and to a longitudinal direction of the ducts, greater than or equal to 30 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 40 mm, and/or less than or equal to 50 mm,
  • the first profile includes a rectilinear second portion, downstream of the rectilinear first portion in the direction of flow of the flow of air ejected via the at least one opening, the rectilinear second portion extending substantially parallel to the rectilinear portion of the second profile, the first profile preferably including a rectilinear third portion, downstream of the rectilinear second portion of the first profile, the rectilinear third portion forming a non-flat angle with the rectilinear portion of the second profile, the rectilinear third portion extending substantially as far as a rounded edge connecting the rectilinear third portion of the first profile and the rectilinear portion of the second profile, the rounded edge defining the trailing edge of the profile of the duct,
  • the distance between the rectilinear second portion of the first profile and the rectilinear portion of the second profile is greater than or equal to 2 mm and/or less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 5 mm;
  • said geometrical section of the duct has a length, measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of alignment of the ducts and to a principal direction in which the ducts extend, greater than or equal to 50 mm and/or less than or equal to 70 mm, preferably substantially equal to 60 mm,
  • the ventilation device comprises at least one first duct and at least one second duct, the first profile of the first duct facing the first profile of the second duct,
  • the ventilation device further comprises a third duct, such that the second profile of the second duct faces the second profile of the third duct, the distance between the center of the geometrical section of the second duct and the center of the geometrical section of the third duct preferably being less than the distance between the center of the geometrical section of the first duct and the center of the geometrical section of the second duct, and
  • each duct is symmetrical with respect to the plane containing the leading edge and the trailing edge, so that each duct includes two symmetrical openings, one on the first profile and on the second profile.

The deflectors of the flow of air advantageously enable guidance of the flow of air in the ducts of the ventilation device limiting head losses and guiding it in a preferred direction.

The invention also concerns a motor vehicle heat-exchange module comprising:

• • a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a plurality of tubes, termed heat-exchange tubes, in which a fluid is intended to circulate, and
  • a ventilation device as described above, adapted to generate a flow of air toward the heat-exchange tubes.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given by way of example only and with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a heat-exchange module with a heat exchanger provided with part of a ventilation device;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view in section on the plane II-II of an aerodynamic tube of the ventilation device from FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 7 show diagrammatically in section examples of an air inlet manifold that can be employed in the ventilation device from FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 8 to 11 are views analogous to that of FIG. 2 of variant tubes of the ventilation device from FIG. 1.

In the various figures, identical or similar elements, having an identical or analogous function, bear the same references. The description of their structure and of their function is therefore not systematically repeated.

There has been represented in FIG. 1 an example of a heat-exchange module 10 with a heat exchanger 1 intended to equip a motor vehicle, equipped with a ventilation device 2 in accordance with a first embodiment.

The heat exchanger 1 comprises heat-exchange pipes 4 in which a fluid is intended to circulate, here water or cooling liquid. The heat-exchange pipes 4 are substantially rectilinear here and extend in a longitudinal direction. The heat-exchange pipes therefore form heat-exchange tubes 4. The heat-exchange tubes 4 are parallel to one another and aligned in such a manner as to form a row. The heat-exchange tubes 4 are all substantially the same length.

The heat-exchange pipes 4 each extend between a fluid inlet manifold 5 and a fluid evacuation manifold 6, common to all the heat-exchange pipes 4. The ports of the fluid inlet manifold 5, into which the heat-exchange pipes 4 open, are preferably all contained in the same first plane. Likewise, the ports of the fluid evacuation manifold 6, into which the heat-exchange pipes 4 open, are all contained in the same second plane, preferably parallel to said first plane.

More particularly, and conventionally in motor vehicle heat exchangers, each heat-exchange pipe 4 has a substantially oblong section, and is delimited by first and second plane walls that are connected to heat-exchange fins. For reasons of clarity, the fins are not represented in FIG. 1.

The heat-exchange module 10 is equipped with a ventilation device 2 comprising a plurality of ventilation pipes 8. The ventilation pipes 8, in the same manner as the heat-exchange pipes 4, are substantially rectilinear, in such a manner as to form ventilation tubes 8. The ventilation tubes 8 are moreover parallel to one another and aligned in such a manner as to form a row of ventilation tubes 8. The ventilation tubes 8 are also of the same length. The length of the ventilation tubes 8 is for example substantially equal to the length of the heat-exchange tubes 4.

The ventilation device 2 is intended to generate a flow of air in the direction of the heat-exchange tubes 4.

The heat-exchange tubes 4 and the ventilation tubes 8 may all be parallel to one another, as shown in FIG. 1. The rows of ventilation tubes 8 and of heat-exchange tubes 4 are therefore themselves parallel. Moreover, the ventilation tubes 8 may be disposed so that each of them is opposite a heat-exchange tube 4.

The number of ventilation tubes 8 is matched to the number of heat-exchange tubes 4. For example, for a conventional heat exchanger 1, the ventilation device 2 may comprise for example at least ten ventilation tubes 8, preferably at least 15 ventilation tubes 8, more preferably at least 24 ventilation tubes 8 and/or at most 50 ventilation tubes 8, preferably at most 36 ventilation tubes 8, more preferably at most 30 ventilation tubes 8. The heat exchanger 1 may for example include between 60 and 70 heat-exchange tubes 4.

The tubes and the number of ventilation tubes 8 of the ventilation device 2 may be such that a minimum air passage section between the tubes of the ventilation device, defined in a plane substantially perpendicular to the flow of air through the heat exchanger 1, is between 25 and 50% of the surface area, defined in a plane perpendicular to the flow of air through the heat exchanger, between two end heat-exchange tubes.

The front surface area of the ventilation tubes 8, measured in a plane substantially perpendicular to the flow of air through the heat exchanger 1, is preferably less than 85% of the front surface area occupied by the heat-exchange tubes 4.

Moreover, in order to limit the volume occupied by the heat-exchange module comprising the heat exchanger 1 and the ventilation device 2, whilst obtaining heat exchanger performance similar to that of a helical ventilation device, the row of ventilation tubes 8 may be disposed at a distance less than or equal to 150 mm from the row of heat-exchange tubes 4, preferably less than or equal to 100 mm. This distance is preferably greater than or equal to 5 mm, preferably greater than 40 mm. In fact, too great a distance between the ventilation tubes 8 and the heat-exchange tubes 4 risks not allowing homogeneous mixing with the induced flow of air of the flow of air ejected from the ventilation tubes 8. A non-homogeneous mixture does not enable homogeneous cooling of the heat-exchange tubes 4 and induces high head losses. Too great a distance risks not enabling placement of the assembly formed by the ventilation device and the heat-exchange device in a motor vehicle without necessitating appropriate design of the engine block and/or other units of the motor vehicle present in the vicinity of the heat-exchange module.

Likewise, and still to limit the volume occupied by the heat-exchange module, the height of the row of ventilation tubes 8 (the term height referring here to the dimension corresponding to the direction in which the ventilation tubes 8 are aligned) may be made substantially equal to or less than the height of the row of heat-exchange tubes 4. For example, the height of the row of heat-exchange tubes 4 being 431 mm, the height of the row of ventilation tubes 8 may be made substantially equal to or less than that value.

The ventilation device 2 further comprises a device, not visible in FIG. 1, for feeding air to the ventilation tubes 8 via an air inlet manifold 12, preferably via two air inlet manifolds 12.

The means for propulsion of air consist for example of a turbomachine, feeding the two air inlet manifolds 12, disposed at each of the ends of the ventilation device 1, via a respective port 13. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the ports 13 are substantially in the middle of the air inlet manifolds 12. Additionally or alternatively, there are ports 13 at a longitudinal end 12a, 12b of each inlet manifold 12. Alternatively, a turbomachine may feed a single inlet manifold 12 and not two. Also, one or more turbomachines may be employed to feed each air inlet manifold 12 or all the air inlet manifolds 12.

In accordance with another embodiment, the turbomachine(s) is/are also received in one or in each air inlet manifold 12.

However, here the air propulsion means are spaced from the ventilation tubes 8 by the air inlet manifolds 12. The or each turbomachine need not be directly adjacent to the air inlet manifolds 12.

Each air inlet manifold 12 may for example be tubular. In the FIG. 1 embodiment the air inlet manifolds 12 extend in the same direction, which here is perpendicular to the lengthwise (or longitudinal) direction of the heat-exchange tubes 4 and ventilation tubes 8.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the air inlet manifold 12 comprises a plurality of air ejection orifices 14 each produced at one end of a respective tubular portion, each air ejection orifice 14 being connected to a single ventilation tube 8, and more particularly to the end of the ventilation tube 8.

In accordance with the example from FIGS. 1 and 2, each ventilation tube 8 has a plurality of openings 16 for the passage of a flow of air F2 through the tube 8. The openings 16 of the ventilation tubes 8 are situated outside the air manifolds 12. To be more precise, here the openings 16 are oriented substantially in the direction of the heat exchanger 1, and to be even more precise, substantially in the direction of the heat-exchange tubes 4, the slots 16 being for example disposed facing the heat-exchange tubes 4 or fins accommodated between the heat-exchange tubes.

Each ventilation tube 8 opens into a different port 14 of each manifold 12. Each air manifold 12 therefore has as many ports 14 as it receives ventilation tubes 8, a ventilation tube 8 being received in each of the ports 14 of the air manifold 12. This enables more homogeneous distribution in the various ventilation tubes 8 of the flow of air through each air manifold 12.

In this instance, each air manifold 12 has a hollow shape, for example a substantially cylindrical shape, even more particularly a substantially cylindrical shape with a rectilinear axis. Apart from the ports 14 into which the ventilation tubes 8 open, at their ends, each air manifold 12 further includes one or more vents 13 intended to be in fluid communication with a turbomachine (not represented in the figures) to create a flow of air in each manifold 12. Each manifold 12 then enables distribution of that flow of air into the various ventilation tubes 8. In accordance with different variants, each air manifold 12 may be in fluid communication with one or more of its own turbomachines (that is to say in fluid communication only with one of the two air manifolds 12) or, to the contrary, the air manifolds 12 may be in fluid communication with the same turbomachine or a plurality of common turbomachines (that is to say each turbomachine is in fluid communication with each of the manifolds 12).

Each air manifold 12 advantageously has no openings other than the ports 14 and the vent or vents 13 mentioned above. In particular, the manifold 12 preferably includes no openings oriented in the direction of the heat exchanger 1, which in the present instance would enable ejection of some of the flow of air through the air manifold 12, directly in the direction of the heat exchanger 1, without passing through at least a portion of a ventilation tube 8. All of the flow of air created by the turbomachine(s) and passing through the air manifold(s) 12 is therefore distributed between substantially all of the ventilation tubes 8. This also enables a more homogeneous distribution of this flow of air.

It is to be noted here that an advantage of the cooling module 10 from FIG. 1 is the possibility of remotely siting the turbomachines(s) at a distance from the ventilation tubes 8, in particular via the inlet manifolds 12, and, where applicable, an appropriate aeraulic circuit establishing fluid communication between the vent(s) 13 of the air manifold(s) 12 with one or more turbomachines.

Moreover, the air manifold(s) 12 and the ventilation tubes 8 are configured here so that a flow of air through the air manifold(s) 12 is distributed between the various ventilation tubes 8, travels through the various ventilation tubes 8, and is ejected via the openings 16. The openings 16 being disposed facing the heat exchanger 1, a flow of air F2 is therefore ejected via the openings 16 and passes through the heat exchanger 1.

However, it is to be noted that the flow of air F1 through the heat exchanger 1 may be substantially different from the flow of air F2 ejected via the openings. In particular, the flow of air F1 may include, in addition to the flow of air F2, a flow of surrounding air created by the movement of the motor vehicle when in motion.

Except at their ends forming air inlets, which have a substantially circular cross section, the ventilation tubes 8 preferably have a constant substantially oblong cross section, interrupted by the openings 16, as shown in FIG. 2.

The choice of this shape enables easy production of the ventilation tubes 8 and imparts high mechanical strength to the ventilation tubes 8. In particular, ventilation tubes 8 of this kind may be obtained by bending an aluminum sheet for example, but also by molding, overmolding, or by 3D printing a metal or a plastic.

To be more precise, in the example from FIGS. 1 and 2, the cross section of the ventilation tubes 8 has a substantially elliptical shape the minor axis of which corresponds to the height of the ventilation tubes 8 and the major axis to the width of the ventilation tubes 8 (the terms height and width must be understood relative to the FIG. 2 orientation). For example, the minor axis h of the ellipse is approximately 11 mm long.

To increase the flow of air F2 ejected toward the heat exchanger 1 through the openings 16, the openings 16 consist of slots formed in the walls 17 of the ventilation tube 8, those slots 16 extending in the lengthwise direction of the ventilation tube 8. This slot shape enables an air passage with large dimensions to be constituted, whilst maintaining a satisfactory mechanical strength of the ventilation tubes 8. To obtain the greatest possible passage of air, the openings 16 therefore extend over a great part of the length of the ventilation tube 8, preferably over a total length corresponding to at least 90% of the length of the ventilation tube 8.

The openings 16 are delimited by guide lips 18 projecting from the wall 17 of the ventilation tube 8.

Because they project from the wall 17 of each ventilation tube 8, the guide lips 18 make it possible to guide the air ejected via the opening 16 from inside the ventilation tube 8 in the direction of the heat exchanger 1.

The guide lips 18 are preferably plane and substantially parallel. For example, they are spaced from one another by a distance of approximately 5 mm and have a width (the term width having to be considered in the sense of the FIG. 4 orientation), between 2 and 5 mm inclusive. The guide lips 18 advantageously extend the whole length of each opening 16.

The guide lips 18 are preferably in one piece with the ventilation tube 8. The guide lips 18 are for example obtained by bending a wall 17 of the ventilation tube 8.

Moreover, the openings 16 are also delimited, in the lengthwise direction of the ventilation tubes 8, by elements 20 for reinforcing the ventilation tubes 8. The reinforcing elements 20 enable the width of the openings 16 to be kept constant. Here this is achieved by virtue of the fact that the reinforcing elements extend between the two guide lips 18 extending on either side of each opening 16. The reinforcing elements 20 preferably extend in a plane substantially normal to the lengthwise direction of the ventilation tubes 8, in order to maintain as large as possible a section of the openings 16 enabling the passage of the flow of air F2. The reinforcing elements 20 are advantageously regularly distributed over the length of the ventilation tubes 8. In the example shown in FIG. 3, each ventilation tube 8 includes seven reinforcing elements 20. Of course, that number is in no way limiting on the invention.

Alternatively, the cross section of the ventilation tubes 8 is substantially circular, interrupted by the openings 16. For example, the diameter of the circle interrupted by the openings 16 is approximately 11 mm.

Moreover, FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a first example of an air inlet manifold 12 of the ventilation device 2 shown in FIG. 1.

This first example 100 of an air inlet manifold is substantially T-shaped with an inlet port 13 intended to be in fluid communication with an air propulsion device to feed with a flow of air, via the air inlet manifold, the various ventilation tubes 8. The first example 100 of an air inlet manifold has a substantially constant circular section.

Remarkably, the air inlet manifold 200 in accordance with the second example shown in FIG. 4 comprises air guides in the form of means 104 for distributing the flow of air entering the manifold via the inlet port 13 toward the outlet ports 14. These distribution means 104 enable more homogeneous distribution of the flow of air entering the manifold 12 between the various outlet ports 14.

Here, these distribution means 104 essentially comprise five rectilinear walls 106 diverging in the direction from the inlet port 13 to the outlet ports 14. These rectilinear walls 106 guide the incoming flow of air, enable limitation of the head losses of the flow of air through the manifold 12, and more particularly enable reduction of the passage section.

In FIG. 5, the inlet manifold 12 is a dual inlet manifold including two separate halves 12₁, 12₂. Here these two halves 12₁, 12₂ are identical. The two halves 12₁, 12₂, are substantially identical to the manifold 200 from FIG. 4. However, here, each half 12₁, 12₂ of the manifold 300 includes only three divergent rectilinear walls 106 by way of means 104 for distributing the flow of air entering the manifold 300 via the ports 13₁, 13₂, toward the outlet ports 14.

The manifold 400 in accordance with the FIG. 6 example is also a dual manifold comprising two halves 12₁, 12₂. Here those halves are symmetrical. Here the ports 13₁, 13₂ are disposed at the longitudinal ends 12a, 12b of the inlet manifold 400. This enables production of a more compact heat-exchange module. Consequently, each half 12₁, 12₂, of the air inlet manifold 400 is bent. Each half 12₁, 12₂ of the air inlet manifold 400 is provided with means 104 for distributing the flow of air entering the air inlet manifold 400 via the inlet ports 13₁, 13₂ toward the outlet ports 14. Here, these means 104 take the form of two walls 106. Here, the walls are not rectilinear. To the contrary, the two walls 106 are curved. The walls 106 therefore enable improved guidance of the flow of air entering via the inlet port 13₁, 13₂ toward the outlet ports 14.

Over and above this, the manifold 400 from FIG. 6 is provided with air guides in the form of deflectors 402 in the vicinity of the ports 14. These deflectors 402 are provided by curved walls that extend in the vicinity of the ports 14 in a manner perpendicular to those ports 14. These deflectors 402 therefore enable better guidance of the flow of air in the direction of the ports 14, thereby limiting head losses. The deflectors 402 advantageously divert the flow of air in a direction substantially normal to the section of the ports 14, in the vicinity of those ports 14. The deflectors 402 are for example rectilinear, curved or bent (that is to say with rectilinear portions) walls.

The manifold 500 from FIG. 7 is also a dual air inlet manifold, comprising two symmetrical halves 12₁, 12₂. The inlet ports 13₁, 13₂ are also situated at the longitudinal ends 12a, 12b of the air inlet manifold 500 in order to limit the overall width thereof. The air inlet manifold 500 is bent.

The manifold 500 is provided with nine walls 106 in each half 12₁, 12₂ forming means 104 for distribution of the flow of air entering the air inlet manifold 500 via the inlet ports 13₁, 13₂ toward the outlet ports 14. In the vicinity of the ports 13₁, 13₂ these walls 106 extend substantially in the direction in which the ports 13₁, 13₂ extend. To the contrary, in the vicinity of the ports 14, the walls 106 extend perpendicularly to the section of the ports 14. Thus the walls 106 extend in two perpendicular directions in the vicinity of the inlet port 13₁, 13₂ and in the vicinity of the ports 14. The walls 106 therefore form means 104 for distribution of the flow of air and also the deflectors 402.

Other forms of means 104 for distribution of the flow of air are available to the person skilled in the art. The shape of the walls may therefore be different. In particular, the walls 106 may be rectilinear, have rectilinear portions or be curved.

Likewise, in the examples from FIGS. 4 to 7, the walls 106 may be in one piece with the air inlet manifold or the walls 106 may be produced separately from the air inlet manifold and then fixed to it.

The walls 106 and/or the deflectors 402 may advantageously be made of an electrically conductive material. It is therefore possible to pass an electric current in the walls 106 and/or in the deflectors 402 to produce heat by the Joule effect. The heat produced may in particular be used to heat the flow of air.

Moreover, the number of walls 106 described is not limiting on the invention. However, it was found that the best results were obtained when the number of walls 106 per air inlet manifold or per half air inlet manifold was chosen in accordance with the ratio of the total area of the air flow inlet to the total area of the air flow outlets. The total air flow inlet area means the area of the cross section of the inlet port or the sum of the input port cross section areas. The total area of the outlets means the sum of the areas of the cross sections of the outlet ports. In particular, the number of partitions may be zero if the ratio of the total inlet area of the manifold to the total area of the outlets is greater than 1.5. The number of partitions may be equal to 3 if the ratio of the total inlet area of the manifold to the total area of the outlets is between 1 and 1.5 inclusive. And the number of partitions may be equal to 5 or more if the ratio of the total inlet area of the manifold to the total area of the outlets is less than 1.

The use of air guides in the form of means for distributing the flow of air and/or of deflectors is independent of the shape of the ventilation tubes 8. Hereinafter there are described examples of ventilation tube 8 shapes that may be employed in the ventilation device 2.

Hereinafter, the ventilation tubes 8 are referred to as aerodynamic tubes 8. It may be noted here that the shape of the ventilation tubes 8 is a priori independent of the configuration of the air inlet manifolds.

An aerodynamic tube 8 has over a portion of, preferably over substantially all of, its length a cross section as shown in FIG. 8 with a leading edge 37, a trailing edge 38 opposite the leading edge 37 and here disposed facing the heat-exchange tubes 4 and first and second profiles 42, 44 each extending between the leading edge 37 and the trailing edge 38. The leading edge 37 is for example defined as the point at the front of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 at which the radius of curvature of the section is minimum. The front of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 may for its part be defined as the portion of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 that is opposite—that is to say faces—the heat exchanger 1. Likewise, the trailing edge 38 may be defined as the point at the rear of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 at which the radius of curvature of the section is minimum. The rear of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 may be defined for example as the portion of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8 that faces the heat exchanger 1.

The distance c between the leading edge 37 and the trailing edge 38 is for example between 16 mm and 26 mm inclusive. Here this distance is measured in a direction perpendicular to the direction of alignment of the row of aerodynamic tubes 8 and to the longitudinal direction of the aerodynamic tubes 8.

In the FIG. 8 example the leading edge 37 is free. Also in this figure the leading edge 37 is defined over a parabolic portion of the section of the aerodynamic tube 8.

The aerodynamic tube 8 shown in FIG. 8 further includes at least one opening 40 for ejecting a flow of air passing through the aerodynamic tube 8 to the outside of the aerodynamic tube 8 and of the air inlet manifold 12, in particular substantially in the direction of the heat exchanger 1. The opening or each opening 40 is for example a slot in an external wall 41 of the aerodynamic tube 8, the slot(s) extending for example in the lengthwise direction of the aerodynamic tube 8 in which it is or they are produced. The total length of the opening(s) 40 may be greater than 90% of the length of the aerodynamic tube. Each opening 40 is separate from the ends of the aerodynamic tube 8, via which the aerodynamic tube 8 opens into an air manifold 12. Each opening 40 is moreover outside the air inlet manifold 12. The slot shape enables production of an air passage of large size in the direction of the heat exchanger 1 without excessively reducing the mechanical strength of the aerodynamic tubes 8.

Hereinafter there is described only one opening 40 on the understanding that each opening 40 of the aerodynamic tube 8 may be identical to the opening 40 described.

The opening 40 is for example disposed in the vicinity of the leading edge 37. In the FIG. 8 example, the opening 40 is on the first profile 42. In this example the second profile 44 has no opening(s) 40. The opening 40 in the first profile 42 is configured so that the flow of air ejected via the opening 40 flows along at least a part of the first profile 42.

The aerodynamic tubes 8 of the ventilation device 2 may be oriented alternately with the first profile 42 or the second profile 44 oriented upwards. Two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 are therefore alternately such that their first profiles 42 are face-to-face or, to the contrary, their second profiles 44 are face-to-face. The distance between two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 the second profiles 44 of which are face-to-face is less than the distance between two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 the first profiles 42 of which are face-to-face. The pitch between two adjacent aerodynamic tubes or the distance between the center of the geometrical section of the first aerodynamic tube 8 at the center of the geometrical section of a second aerodynamic tube 8, such that the first profile 42 of the first aerodynamic tube 8 is face-to-face with the first profile 42 of the second aerodynamic tube 8, measured in the direction of alignment of the aerodynamic tubes 8, is greater than or equal to 15 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 20 mm, and/or less than or equal to 30 mm, preferably less than or equal to 25 mm

For each pair of aerodynamic tubes 8 the openings 40 of which are face-to-face, the flows of air ejected via these openings 40 therefore create an air passage into which some of the surrounding air, termed induced air, is entrained by aspiration.

It is to be noted here that the flow of air ejected via the openings 40 travels along at least a portion of the first profile 42 of the aerodynamic tube 8, for example by the Coanda effect. Exploiting this phenomenon, it is possible, thanks to the drawing of the surrounding air into the air passage created, to obtain a flow rate of air sent toward the heat-exchange tubes identical to that generated by a helical fan but consuming less energy.

In fact, the flow of air sent toward the row of heat-exchange tubes 4 is the sum of the flow of air ejected via the slots and the induced flow of air. It is therefore possible to employ a turbomachine of reduced power compared to a conventional helical fan, as generally employed in the context of this kind of heat-exchange module.

A first profile 42 having a Coanda surface moreover makes it possible not to have to orient the openings 40 directly in the direction of the heat-exchange tubes 4 and therefore to limit the overall size of the aerodynamic tubes 8. It is therefore possible to maintain a greater passage section between the aerodynamic tubes 8, which encourages the formation of a higher induced air flow rate.

In FIG. 8 the opening 40 is delimited by lips 40a, 40b. The distance e between the lips 40a, 40b, which defines the height of the opening 40 may be greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 0 5 mm, more preferably greater than or equal to 0.7 mm and/or less than 2 mm, preferably less than or equal to 1.5 mm, more preferably less than 0.9 mm, even more preferably less than or equal to 0.7 mm. The height of the slot is the dimension of that slot in the direction perpendicular to its length. The lower the height of the slot 40, the greater the speed of the flow of air ejected via that slot. A high speed of the injected flow of air is reflected in a high dynamic pressure. This dynamic pressure is then converted into static pressure in the area mixing the flow of air ejected via the slot 40 and the induced flow of air. This static pressure enables the head losses caused by the presence of the heat exchanger downstream of the ventilation device to be overcome, in order to ensure an appropriate flow of air through the heat exchanger. These head losses caused by the heat exchanger vary in particular as a function of the pitch of the heat-exchange tubes and of the pitch of the fins of the heat exchanger, and a function of the number of heat-exchange modules that can be superposed in the heat exchanger. However, too low a slot height induces high head losses in the ventilation device, which implies using one or more higher rated propulsion devices. This can generate an overcost and/or create an overall size incompatible with the room available in the vicinity of the heat-exchange module in the motor vehicle.

Here the outer lip 40a consists of the extension of the wall of the aerodynamic tube 8 defining the leading edge 37. The lower lip 40b consists of a curved portion 50 of the first profile 42. One end 51 of the inner lip 40b may be extended, as shown in FIG. 11, in the direction of the second profile 44, beyond a plane L normal to the free end of the outer lip 40a. In other words, the end 51 of the inner lip 40b may be extended, in the direction of the leading edge 37, beyond the plane L normal to the free end of the outer lip 40a. The end 51 can then contribute to directing the flow of air circulating in the aerodynamic tube 8 toward the opening 40.

The opening 40 of the aerodynamic tube 8 may be configured so that a flow of air circulating in that aerodynamic tube 8 is ejected via that opening 40, flowing along the first profile 42 substantially as far as the trailing edge 38 of the aerodynamic tube 8. The flow of the flow of air along the first profile 42 may result from the Coanda effect. Remember than the Coanda effect is an aerodynamic phenomenon reflected in the fact that a fluid flowing along a surface at a small distance from the latter tends to be flush with it, or even attached to it.

To this end, here, the maximum distance h between the first profile 42 and the second profile 44, measured in a direction of alignment of the aerodynamic tubes 8, is downstream of the opening 40. The maximum distance h may be greater than 10 mm, preferably greater than 11 mm and/or less than 20 mm, preferably less than 15 mm Here, for example, the maximum distance h is substantially equal to 11.5 mm Too small a height h may generate high head losses in the aerodynamic tube 8, which could necessitate use of a more powerful and therefore more bulky turbomachine. For the same value of the distance between the aerodynamic tubes 8, measured in the direction of alignment of the aerodynamic tubes, too great a height h limits the passage section between the aerodynamic tubes for the induced flow of air. The total flow of air directed toward the heat exchanger is then also reduced.

Here the first profile 42 includes a convex portion 50 the summit of which defines the point of the first profile 42 corresponding to the maximum distance h. The convex portion 50 may be disposed downstream of the opening 40 in the direction of ejection of the flow of air. In particular, the convex portion 50 may be contiguous with the inner lip 40b delimiting the opening 40.

Downstream of the convex portion 50 in the direction of ejection of said flow of air via the opening 40, the first profile 42 of the aerodynamic tube 8 of the FIG. 8 example includes a substantially rectilinear first portion 52. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the second profile 44 includes a substantially rectilinear portion 48 preferably extending over a majority of the length of the second profile 44. In the FIG. 8 example the length 1 of the rectilinear first portion 52, measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the aerodynamic tube 8 and to the direction of alignment of the row of aerodynamic tubes, may be greater than or equal to 30 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 40 mm, and/or less than or equal to 50 mm A relatively great length of this rectilinear first portion is required in particular to ensure the guidance of the flow of air ejected from the opening 40, which enables greater aspiration of air. The length of this rectilinear first portion is however limited by virtue of the corresponding overall size of the ventilation device and the consequences thereof for packaging the ventilation device or the heat-exchange module.

In this case, the rectilinear first portion 52 of the first profile 42 and the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 may form a non-flat angle θ. The resulting angle θ may in particular be greater than or equal to 5°, and/or less than or equal to 20°, more preferably substantially equal to 10°. This angle of the rectilinear first portion 52 relative to the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 makes it possible to accentuate the expansion of the flow of air ejected via the opening 40 and subjected to the Coanda effect, forcing it to follow the first profile 42, this accentuated expansion making it possible to increase the induced flow of air. Too great an angle θ however risks preventing the production of the Coanda effect, so that the flow of air ejected via the opening 40 risks not following the first profile 42 and, consequently, not being oriented correctly in the direction of the heat exchanger 2.

As shown in FIG. 8, the first profile 42 may include a rectilinear second portion 38a downstream of the rectilinear first portion 52 in the direction of ejection of the flow of air, the rectilinear second portion 38a extending substantially parallel to the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44. The first profile 42 may also include a rectilinear third portion 54 downstream of the rectilinear second portion 38a of the first profile 42. The rectilinear third portion 54 may form a non-flat angle with the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44. As shown, the rectilinear third portion 54 may extend substantially as far as a rounded edge connecting the rectilinear third portion 54 of the first profile 42 and the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44. The rounded edge may define the trailing edge 38 of the cross section of the aerodynamic tube 8.

In the FIG. 8 example, the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 extends over the majority of the length c of the cross section. This length c is measured in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the aerodynamic tubes 8 and to the direction of alignment of the row of aerodynamic tubes 8. In the FIG. 11 example this direction substantially corresponds to the direction of flow of the induced flow of air. In this first embodiment the length c of the cross section (or the width of the aerodynamic tube 8) may be greater than or equal to 50 mm and/or less than or equal to 70 mm, preferably substantially equal to 60 mm. In fact, the inventors have found that a relatively great length of the cross section of the aerodynamic tube enables more effective guidance of the flow of air ejected via the opening 40 and the induced flow of air, which is mixed with that ejected flow of air. However, too great a length of the cross section of the aerodynamic tube 8 gives rise to a problem with packaging the ventilation device 2. In particular, the overall size of the heat exchanger module can then be too large compared to the room that is available in the motor vehicle in which it is intended to be mounted. The packaging of the heat exchanger module or of the ventilation device may also be problematic in this case.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, the rectilinear second portion 38a of the first profile 42 and the portion 38b of the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 that faces it are parallel. For example, the distance f between this rectilinear second portion 38a and the portion 38b of the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 may be greater than or equal to 2 mm and/or less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 5 mm

FIG. 8 further shows that the cross section (or geometrical section) of the aerodynamic tube 8 delimits a passage section S for the flow of air through the aerodynamic tube 8. Here this passage section S is defined by the walls of the aerodynamic tube 8 and by the segment extending in the direction of alignment of the aerodynamic tubes 8 between the second profile 44 and the end of the end 51 of the inner lip 40b. This passage section may have an area greater than or equal to 150 mm², preferably greater than or equal to 200 mm², and/or less than equal to 700 mm², preferably less than or equal to 650 mm². A passage section of the flow of air in the aerodynamic tube 8 makes it possible to limit head losses that would have the consequence of increasing the size of the turbomachine employed to produce a required flow rate of air ejected via the opening 40. However, a large passage section induces a large overall size of the aerodynamic tube 8. With a fixed pitch of the aerodynamic tubes, a greater passage section therefore risks compromising the passage section of the induced flow of air between the aerodynamic tubes 8, thus making it impossible to obtain a satisfactory total flow rate of air directed toward the heat-exchange tubes 4.

To obstruct as little as possible the flow of air toward the heat-exchange tubes 4 and the fins, the ventilation device 2 provided with aerodynamic tubes 8 of this kind is advantageously disposed so that each aerodynamic tube 8 is face-to-face with the front face 4f connected the first plane wall 4a and the second plane wall 4b of a corresponding heat-exchange tube 4. More particularly, the trailing edge 38 of each aerodynamic tube 8 is contained within the volume delimited by the first and second longitudinal plane walls of the corresponding heat exchange tube 4.

The rectilinear second portion 38a of the first profile and the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 are preferably respectively contained in the same plane as the first longitudinal plane wall and the second longitudinal plane wall of the corresponding heat-exchange tube 4.

In particular, the distance f separating the rectilinear second portion 38a of the first profile 42 and the portion 38b of the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 facing it is substantially equal to the distance separating the first longitudinal wall and the second longitudinal wall of the heat-exchange tube 4 face-to-face with which the aerodynamic tube 8 is disposed. For example, this distance f is greater than or equal to 2 mm and/or less than or equal to 10 mm, preferably less than or equal to 5 mm

In other embodiments the distance f separating the rectilinear second portion 38a of the first profile 42 and the portion 38b of the rectilinear portion 48 of the second profile 44 facing it may nevertheless be less than the distance separating the first longitudinal wall and the second longitudinal wall of the heat-exchange tube face-to-face with which the aerodynamic tube 8 is disposed.

Two heat-exchange tubes 4 may be contained in the volume delimited by the air passage defined by two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8. Nevertheless, only one heat-exchange tube 4 or three or four heat-exchange tubes 4 being contained within that volume may be envisaged. Conversely, an aerodynamic tube 8 disposed face-to-face with each heat-exchange tube 4 may be envisaged.

In the examples from FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 the aerodynamic tubes 8 are substantially rectilinear, parallel to one another and aligned in such a manner as to form a row of aerodynamic tubes 8. However, the first and second profiles 42, 44 of each aerodynamic tube 8 are, in these examples, symmetrical with respect to a plane C-C, or chord plane, passing through the leading edge 37 and the trailing edge 38 of each aerodynamic tube 8.

As the first and second profiles 42, 44 are symmetrical, each of these profiles 42, 44 is provided with an opening 40. At least one first opening 40 is therefore produced on the first profile 42, which is configured so that a flow of air leaving the first opening 42 flows along at least a portion of the first profile 42. Likewise, at least one second opening 40 is present on the second profile 44, which is configured so that a flow of air leaving the second opening 40 flows along at least a portion of the second profile 44. As in the FIG. 8 example, this may be achieved here by exploiting the Coanda effect.

For the same reasons as given for the FIG. 8 example, the distance c between the leading edge 37 and the trailing edge 38 may also, in these examples, be greater than or equal to 50 mm and/or less than or equal to 80 mm. In particular, the length c may be equal to 60 mm.

The openings 40 are analogous to those of the FIG. 8 example. In particular, the distance e separating the inner lip 40b and the outer lip 40a of each opening 40 may be greater than or equal to 0.3 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 0 5 mm, more preferably greater than or equal to 0.7 mm, and/or less than or equal to 2 mm, preferably less than or equal to 1.5 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 0.9 mm and yet further preferably less than or equal to 0.7 mm

The fact that the profiles 42, 44 are symmetrical with respect to the chord plane C-C passing through the leading edge 37 and the trailing edge 38 of the aerodynamic tube 8 makes it possible to limit the obstruction of the flow of air between the ventilation device 2 and the heat-exchange tubes 4 whilst creating more air passages in the volume available in front of the heat-exchange tubes 4.

In other words, in contrast to the embodiment from FIG. 8, an air passage drawing in surrounding air is created between each pair of adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 produced in accordance with any of FIGS. 9 to 11.

The pitch between two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 may, in this case, be greater than or equal to 15 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 20 mm, more preferably greater than or equal to 23 mm and/or less than or equal to 30 mm, preferably less than or equal to 25 mm, more preferably less than or equal to 27 mm. In fact, if the pitch between the aerodynamic tubes 8 is smaller, the induced air flow is limited by a small passage section between the aerodynamic tubes. On the other hand, if the pitch is too great, the ejected flow of air does not make it possible to create an induced flow of air over all of the pitch between the adjacent aerodynamic tubes.

The pitch between two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 may in particular be defined as the distance between the center of the cross section of two adjacent aerodynamic tubes 8 or, more generally, as the distance between a reference point on a first aerodynamic tube 8 and the point corresponding to the reference point on the nearest aerodynamic tube 8. The reference point may in particular be one of the following: the leading edge 37, the trailing edge 38 or the summit of the convex portion 50.

The distance between the aerodynamic tubes 8 and the heat-exchange tubes 4 may in particular be made greater than or equal to 5 mm, preferably greater than or equal to 40 mm, and/or less than or equal to 150 mm, preferably less than or equal to 100 mm. In fact, the peak speed of the speed profile of the air in the vicinity of the profile tends to decrease in the direction away from the opening 40 in the aerodynamic tube. An absence of any peak reflects a homogeneous mixture of the air flow ejected via the opening 40 and of the induced air flow. It is preferable for homogeneous mixing of this kind to be obtained before the flow of air reaches the aerodynamic tubes. In fact, a heterogeneous flow of air incident on the heat-exchange tubes does not enable optimum cooling of the heat-exchange tubes and induces greater head losses. However, the distance between the aerodynamic tubes and the heat-exchange tubes is preferably contained in order to limit the overall size of the cooling module.

In the example shown in FIG. 9 the first and second profiles 42, 44 of the aerodynamic tube 8 converge toward the trailing edge 38 so that the distance separating the first and second profiles 42, 44 decreases strictly in the direction of the trailing edge 38 from a point on those first and second profiles 42, 44 corresponding to the maximum distance h between those two profiles, these points on the first and second profiles 42, 44 being downstream of the openings 40 in the direction of flow of the flow of air ejected via the opening 40. Each of the first and second profiles 42, 44 preferably forms an angle between 5 and 10° with the chord C-C of symmetry of the cross section of the aerodynamic tube 8.

Because of this, in contrast to the FIG. 8 example, the aerodynamic profile in FIG. 9 does not comprise a portion delimited by first and second parallel opposite plane walls. This has the advantage of limiting drag along the aerodynamic profile of the aerodynamic tube 8.

For example, the maximum distance h between the first profile 42 and the second profile 44 may be greater than or equal to 10 mm and/or less than or equal to 30 mm. In particular, this maximum distance h may be equal to 11.5 mm. In the example shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, this distance becomes zero at the level of the trailing edge 38.

In the example shown in FIG. 10, the trailing edge 38 is formed by the summit joining two symmetrical rectilinear portions 60 of the first profile 42 and the second profile 44 of each aerodynamic tube 8. In accordance with the FIG. 8 variant the trailing edge 38 is the point of the cross section of the aerodynamic tube 8 situated closest to the heat exchanger. In other words, the angle α formed by the two rectilinear portions 60 is less than 180°, in particular less than 90°.

On the other hand, in the FIG. 11 variant, the trailing edge 38 is disposed between the two rectilinear portions 38a, 38b of the first and second profiles 42, 44. In other words, the angle α formed by the rectilinear portions 60 is here greater than 90°, in particular greater than 180°.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described and other embodiments will be clearly apparent to the person skilled in the art. In particular, the various examples may be combined, provided that they are not contradictory. For example, the air guides may comprise, in an independent or complementary manner, the means for distributing the flow of air and/or deflectors.

Claims

1. A ventilation device configured to generate a flow of air through a motor vehicle heat exchanger, the ventilation device comprising: a plurality of ducts;at least one air manifold including at least one air flow inlet and ports, each duct opening at one of the ends thereof into a port separate from the air manifold, each duct having at least one opening for the passage of a flow of air through said duct, the opening being separate from the ends of the corresponding duct, the opening being situated outside the at least one air manifold,wherein the at least one air manifold is provided with air guides configured to guide the flow of air passing through the air manifold.

2. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 1, in which the air guides comprise means for distributing the flow of air entering the manifold via said at least one air flow inlet toward the ports.

3. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 2, in which the distribution means include partitions inside the at least one air manifold.

4. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 3, in which, for each air manifold: the number of partitions is zero if the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is greater than 1.5, and/orthe number of partitions is equal to three if the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is between 1 and 1.5 inclusive; and/orthe number of partitions is equal to 5 or more when the ratio of the area of the inlet of the manifold to the total area of the ports is less than 1.

5. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 2, in which at least one partition extends, in the vicinity of the air flow inlet, in a first direction, said at least one partition extends, in the vicinity of the ports, in a second direction, and the first and second directions are substantially perpendicular.

6. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 1, in which the air guides comprise, in the vicinity of the ports, deflectors adapted to deviate the flow of air to the vicinity of the ports, so that the flow of air passing through the ports is directly substantially in a direction normal to the section of the ports.

7. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 6, in which each deflector is rectilinear, partly rectilinear or curved.

8. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 6, in which the deflectors are in one piece with the at least one air manifold.

9. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 2, in which at least one partition and/or at least one deflector include(s) an electrically conductive material.

10. The ventilation device as claimed in, in which each duct has, over at least one portion, a geometrical section comprising: a leading edge;a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;first and second profiles, each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge,said at least one opening of the duct being on the first profile, said at least one opening being configured so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the first profile.

11. The ventilation device as claimed in claim 1, in which each duct has, over at least one portion, a geometrical section comprising: a leading edge;a trailing edge opposite the leading edge;first and second profiles each extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge,at least one opening of the duct being configured on the first profile so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the first profile and at least one opening of the duct being configured on the second profile so that the ejected flow of air flows along at least a portion of the second profile.

12. A motor vehicle heat-exchange module comprising: a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a plurality of tubes,termed heat-exchange tubes, in which a fluid is intended to circulate; anda ventilation device adapted to generate a flow of air toward the heat-exchange tubes, the ventilation device comprising: a plurality of ducts,at least one air manifold including at least one air flow inlet and ports, each duct opening at one of the ends thereof into a port separate from the air manifold, each duct having at least one opening for the passage of a flow of air through said duct, the opening being separate from the ends of the corresponding duct, the opening being situated outside the at least one air manifold,wherein the at least one air manifold is provided with air guides configured to guide the flow of air passing through the air manifold.