U.S. patent application number 11/983014 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-22 for cooling module.
This patent application is currently assigned to DENSO Corporation. Invention is credited to Hiroki Matsuo, Koichi Yamamoto.
Application Number | 20080115528 11/983014 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39399917 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080115528 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yamamoto; Koichi ; et
al. |
May 22, 2008 |
COOLING MODULE
Abstract
A cooling module comprises an intercooler 100 and an integrated
heat exchanger 1 including a condenser unit 200 for cooling a
refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle by heat exchange
between the refrigerant and air and an oil cooler unit 300 for
cooling an oil higher in temperature than the refrigerant by heat
exchange between the oil and air. Condenser unit 200 and oil cooler
unit 300 are vertically arranged in parallel to each other, and
integrated heat exchanger 1 is arranged downstream of intercooler
100 in the air flow. The vertical length of integrated heat
exchanger 1 is larger than the vertical length of intercooler 100.
Oil cooler unit 300 is arranged in superposition with at least a
part of intercooler 100 as viewed from the direction of air
flow.
Inventors: |
Yamamoto; Koichi;
(Anjo-city, JP) ; Matsuo; Hiroki; (Kariya-city,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 828
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
MI
48303
US
|
Assignee: |
DENSO Corporation
Kariya-city
JP
|
Family ID: |
39399917 |
Appl. No.: |
11/983014 |
Filed: |
November 6, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
62/513 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 2009/0287 20130101;
F28D 1/0443 20130101; F25B 2339/0441 20130101; F25B 39/04 20130101;
B60H 1/3227 20130101; F28D 2021/0089 20130101; F28D 2021/0084
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
62/513 |
International
Class: |
F25B 41/00 20060101
F25B041/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 17, 2006 |
JP |
2006-311041 |
Claims
1. A cooling module comprising: a heat source unit; and an
integrated heat exchanger including a condenser unit for cooling a
refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle by heat exchange
between the refrigerant and air, and another heat exchange unit for
cooling another fluid higher in temperature than the refrigerant by
heat exchange between another fluid and air; wherein the condenser
unit and another heat exchange unit are vertically arranged in
parallel to each other, wherein the integrated heat exchanger is
arranged downstream of the heat source unit in the air flow,
wherein the vertical length of the integrated heat exchanger is
larger than the vertical length of the heat source unit, and
wherein another heat exchange unit is arranged in superposition
with at least a part of the heat source unit as viewed from the
direction of air flow.
2. The cooling module according to claim 1, wherein the condenser
unit includes a condensing portion for condensing the refrigerant
and a supercooling portion for supercooling the refrigerant flowing
in from the condensing portion.
3. A cooling module comprising: a heat source unit; and an
integrated heat exchanger including a condenser unit for cooling a
refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle by heat exchange
between the refrigerant and air and another heat exchange unit for
cooling another fluid higher in temperature than the refrigerant by
heat exchange between another fluid and air; wherein the condenser
unit and the heat exchange unit are vertically arranged in parallel
to each other, wherein the integrated heat exchanger is arranged
downstream of the heat source unit in the air flow, wherein the
vertical length of the integrated heat exchanger is larger than the
vertical length of the heat source unit, wherein the condenser unit
includes a condensing portion for condensing the refrigerant and a
supercooling portion for supercooling the refrigerant flowing in
from the condensing portion, and wherein the supercooling portion
is arranged not to be superposed with the heat source unit as
viewed from the direction of the air flow.
4. The cooling module according to claim 3, wherein the
supercooling portion is arranged on the side of the condensing
portion far from another heat exchange unit in vertical
direction.
5. The cooling module according to claim 1, wherein the condenser
unit is configured of a plurality of stacked first tubes with the
refrigerant passed therethrough, wherein another heat exchange unit
is configured of a plurality of second tubes stacked in the same
direction as the first tubes with another fluid passed
therethrough, wherein the integrated heat exchanger has a pair of
header tanks arranged at the longitudinal ends, respectively, of
the first and second tubes and communicating with the plurality of
the first and second tubes by extending in the direction in which
the first and second tubes are stacked, and wherein the condenser
unit and another heat exchange unit are integrated with each other
by the header tanks.
6. The cooling module according to claim 1, wherein the heat source
unit is an intercooler arranged in the intake air flow downstream
of a supercharger for pressuring the intake air of the internal
combustion engine and adapted to cool the intake air by heat
exchange between the intake air and air.
7. The cooling module according to claim 1, wherein another heat
exchange unit is an oil cooler unit for cooling the oil of the
on-vehicle devices.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to a cooling module comprising a heat
source unit and an integrated heat exchanger having a plurality of
heat exchange units.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Vehicles such as automobiles are equipped with many heat
exchangers such as an oil cooler for cooling oil in the torque
converter of an automatic transmission and an oil cooler for
cooling engine oil, as well as a radiator for cooling water
circulating through an engine and a condenser for cooling
refrigerant of an air conditioning system. A hybrid vehicle also
includes a radiator for cooling electronic parts, such as an
inverter for controlling the electric motor.
[0005] In recent years it has been desirable to reduce the
thickness and size of heat exchangers in order to safely prevent
damage due to vehicle collision by reducing the installation space
and assembly of heat exchangers. As a method for size reduction, an
integrated heat exchanger has been proposed in which the interior
of each pair of left and right headers (tanks) of a heat exchanger
are partitioned by a partitioning plate so that one heat exchanger
core has independent dual heat exchange functions of the condenser
unit and the oil cooler unit (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No.
6,394,176).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a vehicle having an intercooler (heat source unit) for
cooling combustion air (intake air) introduced into an internal
combustion engine, the intercooler is often arranged under the
bumper where air can be introduced from the vehicle front. The heat
exchange capacity of the intercooler changes according to the
running load, and under a maximum load, air downstream of the
intercooler reaches a temperature about 30.degree. C. higher than
atmospheric temperature. In the case where the atmospheric
temperature is 30.degree. C., for example, the air temperature
downstream of the intercooler in the air flow reaches a maximum of
60.degree. C., thereby generating conditions surpassing the
condensation temperature (about 40 to 45.degree. C.) of the
refrigerant of the condenser unit.
[0007] Under these conditions, the arrangement of the condenser
unit downstream of the intercooler in the air flow poses the
problem that the heat exchange performance of the condenser unit is
extremely reduced.
[0008] Especially, in the case where the condenser unit of the
integrated heat exchanger includes a condensing portion for
condensing a gas-phase refrigerant by heat exchange between the
gas-phase refrigerant and air, and a supercooling portion for
further cooling the refrigerant by heat exchange between the
condensed refrigerant and air, the arrangement of the supercooling
portion downstream of the intercooler in the air flow causes the
refrigerant to boil in the supercooling portion. As a result, the
expansion valve arranged downstream of the condenser unit in the
refrigerant flow runs short of refrigerant, thereby deteriorating
cooling performance. Another problem is that the gas-phase
refrigerant flows into the expansion valve and noise is generated
from the expansion valve.
[0009] In view of the problems described above, the object of this
invention is to provide a cooling module in which an integrated
heat exchanger having a condenser unit and another heat exchange
unit arranged downstream of a heat source unit in the air flow, and
in which the heat exchange performance of the condenser unit is
secured.
[0010] In order to achieve the object described above, according to
a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cooling module
comprising a heat source unit 100 and an integrated heat exchanger
1 including a condenser unit 200 for cooling a refrigerant
circulated in a refrigeration cycle by heat exchange between the
refrigerant and air and another heat exchange unit 300 for cooling
another fluid by heat exchange between another fluid higher in
temperature than the refrigerant and air, wherein condenser unit
200 and heat exchange unit 300 are vertically juxtaposed, wherein
integrated heat exchanger 1 is arranged downstream of heat source
unit 100 in the air flow, wherein the vertical length of integrated
heat exchanger 1 is larger than the vertical length of heat source
unit 100, and wherein another heat exchange unit 300 is arranged in
superposition with at least a part of heat source unit 100 as
viewed from the direction of air flow.
[0011] As described above, another heat exchange unit 300 for
cooling another fluid higher in temperature than the refrigerant in
the condenser unit 200 is arranged downstream of the heat source
unit 100 in the air flow, i.e. at the area high in air temperature.
Therefore, the condenser unit 200 can be arranged at an area
comparatively low in air temperature. As a result, heat exchange
performance of the condenser unit 200 can be secured.
[0012] The condenser unit 200 of the cooling module according to
the first aspect described above may be comprised of a condensing
portion 210 for condensing the refrigerant and supercooling portion
220 in order to supercool the refrigerant flowing in from the
condensing portion 210.
[0013] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is
provided a cooling module comprising a heat source unit 100 and an
integrated heat exchanger 1 including a condenser unit 200 for
cooling a refrigerant circulated in a refrigeration cycle by heat
exchange between the refrigerant and air and another heat exchange
unit 300 for cooling another fluid by heat exchange between another
fluid higher in temperature than the refrigerant and air, wherein
the condenser unit 200 and another heat exchange unit 300 are
vertically juxtaposed, wherein the integrated heat exchanger 1 is
arranged downstream of the heat source unit 100 in the air flow,
wherein the vertical length of the integrated heat exchanger 1 is
larger than the vertical length of the heat source unit 100,
wherein the condenser unit 200 includes a condensing portion 210
for condensing the refrigerant and a supercooling portion 220 for
supercooling the refrigerant flowing in from the condensing portion
210, and wherein the supercooling portion 220 is arranged not to be
superposed with the heat source unit 100 as viewed from the
direction of the air flow.
[0014] In the condenser unit 200, the supercooling portion 220
which is required to be kept at a low temperature is arranged
downstream of the heat source unit 100 in the air flow, i.e. at an
area high in air temperature, therefore, heat exchange performance
of condenser unit 200 can be secured. In the process, refrigerant
which may boil at the supercooling portion 220 can be suppressed,
and therefore, insufficient refrigerant flow rate which otherwise
might occur in the expansion valve arranged downstream of the
condenser unit 200 in the refrigerant flow can be suppressed,
thereby making it possible to suppress deterioration of cooling
performance. Also, since the inflow of the gas-phase refrigerant
into the expansion valve can be suppressed, the generation of noise
from the expansion valve can be suppressed.
[0015] Also, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is
provided a cooling module wherein the supercooling portion 220 is
arranged on the side of the condensing portion 210 far from another
heat exchange unit 300 in a vertical direction.
[0016] In the integrated heat exchanger 1, the supercooling portion
220, the condensing portion 210 and another heat exchange unit 300
are increased in temperature in that order. By arranging another
heat exchange unit 300 highest in temperature at a distance from
the supercooling portion 220 lowest in temperature, heat transfer
from another heat exchange unit 300 to supercooling portion 220 can
be avoided. As a result, heat exchange performance of the condenser
unit 200 can be more positively obtained.
[0017] In the cooling module according to the first to third
aspects described above, the condenser unit 200 may be configured
of a plurality of stacked first tubes 2a with the refrigerant
passed therethrough and another heat exchange unit 300 configured
of a plurality of second tubes 2b stacked in the same direction as
the first tubes 2a with another fluid passed therethrough, while
the integrated heat exchanger 1 may have a pair of header tanks 5
arranged at the longitudinal ends, respectively, of the first and
second tubes 2a, 2b and communicating with a plurality of the first
and second tubes 2a, 2b by extending in the direction in which the
first and second tubes 2a, 2b are stacked, so that the condenser
unit 200 and other heat exchange unit 300 may be integrated by
header tanks 5.
[0018] The heat source unit may also be an intercooler (100)
arranged downstream of a supercharger for pressurizing the intake
air of the internal combustion engine in the intake air flow to
cool the intake air by heat exchange between the intake air and
air.
[0019] Further, another heat exchange unit may be an oil cooler
unit 300 for cooling the oil of on-vehicle devices.
[0020] Incidentally, reference numerals attached to the respective
means described above represent correspondence with the specific
means, respectively, described in the embodiments below.
[0021] The present invention may be more fully understood from the
description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth
below, together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the cooling module mounted on
the vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the integrated heat
exchanger 1 according to an embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] An embodiment of the invention is explained below with
reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. A cooling module according to this
embodiment used in a vehicle driven by an internal combustion
engine as a drive source is taken as an example. FIG. 1 is a
diagram showing the cooling module according to this embodiment
mounted on the vehicle.
[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the cooling module according to this
embodiment, mounted at the front end of a vehicle, includes an
integrated heat exchanger 1 having a condenser unit 200 and an oil
cooler unit 300, and an intercooler 100. The intercooler 100 is an
air-cooled heat exchanger arranged downstream of a supercharger
(not shown) for pressurizing the intake air of the internal
combustion engine to cool the intake air by heat exchange between
the intake air and air. Incidentally, the intercooler 100
corresponds to the heat source unit according to the invention.
[0026] The integrated heat exchanger 1 is arranged downstream of
the intercooler 100 in the air flow (in the rear of the vehicle).
The length of the integrated heat exchanger 1 in the vertical
direction (vertical direction on the vehicle) is larger than the
vertical length of the intercooler 100. According to this
embodiment, the vertical length of the intercooler 100 is larger
than the vertical length of the supercooling portion 220 of the
condenser unit 200 described later and the vertical length of the
oil cooler unit 300. Also, the lower end of the integrated heat
exchanger 1 and the lower end of the intercooler 100 are located at
the same vertical position.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the integrated heat
exchanger 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the
integrated heat exchanger 1 according to this embodiment includes
one core unit 4 having a plurality of tubes 2 and fins 3 and a pair
of header tanks 5 assembled at the left and right ends,
respectively, of the core unit 4.
[0028] Tubes 2, in which a heat medium (the refrigerant or the oil
in this embodiment) flows, each assume such a flat form that the
direction of air flow (perpendicular to the page) coincides with
the direction along the long diameter thereof. A plurality of tubes
2 are arranged in parallel to each other in the vertical direction
in such a manner that the longitudinal direction thereof coincide
with the horizontal direction. Fins 3 assume a corrugated form and
are coupled to the flat surfaces on both sides of each tube 2. Fins
3 increase the heat transmission area with air and promote heat
exchange between the heat medium and the air. Also, an insert 6
extending substantially in parallel to the length of tubes 2 to
reinforce core unit 4 is arranged at each end of core unit 4.
[0029] Header tanks 5 extend in the direction perpendicular to the
length of tubes 2 at the longitudinal ends of the tubes (left and
right ends in this embodiment) and communicate with the plurality
of the tubes 2. The header tanks 5 each include a core plate 5a
coupled to the tubes 2 inserted therein and a tank body 5b making
up the inner space of the tank with the core plate 5a. The header
tank 5 located on the left side in FIG. 2 is called a first header
tank 51, and the header tank located on the right side in FIG. 2 a
second header tank 52.
[0030] The core unit 4 is comprised of a condenser unit 200 for
cooling the refrigerant by heat exchange between the refrigerant
circulated in the vehicle refrigeration cycle (air conditioning
system) and air, and an oil cooler unit 300 for cooling the oil in
the torque converter for the automatic transmission of the vehicle.
According to this embodiment, the condenser unit 200 is arranged on
the upper side, and the oil cooler unit 300 on the lower side. The
plurality of tubes 2 which make up the condenser unit 200 in which
the refrigerant flows are called first tubes 2a, and tubes 2 which
make up oil cooler unit 300 in which the oil flows are called
second tubes 2b. Oil cooler unit 300 corresponds to the other heat
exchange unit according to the invention.
[0031] A tube arranged in the boundary between the condenser unit
200 and the oil cooler unit 300 (between first tubes 2a and second
tubes 2b) makes up a dummy tube 6 through which no heat medium
flows. According to this embodiment, dummy tube 6 has the
longitudinal ends thereof closed.
[0032] First separators 71 are arranged above and below,
respectively, the dummy tube 6 in each header tank 5. As a result,
the interior of each header tank 5 is divided into two parts along
the length (vertical direction) thereof by the first separators 71
as a boundary.
[0033] Now, the configuration of the oil cooler unit 300 will be
explained. The oil cooler unit 300 is a U-turn type with the oil
flowing along the shape of a U. At the portion lower than the two
first separators 71 in the first header tank 51 (hereinafter
referred to as the first oil header portion 51a), an oil inlet 31
allowing the oil to flow into the oil cooler unit 300 and an oil
outlet 32 allowing the oil to flow out of the oil cooler unit 300
are arranged. The oil inlet 31 and the oil outlet 32 are arranged
at the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the first oil header
unit 51a.
[0034] In order to form the U-shaped oil flow in the oil cooler
unit 300, a second separator 72 is arranged in the first oil header
portion 51a. More specifically, the second separator 72 is arranged
between the oil inlet 31 and the oil outlet 32 in the first oil
header portion 51a.
[0035] Now, the configuration of condenser unit 200 will be
explained. A refrigerant inlet 21 for allowing the refrigerant to
flow into condenser unit 200 and a refrigerant outlet 22 for
allowing the refrigerant to flow out of condenser unit 200 are
arranged at the portion (hereinafter referred to as the first
refrigerant header portion 51b) above the two first separators 71
of the first header tank 51. The refrigerant inlet 21 and the
refrigerant outlet 22 are arranged at the lower and upper ends,
respectively, of the first refrigerant header portion 51b.
[0036] A third separator 73 is arranged at the position on the
upper side in the first refrigerant header portion 51b, and a
fourth separator 74 at the same height as the third separator 73 is
arranged in the portion (hereinafter referred as the second
refrigerant header portion 52b) above the two first separators 71
of the second header tank 52. The condenser unit 200 is divided
into two heat exchange units by the third and fourth separators 73,
74.
[0037] A gas-liquid separator 8 is arranged on the outside (far
from the core unit 4) of the second refrigerant header portion 52b.
This gas-liquid separator 8 is a receiver adapted to store the
liquid-phase refrigerant by separating the gas-phase and
liquid-phase refrigerants from each other.
[0038] The gas-liquid separator 8 and the second refrigerant header
portion 52b communicate with each other at two points through first
and second communication passages 81, 82. Specifically, the first
communication passage 81 establishes communication between the
lower end portion of the second refrigerant header portion 52b and
the lower portion of the gas-liquid separator 8. Also, the second
communication passage 82 establishes communication between the
upper portion of the gas-liquid separator 8 and the portion of the
second refrigerant header portion 52b above the fourth separator
74.
[0039] First, the portion of the condenser unit 200 under the third
and fourth separators 73, 74 makes up a condensing portion 210 for
condensing the refrigerant by heat exchange between the gas-phase
refrigerant flowing in from the refrigerant inlet 21 and air. The
refrigerant that has flowed out of the condensing portion 210 flows
into the gas-liquid separator 8 through the first communication
passage 81.
[0040] The portion of the condenser unit 200 above the third and
fourth separators 73, 74, on the other hand, makes up a
supercooling portion 220 for cooling the liquid-phase refrigerant
by heat exchange between the liquid-phase refrigerant flowing in
through the second communication passage 82 from the gas-liquid
separator 8 and air. The refrigerant that has been cooled by the
supercooling portion 220 flows out from the refrigerant outlet
22.
[0041] Now, the configuration of the gas-liquid separator 8 will be
explained. The interior of the gas-liquid separator 8 is divided
into an upper space 83 and a lower space 84. The upper space 83 is
connected to the second communication passage 82, and the lower
space 84 to the first communication passage 81. The liquid-phase
refrigerant large in specific gravity flowing in from the first
communication passage 81 stays temporarily in the vertically lower
part (along the direction of gravity) of the lower space 84 while
the gas-phase refrigerant small in specific gravity temporarily
stays in the vertically upper part (along the direction of gravity)
in the lower space 84.
[0042] The gas-liquid separator 8 includes a communication pipe 85
for introducing the liquid-phase refrigerant in the neighborhood of
the bottom portion of the lower space 84 into the upper space 83. A
baffle plate 85 for improving the gas-liquid separability is
arranged in the part of the lower space 84 lower than the first
communication passage 81. Also, a dryer 86 containing therein a
desiccant for removing moisture in the refrigerant is arranged in
the lower space 84. Further, a filter 87 for removing foreign
matter from the refrigerant is arranged in the upper space 83.
[0043] According to this embodiment, the first communication
passage 81 is arranged below a normal liquid level (indicated by
dashed line in FIG. 2) of the liquid-phase refrigerant in the lower
space 84. As a result, the intrusion of the gas-liquid two-phase
refrigerant into the communication pipe 85 is prevented which
otherwise might be caused by involving the gas-phase refrigerant
existing above the liquid level under a dynamic pressure exerted on
the liquid surface of the liquid-phase refrigerant flowing into the
lower space 84 from the first communication passage 81.
Incidentally, intrusion of the gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant
into communication pipe 85 causes the intrusion of the gas-phase
refrigerant into the supercooling portion 220 and reduces the
supercooled area, resulting in a lower cooling performance.
According to this embodiment, in contrast, the deterioration of the
cooling performance is prevented by arranging the first
communication passage 81 under the normal liquid level of the
liquid-phase refrigerant in the lower space 84.
[0044] Returning to FIG. 1, the oil cooler unit 300 is arranged in
superposition with the intercooler 100 as viewed along the
direction of air flow. The supercooling portion 220, on the other
hand, is arranged not to be superposed with the intercooler 100 as
viewed along the direction of air flow (longitudinal direction of
the vehicle). Also, the supercooling portion 220 is arranged on the
side of the condensing portion 210 vertically far from the oil
cooler unit 300. According to this embodiment, the supercooling
portion 220 is arranged at the upper end and the oil cooler unit
300 at the lower end of the integrated heat exchanger 1, and the
condensing portion 210 is interposed between the supercooling
portion 220 and the oil cooler unit 300.
[0045] By arranging the oil cooler unit 300 as described above in
superposition with the intercooler 100 as viewed along the
direction of air flow, i.e. downstream of the intercooler 100 in
the air flow where the air temperature is high, the condenser unit
200 can be arranged at the part where the air temperature is
comparatively low. As a result, the heat exchange performance of
the condenser unit 200 is secured. In the process, the temperature
of the heat medium (oil) passed through the oil cooler unit 300 is
higher than the temperature of the heat medium (refrigerant) passed
through the condenser unit 200, and therefore, the heat exchange
performance of the oil cooler unit 300 is not extremely
reduced.
[0046] Also, the supercooling portion 220 constituting the part of
the condenser unit 200 which is required to be reduced in
temperature is not arranged downstream of the intercooler 100 in
the air flow, i.e. the area high in air temperature. In this way,
the heat exchange performance of the condenser unit 200 is secured.
In the process, refrigerant which may boil in the supercooling
portion 220 is suppressed, and therefore the refrigerant flow rate
in the expansion valve arranged downstream of the condenser unit
200 in the refrigerant flow is prevented from becoming
insufficient, thereby making it possible to suppress the
deterioration of the cooling performance. Also, since the intrusion
of the gas-phase refrigerant into the expansion valve can be
suppressed, the expansion valve is prevented from generating
noise.
[0047] Also, in the integrated heat exchanger 1, the temperature of
the supercooling portion 220, the condensing portion 210 and the
oil cooler unit 300 are higher in ascending order. For this reason,
the oil cooler unit 300 is arranged on the side of the condensing
portion 210 far from the supercooling portion 220. Specifically,
the oil cooler unit 300 highest in temperature and the supercooling
portion 220 lowest in temperature are arranged at a distance from
each other. Thus, the heat transfer from the oil cooler unit 300 to
the supercooling portion 220 can be avoided. As a result, the heat
exchange performance of the condenser unit 200 can be secured more
positively.
Other Embodiments
[0048] According to the embodiments described above, the other heat
exchange unit makes up the oil cooler unit 300 for cooling the oil
in the torque converter for the automatic transmission of the
vehicle. Nevertheless, the invention is not limited to such an
application, and a oil cooler unit for cooling engine oil or power
steering fluid may be used.
[0049] Also, according to the embodiments described above, the
supercooling portion 220 is arranged at the upper end and the oil
cooler unit 300 at the lower end of the integrated heat exchanger
1. Alternatively, the supercooling portion 220 may be arranged at
the lower end and the oil cooler unit 300 at the upper end of the
integrated heat exchanger 1.
[0050] Further, the lower end of the integrated heat exchanger 1
and the lower end of the intercooler 100, though located at the
same vertical position according to the embodiments described
above, may alternatively be displaced from each other.
[0051] Also, according to the embodiments described above, the oil
cooler unit 300 is arranged in superposition with the intercooler
100 in its entirety as viewed from the direction of air flow.
Nevertheless, the invention is not limited to this configuration,
and the oil cooler unit 300 may alternatively be arranged in
superposition at least partially with the intercooler 100.
[0052] While the invention has been described by reference to
specific embodiments chosen for purposes of illustration, it should
be apparent that numerous modifications could be made thereto by
those skilled in the art without departing from the basic concept
and scope of the invention.
* * * * *