U.S. patent application number 12/706775 was filed with the patent office on 2010-08-26 for cooling device for engine oil and/or transmission oil, particularly in an internal combustion engine.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG. Invention is credited to Johannes HOLLWECK.
Application Number | 20100212867 12/706775 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41842051 |
Filed Date | 2010-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100212867 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HOLLWECK; Johannes |
August 26, 2010 |
Cooling Device for Engine Oil and/or Transmission Oil, Particularly
in an Internal Combustion Engine
Abstract
A cooling device for engine oil and/or transmission oil,
particularly in an internal combustion engine, with an oil cooler
which is arranged in an oil pan and through which a coolant flows.
The oil cooler is formed by a plate heat exchanger (3) with
coolant-carrying and oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces (5, 6).
At least some of the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces (6)
open into the oil pan (2) in such a way the oil flows out of the
oil pan directly via the opening (24) into the oil-carrying plate
intermediate spaces (6).
Inventors: |
HOLLWECK; Johannes;
(Sulzbach-Rosenberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
COHEN, PONTANI, LIEBERMAN & PAVANE LLP
551 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 1210
NEW YORK
NY
10176
US
|
Assignee: |
MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG
Muenchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
41842051 |
Appl. No.: |
12/706775 |
Filed: |
February 17, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/104.19 ;
165/119 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01M 2011/0025 20130101;
F01M 5/002 20130101; Y10S 165/916 20130101; F01P 11/08 20130101;
F01M 11/0004 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/104.19 ;
165/119 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00; F28F 19/00 20060101 F28F019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 25, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 010 486.0 |
Claims
1. An oil cooling device comprising: an oil pan; an oil cooler
formed by a plate heat exchanger having coolant-carrying and
oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces, at least some of said
oil-carrying intermediate spaces having an opening into said oil
pan permitting oil to flow out of said oil pan directly via said
opening into said oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces.
2. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said plate heat
exchanger is formed by a plate assembly comprising a plurality of
plates whose oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces open into said
oil pan with one of a radial outer and radial inner opening with
respect to said plate assembly.
3. The cooling device according to claim 2, wherein said
oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces open into said oil pan with
a radial outer opening; said plate heat exchanger additionally
comprising an inner oil line connection area and an oil line which
is fluidically connected in an inner heat exchanger area to at
least a portion of said oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces, so
that hot oil flows from said oil pan radially into said
oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces via said radial outer
openings, and oil subsequently flows through said plate
intermediate spaces while giving off heat so that cooled oil flows
out via said oil line.
4. The cooling device according to claim 3, additionally comprising
a filter element for said openings through which the oil flows into
said oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces.
5. The cooling device according to claim 4, wherein said plate
assembly comprises a radial outer circumferential area and said
filter element annularly encloses said entire plate assembly in
said radial outer circumferential area.
6. The cooling device according to claim 3, wherein said oil line
opens into said plate heat exchanger in an approximately central,
medial area.
7. The cooling device according to claim 3, wherein said oil line
is formed by a suction pipe line.
8. The cooling device according to claim 1, wherein said oil pan
has a wall and said plate heat exchanger is arranged in said oil
pan at a defined distance from at least a portion of said wall.
9. The cooling device according to claim 8, additionally comprising
bearing elements and wherein said plate heat exchanger is fastened,
to one of supports on said housing wall side, connection elements
and directly to said housing wall by means of said heat exchanger
bearing elements.
10. The cooling device according to claim 9, wherein said plate
heat exchanger is supported by said heat exchanger bearing elements
between two opposite oil pan housing walls.
11. The cooling device according to claim 1, additionally
comprising heat exchanger bearing elements and coolant channels
integrated in said heat exchanger bearing elements and fluidically
connected to at least a portion of said coolant-carrying plate
intermediate spaces.
12. The cooling device according to claim 11, wherein said oil pan
comprises a housing wall and wherein said coolant channels which
are fluidically connected to said coolant-carrying plate
intermediate spaces are integrated at least partially in said
housing wall of said oil pan.
13. The cooling device according to claim 12, wherein said coolant
channels which are integrated in said heat exchanger bearing
elements are fluidically connected to at least a portion of said
coolant channels which are integrated in said housing wall.
14. The cooling device according to claim 13, wherein said coolant
channels are formed by a plurality of bore holes which communicate
with one another.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is directed to a cooling device for
engine oil and/or transmission oil, particularly a cooling device
for engine oil and/or transmission oil arranged in the oil pan of
in an internal combustion engine.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] It is commonly known that a cooling device for engine oil
and/or transmission oil of the type mentioned above is fitted to an
engine housing or transmission housing. In so doing, both the
coolant and the medium to be cooled must be conveyed to and from
the cooling device. A cooler of this kind occupies a relatively
large installation space.
[0005] Further, it is already known from DE 10 2004 036 286 A1 to
provide an oil cooling device for an engine in which an oil cooler
is arranged inside an oil pan at a distance from a bottom surface.
Further, an oil suction opening is arranged below the oil cooler
and at a distance therefrom. A construction of this kind is
intended to improve the circulation efficiency of the oil in the
oil pan which, in turn, should have a positive effect on the
efficiency of the oil cooling itself.
[0006] EP 1 600 611 B1 discloses a construction of an oil pan for
an engine and/or a transmission having an opening on the bottom
which is closed by a cover. This cover has a heat exchanger for the
oil comprising a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet and coolant
channels fluidically disposed therebetween.
[0007] Further, an internal combustion engine with an oil pan in
which oil channels are formed in the housing of the oil pan is
known from DE 196 19 977 A1. The cooling device which is formed by
a plate heat exchanger is arranged outside the oil pan in this
case.
[0008] Further, DD 39 500 discloses a cooling device for an oil pan
in which a cooling duct is guided helically from an outer inflow
opening to a suction space of the oil pump which is situated
approximately in the center of the oil pan. Oil which is regulated
by means of a pressure relief valve is guided from the pressure
line of the oil pump through a preferably nozzle-shaped opening
below the level of the oil approximately horizontally into the oil
layer via the oil duct.
[0009] Another oil cooling arrangement is also known from DD 85 686
in which the cooling circuit of the engine is connected to the
bottom cover of the engine and is fastened to the oil pan, a
strainer of the oil pump being arranged in the bottom of the oil
pan which is separated from the bottom cover by a partition wall.
Further, the through-channels in the cover for the flow of cooling
liquid and the through-channels in the bottom for the flow of
lubricating oil are formed by the ribs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In contrast to the above, it is an object of the present
invention to provide a cooling device for engine oil and/or
transmission oil, particularly in an internal combustion engine, by
means of which the oil can be cooled in a simple manner with
respect to components and with high efficiency.
[0011] Accordingly, the cooling device has an oil cooler which is
arranged in an oil pan and through which a coolant flows. According
to the present invention, the oil cooler is formed by a plate heat
exchanger with coolant-carrying and oil-carrying plate intermediate
spaces, wherein at least some, preferably all, of the oil-carrying
plate intermediate spaces open into the oil pan with a defined
opening in such a way that the oil flows out of the oil pan
directly via the respective opening into the oil-carrying plate
intermediate spaces.
[0012] A plate heat exchanger or plate heat transfer unit of this
kind makes for a simple design of the cooling device overall,
wherein the cooling of the oil can be carried out in an effective
and efficient manner. In particular, the fact that it is possible
for the oil to flow into the heat exchanger directly via the
respective oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces makes for a
highly efficient cooling of the oil in connection with the
relatively long flow paths in a plate heat exchanger.
[0013] Another special advantage of this construction consists in
that a relatively large cooling surface can be made available by
integrating the plate heat exchanger in the oil pan, which is
generally not the case because of the limited installation space in
externally arranged heat exchangers or coolers.
[0014] In a particularly preferable specific embodiment, the plate
heat exchanger is formed by a plate assembly comprising a plurality
of plates whose oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces open into
the oil pan with a radial outer and/or radial inner opening with
respect to the plate assembly. Accordingly, the oil can be sucked
into the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces radially in a very
simple manner by means of the applied suction pressure and can flow
through these oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces efficiently
while transferring heat to the coolant.
[0015] Particularly favorable flow conditions are achieved due to
the radial flow of oil into the oil-carrying plate intermediate
spaces and the subsequent preferred radial flow through the
respective plate intermediate spaces. As a result, swirling and
turbulence, for example, are reduced, which has a particularly
advantageous effect on the efficiency of heat transfer in the plate
heat exchanger.
[0016] According to a particularly preferable specific embodiment,
the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces open into the oil pan
with a radial outer opening, and the plate heat exchanger has an
inner oil line connection area for an oil line which is fluidically
connected in an inner heat exchanger area to the oil-carrying plate
intermediate spaces, or at least to a portion thereof, in such a
way that the hot oil can flow from the oil pan radially into the
oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces via the radial outer
openings. Subsequently, the oil flows through these plate
intermediate spaces preferably radially while giving off heat so
that cooled oil can finally flow out via the oil line. In a
particularly preferred embodiment, at least one filter element
and/or screen element is provided in the area of the respective
openings through which the oil flows into the oil-carrying plate
intermediate spaces. According to a particularly preferred specific
embodiment, this filter element and/or screen element encloses the
entire plate assembly in the radial outer circumferential area
annularly and in a positive-locking manner. A cylindrical filter
element and/or screen element of this kind can be fitted to the
circumferential area and anchored thereon in a simple manner, for
example, by positive-locking and/or friction-locking locking means
and/or connection means. A filter element and/or screen element of
this kind ensures in a simple manner that any contaminants such as,
e.g., metal parts or the like, are retained and remain in the oil
pan.
[0017] According to another particularly preferable specific
embodiment, the oil line opens into the plate heat exchanger in an
approximately central, medial area resulting in a substantially
symmetric construction of the plate assembly. The oil line itself
is preferably formed by a suction pipe line on the oil pump side so
that the suction pressure can be applied to the oil in the oil pan
via this suction pipe line in order to suck the oil into the plate
heat exchanger via the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces, and
the openings thereof, which open into the oil pan.
[0018] It has been described at length above in connection with the
preferred specific embodiment that the oil flows into, or is sucked
into, the plate heat exchanger through radial outer openings.
However, it is also possible in principle for the oil to be sucked
into the oil-carrying plate intermediate space allowing the oil to
flow radially into the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces
through radial inner openings which are formed, for example, by a
medial, central recess on the heat exchanger side. In this case,
the at least one oil line which carries the oil away from the
oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces would have to be provided at
a suitable location at the plate heat exchanger, for example, at
the radial outer edge area of the plate heat exchanger. Also, a
filter element or screen element would then have to be provided in
the radial inner openings of the plate heat exchanger similar to
the embodiment described above. This embodiment is specifically a
construction that is equivalent to the embodiment with inflow on
the radial outer side which was described in detail above.
[0019] A construction and arrangement of the cooling device in
which the plate heat exchanger is arranged and/or suspended at a
defined distance from at least a portion of the bottom walls and/or
side walls in the oil pan which surround the plate heat exchanger
is particularly preferred. In this way, the most favorable heat
exchanger efficiencies for each application can be achieved. In a
particularly preferred manner, the plate heat exchanger is fastened
to supports on the housing wall side and/or connection points on
the housing wall side and/or directly to the housing wall by means
of finger-shaped and/or flange-shaped heat exchanger bearing
elements. In particular, detachable fastening means are provided as
fastening means, for example, screws which are preferably arranged
so as to be easily accessible through an opening in the oil pan for
assembly.
[0020] According to a construction which is particularly preferable
for this purpose, the plate heat exchanger is supported and/or
braced by its heat exchanger bearing elements between two or more
housing walls of the oil pan, particularly between two opposite
housing walls of the oil pan, in such a way that the plate heat
exchanger forms a kind of tensioning element, for example. In this
way, the side walls of the oil pan are supported relative to one
another, which substantially reduces vibration of the side walls
and therefore results in reduced noise.
[0021] For a particularly high level of functional integration the
coolant channels are integrated in the heat exchanger bearing
elements. These coolant channels are fluidically connected to at
least a portion of the coolant-carrying plate intermediate spaces.
According to another particularly preferred embodiment of the
present invention, the coolant channels which are fluidically
connected to the coolant-carrying plate intermediate spaces are
formed by coolant channels which are integrated at least partially
in a housing wall of the oil pan. A construction in which the two
embodiment forms described above are combined, namely in such a way
that the coolant channels integrated in the heat exchanger bearing
elements are fluidically connected to the coolant channels
integrated in the housing wall, is particularly preferred. The
coolant channels are preferably formed by a plurality of bore holes
which communicate with one another and which are simple and
inexpensive to produce.
[0022] The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed
to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding
of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects
attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The invention is described in more detail in the following
with reference to drawings, in which
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a cross section through an oil
pan with a cooling device according to the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view along line A-A of FIG.
1; and
[0026] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a cross section through an
alternative embodiment of the cooling device according to the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] FIGS. 1 and 2 show different schematic cross-sectional views
through a first embodiment of a cooling device 1 according to the
present invention. This cooling device 1 comprises a plate heat
exchanger 3 as oil cooler which is received and arranged in an oil
pan 2.
[0028] As can be seen particularly from FIG. 2, the plate heat
exchanger 3 is formed specifically by a plate assembly comprising a
plurality of flat plates 4 which form coolant-carrying plate
intermediate spaces 5 on the one hand and oil-carrying plate
intermediate spaces 6 on the other hand.
[0029] The plate heat exchanger 3 is supported at supports 9, 10 on
the oil pan side by means of bearing elements 7, 8 on the heat
exchanger side and is secured, e.g., by screw connections 11, in
such a way that the plate heat exchanger 3 is at a distance from
the side walls 12 as well as from the bottom wall 13 in which an
oil drain screw 14 is arranged in a customary manner.
[0030] Coolant channels 15a, 15b which are produced by simple bore
holes are integrated in the bearing elements 7, 8 on the heat
exchanger side and communicate in turn with coolant channels 16a,
16b which are integrated in the housing wall of the oil pan 2 and
which are likewise produced by simple bore holes. In order to seal
the portions of the coolant channel extending horizontally with
respect to the drawing plane in FIG. 2 and opening into the outer
wall, sealing plugs or closure screws 17 are arranged in these
coolant channel portions. This applies also to the coolant channel
15a in the left-hand bearing element 7 with respect to the drawing
plane in FIG. 2. As is shown in dash-dot lines in FIG. 2, coolant
can flow into the coolant channel 16a on the housing side at the
location indicated by arrow 18 and arrives at the coolant-carrying
plate intermediate spaces 5 via the coolant channel 15a on the
bearing element side, whereupon the coolant flows out via the
coolant channel 15b on the bearing element side and via the coolant
channel 16b on the housing side corresponding to arrow 19.
[0031] To seal the coolant channels 15, 16 relative to one another,
sealing elements 20 are arranged between bearing element 7 and
bearing element 8 on one side and between supports 9, 10 on the
housing side which are associated with these bearing elements 7,
8.
[0032] In this case, the plate heat exchanger 3 has a medial,
central recess 21 which forms a connection area for a suction pipe
line 22 which is guided to the oil pump, not shown. Also, this
suction pipe line 22 is sealed relative to the bearing elements 7,
8 on the heat exchanger side by sealing elements 20.
[0033] As can further be seen from the schematic view in FIG. 2,
the plate assembly of the plate heat exchanger 3 is enclosed
radially on the circumferential side and, therefore, annularly by a
cylindrical oil screen 23 in a positive-locking manner.
[0034] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the respective oil-carrying
plate intermediate spaces 6 are in direct fluidic connection with
the oil 25 in the oil pan 2 by their radial openings 24 so that the
oil 25 is sucked directly from the oil pan 2 via the oil screen 23
radially into the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces 6 so that
the oil subsequently flows onward in this radial direction to the
central recess 21. In so doing, heat is transferred between the oil
and the coolant in the coolant-carrying plate intermediate spaces
5, namely, as can be seen from the view in FIG. 2, over relatively
long flow paths. Starting from the recess 21, the cooled oil is
then sucked out via the suction pipe line 22. The oil flow is shown
schematically by the arrows 26.
[0035] Finally, FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment compared
with FIG. 2 in which the same structural component parts are
provided with the same reference numbers. In contrast to the
embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the plate heat exchanger 3 in this case
is secured to the bottom wall 13 by screw connections 11. Further,
there are differences with respect to the construction of the
coolant channels. In this case, the coolant feed 18 takes place
through a coolant channel 16a on the housing wall side. This
coolant channel 16a extends from the side wall 12 along the bottom
wall 13 through a flange plate 27, by means of which the plate heat
exchanger 3 is secured to the bottom wall 13, to the plate heat
exchanger 3 and, from the latter, to the coolant-carrying plate
intermediate spaces 5. In this case also, sealing plugs 17 or
sealing elements 20 are again provided at the corresponding
locations.
[0036] On the other hand, the coolant flows out corresponding to
arrow 19 via a coolant channel 16b which extends from the housing
wall of the oil pan 2 via an intermediate element 28 to a coolant
channel 15b which is formed in a bearing element 7 on the heat
exchanger side. The bearing element 7 is sealed relative to the
intermediate element 28, and the intermediate element 28 is sealed
relative to the housing wall, by sealing elements 20.
[0037] In other respects, the construction corresponds to that of
FIG. 2 with respect to the plate heat exchanger 3, coolant-carrying
plate intermediate spaces 5, oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces
6, oil screen 23, and openings 24, and reference is had to the
description of FIG. 2 to avoid repetition.
[0038] Of course, only the oil-carrying plate intermediate spaces 6
are fluidically connected to the oil 25 in the oil pan 2 via the
openings 24. This means that the coolant side and the oil side are
tightly sealed off from one another and only a desired heat
transfer takes place between the two media.
[0039] The invention is not limited by the embodiments described
above which are presented as examples only but can be modified in
various ways within the scope of protection defined by the appended
patent claims.
* * * * *