U.S. patent application number 12/944109 was filed with the patent office on 2011-05-26 for heat exchanger network.
This patent application is currently assigned to AUTOKUHLER GMBH & CO. KG. Invention is credited to Hans-Jurgen PALM.
Application Number | 20110120678 12/944109 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43589597 |
Filed Date | 2011-05-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110120678 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
PALM; Hans-Jurgen |
May 26, 2011 |
HEAT EXCHANGER NETWORK
Abstract
A heat exchanger grid includes a stack including and arranged
between end plates and further includes dividing plates and spacers
arranged between the end plates to form sealed chambers for at
least two heat exchange media. The end plates include one or both
of inlet and outlet openings for the at least two media. The
dividing plates including first passages aligned with the one or
both of the inlet and outlet openings. The first passages are
delimited by circumferentially enclosed edges and form collecting
channels for the at least two media. The spacers include frames
which are delimited circumferentially by rails and which spacers
include second and third passages which are aligned at least partly
with respect to the one or both of the inlet and outlet openings.
The first, second, and third passages are arranged as slots with a
part of the second and third passages being delimited by
circumferentially enclosed edges and another part of the second and
third passages including pass-through gaps facing toward the sealed
chambers and except for the gaps, the second and third passages are
enclosed.
Inventors: |
PALM; Hans-Jurgen; (Vellmar,
DE) |
Assignee: |
AUTOKUHLER GMBH & CO.
KG
Hofgeismar
DE
|
Family ID: |
43589597 |
Appl. No.: |
12/944109 |
Filed: |
November 11, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/109.1 ;
165/164 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 9/0075
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/109.1 ;
165/164 |
International
Class: |
F28F 13/12 20060101
F28F013/12; F28D 7/00 20060101 F28D007/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 12, 2009 |
DE |
20 2009 015 586.2 |
Claims
1. A heat exchanger grid comprising: a stack including and arranged
between end plates and further including dividing plates and
spacers arranged between the end plates to form sealed chambers for
at least two heat exchange media; the end plates including one or
both of inlet and outlet openings for the at least two media; the
dividing plates including first passages aligned with the one or
both of the inlet and outlet openings, the first passages being
delimited by circumferentially enclosed edges and form collecting
channels for the at least two media; the spacers including frames
which are delimited circumferentially by rails and which spacers
include second and third passages which are aligned at least partly
with respect to the one or both of the inlet and outlet openings;
and the first, second, and third passages being arranged as slots
with a part of the second and third passages being delimited by
circumferentially enclosed edges and another part of the second and
third passages including pass-through gaps facing toward the sealed
chambers and except for the gaps, the second and third passages are
enclosed.
2-21. (canceled)
22. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the end
plates include two inlet openings and two outlet openings each, and
the dividing plates and the spacers each include four first, second
and third passages.
23. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 22, wherein the
dividing plates include a square or rectangular outside contour and
include first longitudinal axes which are arranged parallel with
respect to each other, and the first passages are arranged in
boundary regions of the dividing plates which are adjacent to side
edges of the dividing plates which are parallel to the first
longitudinal axes.
24. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 23, wherein the
spacers include frames having square or rectangular outside
contours and second longitudinal axes, and the second and third
passages are arranged in rails of the frames which are arranged
parallel to the second longitudinal axes.
25. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 24, wherein the
first, second and third passages are arranged successively behind
one another in the direction of the first and second longitudinal
axes.
26. The heat exchanger grid according claim 25, wherein the first,
second and third passages have passage longitudinal axes which are
arranged substantially parallel to the first and second
longitudinal axes, respectively, of the dividing plates and the
spacers.
27. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 25, wherein the
first, second and third passages have lengths which are slightly
smaller than a length of an end of the dividing plates divided by
the number of the at least two heat exchanging media.
28. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein at least
one or both of the first and second passages are penetrated by
connecting webs configured as tie rods.
29. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 24, wherein the
spacers are arranged to form at least one of the sealed chambers
for two different media, and are arranged in the stack in a
position twisted with respect to one another by 180.degree. about
the second longitudinal axis.
30. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein two types
of spacers are provided, a first type being arranged to form one of
the sealed chambers for a first medium and a second type arranged
to form at least two of the sealed chambers for at least two
media.
31. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 30, wherein the
second type of spacers include at least three third passages each
in opposite rails, and that the at least two sealed chambers are
separated from one another by dividing rails arranged between
selected third passages.
32. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the
spacers are made integrally from a sheet metal.
33. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 32, wherein the
spacers are produced by punching, lasing or jet cutting.
34. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the
spacers are arranged in several parts.
35. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 34, wherein the
spacers are made of two mutually spaced end pieces and at least two
rails which connect the end pieces with one another.
36. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 35, wherein the end
pieces and the rails are arranged to engage into each other in an
interlocking manner in at least one direction.
37. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the end
plates, the dividing plates and the spacers are connected with one
another in a liquid-tight manner by soldering.
38. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 37, wherein the
dividing plates are clad-brazed on both sides.
39. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the
sealed chambers include turbulator inserts.
40. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 1, wherein the end
plates, the dividing plates and the spacers include mounting holes
which are aligned respect to one another in the stack.
41. The heat exchanger grid according to claim 40, wherein one or
more of the end plates, the dividing plates, and the spacers
include outside corners configured for mounting in the stack and
include a contour which deviates from a contour of outer edges of
one or more of the end plates, the dividing plates, and the
spacers.
Description
[0001] This application is a claims benefit of and priority to
German Patent Application No. 20 2009 015 586.2, filed Nov. 12,
2009, the content of which application is incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a heat exchanger grid. The
grid includes a stack of end plates and dividing plates, and
spacers arranged between them for forming mutually sealed chambers
for at least two heat exchange media.
[0003] Heat exchanger grids are frequently built in plate design,
for example, see DE 20 2004 011 489 U1, in that a stack is formed
from plates and spacers which keep them apart and are provided in
form of individual sections or rails. The stack comprises chambers
which are sealed against each other and through which at least two
heat-exchanging media flow, especially fluid ones. The various
components of the stack are connected by soldering, for example,
and are sealed against each other. The finished grid is then
fastened by welding to collecting chambers which are used for
feeding or discharging the media. Such a configuration requires
much mounting work due to the numerous different components and
leads to comparatively high material costs and requires more space
due to the additional attachment of the collecting chambers.
[0004] In order to avoid these disadvantages, heat exchanger grids
are known which are provided in the manner of shell coolers with
integrated collecting chambers, for example, see DE 196 28 561 D1
and DE 202 10 209 U1. The integrated collecting chambers are formed
by passages which are disposed in the plates and are aligned with
respect to each other and which are in flow connection only with
associated chambers determined for receiving one of the media. The
sealing of the chambers and the passages occurs in this case by
annular or disk-like spacers which are arranged between the plates
and act simultaneously as a sealing means. Heat exchanger grids of
this kind also consist of numerous individual parts and are also
problematic with respect to their positional stability unless
additional or specially designed turbulator inserts or the like are
provided between the plates.
[0005] Finally, a heat exchanger grid of the kind described above
is known, for example, see DE 10 2007 021 708 A1, whose stack of
plates is formed in an alternating fashion of punched dividing
plates and spacers which are arranged between the same, act as a
sealing means and are also punched, and consist of integral frames
which each delimit one chamber determined for the one or other
medium. The frames for the one medium, for example, cooling water,
are also provided with inwardly protruding rails, for example,
protruding into the chambers, in order to thus forcibly deflect the
respective medium several times while flowing through said
chambers. Passages arranged in the dividing plates are used as
collecting chambers for these media, as in the other heat exchanger
grids which are produced in an analogous fashion to the shell
configuration. Whereas, for the second medium, for example, the
intake air of a motor vehicle engine, there are no collecting
chambers or only such that are usually required. The material costs
and the labor in the assembly of the stack are comparatively low in
this case because only a plurality of plates needs to be placed on
top of one another and then needs to be connected with each other
by soldering or the like.
[0006] Although the heat exchanger grids, as described above, and
similar ones ensure a consistently good heat exchange, they still
always cause problems in their application. That is so, when for
actually identical exchanger grids, different demands are placed on
the position of the inlet and/or discharge openings through which
the media are to be supplied to or removed from the heat exchanger
grid as a result of special installation situations in different
types of motor vehicles or the like. As a result of the frequently
limited available space, heat exchanger grids are required, in such
cases whose inlet and discharge openings are adjusted individually,
to the respective application. For this purpose, at least the end
plates and dividing plates need to be provided with individually
provided passages. This requires the provision of different tools
for the production of the end plates and dividing plates, which is
why the advantages of the heat exchanger grids provided with
integrated collecting chambers are offset by undesirable
disadvantages in production.
[0007] On the basis of this state of the art and the technical
problems mentioned, the present disclosure arranges the heat
exchanger grid, of the kind as mentioned above, in such a way that
although it is composed of a few different components it can be
provided with inlet and/or discharge openings whose position can be
changed in a simple manner according to the respective
requirements. Moreover, the heat exchanger grid of the present
disclosure is configured to be set up with small changes for the
heat exchange between two, three or more media.
[0008] The heat exchanger grid according to the present disclosure
includes a stack including and arranged between end plates and
further including dividing plates and spacers arranged between the
end plates to form sealed chambers for at least two heat exchange
media. The end plates include one or both of inlet and outlet
openings for the at least two media. The dividing plates include
first passages aligned with the one or both of the inlet and outlet
openings, the first passages being delimited by circumferentially
enclosed edges and form collecting channels for the at least two
media. The spacers include frames which are delimited
circumferentially by rails and which spacers include second and
third passages which are aligned at least partly with respect to
the one or both of the inlet and outlet openings. The first,
second, and third passages are arranged as slots with a part of the
second and third passages being delimited by circumferentially
enclosed edges and another part of the second and third passages
including pass-through gaps facing toward the sealed chambers and
except for the gaps, the second and third passages are
enclosed.
[0009] The present disclosure provides, on the one hand, that
spacers are provided between the dividing plates which includes
integral frames delimited circumferentially by rails, and, on the
other hand, that the dividing plates and the rails are provided
with slotted passages which either form enclosed collecting
chambers for the various media or are opened towards chambers to be
flowed through by the media and formed between the dividing plates
in order to enable the inflow of the media into the chambers and
discharge of the media from the chambers. The slotted passages
allow providing the end plates with inlet and/or discharge
openings, the positions of which can be changed within the
boundaries of the respective lengths of the slits. That is why the
stack of dividing plates and spacers can be combined with numerous
different arrangements of inlet and/or discharge openings.
Moreover, heat exchanger grids for more than two media can, in
accordance with the present disclosure, thus be created in a simple
manner in such a way that the spacers and frames can be subdivided
into two or more chambers by dividing rails.
[0010] Additional advantageous features, in accordance with the
present disclosure, are disclosed therein.
[0011] In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure,
the spacers are arranged in several parts made of two mutually
spaced end pieces and at least two rails which connect the end
pieces with each other. As a result of the multipart arrangement,
the cuttings and thus also the material consumption in punching out
the spacers can be reduced substantially. Moreover, the lengths of
the rails can be adjusted as required in a simple manner without
having to produce a separate tool for each further length of a
spacer. The required pressing forces for punching out the
individual parts are substantially lower as compared with an
integral embodiment. Moreover, there is less warping in punching
out the individual parts, especially in the region of the radii of
the end pieces.
[0012] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
disclosure, the end pieces and the rails are arranged to be engaged
with each other in an interlocking manner in at least one
direction.
[0013] Other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent
from the following descriptions when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a perspective view, of a first
embodiment according to the present disclosure, from the top and
the bottom of a heat exchanger grid for two media and having
connecting elements.
[0015] FIGS. 3 and 4 each show an upper and bottom end plate of the
heat exchanger grid according to FIGS. 1 and 2 on a reduced
scale.
[0016] FIG. 5 shows a top view of a dividing plate of the heat
exchanger grid which is reduced in scale in relation to FIGS. 1 and
2.
[0017] FIGS. 6 and 7 show top views of a spacer of the heat
exchanger grid which is reduced in scale in relation to FIGS. 1 and
2.
[0018] FIG. 8 shows the heat exchanger grid in accordance with
FIGS. 1 and 2 in an exploded view.
[0019] FIGS. 9 to 16 show views, similar to FIGS. 1 to 8, of a
second embodiment of a heat exchanger grid, in accordance with the
present disclosure, for three media and its individual parts.
[0020] FIGS. 17 to 24 show views, similar to FIGS. 1 to 8, of a
third embodiment of a heat exchanger grid, in accordance with the
present disclosure, for four media and its individual parts.
[0021] FIGS. 25 to 32 show views of variants of the heat exchanger
grid shown in FIGS. 9 to 16 in perspective top and bottom views,
with connecting elements for the media being provided at different
places.
[0022] FIG. 33 shows a further embodiment of a heat exchanger grid,
in accordance with the present disclosure, in an exploded view.
[0023] FIGS. 34a) to 34f) show parts of the heat exchanger grid
shown in FIG. 33.
[0024] FIG. 35 shows a further embodiment of a heat exchanger grid,
in accordance with the present disclosure, in an exploded view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a heat exchanger
grid, in accordance with the present disclosure. The grid comprises
a stack 1 which includes stacked dividing plates 2, as shown in
FIG. 5, and spacers 3 and 4, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, which
spacers 3, 4 are arranged in an alternating manner between two
dividing plates 2 each, and which stack is provided at the ends
with end plates 5 and 6 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The dividing
plates 2, the spacers 3, 4 and end plates 5, 6 may have equally
large and square or rectangular outer contours and longitudinal
axes 7 to 11 which extend through their middle and, in the case of
rectangular contours, extend parallel to their long rectangular
side, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 7.
[0026] The end plates 5 and/or 6 are provided with inlet and/or
discharge openings 12a to 12d, as shown in FIG. 8, on which
connecting elements 14, in form of pipe sockets or the like, are
placed in order to supply or discharge the media flowing through
the heat exchanger grid. In the embodiment, the end plate 5 is
provided with two each of such inlet openings 12a and 12c and two
discharge openings 12b and 12d, whereas the end plate 6 does not
have any such openings 12.
[0027] The dividing plates 2 comprise first passages 16 in opposite
boundary regions which are parallel to the longitudinal axes 9 and
are adjacent to the side edges 15, with the number of the passages
thereof depending on the number of the media flowing through the
heat exchanger grid. Two such first passages 16 are provided in the
embodiment in each boundary region. All first passages 16 are
delimited by edges 17 which are enclosed circumferentially.
[0028] Spacers 3 are arranged between two dividing plates 2 and
each includes, as shown in FIG. 6, integral frames which are
delimited circumferentially by rails 18 and 19, with the rails 18
being arranged parallel to the longitudinal axes 10 and the rails
19 perpendicular to the longitudinal axes 10, and jointly forming a
circumferentially enclosed frame.
[0029] Whereas the rails 19 are comparatively narrow, the rails 18
have a larger width. Furthermore, two passages 20 and 21 are
arranged in these rails 18, with one second passage 20 and 21 each
being provided in each rail 18, in analogy to the dividing plates
2. Two mutually opposite second passages, for example, passages 20,
are each delimited by circumferentially enclosed edges 22.
Conversely, the two other second passages, for example, passages
21, are delimited by edges 23, which are also substantially
enclosed circumferentially but are provided with pass-through gaps
24 which lead to the interior spaces of the frames or chambers 25,
which are enclosed, on the one hand, by the rails 18, 19 of the
frames and are delimited, on the other hand, upwardly and
downwardly by dividing or end plates 2, 5 or 6 which are adjacent
in the stack 1. In other words, the pass-through gaps 24 each
represent openings which produce a flow connection between the
second passages 21 and the chambers 25 which are flowed through by
a first medium, for example, the cooling water of a motor
vehicle.
[0030] The spacers 4 of a second kind are arranged in a
substantially analogous manner in relation to the spacers 3 and
include integral frames formed by the rails 26, 27. Two third
passages 28 and 29 are each formed in the comparatively wide rails
26, with two mutually opposite third passages, for example,
passages 28, being delimited by circumferentially enclosed edges
30. Conversely, the two other passages, for example, passages 29,
are delimited by edges 31 which are also substantially enclosed
circumferentially but are provided with pass-through gaps 32 which
lead to the insides of the frames or chambers 33, which are
enclosed, on one hand, by the rails 26, 27 of the frames and are
delimited, on the other hand, upwardly and downwardly by dividing
or end plates 2, 5 or 6 which are adjacent in the stack 1. The
pass-through gaps 32 thus provide flow connections between the
second passages 29 and the chambers 33 which are flowed through by
a second medium, for example, motor oil of a motor vehicle. Apart
from that, all slotted passages 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29 may comprise
longitudinal axes which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal
axes 10 and 11 of spacers 3, 4 and, in the finished stack 1, are
also parallel to the longitudinal axes 7 to 9 of the dividing
plates 2 and the end plates 5, 6.
[0031] As is further shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the two pass-through
gaps 24 of the spacer 3 and the two pass-through gaps 32 of the
spacer 4 may be disposed diagonally opposite of one another. In the
embodiment, the pass-through gap 24 is arranged, for example, at
the top left and the bottom right in FIG. 6, whereas the
pass-through gap 32 is arranged at the top right and the bottom
left, so that the media can flow, for example, in the direction of
the illustrated arrows through the chambers 25, 33. Finally, FIGS.
5 and 7 show that the slotted passages 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29 are
all substantially equally large and have such a length that they
extend not quite over half the length of the dividing plates 2 and
spacers 3, 4. Moreover, the position of the passages 16, 20, 21, 28
and 29 is chosen in such a way that they come to lie in a flush
manner and coaxially above one another when the stack is formed. In
total, the spacers 3 and 4 may be identical in their structure, as
is shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, but are arranged in the stack to be
twisted by 180.degree. about a longitudinal axis 10 or 11.
[0032] The formation of the stack may occur, as shown in FIG. 8, in
such a way, for example, that successively a dividing plate 2, then
a spacer 3, then a further dividing plate 2, then a spacer 4, and
then, in an alternating manner, a dividing plate 2 and a spacer 3
or 4 are placed on the bottom end plate 6 until finally the upper
end plate 5 is placed on uppermost dividing plate 2 of stack 1. The
longitudinal axes 7 to 11 come to lie above one another in one
plane. Thereafter, the described parts are connected with each
other in a liquid-tight manner by soldering or the like. The end
plates 5 and 6, the dividing plates 2 and the spacers 3 and 4 are
advantageously made of sheet metal, especially aluminum sheet, and
the dividing plates 2 are clad-brazed on both sides, so that no
further soldering agents are required. Furthermore, the end plates
5 and 6, the dividing plates 2 and the spacers 3 and 4 are
preferably integrally formed from sheet metal, e.g. by punching,
lasing, or jet cutting.
[0033] In a finished heat exchanger grid, both the slotted second
passages 20 and 21 and the slotted third passages 28 and 29 are
aligned in a flush and coaxial manner with the slotted first
passages 16. As a result, and as shown in FIG. 8, for example, one
part of the passages 16 and the passages 21 and 28, on the one
hand, and the other part of the passages 16 and the passages 22 and
29, on the other hand, are arranged above one another in such a way
that each form a collecting chamber for one of the two heat
exchanger media. The collecting chamber formed by the passages 16,
21 and 28 is opened through the pass-through gap 24 only towards
the chambers 25 and the collecting chamber formed by the passages
16, 22 and 29 is opened through the pass-through gap 32 only
towards the chambers 33. Furthermore, the end plate 5 is provided
in the embodiment with the inlet and/or discharge openings 12a and
12d in such a way that they are also aligned towards one first
passage 16 of the adjacent dividing plate 2, whereas the other end
plate 6 does not have any inlet or discharge opening 12. As a
result of this arrangement, the first medium can be supplied, for
example, through the inlet opening 12a and be discharged again
through the discharge opening 12b again. It successively flows
through first, third and second passages 16, 28 and 21 which are
aligned towards the inlet openings 12a. This medium then reaches
the associated chambers 25 from the passages 21 by the pass-through
gap 24, flows through the same and leaves it again through the
pass-through gap 24 in the diagonally opposite passages 21. The
medium then reaches the discharge opening 12b in the end plate 5
through these passages and the passages 16 and 28 which are
connected with them and are circumferentially enclosed. The second
medium can be respectively introduced through the inlet opening
12c, for example, from where it flows through the collecting
chambers formed by the passages 16, 29 and 20, reaches the
associated chambers 33 by the pass-through gap 32 and leaves the
same again through the diagonally opposite pass-through gap 32, in
order to flow back to the discharge opening 12d and from there
through the passages 29, 20 and 16 which are arranged on this site.
As a result, the enclosed passages 20 take part in the formation of
the collecting chambers for the second medium and the enclosed
passages 28 in the formation of the collecting chambers for the
first medium, where as the passages 21, 29, which are provided with
a pass-through gaps 24, 32, are each used for guiding the first and
second medium through the chambers 25, 33 which are formed by the
spacers 3, 4 and the adjacent dividing plates 2 and are enclosed in
a liquid-tight manner.
[0034] In order to increase the mechanical stiffness of the spacers
3 and 4 and thus the entire heat exchanger grid, at least some of
the circumferentially enclosed second passages 20 and 28 may be
subdivided by connecting webs into two halves, which connecting
webs extend transversely to the longitudinal axes 10 and 11 and act
as a tie rod. This is shown in FIG. 6 at the bottom left for a
passage 20 provided with a connecting web 34 and in FIG. 7 at the
top left for a passage 28 provided with a connecting web 35. The
thus caused reduction in the cross sections of the passages 20, 28
is not critical because the inlet and discharge openings 12a to
12d, the connecting elements 14, and the pass-through gaps 24, 32
have flow cross sections that are smaller than the slotted
passages.
[0035] Whereas the heat exchanger grid according to FIGS. 1 to 8 is
set up for the exchange of heat between two media such as the motor
oil of an automotive engine and the cooling water of the motor
vehicle, the heat exchanger grid according to FIGS. 9 to 16 is used
for the exchange of heat between three media. The transmission oil
of the motor vehicle is added as the third medium for example,
which shall be cooled with the same cooling water as the motor
oil.
[0036] FIGS. 9 to 16 essentially have the same components as in
FIGS. 1 to 8. That is why these components in FIGS. 9 to 16 are
provided with the same reference numerals but are supplemented with
the letter "a", which applies especially to the dividing plates 2a,
end plates 5a, 6a and spacers 3a and 4a. In contrast to FIGS. 1 to
8, the upper end plate 5a has three, instead of two, inlet openings
12a, 12c and 12e and three discharge openings 12b, 12d and 12f, and
connecting elements 14 which are connected with these, as shown in
FIG. 16. Furthermore, the dividing plates 2a are provided, in each
boundary region adjacent to the side edges 15a, as shown in FIG.
13, with three first slotted passages 16a each instead of two of
these, which are the limited by circumferentially enclosed edges
17a.
[0037] Furthermore, two types of frame-like spacers 3a and 4a are
provided.
[0038] The first kind of spacers 3a corresponds substantially to
the spacers 3, but with the difference that two passages 20a each
are present in rails 18a which extend parallel to the longitudinal
axis 10a. The passages 20a are delimited by circumferentially
enclosed edges 22a, and one second passage 21a is present, which is
provided with a pass-through gap 24a and is thus open towards the
chamber 25a enclosed by the frame. The two passages 21a may be
disposed diagonally opposite of one another, as is shown in FIG.
14.
[0039] A second kind of frame-like spacers 4a is provided in rails
26a which are parallel to the longitudinal axis 11a with a third
passage 28a which is delimited circumferentially by enclosed edges
30a and with two passages 29a1 and 29a2, which each comprise a
pass-through gap 32a1 and 32a2 which is opened towards the inside
of the frame. The pass-through gap 32a1 leads into a first chamber
33a1, whereas the pass-through gap 32a2 leads into a second chamber
33a2. The two chambers 33a1, 33a2 are separated from one another in
a liquid-tight manner by a dividing rail 36 which extends between
the rails 26a, as is shown in FIG. 15, and apart from that are
sealed in a liquid-tight manner by dividing plates 2a resting on
both sides like the chambers 25 and 33. The arrangement may also be
made in such a way that the two chambers 33a1 and 33a2 have the
same size and both the two passages 32a1 and two passages 32a2 are
disposed diagonally opposite of one another within said chambers
33a1 and 33a2, as is also shown by FIG. 15. Possible directions of
flow for the three media flowing through the chambers 25a, 33a1 and
33a2 are shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 by arrows, for example.
[0040] The assembly of the components, according to FIGS. 11 to 15,
occurs in the manner as shown in FIG. 16. A dividing plate 2a, a
spacer 4a, then a dividing plate 2a, and then a spacer 3a are
placed successively on an end plate 6a, and then, by way of the
same successive application, further dividing plates 2a and spacers
3a, 4a, until the stack 1a is completed by the upper end plate 5a
which rests on the last dividing plate 2a. The various components
of the stack 1a thus formed are then connected with each by, for
example, soldering and in the same manner into a compact heat
exchanger grid, as described above by reference to FIG. 8.
[0041] In the finished heat exchanger grid, the second and third
passages 20a, 21a, 28a, 29a1 and 29a2 may be aligned in a flush
manner and co-axially to the first passages 16a. In this way, the
passages 20a, 29a1, with associated passages 16a, each form a
respective collecting chamber for a first medium. The passages 29a2
with further passages 20a and associated passages 16a form a
respective collecting chamber for a second medium. The passages 21a
with associated passages 28a and 16a form a respective collecting
chamber for the third medium. In analogy to FIGS. 1 to 8, the first
medium, for example, oil, can flow through the pass-through gap
32a1 through the chambers 33a1. The second medium, e.g. oil, can
flow through the pass-through gap 32a2 through the chambers 33a2,
and third medium, for example, cooling water, can flow through the
pass-through gap 24a to the chambers 25a.
[0042] At least selected second passages 20a are appropriately
provided with connecting webs 34 (see FIG. 14), in analogy to FIGS.
1 to 8.
[0043] The described construction of the heat exchanger grid, in
accordance with the present disclosure, allows for numerous further
configurations. FIGS. 17 to 24 show a heat exchanger grid whose
components are provided with the same reference numerals as in
FIGS. 1 to 8, and are provided additionally with the letter "b".
The heat exchanger grid, according to FIGS. 17 to 24, differs
mainly from the heat exchanger grid according to FIGS. 9 to 16 in
such a way that it is arranged for the flow of four media, with the
clutch oil of a motor-vehicle being added as the fourth media, for
example. That is why, in accordance with FIGS. 17 to 24, the end
plates 5b and 6b each comprise four inlet and discharge openings
12, as shown in FIG. 24, which are connected with connecting
elements 14, and the dividing plates 2b comprise four slotted
passages 16b in each boundary region adjacent to the side edges
15b. Furthermore, two types of frame-like spacers 3b and 4b are
provided. The spacers 3b, as shown in FIG. 22, correspond to the
spacers 3a, as shown in FIG. 14, with the difference that they
comprise four instead of three second passages 20b and 21b in each
rail 18b. The passages 21b are disposed diagonally opposite of one
another and are delimited by edges which comprise the pass-through
gap 24b which leads to the chambers 25b enclosed by the spacers 3b.
Conversely, the spacers 4b differ from those of FIG. 15 in such a
way that in each rail 26b they each comprise four instead of three
third passages 28b, 29b1, 29b2 and 29b3. The passage 28b is
circumferentially enclosed, whereas the passages 29b1 to 29b3 are
each delimited by an edge provided with a pass-through gap 32b1,
32b2 and 32b3. The pass-through gaps 32b1 to 32b3 lead into one
chamber 33b1, 33b2 and 33b3 each, with the chambers 33b1 and 33b2
being separated from one another in a liquid-tight manner by a
dividing rail 37 which connects the opposing rails 26b and the
chambers 33b2 and 33b3 are separated from one another in a
liquid-tight manner by a respective dividing rail 38.
[0044] Analogously, the second kind of spacers 4b could be provided
with more than three chambers for more than three different media.
For example, the spacers 4a, 4b can be provided with at least two
or more chambers, as required.
[0045] The mounting of the described parts occurs, in analogy to
FIG. 16, as shown in FIG. 24 by stacking the dividing plates 2b and
the various spacers 3b and 4b in a successive and alternating
manner. Thus provides the obtained stack 1b with the end plates 5b
and 6b, and subsequent soldering of the components by forming a
heat exchanger grid which is suitable for the through-flow of four
media and, like the other embodiments, in accordance with the
present disclosure, comprises integrated collecting chambers for
the four media which are formed by the first, second and third
passages.
[0046] It is advantageous, according to the present disclosure,
that the inlet and discharge openings 12 can be provided at
entirely different locations of the end plates 5 and 6 as a result
of the slotted passages 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29 within the limits
which are given by the respective length of the slot. Moreover, the
inlet and discharge openings 12 and the connecting elements 14 can
be provided optionally on the upper and/or bottom end plate 5 and
6. This is shown in FIGS. 25 to 32 by way of the embodiment
according to FIGS. 9 to 16.
[0047] In the embodiment according to FIGS. 25 and 26, the upper
end plate 5a is provided with two connecting elements 39a, 39b for
the inlet and discharge of the first medium and with connecting
elements 39c, 39d for the inlet and discharge of the second medium.
Conversely, the two connecting elements 39e, 39f for the inlet and
discharge of a third medium are connected with the bottom end plate
6a. FIGS. 27 and 28 show the connecting elements 40a, 40c and 40e
for the inlet of three media on the upper end plate 5a and the
connecting elements 40b, 40d and 40f for the discharge of three
media on the bottom end plate 6a, with the connecting elements 40a,
40b and 40c, 40d and 40e, 40f being associated in pairs with the
first, second and third medium. Further possibilities for the
positioning of connecting elements, and naturally also the inlet
and discharge openings 12, are shown in FIGS. 29, 30 and FIGS. 31,
32. Furthermore, all connecting elements 39, 40 and the inlet and
discharge openings 12 in the end plates 5a and 6a associated with
them can be arranged to be offset to such an extent in the
direction of the longitudinal axis 9, as was already mentioned, as
is possible as a result of the lengths of the slotted first
passages 16a, as shown in FIG. 13, and the second and third
passages 20a, 21a and 28a, 29a which are aligned with the former.
This leads to the advantage that numerous different arrangement
patterns are possible for the connecting elements 39, 40 with the
same dividing plates 2a and spacers 3a and 4a, as shown in FIGS. 13
to 15, so that end plates 5a, 6a need to be produced only when
adjusted to certain specific cases. The same applies, analogously,
for the other embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 8 and 17 to
24.
[0048] In order to facilitate the mounting of the finished heat
exchanger grids in a motor vehicle or the like, the dividing wall
and end plates 2, 5 and 6 and the rails 28, 26 of the spacers 3, 4
may be provided with mounting holes 41, for example, 1-7, which in
the stack 1 form a continuous channel for receiving a fastening
screw or the like. The mounting holes 41 are appropriately arranged
as elongated holes.
[0049] It is further appropriate, in order to improve the heat
exchange performance, to provide the chambers 25 and 33, as shown,
for example, in FIGS. 6 and 7, with turbulator inserts 42, as shown
in FIGS. 8, 16 and 24. One advantage of the described construction
is that the turbulator inserts 42 can be provided with a square or
rectangular outside contour which respectively corresponds to the
size of the chambers 25, 33, thus avoiding complex tools and work
steps in production.
[0050] It is provided, for further easing the mounting when packing
the stack 1, 1a and 1b, that each dividing and end plate 2, 5 and 6
and each spacer 3, 4 is provided with at least one specially formed
outside corner which has a different contour than the other outside
corners, as is indicated, for example, in FIGS. 5 to 7 by one acute
outside corner 43 instead of the otherwise rounded or bevelled
outside corners 44. These outside corners 43 must lie directly
above one another in the finished stack. In this way, errors in
placing the stack are avoided in a very simple manner, on the one
hand, whereas on the other hand it can be checked easily even after
the formation of the stack through the externally visible outside
corners 43, 44 whether all components were placed correctly.
[0051] FIGS. 33 to 35 show two further embodiments of a heat
exchanger grid, in accordance with the present disclosure, whose
components are provided with the same reference numerals as in
FIGS. 1 to 8, provided additionally with the letter "c", as shown
in FIGS. 33 and 34a-f, and with the letter "d", as shown in FIG.
35. The heat exchanger grids according to FIGS. 33 to 35 differ
mainly in such a way from the heat exchanger grids as described
above that the frame-like spacers 3c and 3d are arranged in several
parts. It is thus possible to avoid having to punch out the spacers
from a solid sheet metal. This advantageously leads to a reduction
in the cuttings and thus also to a reduction in the consumption of
material when punching out the spacers. Furthermore, the required
pressing forces for punching out the individual parts are lower as
compared with the integral embodiment.
[0052] The spacers 3c and 3d include two mutually spaced end pieces
31c, 31d and at least two rails 33c, 34c, 35c, 33d, 34d which
connect the end pieces 31c, 31d with each other. The end pieces
comprise their respective passages 36c, 37c and 36d, 37d which
correspond to the above spacers. The end pieces 31c, 31d and the
rails 33c, 34c, 33d, 34d may be arranged to engage in an
interlocking manner into each other in at least one direction. As
shown in FIGS. 33 and 34a) to f), the rails 33c, 34c, 35c are
placed for this purpose in respective U-shaped recesses of the end
pieces 31c, 32c and are thus fixed in an interlocking manner
transversely to the longitudinal extension of the spacers 3c. In
the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 35, the ends of the rails 33d, 34d
are provided with enlarged portions 331d which can be placed in
respectively formed recesses 38d of the end pieces 31d, 32d and are
thus held in an interlocking manner not only transversely to the
longitudinal extension of the spacers 3d but also in the direction
of the longitudinal extension. In this way, the lengths of the
rails can be adjusted in a simple manner without having to produce
a separate tool for each further length of a spacer.
[0053] The end plates 5c and the dividing plates 2c, 2d comprise
passages corresponding to the passages 36c, 37c and 36d, 37d. The
turbulator inserts 42c are provided with longitudinal slits which
accommodate the middle rail 34c.
[0054] The described embodiments, in accordance with the present
disclosure, may be modified in numerous ways. For example, the
chambers 33a1, 33a2 and 33b1 to 33b3 which are shown in FIGS. 15
and 23 with the same size can also have different sizes, especially
in the direction of the longitudinal axes 11a, 11b. The size of
these chambers may be chosen individually, depending on the desired
cooling performance. Furthermore, it can substantially be chosen at
will in which direction the media shall flow through the various
chambers and collecting chambers. For example, the arrows in FIGS.
6 and 7, 14 and 15 as well as 22 and 22 only represent examples.
Furthermore, the first, second and third passages need not
necessarily be arranged on mutually opposite longitudinal edges. It
would be possible, for example, to position at least two passages
for the same medium, for example, the passages 29 in FIG. 7, in a
rail 27 which is arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis
11 and is provided with a sufficiently wide configuration. It is
also possible to provide a dividing rail between the two associated
pass-through gaps 32 in such a way that the medium flowing through
a pass-through gap 32 into the chamber 33 flows at first into a
chamber half parallel to the longitudinal axis 11 up to the
opposite rail 27, is deflected there by a dividing rail and then
flows back through the other chamber half to the second
pass-through gap 32. The passages in the dividing plates 2 and the
other spacers 3 could be arranged in such a respective manner.
Media other than those described above can be used as heat exchange
media. For example, coolants, water with or without the addition of
antifreeze agents, and gaseous media, especially air, both as
cooling media and media to be cooled. It is further possible that
in the application of dividing plates 2 which are not plated, the
end plates 5, 6 can be connected directly with a spacer 3 or 4 and
can be fastened to the same by an additional soldering agent or the
like. It is further possible to arrange the embodiment according to
FIGS. 8 to 16 in such a way that the spacers 3a are provided with
two chambers each in order to use two different cooling media for
cooling two different media to be cooled. It can further be
provided to arrange the passages 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29 at least
partly not behind one another or not only parallel to the
longitudinal axes 9 to 11 behind one another, but also transversely
to the longitudinal axes 9 to 11 next to one another. Moreover, the
length of the passages 16, 20, 21, 28 and 29, as measured in the
longitudinal direction, may only be slightly smaller than the
length of the dividing and end plates, divided by the number of the
media flowing through the heat exchanger grid, for example,
slightly smaller than 1/3 of the plate length in FIGS. 9 to 24.
Furthermore, it is within the scope of the present disclosure that
more than two kinds of spacers can be provided if this is necessary
or appropriate for the purpose of heat exchange. It is finally
understood to be within the scope of the present disclosure that
the various features can also be applied in combinations other than
those described and illustrated in the above embodiments.
[0055] Although the present disclosure has been described and
illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is
done by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken
by way of limitation. The scope of the present disclosure is to be
limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
* * * * *