U.S. patent application number 14/450936 was filed with the patent office on 2014-11-20 for 2-pass heat exchanger including thermal expansion joints.
The applicant listed for this patent is Modine Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Robert J. Barfknecht, Robert J. DeGroot, LeRoy Goines, Peter C. Kottal, Steven P. Meshenky, Dan R. Raduenz, Biao Yu.
Application Number | 20140338875 14/450936 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39714567 |
Filed Date | 2014-11-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140338875 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Barfknecht; Robert J. ; et
al. |
November 20, 2014 |
2-PASS HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDING THERMAL EXPANSION JOINTS
Abstract
A heat exchanger (10) is provided and in a highly preferred form
is an EGR cooler (52) having first and second passes (56A,56B) that
are connected to an inlet/outlet manifold (70) by a pair of
corresponding thermal expansion joints (87,93) to allow
differential thermal expansion between the various structural
components of the heat exchanger (10).
Inventors: |
Barfknecht; Robert J.;
(Waterford, WI) ; Yu; Biao; (Racine, WI) ;
Goines; LeRoy; (Racine, WI) ; DeGroot; Robert J.;
(Phillips, WI) ; Kottal; Peter C.; (Racine,
WI) ; Meshenky; Steven P.; (Racine, WI) ;
Raduenz; Dan R.; (West Allis, WI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Modine Manufacturing Company |
Racine |
WI |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
39714567 |
Appl. No.: |
14/450936 |
Filed: |
August 4, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11711455 |
Feb 27, 2007 |
|
|
|
14450936 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/175 ;
29/890.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 9/0236 20130101;
F02M 26/24 20160201; F02M 26/22 20160201; F02M 26/32 20160201; F28D
7/1692 20130101; B23P 15/26 20130101; Y10T 29/4935 20150115; F28F
9/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/175 ;
29/890.03 |
International
Class: |
F02M 25/07 20060101
F02M025/07; B23P 15/26 20060101 B23P015/26; F28F 9/00 20060101
F28F009/00 |
Claims
1. An exhaust gas cooler for use in an engine system, comprising: a
coolant housing including: a first end having at least one first
end opening, a second end having at least one second end opening; a
coolant chamber between the first end and the second end, and at
least one coolant port to the coolant chamber, and an exhaust gas
turning manifold attached to the second end and including at least
one turning manifold opening in fluid communication with the
coolant housing; first and second exhaust gas cores attached to a
common header plate, the first exhaust gas core having a first
plurality of tubes with inlet ends attached to the common header
plate and outlet ends attached to a first transition piece, the
second exhaust gas core having a second plurality of tubes with
outlet ends attached to the common header plate and inlet ends
attached to a second transition piece; and thermal expansion joints
located at each of the transition pieces to provide a seal at or
near the second end and to allow the exhaust gas cores to move
relative to each other and the coolant housing, wherein the first
and second exhaust gas cores are jointly inserted into the coolant
chamber and fastened to the coolant housing by the mounting header,
so that the first and second transition pieces are supported at
thermal expansion joints at or near the second end.
2. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 1, the at least one second end
opening including a first second end opening and a second end
opening, each receiving one of the transition pieces of the first
and second cores.
3. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 2, the first second end opening
and a second second end opening each including one of the thermal
expansion joints.
4. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 3, wherein the thermal expansion
joints are O-rings.
5. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 1, the at least one turning
manifold opening including a first turning manifold opening and a
second turning manifold opening, each receiving one of the
transition pieces of the first and second cores.
6. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 5, the first and second turning
manifold openings each including one of the thermal expansion
joints.
7. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 6, wherein the thermal expansion
joints are O-rings.
8. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 1, the at least one second end
opening including a first second end opening and a second second
end opening and the at least one turning manifold opening including
a first turning manifold opening and a second turning manifold
opening, the first second end opening, the second second end
opening, the first manifold opening, and the second manifold
opening, each receiving a portion of one of the transition pieces
of the first and second cores.
9. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 8, the first second end opening,
the second second end opening, the first manifold opening, and the
second manifold opening, each further including a thermal expansion
joint.
10. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 1, the coolant chamber further
including a first coolant channel and a second coolant channel
wherein the first exhaust gas core is inserted into the first
coolant channel and the second exhaust gas core is inserted into
the second coolant channel.
11. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 10, the first and second
coolant channels being fluidically separate and containing fluids
at different temperatures.
12. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 1, the first transition piece
including a first core header attached to the outlet ends of the
first plurality of tubes and the second transition piece including
a second core header attached to the inlet ends of the first
plurality of tubes.
13. The exhaust gas cooler according to claim 1, wherein the
thermal expansion joints are ring-shaped, and each of the at least
one turning manifold openings receives at least one of the thermal
expansion joints.
14. The exhaust gas cooler according to claim 1, wherein the
thermal expansion joints are ring-shaped, and each of the at least
one second end openings receives at least one of the thermal
expansion joints.
15. The exhaust gas cooler according to claim 1, the header plate
further including the at least one coolant port.
16. The exhaust gas cooler according to claim 15, wherein the
header plate coolant port is a coolant outlet.
17. An exhaust gas cooler for use in an engine system, comprising:
a coolant housing including: a first mounting side, a second
turning side, a coolant chamber extending between the first
mounting side and the second turning side, at least one coolant
chamber opening extending from the coolant chamber to the second
turning side, at least one coolant inlet port to the coolant
chamber, and at least one outlet port from the coolant chamber; a
turning manifold including at least one turning manifold opening
and attached to the second turning side of the coolant housing; an
exhaust gas core including a mounting header; and a seal at the end
of the exhaust gas core opposite the end with the mounting header,
wherein the mounting header is fastened to the coolant housing at
the mounting side, such that the core is inserted through the
coolant chamber, the core is supported by the seal at the second
turning side, the core is movable at the second turning side
relative to the coolant housing, and the seal creates a fluid seal
at the second turning side.
18. An exhaust gas cooler for use in an engine system, comprising:
a coolant housing including: a first end, a second end, a coolant
chamber including first and second channels extending between the
first end and the second end, first and second openings extending
from the first and second channels to the second end, each opening
including a seal groove containing an O-ring seal, and a coolant
inlet port to the first channel, a coolant outlet port from the
first channel, a coolant inlet port to the second channel, and a
coolant outlet port from the second channel; a turning manifold
attached to the second end of the coolant housing; and first and
second exhaust gas cores each attached to a common mounting header,
the first exhaust gas core including a first plurality of tubes
having an inlet end attached to the mounting header and an outlet
end having a first transition portion including a first header
plate attached to the outlet end of the first plurality of tubes
and further including a first extension portion extending from the
first header plate, and the second exhaust gas core including a
second plurality of tubes having an outlet end attached to the
mounting header and an inlet end having a second transition portion
including a second header plate attached to the inlet end of the
second plurality of tubes and further including a second extension
portion extending from the second header plate; wherein the first
exhaust gas core is inserting into one of the coolant channels and
the second exhaust gas core is inserted into the other coolant
channel, the first extension is slidably inserted into one of the
first and second openings at the second end of the coolant housing
such that the first extension makes a fluid seal with the opening
and can move relate to the opening, the second extension is
slidably inserted into the other of the first and second openings
at the second end of the coolant housing such that the second
extension makes a fluid seal with the other opening and can move
relate to the other opening, the mounting header is fastened to the
first end of the coolant housing, and wherein the turning manifold
is fluidly connected to the first plurality of tubes and the second
plurality of tubes.
19. The exhaust gas cooler of claim 18, the first and second
coolant channels being fluidically separate and containing fluids
at different temperatures.
20. A method of producing an exhaust gas cooler for use in an
engine system, comprising: forming a coolant housing having a first
end, a second end, and two coolant channels between the first end
and the second end, the first end further including two first end
openings to each of the coolant channels and the second end further
including two second end openings to each of the coolant channels;
inserting thermal expansion joints through each of the second end
openings, such that the thermal expansion joints are disposed in
each of the second end openings; forming a turning manifold;
forming a first exhaust gas core having a plurality of first core
tubes and a first transition piece and a second exhaust gas core
including a plurality of second core tubes and a second transition
piece; attaching inlets of the of the first core tubes and outlets
of the second core tubes to a common header plate; inserting the
assembly of the first core and the second core into the coolant
housing such that the first core tubes and the second core tubes
are each disposed within one of the coolant channels, the first
transition piece and the second transition piece are each disposed
within one of the second end openings and sealed by the thermal
expansion joints, and the common header plate is attached to the
first end of the coolant housing; and attaching the turning
manifold to the second end of the coolant housing such that the
turning manifold is in fluid communication with each of the first
core tubes and the second core tubes.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/711,455, filed Feb. 27, 2007, the entire
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to heat exchangers, and in more
particular applications, heat exchangers having at least two
passes, and in even more particular applications, to exhaust gas
recirculation coolers having two passes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Emission concerns associated with the operation of internal
combustion engines, generally, but not always, diesel engines, have
resulted in an increased emphasis on the use of exhaust gas heat
exchange systems with such engines, particularly, but not always,
in vehicular applications. These systems are employed as part of an
exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system by which a portion of an
engine's exhaust is returned to its combustion chambers via its
intake system. The result is that some of the oxygen that would
ordinarily be inducted into the engine as part of its fresh
combustion air charge is displaced with inert gases thus reducing
the rate of NO.sub.x formation. EGR systems are frequently designed
to absorb heat from the combustion process, thus lowering its
temperature and providing a further reduction in NO.sub.x.
[0004] In many applications employing EGR systems, exhaust gas
recirculation coolers are employed. In the usual case, engine
coolant is brought into heat exchange relation with the exhaust gas
prior to its recirculation so as to lower its temperature. While
many of the known coolers may work well for their intended purpose,
there is always room for improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with one feature of the invention, an
improvement is provided in an engine system including a combustion
engine and a cooling system. The improvement includes an exhaust
gas cooler for cooling an exhaust gas flow of the engine by
directing the exhaust gas through first and second passes relative
to a coolant flow of the cooling system. The cooler includes an
inlet/outlet manifold to direct the exhaust gas to the first pass
and from the second pass; a turning manifold to direct the exhaust
gas from the first pass to the second pass; a first exhaust gas
core defining the first pass and having a first end connected
directly to one of the manifolds and an opposite end connected to
the other of the manifolds by a first thermal expansion joint or
device; a second exhaust gas core defining the second pass and
having a first end connected directly to one of the manifolds and
an opposite end connected to the other of the manifolds by a second
thermal expansion joint or device; and a coolant housing fixed at
opposite ends to the manifolds and surrounding the first and second
cores and the first and second thermal expansion joints to direct
the coolant flow past the first and second exhaust gas cores.
[0006] As one feature, the first and second thermal expansion
joints are connected to the same manifold. As a further feature,
the same manifold is the inlet/outlet manifold.
[0007] In accordance with one feature of the invention, a heat
exchanger is provided for transferring heat between a fluid flow
and a coolant flow. The heat exchanger includes a coolant housing,
first and second cores in the housing, first and second manifolds,
and first and second thermal expansion joints in the housing. The
housing defines a coolant flow path through the heat exchanger. The
first core has opposite ends and defines a first pass for the fluid
flow through the housing. The second core has opposite ends and
defines a second pass for the fluid flow through the housing. The
first manifold directs the fluid flow to one of the first and
second cores and receives the fluid flow from the other of the
first and second cores. The first manifold is fixed to a first end
of the housing. The second manifold receives the fluid flow from
the one of the first and second cores and directs the fluid flow to
the other of the first and second cores. The second manifold is
fixed to a second end of the housing. A first thermal expansion
joint or device is connected between one of the ends of the first
core and one of the first and second manifolds to direct the fluid
flow therebetween. The other end of the first core is fixed to the
other of the first and second manifolds. A second thermal expansion
joint or device is connected between one of the ends of the second
core and one of the first and second manifolds to direct the fluid
flow therebetween. The other end of the second core fixed to the
other of the first and second manifolds.
[0008] As one feature, the first and second thermal expansion
joints are connected to the same manifold. As a further feature,
the same manifold is the first manifold.
[0009] In accordance with one feature of the invention, a heat
exchanger is provided for transferring heat between a coolant flow
and a fluid flowing through first and second passes. The heat
exchanger includes an inlet/outlet manifold to direct the fluid
flow to the first pass and from the second pass; a turning manifold
to direct the fluid flow from the first pass to the second pass; a
first core defining the first pass and having a first end connected
directly to the inlet/outlet manifold and an opposite end connected
to the turning manifold by a first thermal expansion joint or
device; a second core defining the second pass and having a first
end connected directly to the inlet/outlet manifolds and an
opposite end connected to the turning manifold by a second thermal
expansion joint or device; and a coolant housing fixed at opposite
ends to the manifolds and surrounding the first and second cores
and the first and second thermal expansion joints to direct the
coolant flow past the first and second cores in heat exchange
relation with the fluid flow in the first and second passes.
[0010] In one feature, the first and second cores extend parallel
to each other and have equal lengths.
[0011] According to one feature, each of the first and second cores
includes a plurality of parallel spaced heat exchange tubes with
the interiors of the tubes defining the corresponding pass.
[0012] As one feature, a by-pass valve is mounted in the
inlet/outlet manifold to allow selective bypassing of the exhaust
gas around the first and second passes.
[0013] In one feature, the first and second thermal expansion
joints include first and second bellows.
[0014] According to one feature, the first and second thermal
expansion joints include first and second sliding O-ring
joints.
[0015] Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention
will become apparent from a review of the entire specification,
including the appended claims and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an engine system
including a heat exchanger embodying the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the heat exchanger of FIG.
1, with the coolant housing component removed so that the heat
exchanger core components can be seen clearly, and with other of
the exterior components being shown as somewhat transparent to
allow illustration of certain interior components of the heat
exchanger;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from an opposite angle of that
of FIG. 2, again with some of the exterior components being shown
as somewhat transparent to allow illustration of interior
components of the heat exchanger;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 3 but
from an opposite side, again with some of the exterior components
being shown as somewhat transparent;
[0020] FIG. 5 is another perspective view from yet another angle of
the heat exchanger, with some of the components of the heat
exchanger being slightly modified to illustrate various
possibilities for inlet and outlet ports for the working fluids of
the heat exchanger, and again with some of the exterior components
being shown as somewhat transparent;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the
heat exchanger of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 7 is a section view taken from line 7-7 in FIG. 6;
[0023] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of selected core, manifold,
housing, and thermal expansion joint components of the heat
exchanger of FIG. 6, with a coolant housing shown in phantom;
and
[0024] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the heat exchanger of FIG. 6, again
with the coolant housing shown in phantom.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] With reference to FIG. 1, a heat exchanger 10 is shown in a
diagrammatic representation of an engine system 11 which includes
an internal combustion engine 12, a cooling system 14, and a charge
air system 16, and an exhaust gas recirculation system 18. The
combustion engine 12 includes an intake 20 (typically an intake
manifold) and an exhaust 22 (typically an exhaust manifold). The
cooling system includes a coolant flow path 24, that mayor may not
pass through the engine 12 to provide cooling therefore, a pump 26
located somewhere in the flow path 24 for circulating a coolant
flow, and a radiator 28 for rejecting heat from the coolant flow to
another fluid, typically air. The charge air system 16 includes a
turbine driven air compressor unit 30 having a turbine 32 connected
to the exhaust 22 to be driven by an exhaust gas flow therefrom and
connected to an exhaust path 34 to provide the exhaust flow
thereto, and a compressor 36 connected to an air intake 38 to
receive air therefrom and to a charge air flow path 40 to provide a
pressurized charge air flow thereto. The charge air system 16
further includes an air-to-air charge air cooler 44 connected in
the flow path 40 between the compressor 34 and the intake 20 to
cool the charge air flow. The exhaust gas recirculation ("EGR")
system 18 includes an exhaust gas recirculation flow path, shown
generally at 50, the heat exchanger 10 in the form of an EGR cooler
52, and an EGR flow control valve 54. The cooler 52 includes a
2-pass exhaust gas flow path 56A, 56B in heat transfer relation
with a coolant flow path 58 of the coolant system 14 to transfer
heat from the exhaust gas flow to the coolant flow. As a preferred
option, the EGR system 18 further includes a bypass flow path 60
and a bypass control valve 62 to selectively bypass the exhaust
flow around the exhaust gas flow path 56 in the cooler 52. As is
known, the EGR flow path 50 connects with the charge air flow path
40 to provide cooled recirculated exhaust gas for mixing with the
cooled charge air supplied to the intake 20 of engine 12.
[0026] It should be understood that the system 11 is provided in
order to provide a context for a preferred form of the heat
exchanger 10. It should also be appreciated that there are many
possible configurations and constructions for the system 11,
including for the engine 12, the cooling system 14, the charge air
system 16, and the EGR system 18, with the most desirable
configurations being highly dependent upon the parameters and
requirements of each particular application. Accordingly, no
limitations to a specific configuration of system 11, or any of its
sub-systems is intended, unless expressly recited in the claims.
Furthermore, it should be appreciated that while the invention is
described herein in connection with EGR cooler 52, it may find use
in many other applications. Accordingly, no limitation is intended
to an EGR cooler unless expressly recited in the claims.
[0027] The exhaust gas cooler 52 is shown in more detail in FIGS.
2-5. With reference to FIG. 2, the cooler 52 includes an
inlet/outlet manifold 70 to direct the exhaust gas to the first
pass, shown schematically by arrow 56A, and from the second pass,
shown schematically by arrow 568, a turning manifold 72 to direct
the exhaust gas from the first pass 56A to the second pass 568, a
first exhaust gas core 74 defining the first pass 56A, a second
exhaust gas core 76 defining the second pass 568, and a coolant
housing 78 (not shown in FIG. 2) fixed at opposite ends 80 and 82
to the manifolds 70 and 72, respectively. The first core 74 has an
end 84 connected directly to the turning manifold 72 and an
opposite end 86 connected to the inlet/outlet manifold 70 by a
first thermal expansion joint or device 87 in the form of a first
bellows 88. The second core 76 has an end 90 connected to the
turning manifold 72 and an opposite end 92 connected to the
inlet/outlet manifold 70 by a second thermal expansion joint or
device 93 in the form of a second bellows 94.
[0028] As best seen in FIGS. 3-5, the coolant housing 78 surrounds
the first and second cores 74, 76 and the first and second bellows
88,94 to direct the coolant flow in heat exchange relation with the
first and second cores 74 and 76. In this regard, as best seen in
FIG. 5, the coolant housing 78 is provided with a coolant inlet
port 96 (not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) and a coolant outlet port 98
(not shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) connected to the coolant flow path 24,
and may preferably include a plurality of spaced baffles (not
shown) that extend perpendicular to the passes 56A and 568 to
direct the coolant flow for a localized cross flow relative to the
passes 56A and 568, as is known. As another option, coolant fins
can be located between the tubes of the cores 74 and 76, with the
spaced baffles being eliminated, so that the coolant flow has a
parallel flow relation to the passes 56a and 56b and the exhaust
flow therein. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inlet/outlet
manifold 70 includes an exhaust gas inlet port 100 and an exhaust
gas outlet port 102.
[0029] It should be appreciated that because the coolant housing 78
is fixed at opposite ends 80 and 82 to the manifolds 70 and 72, a
problem can arise with respect to differential thermal expansion of
the relatively cool coolant housing 78 in comparison to the
relatively hot cores 74 and 76 because of the hot exhaust gas
flowing through the cores 74 and 76 in comparison to the relatively
cool coolant flowing through the coolant housing 78. Furthermore,
it should be appreciated that because the exhaust gas in the second
pass 568 will be relatively cooler than the exhaust gas in the
first pass 56A, the first and second cores 74 and 76 will also have
differential thermal expansion relative to each other. The first
and second thermal expansion joints 87 and 93 in the form of the
bellows 88 and 94 allow for all of the above-described differential
thermal expansions to occur while minimizing the stresses that
would otherwise occur in the components of the heat exchanger 52 as
a result of such differential thermal expansion.
[0030] With reference to FIG. 2, it can be seen that each of the
cores 74 and 76 preferably includes a plurality of spaced, parallel
extending, flattened heat exchanger tubes 110 which direct the
exhaust gas flow through their interiors in heat exchange relation
with the coolant flow, which passes over the exteriors of the tubes
110 in the spaces 112 between adjacent tubes 110 and between the
tubes 110 and the housing 78. Each of the cores 74 and 76 will
further include a core manifold 114 that directs the exhaust flow
between the corresponding bellows 88,94 and tubes 110. The manifold
114 preferably includes a header plate 116 sealingly receiving the
ends of the tubes 110, and a transition piece 117.
[0031] While there are many possible configurations, the turning
manifold 72 will preferably include a tank 118 connected to a
heater plate 119 that sealingly receives the ends of the tubes 110.
The inlet/exhaust manifold 70 will preferably include a bellows
plate 120 that sealingly receives the ends of the bellows 88 and 94
and can be connected to a tank 122 of the inlet/outlet manifold 70
using suitable fasteners 124, with a suitable seal or gasket (not
shown) sandwiched between the plate 120 and the tank 122.
Additionally, (as best seen in FIG. 4) the bypass valve 62 may be
mounted in the tank 122, and have any suitable form, such as the
illustrated butterfly-type valve 128 that is mounted on an axle 130
to pivot between a closed position, shown in FIG. 3 that prevents
bypassing of the exhaust gas flow through the flow path 60 around
the first and second passes 56A and 568, to a fully open position
wherein the valve 128 is rotated 90 a to allow complete bypassing
of the exhaust gas flow through the path 60 around the first and
second passes 56A and 568.
[0032] With reference to FIG. 5, it can be seen that the cooler 52
can be arranged so that the first and second passes 56A and 568
have a vertical side-by-side relationship rather than the
horizontal relationship shown in FIGS. 2-4, and the coolant flow
can be arranged so that the coolant inlet and outlet ports 96, 98
are also vertical.
[0033] With reference to FIGS. 6-9, another embodiment of the heat
exchanger 1 O/exhaust gas cooler 52 is shown wherein like reference
numbers indicate like components or features. As best seen in FIGS.
7-8, this embodiment of the heat exchanger 1 O/exhaust gas cooler
52 differs from those shown in FIGS. 2-5 in that the first and
second thermal expansion joints or devices 87 and 93 are provided
in the form of sliding O-ring joints 140 and 142, rather than the
bellows 88 and 94 of FIGS. 2-5, and in that the thermal expansion
joints 87 and 93 are provided at the ends of the cores 74,76
adjacent the turning manifold 72, rather than adjacent the inlet
manifold 70 as in the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5.
[0034] For each of the sliding O-ring joints 140 and 142, the
transition piece 117 of each of the manifold 114 is provided with
an elongated cylindrical extension 144 that is slidingly engaged
with a pair of O-ring seals 146 and 148. As best seen in FIG. 7,
the O-ring seal 146 is contained within a seal groove 150 formed in
a cylindrical opening 152 of the coolant housing 78, and the Oring
seal 148 is received in a seal groove 154 provided in the turning
manifold 72. It should be appreciated that while FIG. 7 shows the
sliding O-ring joint 142, the construction is the same for the
sliding a-ring joint 140. For both of the a-ring joints 140 and
142, the a-ring seals 146 and 148 prevent leakage of the coolant
and exhaust gas, respectively, while allowing the cylindrical
extension 144 to slide longitudinally relative to the housing 78
and turning manifold 72 in response to differential thermal
expansion between the housing 78 and the cores 74 and 76. Thus, as
with the bellows 88 and 94, the sliding a-ring joints 140 and 142
allow for the previously described differential thermal expansion
to occur while minimizing the stresses that would otherwise occur
in the components of the heat exchanger 1 O/exhaust gas cooler 52
as a result of such differential thermal expansion.
[0035] The coolant housing 78 of FIGS. 6-9 differs from that shown
in FIGS. 2-5 in that it is preferably a cast or molded construction
having a coolant chamber 160 that receives the cores 74 and 76,
with an open end 162 that allows the cores 74 and 76 to be inserted
into the chamber 160. The housing 78 also includes first and second
coolant inlet ports 163 and 164, and first and second coolant
outlet ports 165 and 166 for connection with first and second
coolant loops 168 and 170, respectively, with the loop 168
preferably being a high temperature coolant loop and the loop 170
preferably being a low temperature coolant loop, as best seen in
FIG. 9. A separating wall 172 is provided in the chamber 160
between the cores 74 and 76 to hydraulically isolate the coolant
loops 168 and 170 from each other. It should be appreciated that
localized differential thermal expansion can be minimized by
passing higher temperature coolant from the loop 168 over the core
74 with the higher temperature exhaust flow, and by passing lower
temperature coolant from the loop 170 over the core 76 with the
lower temperature exhaust flow. It should also be appreciated that
the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5 could easily be modified to
accommodate the two coolant loops 168 and 170. Similarly, it should
be appreciated that the embodiment of FIGS. 6-9 can easily be
modified to accommodate a single coolant loop.
[0036] The open end 162 is closed by a header plate 173 that is
common to both cores 74 and 76, with a gasket 174 sandwiched
between the housing 78 and plate 172 to provide a seal for the
coolant flow. If desired, the tank 122 and/or bypass valve 62 of
FIGS. 2-5 can be assembled with the header plate 173 to form the
inlet/exhaust manifold 70 for the embodiment of FIGS. 6-9.
Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIGS. 6-9, the turning manifold
72 is provided in the form of a one-piece housing, preferably cast,
rather than the two piece tank and header construction of FIGS.
2-5.
[0037] As best seen in FIG. 9, the core 76 is provided with fewer
tubes 110 to reflect the change in density of the exhaust after
being cooled in the pass 56A. This feature can also be easily be
incorporated into the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5.
[0038] It should be appreciated that for all of the disclosed
embodiments there are many possible modifications. For example,
while both embodiments show the tubes 110 of both of the cores 74
and 76 being of the same length, in some applications it may be
desirable for the tubes 110 of one of the cores 74,76 to be of a
different length than the tubes 110 of the other core 74,76.
Furthermore, in some applications, only one of the thermal
expansion joints or devices 87 and 93 may be required, in which
case one of the thermal expansion joints 87 and 93 would be
eliminated so that the corresponding core 74 or 76 would be
connected directly to its manifold.
* * * * *