U.S. patent application number 14/138844 was filed with the patent office on 2015-04-16 for cooling module for vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hyundai Motor Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Hyundai Motor Company. Invention is credited to Wan Je Cho, Jae Yeon Kim, Su Whan Kim.
Application Number | 20150101778 14/138844 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52737833 |
Filed Date | 2015-04-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150101778 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kim; Jae Yeon ; et
al. |
April 16, 2015 |
COOLING MODULE FOR VEHICLE
Abstract
A cooling module for a vehicle connected to an operating system
and an air conditioning system. The cooling module may include a
radiator for a stack that is disposed at a rear side based on a
front/rear direction of a vehicle, a radiator for electric devices
that is disposed at one side based on a width direction of a
vehicle at a front side of the radiator for a stack, a first
condenser that is disposed inside a header tank of the radiator for
electric devices to condense refrigerant as a first condensing
process, and a second condenser that is disposed at the other side
based on a width direction of a vehicle at a front side of the
radiator for a stack and is connected to the first condenser to
condense the refrigerant that is exhausted from the first condenser
as a second condensing process.
Inventors: |
Kim; Jae Yeon; (Hwaseong-si,
KR) ; Kim; Su Whan; (Hwaseong-si, KR) ; Cho;
Wan Je; (Hwaseong-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hyundai Motor Company |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hyundai Motor Company
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
52737833 |
Appl. No.: |
14/138844 |
Filed: |
December 23, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/41 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01P 3/12 20130101; F01P
3/18 20130101; F01P 2003/182 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/41 |
International
Class: |
F01P 3/12 20060101
F01P003/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 14, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0122240 |
Claims
1. A cooling module for a vehicle disposed on a front side of a
vehicle to be connected to an operating system and an air
conditioning system, comprising; a radiator for a stack disposed at
a rear side based on a front/rear direction of a vehicle; a
radiator for electric devices disposed at one side based on a width
direction of a vehicle at a front side of the radiator for a stack;
a first condenser disposed inside a header tank of the radiator for
electric devices to condense refrigerant as a first condensing
process; and a second condenser disposed at an opposing side based
on a width direction of a vehicle at a front side of the radiator
for a stack and is connected to the first condenser to condense the
refrigerant exhausted from the first condenser as a second
condensing process.
2. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the
radiator for electric devices and the second condenser is mounted
on the radiator for a stack through a mounting bracket.
3. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 2, wherein at least
one mounting protrusion is integrally formed on an exterior
circumference of the radiator for a stack along a length direction
of a header tank corresponding to the mounting bracket.
4. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the
radiator for electric device is disposed parallel with the air
cooled condenser based on a width direction of a vehicle.
5. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the
radiator for a stack and the radiator for electric devices
respectively have a header tank disposed at an upper portion and a
lower portion thereof, coolant is supplied and exhausted through
the header tank, and is a fin-tube heat exchanger.
6. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first
condenser is water cooled exchanging heat with refrigerant inside
the header tank of the radiator for electric devices.
7. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first
condenser includes: a condensing portion defined by two plates
forming a coolant passage through which coolant flows, and a
plurality of the coolant passages are disposed with an equal
distance from each other; a coolant inlet formed at one end of the
condensing portion to be connected to each coolant passage and
protrudes toward an outside of the header tank; and a coolant
outlet formed at an opposing end of the condensing portion
corresponding to the coolant inlet to be connected to each coolant
passage and protrudes toward an outside of the header tank at an
opposite side of the coolant inlet.
8. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein a plurality
of protrusions are formed on an outside surface of a plate disposed
at one side among two plates with a predetermined distance, and the
protrusions contacts an outside surface of the plate disposed at an
opposing side thereof to be combined.
9. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 7, wherein a radiating
protrusion integrally protrudes toward both sides in a width
direction of the condensing portion on the plate disposed at an
opposing side of two plates.
10. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second
condenser is disposed at a front side of the radiator for a stack
and is an air cooled that including refrigerant that exchanges heat
with ambient air.
11. The cooling module for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the second
condenser has a receiver dryer integrally formed thereon to
separate gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerant at one side that
faces the radiator for electric devices.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority of Korean Patent
Application Number 10-2013-0122240 filed Oct. 14, 2013, the entire
contents of which application is incorporated herein for all
purposes by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The present invention is related to a cooling module for a
vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a
cooling module for a vehicle that a condenser of an air
conditioning system is separately disposed in an electric vehicle,
each condenser, a radiator for electric devices, and a radiator for
a stack are disposed depending on amount of heat transfer and
operating temperature, and a cooling performance of a vehicle is
improved such that a travel distance is extended, and a
heating/cooling performance and a package are improved.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Recently, energy efficiency and environmental pollution are
of increasing concern, and environmentally-friendly vehicles
substituting for vehicles having an internal combustion engine have
been researched. Such environmentally-friendly vehicles include
electric vehicles using a fuel cell or electricity as a power
source, or hybrid vehicles driven by an engine and an electric
battery.
[0006] Here, as for the electric vehicle adopting a fuel cell,
chemical reaction energy between oxygen and hydrogen is converted
into electrical energy to thus generate driving torque. In this
process, heat energy is generated by chemical reaction within the
fuel cell, and this heat needs to be effectively removed in order
to ensure the performance of the fuel cell.
[0007] Furthermore, even in the hybrid vehicle, driving torque is
generated by driving a motor using a fuel cell or electricity
supplied from an electric battery, together with an engine operated
by general fuel. In this regard, the performance of the motor can
be secured only when heat generated from the fuel cell, the battery
and the motor is effectively removed.
[0008] A conventional cooling system that is provided in an
environmentally-friendly vehicle includes a radiator for cooling
electric driving devices having an inverter and a motor, a radiator
for cooling operating system having a fuel cell stack, a cooling
module having a condenser and a cooling fan for cooling refrigerant
of an air conditioning system at a front side of a vehicle, a
cooling line that connects the cooling module with operating
system, a cooling pump that circulates refrigerant, and a reservoir
tank that refrigerant is stored.
[0009] Here, the radiator includes a radiator for electric devices
and a radiator for a stack and is disposed between an air
conditioning condenser and a cooling fan.
[0010] Each radiator supplies an inverter and a motor, and a fuel
cell stack with coolant through each water pump, the coolant is
stored in each reservoir tank and is supplied to each radiator
again, and these processes are repeated to circulate coolant such
that an operating system of a vehicle is cooled.
[0011] However, in a cooling module of a cooling system for a
conventional environmentally-friendly vehicle, a radiator for
electric devices, a radiator for a stack, and an air conditioning
condenser are disposed in a front/rear direction of a vehicle and a
capacity of a radiator for a stack has to be increased to secure
cooling performance of a fuel cell stack, and therefore the
configuration of the cooling module becomes complicated and there
is a problem that the layout of each piping that connects the
operating system with the air conditioning system is
complicated.
[0012] Also, when a radiator for electric devices, a radiator for a
stack, and an air condenser are disposed from a front side to rear
side direction, it is hard to secure a space for mounting a cooling
module between an engine room and a bumper and an amount of heat
transfer and an operating temperature of each radiator and an air
condenser are different from each other, thus, when they are cooled
by cooling fan and traveling wind, the cooling system can overcool
refrigerant or undercool, and a cooling fan and a water pump are
operated based on the system that a cooling capacity is low, and
therefore there is a problem that the operating power is increased
and traveling distance is decreased.
[0013] The information disclosed in this Background section is only
for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the
invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form
of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already
known to a person skilled in the art.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0014] Various aspects of the present invention provide for a
cooling module for a vehicle having advantages of dividing a
condenser into a water cooled type and an air cooled type,
disposing each condenser, a radiator for electric devices, and a
radiator for a stack according to a amount of heat transfer and a
driving temperature as one package in an air conditioning system in
such a way that cooling performance of a vehicle and
cooling/heating performance are improved, cooling performance
difference is prevented, consuming power of a water pump and a
cooling fan are saved, travel distance is increased, and capacity
of cooling fan and each radiator are reduced to save manufacturing
cost.
[0015] Various aspects of the present invention provide for a
cooling module for a vehicle that is disposed on a front side of a
vehicle to be connected to an operating system and an air
conditioning system, and that may include a radiator for a stack
that is disposed at a rear side based on a front/rear direction of
a vehicle, a radiator for electric devices that is disposed at one
side based on a width direction of a vehicle at a front side of the
radiator for a stack, a first condenser that is disposed inside a
header tank of the radiator for electric devices to condense
refrigerant as a first condensing process, and a second condenser
that is disposed at the other side based on a width direction of a
vehicle at a front side of the radiator for a stack and is
connected to the first condenser to condense the refrigerant that
is exhausted from the first condenser as a second condensing
process.
[0016] The radiator for electric devices and the second condenser
may be mounted on the radiator for a stack through a mounting
bracket.
[0017] At least one mounting protrusion may be integrally formed on
an exterior circumference of the radiator for a stack along a
length direction of a header tank corresponding to the mounting
bracket.
[0018] The radiator for electric device may be disposed in parallel
with the air cooled condenser based on a width direction of a
vehicle.
[0019] The radiator for a stack and the radiator for electric
devices respectively may have a header tank that is disposed at an
upper portion and a lower portion thereof, coolant is supplied and
exhausted through the header tank, and is a fin-tube type heat
exchanger.
[0020] The first condenser may be a water cooled type that coolant
exchanges heat with refrigerant inside the header tank of the
radiator for electric devices.
[0021] The first condenser may include a condensing portion that is
made by two plates that are combined to form a coolant passage
through which coolant flows, and a plurality of the coolant
passages are disposed with an equal distance from each other, a
coolant inlet that is formed at one end of the condensing portion
to be connected to each coolant passage and protrudes toward an
outside of the header tank, and a coolant outlet that is formed at
the other end of the condensing portion corresponding to the
coolant inlet to be connected to each coolant passage and protrudes
toward an outside of the header tank at an opposite side of the
coolant inlet.
[0022] A plurality of protrusions may be formed on an outside
surface of a plate that is disposed at one side among two plates
with a predetermined distance, and the protrusions may contact an
outside surface of the plate that is disposed at the other side
thereof to be combined.
[0023] A radiating protrusion may integrally protrude toward both
sides in a width direction of the condensing portion on the plate
that is disposed at the other side of two plates. The second
condenser may be disposed at a front side of the radiator for a
stack and is an air cooled type that refrigerant exchanges heat
with outside air.
[0024] The second condenser may have a receiver dryer that is
integrally formed thereon to separate gaseous refrigerant from the
refrigerant at one side that faces the radiator for electric
devices.
[0025] As described above, in a cooling module for a vehicle
according to various aspects of the present invention, a condenser
is divided into a water cooled type of a first condenser and an air
cooled type of a second condenser, each condenser, a radiator for
electric devices, and a radiator for a stack are disposed according
to a amount of heat transfer and a driving temperature as one
package in an air conditioning system, and therefore there are
effects that cooling performance of a vehicle and cooling/heating
performance are improved, cooling performance difference is
prevented, consuming power of a water pump and a cooling fan are
saved, travel distance is increased, and capacity of cooling fan
and each radiator are reduced to save manufacturing cost.
[0026] Also, an air conditioning system and a cooling system are
unified to form one module, and therefore a package is reduced,
capacity of each radiator can be reduced, and manufacturing cost is
saved.
[0027] Also, when it is disposed at a front side of an engine
compartment, a mounting space is minimized, and therefore there is
an effect that space efficiency is improved in a vehicle.
[0028] Also, a layout of piping is simple, and therefore there are
effects that piping length through which refrigerant and coolant
flow is reduced, flowing resistance of each operating fluid is
reduced, and flowing amount is increased.
[0029] The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have
other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are
set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which
together serve to explain certain principles of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a projective perspective view of an exemplary
cooling module for a vehicle according to the present
invention.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a projective front view of an exemplary cooling
module for a vehicle according to the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an exemplary cooling module for
a vehicle according to the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a water cooled condenser
that is applied to an exemplary cooling module for a vehicle
according to the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along A-A line of FIG.
4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments
of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings and described below. While the
invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood that present description is not
intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary embodiments.
On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to cover not only
the exemplary embodiments, but also various alternatives,
modifications, equivalents and other embodiments, which may be
included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the appended claims.
[0036] In the specification, unless explicitly described to the
contrary, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or
"comprising" will be understood to imply the inclusion of stated
elements but not the exclusion of any other elements.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a projective front view of a cooling module for a
vehicle according to various embodiments of the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a cooling module for a vehicle
according to various embodiments of the present invention, and FIG.
4 is a perspective view of a water cooled condenser that is applied
to a cooling module for a vehicle according to various embodiments
of the present invention.
[0038] Referring to the drawings, a cooling module for a vehicle
100 according to various embodiments of the present invention has a
condenser 130 and 140 that is divided into an air cooled portion
and a water cooled portion, wherein each condenser 130 and 140, a
radiator for electric devices 120, and a radiator for a stack 110
are formed as one package that is disposed according to a amount of
heat transfer and a driving temperature such that a cooling
performance difference is prevented, a power for operating a water
pump and a cooling fan is reduced to increase a travel distance,
and capacity of the cooling fan and the radiator is reduced to save
manufacturing cost.
[0039] For this, a cooling module for a vehicle 100 according to
various embodiments of the present invention is disposed at a front
side of a vehicle to be connected to a non-illustrated driving
system and an air conditioning system, as shown in FIG. 1 to FIG.
3, and includes a radiator for a stack 110, a radiator for electric
devices 120, a first condenser 130, and a second condenser 140.
[0040] Here, a vehicle having a cooling module 100 according to
various embodiments of the present invention can be an electric
type having a fuel cell vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a vehicle
having a water-cooled intercooler.
[0041] Firstly, the radiator for a stack 110 is disposed at a rear
side in a space that is formed by a bumper at a front side of
non-illustrated engine compartment based on a front/rear direction
of a vehicle.
[0042] Here, a non-illustrated cooling fan can be disposed at a
rear side of the radiator for a stack 110 so as to make outside air
flow through the radiator.
[0043] The radiator for electric devices 120 is disposed at one
side of a front side of the radiator for a stack 110 based on a
width direction of a vehicle so as to circulate coolant to an
electric driving device that is provided in a vehicle and to cool
the coolant that is heated by the electric driving device through a
heat exchange with outside air.
[0044] Here, a header tank 111 and 121 is respectively disposed on
an upper portion and a lower portion of the radiator for a stack
110 and the radiator for electric devices 120, coolant is supplied
to the header tank 111 and is exhausted from the header tank 121,
and the radiator 111 and 120 are a fin-tube type heat exchanger
that is connected by a tube T and a heat radiating fin P.
[0045] In the radiator for a stack 110 and the radiator for
electric devices 120 having the above configuration, coolant cools
fuel cells and electric devices to be heated, the heated coolant is
supplied to the header tank 111 disposed at an upper portion, and
passes each tube T to be supplied to the header tank 121, wherein
the coolant is cooled by exchanging heat with outside air that
flows between the tubes (T).
[0046] Here, the heat radiating fin (P) is formed between the tubes
(T) and radiates heat that is transferred from the coolant flowing
each tube (T).
[0047] In various embodiments, the first condenser 130 is disposed
inside the header tank 121 of the radiator for electric devices 120
and condenses refrigerant as a first condensing process.
[0048] The first condenser 130 is connected to non-illustrated
coolant piping to receive refrigerant passing an evaporator and can
be a water cooled condenser that is disposed inside the header tank
121 that is disposed in a lower portion of the radiator for
electric devices 120 to make refrigerant exchange heat with
coolant.
[0049] Here, the first condenser 130, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
5, includes a condensing portion 131, a coolant inlet 135, and a
coolant outlet 137, and these will be respectively described.
[0050] Firstly, the condensing portion 131 is formed by two plates
133 that are combined to form a coolant passage 132 through which
refrigerant flows, a plurality of the coolant passages 132 that are
made by the plates are arranged with a predetermined distance from
each other.
[0051] Here, the condensing portion 131 can have 7 sets of
refrigerant passages 132 those are formed by combining two plates
133, wherein 7 sets of refrigerant passages can be laminated.
[0052] The refrigerant inlet 135 is formed at one end of the
condensing portion 131 to be connected to the refrigerant passage
132 and protrudes out of the header tank 121 that is disposed at a
lower portion of the radiator for an electric device 120 to be
connected to a not-illustrated refrigerant pipe.
[0053] And, the refrigerant outlet 137 corresponding to the
refrigerant inlet 135 is formed at the other side of the condensing
portion 131 to be connected to the refrigerant passage 132 and
protrudes out of the header tank 121 at an opposite side of the
refrigerant inlet 135.
[0054] Here, one plate 133 that is disposed at one side of two
plates 133 has a plurality of protrusions 138 that are formed at
one side with a predetermined distance and the other plate 133 that
is disposed at the other side contacts one plate 133 through each
protrusion 138.
[0055] That is, the protrusion 138 is formed on an upper surface of
the plate 133 that is disposed on an upper side based on the
drawing in various embodiments, and the upper side plate 133 is
combined with the lower side plate 133 through the protrusion 138
in such a way that two plates 133 are securely combined with each
other.
[0056] Also, when the coolant that flows in the header tank 121
flows spaces that is formed by each protrusion 138, the flowing
path of the coolant is continuously changed by the protrusion 138
such that the heat exchange between the coolant and the refrigerant
is efficiently performed and the condensing rate of the refrigerant
is enhanced.
[0057] Meanwhile, a radiating protrusion 139 is integrally formed
at the plate 133 that is disposed at the other side of two plates
133, and the radiating protrusion 139 is formed toward an outside
at both sides in a width direction of the condensing portion 131 in
various embodiments. One will appreciate that such integral
components may be monolithically formed.
[0058] The radiating protrusion 139 makes the heat of refrigerant
passing the refrigerant passage 132 of the first condenser 130 be
efficiently exchanged with coolant inside the header tank 121.
[0059] That is, the first condenser 130 having the above
configuration enables coolant to flow a gap between two plates 133
and the protrusion 138 generates flowing resistance to increase
contact area with the plate 133 such that refrigerant passing the
refrigerant passage 132 efficiently exchanges heat with coolant and
condensing efficiency of refrigerant is enhanced.
[0060] Also, the radiating protrusion 139 transmits the heat that
is transmitted from the refrigerant passing the refrigerant passage
132 to the coolant flowing inside the header tank 121.
[0061] And, the second condenser 140 is disposed at the other side
based on a width direction of a vehicle at a front side of the
radiator for a stack 110, is connected to the first condenser 130
through a refrigerant piping, and condenses refrigerant that is
condensed by the first condenser 130 as a second condensing
process.
[0062] Here, the second condenser 140 is disposed at a front side
of the radiator for a stack to be an air cooled type that cools
refrigerant by exchanging heat with outside air.
[0063] The second condenser 140 has a plurality of coolant tubes 31
that are disposed with an equal distance from each other in a
height direction and can be a fin-tube type having a heat radiating
fin (P) between the coolant tubes 141.
[0064] A receiver dryer 143 is integrally formed on the second
condenser 140 at one side that faces the radiator for electric
devices 120 to separate gaseous refrigerant from the refrigerant
that is condensed. One will appreciate that such integral
components may be monolithically formed.
[0065] Meanwhile, in various embodiments of the present invention,
the radiator for electric devices 120 and the second condenser 140
are mounted on the radiator for a stack 110 through a mounting
bracket 150, and the radiator for electric devices 120 is arranged
in a row with the second condenser 140 based on a vehicle width
direction.
[0066] Here, at least one mounting protrusion 113 is integrally
formed on an exterior circumference of the radiator for a stack 110
along a length direction of the header tank 111 of the radiator for
a stack 110 corresponding to the mounting bracket 150. One will
appreciate that such integral components may be monolithically
formed.
[0067] That is, the radiator for electric devices 120 and the
second condenser 140 is mounted on the mounting protrusion 113 that
is formed on the header tank 111 through the mounting bracket 150
at a front side of the radiator for a stack 110, and therefore they
are integrally mounted on the radiator for a stack 110.
[0068] In the cooling module for a vehicle 100, the radiator for
electric devices 120 is disposed at a front side of one side based
on a vehicle width direction according to a amount of heat transfer
and a driving temperature, and therefore the cooling performance is
not deteriorated without size increment.
[0069] Simultaneously, the cooling module 100 prevents the
deterioration of the cooling performance through the first and the
second condensers 130 and 140 respectively having water cooled type
and air cooled type and improves condensing performance of
refrigerant such that the increment of consuming power of a
compressor is prevented.
[0070] Also, the radiator for electric devices 120 and the second
condenser 140 are disposed on an equal line at a front side of the
radiator for a stack 110 such that overall thickness of the cooling
module 100 is short and font side collision performance of a
vehicle is improved.
[0071] Accordingly, in a cooling module 100 for a vehicle according
to various embodiments of the present invention, a condenser is
divided into a water cooled type of a first condenser 130 and an
air cooled type of a second condenser 140, each condenser (130 and
140), a radiator for electric devices 120, and a radiator for a
stack 120 are disposed according to a amount of heat transfer and a
driving temperature as one package in an air conditioning system,
and therefore there are effects that cooling performance of a
vehicle and cooling/heating performance are improved, cooling
performance difference is prevented, consuming power of a water
pump and a cooling fan are saved, travel distance is increased, and
capacity of cooling fan and each radiator are reduced to save
manufacturing cost.
[0072] Also, an air conditioning system and a cooling system are
unified to form one module, and therefore a package is reduced,
capacity of each radiator can be reduced, and manufacturing cost is
saved.
[0073] Also, when it is disposed at a front side of an engine
compartment, a mounting space is minimized, and therefore there is
an effect that space efficiency is improved in a vehicle.
[0074] Also, a layout of piping is simple, and therefore there are
effects that piping length through which refrigerant and coolant
flow is reduced, flowing resistance of each operating fluid is
reduced, and flowing amount is increased.
[0075] For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in
the appended claims, the terms upper or lower, front or rear, and
etc. are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments
with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in
the figures.
[0076] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments
of the present invention have been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. They are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings. The exemplary embodiments
were chosen and described in order to explain certain principles of
the invention and their practical application, to thereby enable
others skilled in the art to make and utilize various exemplary
embodiments of the present invention, as well as various
alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the
scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *