U.S. patent application number 15/509412 was filed with the patent office on 2017-09-07 for stacked plate heat exchanger.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mahle International GmbH. Invention is credited to Boris Kerler, Marco Renz, Volker Velte.
Application Number | 20170254597 15/509412 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 54064289 |
Filed Date | 2017-09-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170254597 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Renz; Marco ; et
al. |
September 7, 2017 |
STACKED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER
Abstract
A stacked-plate heat exchanger may include a high temperature
coolant circuit having a first coolant flow therethrough, and a
low-temperature coolant circuit having a second coolant flow
therethrough, the first and second coolants having different
temperature levels. The heat exchanger may also have heat exchanger
plates stacked one on another, the first and second coolants
flowing through the heat exchanger plates on one side, and a medium
to be cooled flowing through the heat exchanger plates on another
side. The heat exchanger plates may have an embossed partition
separating the high-temperature coolant circuit and the
low-temperature coolant circuit.
Inventors: |
Renz; Marco; (Esslingen,
DE) ; Velte; Volker; (Oetisheim, DE) ; Kerler;
Boris; (Stuttgart, DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mahle International GmbH |
Stuttgart |
|
DE |
|
|
Family ID: |
54064289 |
Appl. No.: |
15/509412 |
Filed: |
August 18, 2015 |
PCT Filed: |
August 18, 2015 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2015/068962 |
371 Date: |
March 7, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 9/005 20130101;
F28D 9/0031 20130101; F28D 2021/0082 20130101; F28D 9/0093
20130101 |
International
Class: |
F28D 9/00 20060101
F28D009/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 8, 2014 |
DE |
10 2014 217 920.3 |
Claims
1. A stacked-plate heat exchanger, comprising: a high-temperature
coolant circuit having a first coolant flow therethrough, and a
low-temperature coolant circuit having a second coolant flow
therethrough, the first coolant and the second coolant having
different temperature levels; heat exchanger plates stacked one on
another, the first and second coolants flowing through the heat
exchanger plates on one side and a medium to be cooled flowing
through the heat exchanger plates on another side; wherein the heat
exchanger plates have an embossed partition separating the
high-temperature coolant circuit and the low-temperature coolant
circuit.
2. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the stacked-plate heat exchanger is configured as a counterflow
cooler.
3. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the heat exchanger plates each has a circumferentially positioned
edge via which each heat exchanger plate is soldered to an adjacent
heat exchanger plate, wherein the partition is connected to each
edge on a longitudinal end side.
4. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein
the partition meets the edge of each heat exchanger plate one of
orthogonally or at an acute angle.
5. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein
each heat exchanger plate has one of at least one coolant inlet and
at least one coolant outlet is arranged in an area of a connection
of the partition to the edge of the heat exchanger plate.
6. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein
at least one of the at least one coolant inlet and the at least one
coolant outlet has a triangular cross-section with a side aligned
parallel to the partition and a leg aligned parallel to the
edge.
7. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein
one of: the side is one of longer or shorter than the leg; or the
side and the leg are the same length.
8. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein
the edge of each heat exchanger plate is outwardly curved in an
area of the partition, and at least one of the coolant inlet and
the coolant outlet has an approximately circular-segment-like
cross-section.
9. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the medium to be cooled flows through the heat exchanger plates in
one of a U shape, a Z shape or a double U shape.
10. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
at least one of: the first coolant flows through the
high-temperature coolant circuit in one of a U shape, a Z shape, or
a double U shape; and the second coolant flows through the
low-temperature coolant circuit in one of a U shape, a Z shape, or
a double U shape.
11. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein
the heat exchanger plates each has a circumferentially positioned
edge via which each heat exchanger plate is soldered to an adjacent
heat exchanger plate, wherein the partition is connected to each
edge on a longitudinal end side.
12. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein
the partition meets the edge of each heat exchanger plate one of
orthogonally or at an acute angle.
13. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein
each heat exchanger plate has one of at least one coolant inlet and
at least one coolant outlet is arranged in an area of a connection
of the partition to the edge of the heat exchanger plate.
14. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein
at least one of the at least one coolant inlet and the at least one
coolant outlet has a triangular cross-section with a side aligned
parallel to the partition and a leg aligned parallel to the
edge.
15. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 14, wherein
one of: the side is one of longer or shorter than the leg; or the
side and the leg are the same length.
16. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein
the edge of each heat exchanger plate is outwardly curved in an
area of the partition, and at least one of the coolant inlet and
the coolant outlet has an approximately circular-segment-like
cross-section.
17. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein
the medium to be cooled flows through the heat exchanger plates in
one of a U shape, a Z shape, or a double U shape.
18. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein
at least one of: the first coolant flows through the
high-temperature coolant circuit in one of a U shape, a Z shape, or
a double U shape; and the second coolant flows through the
low-temperature coolant circuit in one of a U shape, a Z shape, or
a double U shape.
19. The stacked-plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the medium to be cooled is charge air.
20. A stacked-plate heat exchanger, comprising: a plurality of heat
exchanger plates; and an embossed partition separating the heat
exchanger plates into a high-temperature coolant circuit through
which a first coolant is flowable, and a low temperature coolant
circuit through which a second coolant is flowable; wherein the
heat exchanger plates are stacked one on another, and the first and
second coolants flowing through the heat exchanger plates on one
side, and a medium to be cooled flows through the heat exchanger
plates on another side; wherein the heat exchanger plates each has
a circumferentially positioned edge via which each heat exchanger
plate is soldered to an adjacent heat exchanger plate, wherein the
partition is connected to each edge on a longitudinal end side.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to PCT/EP2015/068962 filed
on Aug. 18, 2015, and DE 10 2014 217 920.3 filed on Sep. 8, 2014,
the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a stacked-plate heat
exchanger, in particular an intercooler, comprising a
high-temperature coolant circuit and a low-temperature coolant
circuit.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In modern motor vehicles, a continuously increasing need for
cooling needs to be met, for example, in the area of intercooling,
with the result that the requirements for the cooling and
air-conditioning systems are continuously increasing. An improved
utilization of heat sources and sinks can result in a higher degree
of utilization in this case and furthermore in a reduction in the
fuel consumption. At the present time, cooling systems on the
market for intercooling in this case frequently have a
stacked-plate heat exchanger which is configured as single-stage.
However, the efficiency which can be achieved with single-stage
temperature control is limited. In order to improve the performance
of cooling circuits, in particular for cooling fluids, such as
coolant, refrigerant, oil, waste gas or charge air, it is therefore
appropriate in some cases to cool or heat a fluid over two stages.
However, a disadvantage of two-stage temperature control is that
the use of two conventionally consecutively connected heat
exchangers is associated with significantly higher costs and an
increased installation space requirement.
[0004] Known from DE 10 2005 044 291 A1 is a stacked-plate heat
exchanger, in particular an intercooler, comprising a plurality of
elongate plates which are stacked on one another and connected to
one another, for example, soldered, which delimit a cavity for
conducting a medium to be cooled such as, for example, charge air,
in the longitudinal direction of the plates and a further cavity
for conducting a coolant, wherein the plates each have an inlet
connection and an outlet connection for the medium to be cooled. In
order to be able to provide a stacked-plate heat exchanger which on
the one hand can be manufactured cost-effectively and on the other
hand has a long lifetime at high temperatures, at least one coolant
connection extends partially around a connection for the medium to
be cooled.
[0005] The invention is concerned with the problem of providing an
improved embodiment for a stacked-plate heat exchanger of the
generic type, which enables a two-stage temperature control of a
medium to be cooled with simultaneously compact design.
[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by the
subject matter of the independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments
are the subject matter of the dependent claims.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present invention is based on the general idea of
providing an embossed partition at individual heat-exchanger plates
of a stacked-plate heat exchanger, which is at the same time shaped
or formed with the heat-exchanger plate and which serves to
separate a high-temperature coolant circuit and a low-temperature
coolant circuit from one another but at the same time allows these
two circuits to run in a common stacked-plate heat exchanger. The
stacked-plate heat exchanger according to the invention, which can
be configured for example as an intercooler, thereby possesses said
high-temperature coolant circuit and the afore-mentioned
low-temperature coolant circuit, wherein two coolants having a
different temperature level in the high-temperature coolant circuit
and in the low-temperature coolant circuit on one side and a medium
to be cooled, in particular charge air, on the other side, flow
through the heat exchanger plates stacked one upon the other. With
the stacked-plate heat exchanger according to the invention, it is
possible for the first time to combine a two-stage temperature
control in a single stacked-plate heat exchanger and thus achieve
an extremely compact solution.
[0008] Expediently, the stacked-plate heat exchanger is configured
as a counterflow cooler. In a counterflow cooler the coolant and
the medium to be cooled flow in opposite directions to one another,
whereby a particularly effective cooling can be achieved. In the
case of cooling on the counterflow principle, the cooling effect is
generally greater than in the case of the same flow directions.
[0009] Expediently, the heat exchanger plates have a
circumferentially positioned edge via which they are soldered to an
adjacent heat-exchanger plate, in particular arranged thereabove or
therebelow, wherein the partition is connected to an edge in each
case on the longitudinal end side. The partition thus runs through
the respective heat-exchanger plate in the transverse direction and
is connected to one edge at one end and to the opposite edge at the
other end. Such a heat exchanger plate usually has the form of a
rectangle, the narrow sides of which are rounded in a semi-circular
manner however. The partition preferably runs centrally but can be
arbitrarily displaced according to the required cooling capacity of
the low-temperature coolant circuit or the high-temperature coolant
circuit in the longitudinal direction of that heat exchanger plate.
By this means the cooling capacity of the two circuits can be
adjusted. The arrangement of the partition can be adjusted in this
case comparatively easily by the corresponding positioning of a
dividing web in the stamping tool.
[0010] In one advantageous further development of the solution
according to the invention, in the area of the connection of the
partition to the edge, a coolant inlet and/or a coolant outlet
is/are provided. Usually the two semi-circularly rounded
longitudinal end regions of each heat exchanger plate have a
likewise semi-circular opening for the medium to be cooled, where
the one opening is configured as an inlet opening and the other
opening is configured as an outlet opening. In this case, coolant
channels are arranged in an annular segment manner around the
respective inlet or outlet opening. The medium to be cooled flows
through the stacked-plate heat exchanger here whereby it initially
enters through the inlet opening (medium inlet) and then flows
through the individual heat exchanger plates in the longitudinal
direction in order to be deflected again by 90 degrees at the
opposite end and can be removed via the outlet opening (medium
outlet). The coolant required for the heat exchange however flows,
for example in the low-temperature circuit via the coolant inlets
arranged in an annular segment shape and out again via two coolant
outlets arranged in the area of the partition. In the
high-temperature circuit, the coolant flows in via two coolant
inlets arranged in the area of the partition, through the heat
exchanger plate and out again via the coolant outlets arranged in
an annular segment shape. The direction of flow of the coolant in
the two circuits is in this case opposite to the flow of the medium
to be cooled, for example, the charge air in order to be able to
implement the counterflow principle.
[0011] The coolant inlets and/or the coolant outlets can have a
triangular cross-section and their sides are aligned parallel to
the partition and to the edge. Naturally in a particularly
preferred embodiment of the cross-section of the coolant inlet or
the coolant outlet, a right-angle triangle is formed whereby the
two short sides of the respective coolant inlet or coolant outlet
run parallel to the partition or to the edge. Such a cross-section
of the coolant inlet or the coolant outlet can be produced
comparatively simply with a corresponding stamping tool whereby
naturally the corner region of the cross-sections are rounded in
order in particular to be able to reduce a notch effect. Depending
on how far the respective side of the triangular coolant inlet or
coolant outlet extends along the partition, the continuous
cross-section for the charge air or the medium to be cooled can be
influenced. The shorter is the side length of the coolant inlet or
the coolant outlet extending along the partition, the larger is the
continuous cross-section for the medium to be cooled (charge air),
with the result that smaller pressure losses can be achieved on the
charge air side. Naturally, the side length of the coolant inlet or
the coolant outlet along the partition on the high-temperature side
can be greater than on the high-temperature side with the result
that an optimized charge air distribution and an increased capacity
can be achieved on the low-temperature side.
[0012] Further important features and advantages of the invention
are obtained from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the
relevant description of the figures by reference to the
drawings.
[0013] It is understood that the aforesaid features and those to be
explained hereinafter can be used not only in the combination given
in each case but also in other combinations or alone without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0014] Preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention are shown in
the drawings and explained in detail in the following description,
where the same reference numbers relate to the same or similar or
functionally the same components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In the figures, in each case schematically,
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a stacked-plate heat
exchanger according to the invention,
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a view of a heat exchanger plate of the
stacked-plate heat exchanger,
[0018] FIG. 3 shows detailed views of a coolant inlet or coolant
outlet of two adjacent heat exchanger plates,
[0019] FIG. 4 shows a view as in FIG. 2 but in a plane of a medium
to be cooled,
[0020] FIGS. 5a-d show variously defined cross-sections of a
coolant inlet or coolant outlet arranged in the area of a
partition,
[0021] FIGS. 6a-c show various interconnections of the charge air
flow in the stacked-plate heat exchanger according to the
invention,
[0022] FIGS. 6d-F show various interconnections of the coolant
flows in the stacked-plate heat exchanger according to the
invention.
DETAILED DECSRIPTION
[0023] According to FIG. 1, the stacked-plate heat exchanger 1
according to the invention, which for example is configured as an
intercooler, comprises a high-temperature coolant circuit HT and a
low-temperature coolant circuit NT with heat exchanger plates 2
stacked one upon the other through which flow two coolants 3, 4
with different temperature levels. The coolant 3 flows with a
higher temperature level compared with coolant 4 in the
high-temperature coolant circuit HT whereas the coolant 4 flows
with a significantly lower temperature level in the low-temperature
coolant circuit NT. In the opposite direction the stacked-plate
heat exchanger 1 according to the invention has the medium 5 to be
cooled, for example, charge air, flowing through it so that the
stacked-plate heat exchanger 1 operates on the counterflow
principle.
[0024] In order to now effectively separate the high-temperature
coolant circuit HT from the low-temperature coolant circuit NT and
at the same time be able to accommodate both circuits HT and NT in
the same stacked-plate heat exchanger 1, the heat exchanger plates
2 have an embossed partition 6 (compare FIGS. 2 to 6) which
separates the high-temperature coolant circuit HT from the
low-temperature coolant circuit NT.
[0025] Furthermore, all the heat exchanger plates 2 have a
circumferentially positioned edge 7 via which they are soldered to
an adjacent heat-exchanger plate 2 for example arranged thereunder
or thereover, wherein the partition 6 is connected to the edge 7 in
each case on the longitudinal end side. The partition 6 can in this
case meet the respective edge 7 orthogonally, as shown for example
according to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 5b and 5d and 6.
Alternatively to this, it is also conceivable that the partition 6
meets the edge 7 at an acute angle, as is shown for example
according to FIG. 5c.
[0026] In the area of the connection of the partition 6 to the edge
7 one coolant inlet 8 and/or a coolant outlet 9 are/is arranged.
According to the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 5c, the coolant inlets 8
or the coolant outlets 9 have a triangular, i.e. triangle-shaped
cross-section and are aligned with their sides Y (compare FIGS. 5a
to 5c) parallel to the partition 6 and with their legs X parallel
to the edge 7. The side Y of the triangular coolant inlet 8 or
coolant outlet 9 aligned parallel to the partition 6 can be longer
or shorter than the side X aligned parallel to the edge 7, where it
is naturally also conceivable that both legs X, Y of the triangular
coolant inlet 8 or the triangular coolant outlet 9 are the same
length. Compared to this, the edge 7 according to FIG. 5d in the
area of the partition 6 has an outward curvature with the result
that the coolant inlet 8 and the coolant outlet 9 have an
approximately circular-segment-like cross-section and are offset
outwards.
[0027] The flow through the stacked-plate heat exchanger 1
according to the invention will be explained in more detail
hereinafter.
[0028] According to FIG. 1, the medium 5 to be cooled, for example,
the charge air, flows from a medium inlet 10 through the heat
exchanger plates 2 to a medium outlet 11 substantially in a U shape
through the stacked-plate heat exchanger 1. The low-temperature
coolant circuit NT and the high-temperature coolant circuit HT flow
in the opposite direction. The coolant 4 in this case initially
flows via a coolant inlet 8' over about half the heat exchanger
plates 2 to the coolant outlet 9 located in the area of the
partition 6, where two coolant outlets 9 are arranged on the
partition 6 (compared FIG. 2) whereas the coolant inlet 8' is
arranged in an annular segment shape around the medium outlet 11.
Via the coolant inlet 8, the coolant 3 flows after the partition 6
through the high-temperature coolant circuit HT through likewise
about half of the heat exchanger plate 2 as far as the coolant
outlet 9' which runs in an annular segment manner around the medium
inlet 10.
[0029] In the embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 6, the partition
6 is substantially central but displaced slightly in the direction
of the high-temperature coolant circuit HT with the result that the
high-temperature coolant circuit HT has a shorter heat-transferring
contact between the medium 5 to be cooled and the coolant 3.
Naturally turbulence inserts 12 can be provided to improve the heat
transfer. A displacement of the partition 6 can be achieved by a
simple variation or displacement of a corresponding separating web
in the relevant stamping tool for producing the heat exchanger
plates 2. Naturally winglets or a corrugated rib structure can also
be used to improve the heat transfer.
[0030] If FIG. 5a is examined, it can be identified that the side X
running parallel to the edge 7 is configured to be longer than the
side Y of the coolant outlet 9 running parallel to the partition 6,
with the result that a width Z of the transmission cross-section
available for the charge air can be enlarged and thus the pressure
loss from the charge air side can be reduced.
[0031] Compared to this, the coolant outlet 9 according to FIG. 5b
is provided with a significantly reduced side length of the side Y
parallel to the partition 6, whereas the coolant inlet 8 on the
high-temperature side, i.e. in the high-temperature coolant circuit
HT has a longer side Y compared to this. As a result, a larger
width Z of the available flow cross-section is provided for the
medium 5 to be cooled, i.e. the charge air, on the low-temperature
side NT, with the result that the flow rate on the low-temperature
side NT can be reduced compared with the high-temperature side HT
and the low-temperature-side cooling capacity can be increased.
[0032] FIG. 5c shows a partition 6 which meets the edge 7 at an
acute angle, where the partition 6 is configured to be angled. The
coolant 9 is thereby displaced in the direction of the
low-temperature side NT where as a result of the angled partition 6
for the same cross-section, a larger available flow cross-section
can be provided (larger width Z) for the medium 5 to be cooled,
i.e. the charge air with the result that a lower pressure loss can
be achieved on the charge air side.
[0033] In the case of the heat exchanger plate 2 according to FIG.
5d, the coolant inlet 8 and the coolant outlet 9 are shifted
outwards, with the result that the entire width of the heat
exchanger plate 2 (width=Z) is available for the medium 5 to be
cooled, i.e. for the charge air. In this case, the edge 7 of the
heat exchanger plate 2 is curved outwards in the area of the
partition 6 and the coolant inlet 8 and the coolant outlet 9 have
an approximately circular segment-shaped cross-section. By this
means the smallest possible pressure loss can be achieved on the
charge air side.
[0034] According to FIGS. 6a to 6c, possible interconnections on
the charge air side, i.e. in the flow path of the medium 5 to be
cooled are shown, where the variants shown can naturally also be
mirrored. According to FIG. 6a, the stacked-plate heat exchanger 1
is configured in such a manner that the medium 5 to be cooled, for
example, the charge air flows through it in a U shape. According to
FIG. 6b, this takes place in a Z shape whereas according to FIG. 6c
it takes place in a double U shape.
[0035] FIGS. 6d to 6f show possible interconnections on the coolant
side, i.e. for the two coolant flows 3, 4 where mirrored variants
are naturally also feasible in this case. According to FIG. 6d,
flow of the coolant 3 through the high-temperature coolant circuit
HT takes place in a U shape, in the same way as the coolant 4 flows
through the low-temperature side NT in a U shape. Similarly this
takes place in a Z shape according to FIG. 6e or a double U shape
according to FIG. 6f Naturally the depicted variants of the charge
air side and the coolant side can be combined arbitrarily with one
another, where purely theoretically a direct-current variant (not
shown) is also feasible.
[0036] With the stacked-plate heat exchanger 1 according to the
invention, a compact two-stage heat exchanger can be provided where
on the one hand, installation space advantages and on the other
hand an optimized cooling can be achieved.
* * * * *