HEAT EXCHANGER
A heat exchanger may include a plurality of layers arranged on top of each other, each of the layers having a first cavity for the passage of a medium and a second cavity for the passage of a coolant. Each layer may define a through hole for the passage of the medium and each layer may include a frame in which a turbulence insert may be inserted. Each frame may have an end region configured to define at least one channel closure and the through holds for the passage of the medium. The frame may have a guide opening for receiving an assembly aid and the guide opening may be formed between the through holes and the channel closure.
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This application claims priority to German Patent Application 10 2010 025 576.9 filed on Jun. 29, 2010, and International Patent Application PCT/EP2011/060639 filed on Jun. 24, 2011, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe invention relates to a heat exchanger, consisting of a plurality of layers arranged on top of each other, which layers have in each case a cavity for the passage of a medium to be cooled and delimit a further cavity for the passage of a coolant, wherein in each layer a through hole is formed for the passage of the medium to be cooled.
BACKGROUNDIt is therefore an object of the invention to propose a heat exchanger which can be produced in a variable manner and for which the investment costs for tools, in particular, for prototypes or small series can be reduced.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that a layer consists of a frame into which a turbulence insert is inserted. This has the advantage that the frame can be cut out in a simple manner from sheet metal by means of laser beams or water jets, wherein the path of the laser beams or the water jets is controlled by a computer. In particular in case of high quantities, stamping is also conceivable for producing the frame. Thus, any computer-controlled laser beam tool or water jet tool can be used with a special shape-generating computer program for the fabrication of the frame. Producing an expensive tool is completely eliminated so that investment costs are reduced or are completely eliminated. Such a computer program can be varied in a simple manner so that frames in many different sizes and quantities can be produced without a significant increase of costs. Furthermore, the development times for a heat exchanger are reduced. Since due to the invention, the heat exchangers can adopt any possible outer contour, optimal utilization of installation space or adaptation to existing installation space in the motor vehicle is possible.
Advantageously, the frame completely encloses the turbulence insert and has in particular an approximately rectangular shape. The turbulence insert is held in place by the frame, wherein the height of the frame is adapted to the height of the turbulence insert. The turbulence insert simply has to be stamped out of a larger piece. Cutting the turbulence insert for adapting it to the shape of the frame is eliminated so that the production costs for the heat exchanger are further reduced.
In one configuration, a separating arrangement is inserted between two layers, which layers each consist of the frame and the turbulence insert. This separating arrangement separates the flows of media of the medium to be cooled and the coolant. Since the separating arrangement can be produced in a simple manner from a film or thin sheet metal, this also results in a reduction of the production costs for the heat exchanger.
In one refinement, the separating arrangement that is formed in a plate-like has a solder layer on both sides. This solder layer ensures that during soldering the pre-assembled heat exchanger in a solder furnace, the frames and the turbulence inserts are firmly connected to each other via the separating arrangement, thereby achieving high stability of the heat exchanger.
In one variant, in each case one through hole for guiding the medium to be cooled and one channel closure are formed in an end region of the frame. Due to this configuration, the heat exchanger based on frames corresponds in terms of its geometry to a stacked plate heat exchanger so that the corresponding flanges which, after assembly of the heat exchanger, are attached as a closure onto the heat exchanger, can also be used for the heat exchanger implemented as frame-type construction. This eliminates the need of fabricating new flanges for the heat exchanger produced as a frame-type construction.
In order to ensure that the medium to be cooled is guided through the turbulence insert, the first through hole to the inlet of the medium to be cooled and the second through hole to the outlet of the medium to be cooled are formed in the frame so as to oppose each other diagonally or simply oppose each other.
Furthermore, for receiving an assembly aid, the frame has a guide opening. This guide opening ensures that the frames arranged on top of each other match exactly so that the through holes to the inlet or, respectively, to the outlet of the medium to be cooled or the coolant are reliably positioned on top of each other.
In a particularly space-saving variant, the guide opening is formed between the through hole and the energy closure.
In one refinement, between two frames positioned in a first predetermined position to each other, in each case one further frame is mounted in a second predetermined position which is turned or rotated relative to the first position. Through this alternating positioning of the frames relative to each other, the cavities for the passage of a medium to be cooled and for the coolant are created so that the medium and the coolant are always conveyed alternately to each other, and the coolant can dissipate the heat of the medium to be cooled in a sufficient manner.
In one configuration, the frame has on its outer edge at least one marking pin. This marking pin has the advantage that after the assembly of the heat exchanger, said marking pin leaves a symmetrical pattern on the outside of the heat exchanger so that the person carrying out the stacking can immediately identify if the individual frames are in the correct position relative to each other.
The invention allows numerous embodiments. Some of them shall be illustrated in more detail by means of the figures illustrated in the drawing.
In the figures:
Identical features are designated by identical reference numbers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONIn
In
In
In
As already explained, the frame 6 of the heat exchanger 27 is cut out or stamped by means of a laser beam or a water jet, wherein the tool is controlled by a computer program. Alternatively, the frames 6 can also be produced as extruded profiles 36, as illustrated in
However, the invention is not limited to a heat exchanger having an approximately rectangular footprint. By means of the frame-type construction it is possible that all conceivable shapes of heat exchangers 37 can be formed, as illustrated in
Claims
1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a plurality of layers arranged on top of each other, wherein each of the layers has a first cavity for the passage of a medium to be cooled and a second cavity for the passage of a coolant, wherein each layer has a through hole for the passage of the medium to be cooled,
- wherein each layer includes a frame in which a turbulence insert is inserted,
- wherein each frame has an end region and each end region defines at least one channel closure and the through hole for the passage of the medium to be cooled,
- wherein the frame has a guide opening for receiving an assembly aid, and
- wherein the guide opening is formed between the through hole and the channel closure.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the channel closure is provided with a rib.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the frame completely encloses the turbulence insert and has an approximately rectangular shape.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a separating arrangement is inserted between at least two of the layers, each layer including the frame and the turbulence insert.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the separating arrangement is formed in a plate-like manner and has a solder layer on both sides.
6. heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first through hole is fluidly connected to an inlet of the medium to be cooled and the second through hole is fluidly connected to an outlet of the medium to be cooled and further wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are formed in the frame and arranged diagonally opposite each other.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein two of the frames are in a first predetermined position, and at least one other of the frames is arranged between the two frames and is in a second predetermined position at least one of turned or rotated relative to the first position.
8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the frame has at least one marking pin on its outer edge.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the frame completely encloses the turbulence insert and has an approximately rectangular shape.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein a separating arrangement is inserted between at least two of the layers, each layer including the frame and the turbulence insert.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein the separating arrangement is formed in a plate-like manner and has a solder layer on both sides.
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the first through hole is fluidly connected to an inlet of the medium to be cooled and the second through hole is fluidly connected to an outlet of the medium to be cooled and further wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are formed in the frame and arranged diagonally opposite each other.
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein two of the frames are in a first predetermined position, and at least one other of the frames is arranged between the two frames and is in a second predetermined position at least one of turned or rotated relative to the first position.
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the frame has at least one marking pin on its outer edge.
15. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein a separating arrangement is inserted between at least two of the layers, each layer including the frame and the turbulence insert.
16. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the separating arrangement is formed in a plate-like manner and has a solder layer on both sides.
17. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the first through hole is fluidly connected to an inlet of the medium to be cooled and the second through hole is fluidly connected to an outlet of the medium to be cooled and further wherein the first through hole and the second through hole are formed in the frame and arranged diagonally opposite each other.
18. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein two of the frames are in a first predetermined position, and at least one other of the frames is arranged between the two frames and is in a second predetermined position at least one of turned or rotated relative to the first position.
19. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the frame has at least one marking pin on its outer edge.
20. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the frame has at least one marking pin on its outer edge.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 24, 2011
Publication Date: Jul 4, 2013
Applicant: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GmbH (Stuttgart)
Inventors: Volker Velte (Oetisheim), Wilhelm Grauer (Gerlingen)
Application Number: 13/807,646
International Classification: F28D 7/00 (20060101);