Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger having a bundle of tubes, which can be inserted into a tubular housing. Exhaust gas can flow through the tubes. A coolant duct can be arranged between the tubes. The bundle of tubes can have at least one grid-like securing structure which supports the bundle in the housing. The behavior of the heat exchanger with respect to vibrations is improved by virtue of the fact that the grid-like metallic securing structure includes integral hook-shaped protrusions which are deformed in the opposite direction to the insertion direction of the bundle into the housing. The spring force is directed against the housing in order to dampen vibrations. The heat exchanger can also include an elastic device for permitting a change in length caused by temperature changes.

Abstract: A cooling system is provided for supplying a coolant flow to a cold plate associated with a processing chip of an electronic device to cool the processing chip. The system includes an electric motor driven fan; a radiator; an accumulator tank connected to the radiator for the transfer of coolant between the accumulator and the radiator; an electric driven pump connected to at least one of the radiator, the accumulator, and the cold plate to provide the coolant flow through the radiator and the cold plate; and a fan shroud adapted to direct the airflow provided by the fan. The fan, the radiator, the accumulator tank, and the pump are mounted on the shroud to be carried thereby, and the pump is located on an exterior side of the of the fan shroud and outside of the radiator and the accumulator tank.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for transferring heat energy between a first working fluid and a second working fluid. The heat exchanger can include a first sheet contoured to define a plurality of first fins and having an upper end and a lower end, a second sheet contoured to define a plurality of second fins and being positioned between the upper end of the first sheet and the lower end of the first sheet, and a housing formed from a third sheet and at least partially enclosing the first sheet and the second sheet.

Abstract: An improved combustion air charger, such as a turbocharger or a supercharger, includes a housing (10) having a rotary shaft (18) journalled therein. At least one compressor wheel (20,22) is located on the shaft (18). The housing (10) includes an ambient inlet (30) as well as a compressed air outlet (32) and a heat exchanger (36) is located between at least one of the compressor wheels (20) and the outlet (32) and is arranged so that air flow through the heat exchanger (36) is generally in the radially inward direction.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including a suction line for gaseous or two phase refrigerant output from an evaporator and a capillary tube carrying cooled refrigerant to the evaporator. The suction line includes first and second substantially parallel straight cylindrical portions connected in series, with first and second portions of the capillary tube in series and helically wound around the suction line second and first portions, respectively. A valve for bypassing the capillary tube is responsive to a selected pressure differential between the capillary tube inlet and outlet. A U-shaped portion or accumulator connect the suction line first and second portions. An accumulator alternately is between the evaporator and the suction line portion wound by the capillary tube, with a phase separation chamber connected to an accumulator by a vertical pipe. The accumulator includes a discharge opening to return the oil to the system.

Abstract: An insert adapted to connect to opposite walls in a heat exchanger tube, including a corrugated sheet having alternating wave crests and wave troughs connected by wave flanks having openings therein, wherein at least some of the wave crests have a length different than the length of the wave troughs, and/or adjacent sections have different wavelength waves. Such inserts may be produced by transporting material sheets through a press, where the sheet feed rate and/or the press stroke speed may be selectively varied.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including flat tubes having cooling passages for a gas and a bypass for the gas separate from the cooling passages, and coolant channels defined between every two flat tubes adjacent the tube passages and spaced from the bypass of the tubes. The tubes define a cooled area adjacent the passages and an uncooled area adjacent the bypass substantially spaced from the channels.

Abstract: An air guide housing for an air supply for an input fan of an air conditioner, including a housing wall with a side wall having a first opening therethrough for circulating air, a second opening therethrough for fresh air, and a third opening in the side wall for air drawn in by the fan, where the first opening is adjacent the second opening. The housing also includes an adjustment element pivotally mounted in the housing wall, where the adjustment element includes a peripheral section defining a closure element of the air guide housing adapted to block selected portions of the first and second openings. The peripheral section has a cross-section smaller than the sum of the cross-sections of the first and second openings.

Abstract: A condenser (10) and method for separating a fluid flow is provided. The condenser (10) maybe used for separating a cathode exhaust flow (60) into a condensed liquid (86) and a non-condensed gas (70). The condenser (10) includes a vertical inlet (14), a vertical outlet (16), a gas flow path (20), a liquid flow path (22), a non-condensed gas outlet (24) and a condensed liquid outlet (26).

Abstract: A cooling system (10) is provided for use with a fuel processing subsystem (12) for reducing a level of carbon monoxide in a reformate flow (14) for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system (16). The fuel processing subsystem (12) includes first and second preferential oxidizers (18, 20) to oxidize the carbon monoxide carried in the reformate flow. The reformate cooling system (10) includes a coolant flow path (30), a reformate flow path (32), and first, second, third, and fourth heat exchanger core portions (34, 36, 38, 40). The core portions (36–40) are arranged in numbered sequence along the reformate flow path (32) with the first and second core portions (34, 36) located upstream of the first preferential oxidizer (18), and the third and fourth core portions (38, 40) located downstream of the first preferential oxidizer (18) and upstream of the second preferential oxidizer (20).

Abstract: A header construction intended for use in a heat exchanger (36) employed in a relatively high pressure application includes an array of generally parallel tube runs (84) with fins (82) extending between adjacent ones of the tube runs. At least one relatively flat header plate (86) has a plurality of tube slots (88) for receiving ends (90) of the tubes (84) and a tank (94) is mounted to and sealed to the header plate (86). Peripheral flanges (112) are located about tube slots (86) in the headers and a header reinforcing plate (114) is bonded to the header plate (86) oppositely of the tank (94). Stiffening beads in the form of flanges (120) are located on the header reinforcing plate (114) between openings (118) therein through which the tubes (84) pass and extend away from the header plate (86).

Abstract: A receiver for a vehicle air conditioner having a pair of headers and a plurality of tubes defining a plurality of refrigerant flow stages between the headers. The receiver includes a housing in refrigerant flow connection with one of the condenser headers, and a receiving device removably secured in the housing. The device includes first and second members sealing against the receiver to define respective spaced first and second walls, and at least one connection line is in or on the receiving device and bridges the spacing between the first and second walls, with the connection line being adapted to guide refrigerant through the spacing from one stage to another stage. Desiccant is provided in the housing between the first and second sealing members.

Abstract: A heat exchanger including upper and lower header tanks, a vertical baffle in the lower header tank defining first and second longitudinal chambers, a check valve, two tube rows, and a coolant inlet to the first chamber and outlet from the second chamber. The baffle includes a by-pass hole therethrough. One tube row includes a plurality of vertical tubes extending between the upper header tank and the first chamber of the lower header tank, and the other tube row includes a plurality of vertical tubes extending between the upper header tank and the second chamber of the lower header tank. The check valve creates a leak-proof seal during standard operating mode to prevent pressure release from the header tank and creates an air path between the header tank and the environment during draining mode to allow vacuum relief from the header tank.

Abstract: A heat exchanger (20) includes a stack (22) of heat exchanger tubes (24), with the stack (22) having a pair of spaced ends (26, 28) that are received into respective manifolds (30, 32) that direct a first fluid (33), such as an exhaust gas flow of a vehicle, to and from interiors (34) of the tubes (24). The manifolds (30) and (32) are bonded to the respective ends (26) and (28) using a suitable bonding technique, such as soldering. Each end (26, 28) has an outer periphery (54) that includes furrows (56) and elongate, narrow protrusions (58), and each manifold (30, 32) has a wall (60) that extends continuously around the associated end (26, 28) and includes inwardly directed ridges (62) that are received in the furrows (56) and elongate slots (64) that receive the protrusions (58) to provide a tight joint between the wall (60) and the associated end (50, 52).

Abstract: A gasket well/gasket combination (30) is provided, and may be particularly useful for use in a header/tank assembly (12) for a heat exchanger (10). The combination (30) includes a gasket well (32) defined by a base wall (36) and a side wall (38) extending upwardly from the base wall (36), with the side wall (38) including an upwardly opening slot (40) having a width (SW). The combination further includes an elastomeric gasket (34) shaped to be received in the gasket well (32) and compressed between the base wall (36) and a mating part to form a sealed connection. The gasket (34) includes a seal bead (50) and a locating feature (52) having a tab (62) extending outwardly from the seal bead (50) to a terminal end (64) of the tab (62), with the tab (62) having a transverse width that does not increase from the seal bead (50) to the terminal end (64). The transverse width is larger than the slot width (SW) with the tab (62) in an undeformed state.

Abstract: A coolant system includes a heat exchange circuit capable of being in a heat exchange relationship with a heat generating component, such as an engine, to remove thermal energy from the engine and transfer the thermal energy to a coolant, and an insulated tank in fluid communication with the heat exchange circuit. The system also includes a control and associated conduits and valves for passing coolant through the heat exchange circuit and the insulated tank so as to fill the tank with a first volume of coolant in a first operational state, for passing an additional amount of coolant from the heat exchange circuit into the insulated tank so as to fill the insulated tank with a second volume of coolant which is greater than the first volume of coolant in a second operational state, and for passing the additional amount of coolant from the insulated tank to the heat exchange circuit in a third operational state. A method of operating the coolant system to store thermal energy is also provided.

Abstract: A vehicle heat transfer module including a conduit for air circulation, an evaporator in the conduit between the cabin air input and cabin air output, and a heater having vehicle engine coolant circulated therethrough, the heater being in a first path between the evaporator and the cabin air output. A first door selectively opens or closes the fresh air input and fresh air output, and a second door blocks a selected amount of cabin air from the first path. A controller controls the first and second doors responsive to heating and cooling requirements.

Abstract: An elongated flattened tube (10) includes a pair of dimples (30) spaced from an end (32) of the tube (10) to limit an insertion depth of the end (32) of the tube (10) into a tube slot (14) of a header (12) in a heat exchanger.

Abstract: A frame supports heat exchangers one in front of another in the direction of flow of cooling air, and includes two vertical walls interconnected by transverse walls, cross braces between the walls, and fastening points on the walls adapted to fasten the heat exchangers to the frame. Outwardly extending bulging sections in the vertical walls include an outer portion adapted to be secured to the vehicle support members to support the frame thereon, and an inner portion defining a space between vertical wall sections above and below the bulging section for receive projecting components of at least one heat exchanger. Connectors connect each of the fastening openings to the aligned flange openings, with the connectors including a head and a stem with an expandable end opposite the head retaining the connectors in the aligned openings. Hooks support the heat exchangers in the direction of air flow, with the connector stems supporting against at least some forces transverse to the direction of air flow.

Abstract: A tank to header attachment construction for heat exchangers include T-shaped tabs on the header which extend through slots in a flange on a tank. The top bar of each tab has it ends bent out of alignment with the slot to secure the tank to the header.