Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a stack of heat exchanger plate pairs that each define an internal volume and include an inlet and an outlet such that a first medium flows from the inlet to the outlet along a flow axis. The inlets together form an inlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs and the outlets together form an outlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs. The heat exchanger also includes an array of fins disposed between and in thermal contact with adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs. The array of fins defines flow channels between the adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs such that a second medium flows through the flow channels along the flow axis. One end of the array of fins includes a cut-out area which causes a first portion of the array of fins to be positioned laterally from either the inlet header or the outlet header.

Abstract: An exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) heat exchanger, for recovering waste heat from the hot exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, having a housing and a cylindrical body disposed within the housing. The cylindrical body defines a central passageway and together with the housing defines an annular passageway for the flow of hot exhaust gases. A bypass means is disposed within the central passageway and adapted to selectively by-pass at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the central passageway to the annular passageway. The EGHR heat exchanger also includes at least one fluid tube extending along a tube axis and having at least one lobe extending the length of the tube thereby defining a lobed tube. The lobed tube is twisted about the tube axis forming a twisted lobed tube which is then coiled about the longitudinal axis within the annular exhaust gas passageway.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a stack of heat exchanger plate pairs that each define an internal volume and include an inlet and an outlet such that a first medium flows from the inlet to the outlet along a flow axis. The inlets together form an inlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs and the outlets together form an outlet header through the heat exchanger plate pairs. The heat exchanger also includes an array of fins disposed between and in thermal contact with adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs. The array of fins defines flow channels between the adjacent heat exchanger plate pairs such that a second medium flows through the flow channels along the flow axis. One end of the array of fins includes a cut-out area which causes a first portion of the array of fins to be positioned laterally from either the inlet header or the outlet header.

Abstract: An exhaust gas heat recovery (EGHR) heat exchanger, for recovering waste heat from the hot exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, having a housing and a cylindrical body disposed within the housing. The cylindrical body defines a central passageway and together with the housing defines an annular passageway for the flow of hot exhaust gases. A bypass means is disposed within the central passageway and adapted to selectively by-pass at least a portion of the exhaust gas from the central passageway to the annular passageway. The EGHR heat exchanger also includes at least one fluid tube extending along a tube axis and having at least one lobe extending the length of the tube thereby defining a lobed tube. The lobed tube is twisted about the tube axis forming a twisted lobed tube which is then coiled about the longitudinal axis within the annular exhaust gas passageway.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes a pair of outer headers each defining an outer cavity and a pair of inner headers each defining an inner cavity. Each inner header is disposed in one of the outer headers, and each header defines a plurality of header slots. A plurality of first fluid tubes extend between the outer headers from one of the header slots of each outer header to fluidly interconnect the outer cavities defined by the outer headers and a plurality of second fluid tubes are interleaved with the first refrigerant tubes and extend between the outer headers and through one of the header slots of each outer header and through the associated outer cavities defined by the outer headers and to the one of the header slots of each inner header to fluidly interconnect the inner cavities defined by the inner headers.

Abstract: A method of operating a directed relief valve to ventilate a refrigerant by sensing the concentration of refrigerant leakage from the air conditioning system, and if the first concentration exceeds a threshold, by sensing a second concentration. If the first and second concentrations exceed a predetermined concentration, the system will send a leak message to the operator and/or ventilate the refrigerant to the surrounding atmosphere. The system continuously monitors the refrigerant leakage concentration when the vehicle engine is operative, but only periodically monitors the refrigerant leakage concentration when the vehicle engine is inoperative.

Abstract: A method of venting a refrigerant from an air conditioning system of a vehicle during a crash to mitigate leakage of the refrigerant into a cabin of the vehicle by crashing a test vehicle under a first set of predetermined conditions a number of crash events and measuring deceleration and determining the existence of leakage. The number of crash events in which leakage existed is divided by the number of crash events to establish a probability of leakage ratio. The test vehicle is crashed under a second set of predetermined conditions to determine a second probability of leakage ratio. A probability of leakage relationship is established correlating the probability of leakage ratios and the predetermined conditions. A deceleration relationship is established correlating the deceleration measurements and the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly includes a pair of outer headers each defining an outer cavity and a pair of inner headers each defining an inner cavity. Each inner header is disposed in one of the outer headers, and each header defines a plurality of header slots. A plurality of first fluid tubes extend between the outer headers from one of the header slots of each outer header to fluidly interconnect the outer cavities defined by the outer headers and a plurality of second fluid tubes are interleaved with the first refrigerant tubes and extend between the outer headers and through one of the header slots of each outer header and through the associated outer cavities defined by the outer headers and to the one of the header slots of each inner header to fluidly interconnect the inner cavities defined by the inner headers.

Abstract: A method of venting a refrigerant from an air conditioning system of a vehicle during a crash to mitigate leakage of the refrigerant into a cabin of the vehicle by crashing a test vehicle under a first set of predetermined conditions a number of crash events and measuring deceleration and determining the existence of leakage. The number of crash events in which leakage existed is divided by the number of crash events to establish a probability of leakage ratio. The test vehicle is crashed under a second set of predetermined conditions to determine a second probability of leakage ratio. A probability of leakage relationship is established correlating the probability of leakage ratios and the predetermined conditions. A deceleration relationship is established correlating the deceleration measurements and the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: A method of operating a directed relief valve to ventilate a refrigerant by sensing the concentration of refrigerant leakage from the air conditioning system, and if the first concentration exceeds a threshold, by sensing a second concentration. If the first and second concentrations exceed a predetermined concentration, the system will send a leak message to the operator and/or ventilate the refrigerant to the surrounding atmosphere. The system continuously monitors the refrigerant leakage concentration when the vehicle engine is operative, but only periodically monitors the refrigerant leakage concentration when the vehicle engine is inoperative.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, an integrated structural HVAC system (ISHS) includes an ISHS first section and an ISHS second section which are secured to one another to form the ISHS. In one embodiment, the ISHS first section includes a molded first cross beam which includes integral molded features and the ISHS second section likewise comprises a molded second cross beam having integral molded features. The first cross beam includes a number of vent openings formed therein and the second cross beam includes a plurality of fluid ducts formed therein. The first cross beam and second cross beam mate with each other and are securely attached to one another to form the ISHS. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid ducts provide both cockpit/instrument panel structure as well as fluid channels for directing air to desired locations within a vehicle compartment or the like.

Abstract: A compact HVAC module housing (30) incorporates a novel temperature valve belt (74) and support frame therefore (60) that fit between an evaporator (56) and heater (58). This allows the entire housing (30) to be very compact, and to be more easily integrated into a vehicle body structural cross beam (32). The temperature valve and its location, as well as a reversed air stream through the heater (58), together allow the mixing area for the cold and not air streams to be well within a minimal space envelope of the housing (30), rather than outside of it.