Abstract: An intercooler comprises: tubes 10 in which the suction air of an internal combustion engine flows; and inner fins 11 for dividing passages in the tubes into a plurality of minute passages 100, wherein the intercooler is characterized in that when a cross sectional area in one tube 10 is S, a total passage area of the minute passages 100 in one tube 10 is Swa and an equivalent circle diameter of one minute passage 100 is de (unit: mm), the most appropriate specification of the core of the intercooler is found when de/(S/Swa) is used as a parameter. For example, in the case of an intercooler in which the inner fins 11 are straight fins and the supercharging air pressure is not less than 200 kPa, when de/(S/Swa) is made to be 0.2 to 7.5, it is possible to provide an intercooler with high performance.

Abstract: A thermoelectric power generation system having a thermoelectric unit is provided for an engine, through which cooling water flows. A part of cooling water circulates through the engine and a radiator, where cooling water is cooled. Cooling water of a discharge side of the engine and that of a discharge side of the radiator are respectively used as a high-temperature side heat source and a low-temperature side heat source of the thermoelectric unit. Thus, the thermoelectric unit is provided with a steady temperature difference to generate power, without increasing a component number and deteriorating a cooling of the engine.

Abstract: A heat exchanger according to the present invention has a plurality of tubes, header tanks and a support. Fluid flows through the plurality of tubes. The header tanks have a core plate and a tank body, and are disposed at longitudinal end portions of the plurality of tubes in such a manner to be communicated with internal spaces of the plurality of tubes. The core plate has approximately arc-shaped cross-section of which both side fringes are fixed onto the tank body and of which a middle portion fixes the longitudinal end portions of the plurality of tubes therein and bulges with respect to the both side fringes toward the plurality of tubes. The tank body and the core plate form an internal space of each of the header tanks. The support retains an interval between the both side fringes.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generator has a plurality of hot-side heat source portions, a plurality of cold-side heat source portions, a thermoelectric element, a hot-side communicator and a cold-side communicator. Hot fluid flows in the plurality of hot-side heat source portions, and cold fluid colder than the hot fluid flows in the plurality of cold-side heat source portions. The heat source portions are alternately stacked in such a manner of interposing the thermoelectric element between the hot-side heat source portion and the cold-side heat source portion. The hot-side communicator communicates the hot-side heat source portions, and the cold-side communicator communicates the plurality of cold-side heat source portions. Each of the hot-side communicator and the cold-side communicator has a distance adjuster for adjusting distances between the hot-side heat source portions and the cold-side heat source portions so as to bring them in contact with the thermoelectric elements in the stacking direction thereof.

Abstract: The wall thickness of at least a portion, which is plastically deformed, of a protruding portion used for calking is reduced to less than that of the other portions. Due to the foregoing, the bending rigidity of the protruding portion is decreased. Therefore, it is possible to bend (plastically deform) the protruding portion by a relatively low-intensity force. Accordingly, it is possible to easily execute the calking work (calking process) without the need to extend the length of the protruding portion (length from a forward end of the protruding portion to a bent portion). As a result, even if the pressure-withstanding property of an inter-cooler is enhanced by increasing the wall thickness of core plates, it is possible to prevent the calking workability from deteriorating and without increasing the size of the inter-cooler.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generating device has a thermoelectric element which utilizes an exhaust gas from an engine as a high temperature heat source and an engine coolant as a low temperature heat source in order to generate electricity. An introducing passage introduces a part of the exhaust gas passed through the thermoelectric element into an intake of the engine. An introducing valve opens and closes the introducing passage. A controller controls an opening degree of the introducing valve according to a load of the engine.

Abstract: An extension 123 of a core plate 121 is brazed to an insert 130 with the extension 123 being held in a holding portion 131 formed in the insert plate 130, and the width Wi of the extension 123 is made to be substantially the same as the width Wc of the insert 130, whereby the retention of flux at longitudinal end portions of the core plate 121 is made difficult. In addition, as a contact area between the extension 123 and the insert 130 can be made larger, the brazing of the extension 123 and the insert 130 can be ensured while the welding of a tank main body 122 and the core plate 121 can be facilitated.

Abstract: The wall thickness of at least a portion, which is plastically deformed, of a protruding portion used for calking is reduced to less than that of the other portions. Due to the foregoing, the bending rigidity of the protruding portion is decreased. Therefore, it is possible to bend (plastically deform) the protruding portion by a relatively low-intensity force. Accordingly, it is possible to easily execute the calking work (calking process) without the need to extend the length of the protruding portion (length from a forward end of the protruding portion to a bent portion). As a result, even if the pressure-withstanding property of an inter-cooler is enhanced by increasing the wall thickness of core plates, it is possible to prevent the calking workability from deteriorating and without increasing the size of the inter-cooler.

Abstract: An extension 123 of a core plate 121 is brazed to an insert 130 with the extension 123 being held in a holding portion 131 formed in the insert plate 130, and the width Wi of the extension 123 is made to be substantially the same as the width Wc of the insert 130, whereby the retention of flux at longitudinal end portions of the core plate 121 is made difficult. In addition, as a contact area between the extension 123 and the insert 130 can be made larger, the brazing of the extension 123 and the insert 130 can be ensured while the welding of a tank main body 122 and the core plate 121 can be facilitated.

Abstract: First depressed portions are formed on transverse sides of an insert so that the magnitude of depression of the first depressed portions increases as the first depressed portions approach toward the associated transverse side of the insert, whereby, as the first depressed portions are located to constitute a lower side of a core when brazing (in an oven), a brazing material, which is fused and is then allowed to flow into the first depressed portions in a brazing process, can be accumulated for retention within the first depressed portions by the surface tension of the brazing material so accumulated therein. Consequently, as the dispersion of more of the brazing material to outer fins, which constitute the lower side of the core when brazing, can be prevented, the erosion of the outer fins, which would otherwise occur due to the dispersion of the brazing material, can be prevented.

Abstract: An oil cooler is fixed to an engine via an installation stay provided around an outer periphery of the oil cooler. Thus, the load applied to a core portion is reduced, and the load is dispersed on entire portion of the oil cooler. Thus, the respective stresses applied to respective portions of the oil cooler are very small, and a deformation of the core portion is prevented. Furthermore, since the respective stresses on any portion of the oil cooler is reduced, it is possible to make the oil cooler with aluminum whose strength is lower than that of iron. Furthermore, since the thickness of the installation stay can be reduced, difference in the thermal expansion quantity caused by difference in coefficients of linear expansion of the bolt and the installation stay is significantly reduced, and the loose bolt of the bolt caused by difference in coefficients of linear expansion is prevented.

Abstract: An oil cooler has a tube disposed in a cooling water passage and defining an oil passage therein, an oil side inner fin brazed to an inside wall of the tube in the oil passage, and a water side inner fin brazed to an outside wall of the tube in the cooling water passage. The thickness Tw of the water side inner fin is thicker than the thickness To of the oil side inner fin. The water side and oil side inner fins are corrugated fins.

Abstract: A ratio (Nc/Lc), in a condenser core portion, of the number of louvers to a width of a condenser cooling fin, and a ratio (Nr/Lr), in a radiator core portion, of the number of louvers to a width of a radiator cooling fin satisfy that the ratio in one core portion, out of the condenser and the radiator core portions, a required radiation amount of which is larger than that of the other core portion is larger than the ratio in the other core portion. Thus, in the core portion having a small required radiation amount, the number of louvers relative to the width of the cooling fin is small thereby decreasing the heat transfer ratio. However, by this, the air flow resistance in this core portion decreases thereby increasing an air flow amount. Thus, the radiation amount of the core portion of which required radiation amount is large increases.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a first tube is constructed by connecting a plate material into a tubular shape. In the manufacturing process, after an inner fin is disposed around an outer wall of a second tube, the first tube is disposed around the second tube, and the first tube and the second tube are fixed by connecting the plate material in such a manner that the inner fin is in contact with the both tubes. In this way, the inner fin and both tubes are certainly contacted closely to each other without enlarging the second tube.

Abstract: When the engine is stopped while the engine is warmed up, the cooling water in the engine stays therein without flowing out of the engine, and the cooling water in the radiator or the bypass passage is used for heating source for the heating operation. In this way, it is possible to heat the passenger compartment continuously even after the engine is stopped and to suppress the temperature of the cooling water from lowering to reduce the emission at restarting of the engine.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a pin-disposed portion where a pin member for mounting a heat exchanger on a vehicle is disposed is structured such that an inner edge shape of a cross section of the pin-disposed portion draws a four-sided closed curved line. The pin member passes through an inner space of the pin-disposed portion and is connected to the pin-disposed portion at plural positions. In this way, the pin-disposed portion constructs a shell structure which is superior in a mechanical strength. Further, because the pin member is connected to the pin-disposed portion at plural positions while passing through the space, the shell structure of the pin-disposed portion can be made more rigid.

Abstract: A first cooling fin and a second cooing fin are separated to have a predetermine clearance, and a plurality of connecting portions for partly connecting the first and second cooling fins are formed. When the first and second cooling fins are unfolded, the length E of each the connecting portion in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the first and second cooling fins is equal to 5% or less of the length F between the adjacent connecting portions. Further, the first cooling fin is projected from the condenser tube toward the radiator tube side with a projection length Lc being in a range of 1.7 to 7.0 mm.

Abstract: First and second communicating holes are formed in a first formed plate 11, and first and second communicating holes are also formed in a second formed plate 12. The first and second formed plates 11 and 12 are joined to each other to form a joined body 8. When a plurality of joined bodies 8 are stacked, a heat exchanging section 7 is formed that is provided with a plurality of flow pipes 34 in which the first communicating holes are connected with each other in the stacking direction and the second communicating holes are also connected with each other. In the plurality of flow pipes 34 of the heat exchanging section 7, oil passage 35 in which engine oil flows in the stacking direction is formed, and further around the plurality of flow pipes 34, a plurality of cooling water passages 36 in which engine cooling water flows are formed.

Abstract: By using a small heat accumulator installed in a cooling water system, malfunction of exhaust emission during warming up is prevented. Such a cooling system includes a cooling water passage for returning cooling water flowing from a cooling water outlet of an automotive engine to a cooling water inlet through a radiator, a first bypass passage for returning the cooling water just after flowing from the cooling water outlet to the cooling water inlet through the radiator, a second bypass passage for returning the cooling water just after flowing out from the cooling water outlet of the engine to the cooling water inlet through the radiator by supplying the cooling water near a heat-sensing portion of a thermostat, a flowing amount adjusting valve for enlarging a cooling water flowing ratio to the first bypass passage with respect to the second bypass passage corresponding to a reduction of a load of the engine and the heat accumulator installed through the first bypass passage.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the cooling apparatus is equipped with a thermostat for opening or closing a water passage between a radiator and a water-cooled engine and a cooling water passage switching valve for switching a water introducing passage for introducing the cooling water around a thermosensitive member of the thermostat. When the engine is in a high-load operating condition and when the temperature of the cooling water is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature, the cooling water immediately after having flowed out of the water-cooled engine flows into around the thermosensitive member of the thermostat by the operation of the cooling water passage switching valve. As a result, the thermostat is operated in response to the temperature of the high temperature cooling water having flowed out of the water-cooled engine, and the set temperature of the cooling water by the thermostat can be shifted to a lower temperature.