COOLING MODULE

Abstract

A cooling module includes a first radiator configured to cool a fuel cell stack. A second radiator is positioned in a predetermined area in front of the first radiator in an air flow direction and configured to cool an electronic component. A first condenser is positioned in the other remaining area in front of the first radiator in the air flow direction and heat-exchanged with ambient air to condense a refrigerant. A second condenser is provided within the second radiator and heat-exchanged with a coolant to condense a refrigerant. The second radiator and the first condenser are positioned alongside each other in front of the first radiator. The second condenser is provided within the second radiator.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0025628 filed on Feb. 24, 2015 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2016-0011454 filed on Jan. 29, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cooling module and, more particularly, to a cooling module in which a second radiator and a first condenser are positioned alongside each other in front of a first radiator, and a second condenser is provided within the second radiator, thus having a reduced size, while supporting high refrigerant condensing performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, in a vehicle with an internal combustion installed therein, heat generated as an engine operates is transmitted to a cylinder head, a piston, and a valve, and thus, when temperatures of these components are excessively increased, they are thermally expanded or degraded to result in degradation of intensity, lifespan of an engine is shortened, combustion deteriorates to cause knocking or preignition to degrade an output from the engine.

Also, when a fuel cell stack is incompletely cooled, an oil film of an inner circumferential surface of the cylinder is cut, degrading a lubrication function, engine oil is changed to cause abnormal abrasion of a cylinder, and a piston is fused to an inner wall surface of a cylinder.

In a vehicle, in addition to a fuel cell stack, electric/electronic components including a motor, an inverter, and a battery stack, need also to be cooled, and here, a coolant which has passed through the fuel cell stack and a coolant which has passed through the electric/electronic components have a difference in temperature, so they cannot have a single cooling system.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a cooling system for a vehicle, in which FIG. 1A illustrates a fuel cell stack cooling system, and FIG. 1B illustrates an electronic component cooling system.

In detail, the fuel cell stack cooling system 10 includes a water pump 15 circulating a coolant for cooling a fuel cell stack 1, a first radiator 11 cooling a coolant, a first coolant storage tank 13 supplying a coolant to the first radiator 11, and a first coolant adjusting cap 12.

Here, in the fuel cell stack cooling system 10, the first radiator 11, the water pump 15, and the fuel cell stack 1 are connected through a first connection line 14.

Also, the electronic field component cooling system 20 includes a water pump 25 circulating a coolant for cooling an electronic component 2, a second radiator 21 cooling a coolant, a second coolant storage tank 23 supplying a coolant to the second radiator 21, and a second coolant adjusting cap 22.

Here, an example of the electronic component cooling system 20 formed to include the electronic component 2 in which the electronic component 2 includes an inverter and a starter/generator is illustrated

Also, like the fuel cell stack cooling system 10, in the electronic component cooling system 20, the second radiator 21, the water pump 24, and the electronic component 2 are connected through a second connection line 24.

Here, the first radiator 11 and the second radiator 21 include a condenser 30, a fan and shroud assembly 40 to form a cooling module 50, and are heat-exchanged with wind and air introduced through the fan and shroud assembly 40.

An example of the cooling module 50 is illustrated in FIG. 2.

However, the cooling module 50 illustrated in FIG. 2 is difficult to have a sufficient condensing efficiency because a size of the condenser 30 is reduced by a region in which the second radiator 21 is formed, and the second radiator 21 also has difficulty in sufficiently securing an amount of coolant flowing therein.

Another example of the cooling module 50 is illustrated in FIG. 3.

The cooling module 50 illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a condenser 30, a second radiator 21, and a first radiator 11 arranged in parallel according to a direction of air flow. However, in the configuration of FIG. 3, air heated through the condenser 30 is to pass through the second radiator 21, negatively affecting performance of the second radiator 21.

In addition, temperatures of air supplied to the second radiator 21 are significantly different according to load amounts of the condenser 30, making it difficult to secure stable performance of the second radiator 21.

Thus, it is required to develop a cooling module which may be reduced in size, while securing sufficient performance of the first radiator, the second radiator, and the condenser constituting the cooling module.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a cooling module in which a second radiator and a first condenser are positioned alongside each other in front of a first radiator and a second condenser is provided within the second radiator, whereby cooling condensing performance of the cooling module is increased, while the cooling module is reduced in size.

The present invention also provides a cooling module in which a second radiator and a first condenser are positioned alongside each other to reduce a pressure drop amount of air, eliminating a reduction in an air volume of wind, to thus enhance cooling performance of a coolant and condensing performance of a condenser.

The present invention also provides a cooling module in which wind is not blocked by a pipe and a configuration of a pipe is simplified to facilitate assembling, and which is reduced in size.

In an aspect, a cooling module includes: a first radiator configured to cool a fuel cell stack; a second radiator positioned in a predetermined area in front of the first radiator in an air flow direction and configured to cool an electronic component; and a first condenser positioned in the other remaining area in front of the first radiator in the air flow direction and heat-exchanged with ambient air to condense a refrigerant, and further includes: a second condenser provided within the second radiator and heat-exchanged with a coolant to condense a refrigerant. Accordingly, in the cooling module of the present invention, since the second radiator and the first condenser are positioned alongside each other in front of the first radiator and the second condenser is provided within the second radiator, refrigerant condensing performance may be increased, while the cooling module is reduced in size.

The second radiator may include a pair of first header tanks configured to include a combination of a header and a tank and provided alongside each other and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; a first tube fixed to the first header tank in both ends thereof to form an electronic component coolant flow channel; and a first fin interposed between the tubes, whereby the second condenser may be provided within the first header tank. In particular, in the cooling module, the second radiator may be spaced apart from the first header tank in a height direction, and the second condenser may be provided at a lower side within the first header tank, whereby a coolant may be effectively cooled by wind and a refrigerant may be effectively cooled by the cooled coolant.

The cooling module may further include: an inlet pipe configured to supply a refrigerant to the second condenser; a connection pipe configured to supply the refrigerant, which has passed through the second condenser, to the first condenser; and an outlet pipe configured to discharge the refrigerant which has passed through the first condenser, whereby the refrigerant may be supplied to the second condenser, the second condenser and the condenser may be connected, and the refrigerant of the first condenser may be discharged.

In detail, the first condenser may include: a pair of second header tanks provided alongside each other and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance; a second tube fixed to the second header tanks in both ends thereof to form a refrigerant flow path; a second fin interposed between the second tubes; and a vapor-liquid separator provided on one side of the second header tank, whereby the second condenser is a watercooling type condenser cooled by a coolant, and the first condenser may be an aircooling type condenser cooled by air.

In the cooling module, the second header tanks are provided to be spaced apart from one another in a width direction of a vehicle, the vapor-liquid separator is positioned to be adjacent to the second radiator, and one side of the connection pipe is connected to an upper region of the second header tank in which the vapor-liquid separator is provided, whereby wind is not blocked by the pipe and a connection of the pipe may be simplified.

In particular, the connection pipe may include: a first pipe unit positioned alongside the first header tank in which the second condenser is provided in a length direction; and a second pipe unit configured to extend from the first pipe unit and bent in a length direction of the vapor-liquid separator, whereby movement of wind passing through a first tube and first fin formation region of the second radiator and a second tube and second fin formation region of the first condenser directly heat-exchanged with ambient air is not interfered.

The connection pipe may include: a (1-1)th pipe unit bent from a left lower end of the second radiator and positioned in a vertical direction along an outer side surface of the second radiator; and a (2-1)th pipe unit positioned in a direction of the first condenser along an upper surface of the second radiator.

The outlet pipe may be formed in the second header tank where the vapor-liquid separator is not provided.

Through the aforementioned configuration of the cooling module, a refrigerant introduced through the inlet pipe is condensed through the second condenser in a first area, introduced through the connection pipe and condensed, while passing through a predetermined area of the first condenser, in a second area, and vapor-liquid-separated through the vapor-liquid separator in a third area, and the liquid refrigerant separated through the vapor-liquid separator is supercooled in a fourth area, and is subsequently discharged through the outlet pipe, and here, the second area has an even number of paths so that the refrigerant is transferred from the second header tank where the vapor-liquid separator is connected to the second header tank where the vapor-liquid separator is not connected, and is subsequently returned again, and since the outlet pipe is provided in the second header tank where the vapor-liquid separator is not connected, the fourth area has an odd number of paths, and thus, the second tube of the first condenser has an odd number of paths.

According to the configuration of the present invention, in the cooling module, when the second condenser is not provided in the second radiator, the first condenser may be configured to be equal to or larger than the second radiator.

In the cooling module, when the second condenser is included in the second radiator, the second radiator may be configured to be larger than the first condenser.

Accordingly, in the cooling module of the present invention, since the second radiator and the first condenser are positioned alongside each other in front of the first radiator and the second condenser is provided within the second radiator, the cooling module may have enhanced refrigerant condensing performance, while reduced in size.

In particular, in the cooling module of the present invention, since the second radiator and the first condenser are positioned alongside each other, a pressure drop amount of air is reduced, an air volume of wind is not reduced, enhancing cooling performance of a coolant and condensing performance of the condenser.

Also, in the cooling module of the present invention, wind is not blocked by the pipe and a configuration of the pipe is simplified to facilitate assembling and reduce the size of the cooling module.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B are schematic views illustrating a cooling system for a vehicle of prior art.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are views schematically illustrating the prior art cooling module.

FIGS. 4 to 6B are a perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and front views of a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a region forming a second radiator of a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a region forming a first condenser of a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are a fragmentary cross-sectional view and a perspective view illustrating an example of a second condenser of a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view illustrating a flow of a refrigerant in a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view illustrating another flow of a refrigerant in a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 13 to 16 are front views illustrating another flow of a refrigerant in a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are elevational views illustrating an example of changing sizes of a second radiator and a first condenser constituting a cooling module according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a cooling module 1000 according to embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 4 to 6B are a perspective view, an exploded perspective view, and front views of the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a region forming a second radiator 200 of the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a region forming a first condenser 300 of the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

A cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first radiator 100, a second radiator 200, a first condenser 300, and a second condenser 400.

The first radiator 100, a component for cooling a fuel cell stack, may include a pair of header tanks 110 provided alongside each other and spaced apart from each other another by a predetermined distance, a tube 120 whose both ends are fixed to the header tank 110, and a fm 130 interposed between the tubes 120. That is, as a coolant for cooling a fuel cell stack flows in the first radiator 100, the first radiator 100 may be heat-exchanged with ambient air so as to be cooled.

The second radiator 200, a component for cooling an electronic component, is positioned in a predetermined area of a front side of the first radiator 100 in an air flow direction. The electronic component is an electronic component including a motor, an inverter, and a battery stack, in addition to a fuel cell stack, or may be electronic components which has a heating temperature lower than that of the fuel cell stack and which is to be cooled. Here, the second radiator 200 may include a first header tank 210, a first tube 220, and a first fin 230.

The first header tank 210 is provided as a pair alongside each other and spaced apart from each another by a predetermined distance, and is formed of a combination of a header 211 and a tank 212. The header 211 has a tube insertion hole (not shown) formed to have a size corresponding to the first tube 220 such that the first tube 220 may be inserted therein, and forms a space in which an electronic component coolant flows. Here, the second condenser 400 is installed in one of the first header tanks 210, and has a hollow portion 212a to supply a refrigerant to the second condenser 400 and discharge a refrigerant therefrom.

Both ends of the first tube 220 are fixed to the first head tank 210 to form a coolant flow channel, and the first fin 230 is interposed between the first tubes 220.

Here, the first header tanks 210 of the second radiator 200 are spaced apart from each other in a height direction, and the second condenser 400 is provided within the upper or lower first header tank 210.

The first condenser 300 is positioned in front of the first radiator 100 in an air flow direction and provided alongside the second radiator 200. That is, the first condenser 300 is positioned together with the second radiator 200 in front of the first radiator 100, and here, the second radiator 200 is positioned in a predetermined region in front of the first radiator 100 and the first condenser 300 is positioned in the other region in front of the first radiator 100. That is, FIGS. 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of the cooling module 1000 in a lateral direction according to an embodiment of the present invention, and specifically, FIG. 7 illustrates a region in which the second radiator 200 is formed and FIG. 8 illustrates a region in which the first condenser 300 is formed. Accordingly, in the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300 are positioned alongside each other in front of the first radiator 100, and since the second condenser 400 is provided within the second radiator 200, refrigerant condensing performance may be increased, while the cooling module 1000 is reduced in size.

Also, the first condenser 300, a component heat-exchanged with ambient air to condense a refrigerant, includes a second header tank 310, a second tube 320, a second fin 330, and a vapor-liquid separator 340.

The second header tanks 310 are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and provided alongside each other.

Both ends of the second tube 320 are fixed to the second header tanks 310 to form a refrigerant flow channel. Here, the second fin 330 is interposed between the second tubes 320.

The vapor-liquid separator 340, which is connected to one of the second header tanks 310 to separate a vapor refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant, has a structure in which a vapor refrigerant is sent to an upper side and a liquid refrigerant is sent to a lower side such that only the liquid refrigerant is finally moved to the second tube 320 to induce supercooling. Here, in the cooling module 1000, the second header tanks 310 of the first condenser 300 are provided to be spaced apart from each other in a width direction of a vehicle, and the vapor-liquid separator 340 is connected to the second header tank 310 positioned to be adjacent to the second radiator 200.

Here, the cooling module 1000 of the present invention may include a fan and shroud assembly 600, and in FIGS. 7 and 8, an example in which the fan and shroud assembly 600 is provided behind the first radiator 100 in an air flow direction is illustrated.

The second condenser 400, a component cooling a refrigerant together with the first condenser 300, is provided within the first header tank 210 of the second radiator 200 and heat-exchanged with an electronic component to cool a refrigerant. As the second condenser 400, various types of condenser may be provided within the first header tank 210 of the second radiator 200, and FIG. 9 illustrates a dual-pipe type condenser and FIG. 10 illustrates a stacked type condenser using a plate 430. The second condenser 400 illustrated in FIG. 9 is a dual-type condenser having an inner pipe 422 and an outer pipe 421, in which a refrigerant flows between the inner pipe 422 and the outer pipe 421 and an electronic component coolant flows within the inner pipe 422 and outside of the outer pipe 421, thus being heat-exchanged. FIG. 9 illustrates an example in which an inner fin (not shown) is provided between the inner pipe 422 and the outer pipe 421. Illustrated in FIG. 10 is a type in which a refrigerant flows in an internal space formed by the plate 430, and an electronic component coolant flows at an outer side thereof, causing heat-exchange therebetween. Both configurations illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 include a pair of inlet/outlet boss portion 410 fixed to a hollow formed in the first header thank 210 and allowing a refrigerant to flow in and out therethrough.

In the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, preferably, a refrigerant passes through the second condenser 400 and is subsequently supplied to the first condenser 300. Thus, an inlet pipe 510 allowing a refrigerant to flow in therethrough is connected to one of the inlet/outlet boss portions 410, and a connection pipe 520 allowing a refrigerant to be discharged therefrom so as to be supplied to the first condenser 300 is connected to the other inlet/output boss portion 410. Also, the first condenser 300 includes an outlet pipe 530 discharging a refrigerant which has passed through the first condenser 300.

The inlet pipe 510 extends in a width direction of a vehicle from a lower side in order to supply a refrigerant to the inlet/outlet boss portion 410, and the connection pipe 520 supplies a refrigerant, which has passed through the second condenser 400, to the first condenser 300. In other words, the refrigerant supplied to the second condenser 400 through the inlet pipe 410 is heat-exchanged with an electronic component coolant so as to be cooled for the first time, and the refrigerant supplied to the first condenser 300 through the connection pipe 520 is heat-exchanged with ambient air so as to be cooled for the second time, vapor/liquid separated, supercooled, and subsequently discharged through the outlet pipe 530.

The inlet pipe 510, the connection pipe 520, and the outlet pipe 530 may be variously formed according to positions of the first condenser 300, the second condenser 400, and the second radiator 200, and a configuration thereof and an internal refrigerant flow will be described in more detail hereinafter.

In the cooling module 1000 illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6, the configuration in which the second condenser 400 is positioned within the first header tank 210, the second header tanks 310 are formed in a width direction of the vehicle, the vapor-liquid separator 340 is positioned at one of the pair of second header tanks 310 adjacent to the second radiator 200 (at the central portion in the width direction of the vehicle), and thus, the connection pipe 520 is connected to an upper portion of the second header tank 310 to which the vapor-liquid separator 340 of the first condenser 300 is connected, thus simplifying the pipe is illustrated as an example.

In detail, the connection pipe 520 includes a first pipe portion 521 positioned alongside the first header tank 210 in which the second condenser 400 is provided in a length direction (width direction) and a second pipe portion 522 extending from the first pipe portion 521 and bent in a length direction (height direction) of the vapor-liquid separator 340.

Accordingly, in the cooling module 1000 of the present invention, since the first tube 220 and first fm 230 formation region of the second radiator 200 and the second tube 320 and second fin 330 formation region of the first condenser 300 substantially heat-exchanged with air are not interrupted by the connection pipe 520 connecting the first condenser 300 to the second condenser 400, a degradation of heat exchange performance may be prevented. Also, preferably, the outlet pipe 530 is formed in the second header tank 310 in which the vapor-liquid separator 340 is not provided, and preferably, an extended portion of the outlet pipe 530 is fixed together with the inlet pipe 510 in parallel to the second header tank 310.

Meanwhile, in the present invention, a connection pipe may be configured in such a form as illustrated in FIG. 613. FIGS. 6A and 6B are front views of the cooling module 1000 according to the present invention. The cooling modules 1000 of FIGS. 6A and 6B are different in installation position of connection pipes, and the other components of the cooling modules 1000 are the same.

That is, the connection pipe 520 serves to supply a refrigerant, which has passed through the second condenser 400, to the first condenser 300. The connection pipe 520 illustrated in FIG. 6B includes a (1-1)th pipe portion 521 led from the second condenser 400, bent from a lower end of the left side of the second radiator 200 and extending along an outer side surface of the second radiator 200 in a vertical direction (height direction) and a (2-1)th pipe portion 522 bent at an upper end of the left side and extending in a horizontal direction (width direction) toward the first condenser 300. That is, the connection pipe 520 illustrated in FIG. 6B is configured to surround the side surface and the upper surface of the second radiator 200 and connect the second condenser 400 and the first condenser 300.

Even though the connection pipe 520 is connected through such a piping configuration, a refrigerant supplied to the second condenser 400 through the inlet pipe 510 is heat-exchanged with an electronic component coolant so as to be cooled for the first time, and the refrigerant supplied to the first condenser 300 is heat-exchanged with ambient air so as to be cooled for the second time, vapor/liquid separated, supercooled, and subsequently discharged through the outlet pipe 530.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a flow of a refrigerant in the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is a view illustrating another flow of a refrigerant in the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate specific refrigerant flows of the configurations of FIGS. 4 through 6B). Here, as for a specific refrigerant flow, a refrigerant introduced through the inlet pipe 510 passes through a second condenser 400 so as to be condensed in a first area A1, the refrigerant introduced through the connection pipe 520 passes through a predetermined region of the first condenser 300 so as to be condensed in a second area A2, the refrigerant is vapor-liquid separated through the vapor-liquid separator 340 in a third area A3, and the liquid refrigerant separated through the vapor-liquid separator 340 is supercooled in a fourth area A4, and subsequently discharged through the outlet pipe 530. That is, heat-exchange areas through the second tube 320 of the first condenser 300 are the second area A2 and the fourth area A4, and the second area A2 includes a (2-1)th area A2-1 in which an refrigerant basically introduced as the connection pipe 520 is connected to an upper portion of the second header tank 310 adjacent to the vapor-liquid separator 340 is moved to the other second header tank 310 (i.e., the second header tank 310 where the vapor-liquid separator 340 is not provided) and a (2-2)th area A2-2 in which the refrigerant is returned to the one second header tank 310 (i.e., the second header tank 310 adjacent to the vapor-liquid separator 340), and here, the areas may be repeated to have an even number of baffles according to the number and positions of baffles within the second header tank 310. The fourth area A4 is an area in which only a liquid refrigerant, which is obtained after the refrigerant has passed through the vapor-liquid separator 340 in the third area A3, is moved to be supercooled. The fourth area A4 has an odd number of paths as the outlet pipe 530 is formed at the other second header tank 130.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example in which the second area A2 has two paths and the fourth area A4 has one path. In detail, a refrigerant introduced to the second condenser 400 through the inlet pipe 510 is cooled by an electronic component coolant (in the first area Al), introduced to the one second header tank 310 through the connection pipe 520 and moved to the other second header tank 310 through the second tube 320 in the (2-1)th area A2-1, and move to the one second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320 in the (2-2)th area A2-2 so as to be cooled by ambient air (in the second area A2), and a liquid refrigerant separated upon passing through the vapor-liquid separator 340 (in the third area A3) is moved to the second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320 so as to be supercooled (in the fourth area A4) and discharged through the outlet pipe 530.

FIG. 12 illustrates another example in which the second area A2 has four paths and the fourth area A4 has one path. The example illustrated in FIG. 12 is the same as the example illustrated in FIG. 11, except that the second area A2 has four paths including a (2-1)th area A2-1 in which a refrigerant is introduced to one second header tank 310 through the connection pipe 520 and moved to the other second header tank 310 through the second tube 320, a (2-2)th area A2-2 in which the refrigerant is moved to the one second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320, a (2-3)th area A2-3 in which the refrigerant is moved to the other second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320, and a (2-4)th area A2-4 in which the refrigerant is moved to the one second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320.

FIGS. 13 to 16 are views illustrating another flow of a refrigerant in the cooling module 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, FIG. 13 illustrates an example similar to the configuration illustrated in FIG. 11, but the second condenser 400 is provided within the upper first header tank 210 of the second radiator 200. Also, the inlet pipe 510 is connected to the left side of the second condenser 400, the connection pipe 520 is connected to the second header tank 310 of the first condenser 300 adjacent to the second condenser 400, and the outlet pipe 530 extends from a lower side of the second header tank 310 where vapor-liquid separator 340 is not formed.

Compared with the configuration illustrated in FIG. 11, the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 14 through 16 illustrates an example in which the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300 are provided at the mutually opposite sides. In detail, the inlet pipe 510 is connected to one side (right side in FIG. 14) of the second condenser 400 within a lower first header tank 210 of the second radiator positioned at the right side to transfer a refrigerant, the connection pipe 520 connects the other side of the second condenser 400 to the right second header tank 310 of the first condenser 300, and the outlet pipe 530 extends from a lower portion of the right second header tank 310 so as to be adjacent to the lower first header tank 210 of the second radiator 200. Here, a refrigerant passes through the first area Al to the fourth area A4, and the second area A2 includes (2-1)th area A2-1 in which a refrigerant is introduced to the right second header tank 310 of FIG. 14 through the connection pipe 520 and moved to the left second header tank 310 through the second tube 320, a (2-2)th area A2-2 in which the refrigerant is moved to the right second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320, and a (2-3)th area A2-3 in which the refrigerant is moved to the left second header tank 310 through the other second tube 320.

FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate an example having a configuration similar to that of FIG. 14, but the second condenser 400 is provided within the upper first header tank 210 of the second radiator 200. Also, the inlet pipe 510 is connected to the right side of the second condenser 400, and the connection pipe 520 is connected to the second header tank 310 of the first condenser 300 adjacent to the second condenser 400. Here, FIG. 15 illustrates an example in which the outlet pipe 530 extends to be adjacent to the lower first header tank 210, and FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which the outlet pipe 530 extends between the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300, and is bent and extends to be adjacent to the upper first header tank 210.

In FIGS. 11 through 16, flows within the inlet pipe 510, the connection pipe 520, and the outlet pipe 530 are indicated by the dotted lines. Various cooling modules 1000 illustrated in FIGS. 11 through 16 may be variously modified in the position where the second condenser 400 is provided, dispositions of the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300, and the number and positions of baffles formed within the first condenser 300 according to embodiments.

In the present invention, sizes of the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300 may be different. Here, the sizes of the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300 may be different according to the presence or absence of the second condenser 400.

In a case in which the second condenser 400 is provided within the second radiator 200, the second radiator 200 is configured to be larger than the first condenser 300, as in the embodiments described above. On the other hand, in a case in which the second condenser 400 is not provided within the second radiator 200, the first condenser 300 is configured to be equal to or larger than the second radiator 200. This is because the first condenser 300 needs to perform a function of the second condenser 400. An example in which the size of the first condenser 300 is larger than that of the second radiator 200 is illustrated in FIG. 17A. FIG. 17B illustrates a case in which a size of the first condenser 300 and a size of the second radiator 200 are substantially the same.

Even though the second radiator 200 and the first condenser 300 are different in sizes, refrigerant condensing performance of the cooling module 1000 is enhanced and a size thereof may be reduced.

In the above exemplary systems, although the methods have been described on the basis of the flowcharts using a series of the steps or blocks, the present invention is not limited to the sequence of the steps, and some of the steps may be performed at different sequences from the remaining steps or may be performed simultaneously with the remaining steps. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the steps shown in the flowcharts are not exclusive and may include other steps or one or more steps of the flowcharts may be deleted without affecting the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooling module comprising:

a first radiator;

a second radiator positioned in a first portion of a predetermined area downstream of the first radiator with respect to an air flow direction of the cooling module; and

a first condenser positioned in a second portion of the predetermined area, the first condenser configured to condense a refrigerant.

2. The cooling module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second condenser disposed within the second radiator, the second condenser configured to condense the refrigerant.

3. The cooling module of claim 2, wherein the second radiator comprises:

a pair of first header tanks, each of the pair of first header tanks including a header and a tank, the pair of first header tanks aligned in a first direction and spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the first direction;

a plurality of first tubes fixed to and extending between the pair of first header tanks, each of the plurality of first tubes forming an electronic component coolant flow channel; and

a plurality of first fins interposed between the plurality of first tubes.

4. The cooling module of claim 3, wherein the first direction is a height direction of the second radiator, and wherein the second condenser is disposed within a lower one of the pair of first header tanks with respect to the height direction of the second radiator.

5. The cooling module of claim 4, further comprising:

an inlet pipe configured to supply the refrigerant to the second condenser;

a connection pipe configured to supply the refrigerant from the second condenser to the first condenser; and

an outlet pipe configured to discharge the refrigerant from the first condenser.

6. The cooling module of claim 5, further comprising a vapor-liquid separator disposed adjacent one of the second radiator and the first condenser, wherein the connection pipe comprises:

a first pipe unit extending adjacent the lower one of the pair of first header tanks in a length direction of the second radiator; and

a second pipe unit extending outwardly from the first pipe unit in the height direction of the second radiator and a length direction of the vapor-liquid separator.

7. The cooling module of claim 5, wherein the connection pipe comprises:

a (1-1)th pipe unit extending from a lower end of the second radiator with respect to the height direction of the second radiator along an outer surface of the second radiator towards an upper end of the second radiator with respect to the height direction of the second radiator; and

a (2-1)th pipe unit extending outwardly from the (1-1)th pipe unit along an upper surface of the second radiator with respect to the height direction of the second radiator towards the first condenser.

8. The cooling module of claim 3, wherein the first condenser comprises:

a pair of second header tanks aligned in a second direction and spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the second direction;

a plurality of second tubes fixed to and extending between the pair of second header tanks to form a refrigerant flow path; and

a plurality of second fins interposed between the plurality of second tubes.

9. The cooling module of claim 8, further comprising a vapor-liquid separator disposed adjacent the pair of second header tanks.

10. The cooling module of claim 9, further comprising:

an inlet pipe configured to supply the refrigerant to the second condenser;

a connection pipe configured to supply the refrigerant from the second condenser to the first condenser; and

an outlet pipe configured to discharge the refrigerant from the first condenser, wherein the refrigerant introduced through the inlet pipe is conveyed to a first area of the cooling module in the second condenser and the refrigerant is condensed in the first area of the cooling module, wherein the refrigerant is conveyed from the second condenser to a second area of the cooling module in the first condenser through the connection pipe and the refrigerant is condensed in the second area of the cooling module, wherein the refrigerant is conveyed from the first condenser to a third area of the cooling module in the vapor-liquid separator and the vapor-liquid separator separates a liquid portion of the refrigerant from a vapor portion of the refrigerant, and wherein the refrigerant is conveyed from the vapor-liquid separator to a fourth area of the cooling module in the first condenser and the refrigerant is supercooled in the fourth area of the cooling module.

11. The cooling module of claim 1, wherein the first condenser has a length equal to a length of the second radiator.

12. The cooling module of claim 1, wherein the second radiator has a length greater than a length of the first condenser.

13. A cooling module comprising:

a first radiator configured to cool a fuel cell stack;

a second radiator positioned in a first portion of a predetermined area downstream of the first radiator with respect to an air flow direction of the cooling module, the second radiator configured to cool an electronic component; and

a first condenser positioned in a second portion of the predetermined area, the first condenser configured to condense a refrigerant, the first condenser aligned with the second radiator, the second radiator having a length one of greater than and equal to the first condenser.

14. The cooling module of claim 13, further comprising:

a second condenser disposed within the second radiator, the second condenser configured to condense the refrigerant.

15. The cooling module of claim 14, wherein the second radiator comprises:

a pair of first header tanks, each of the pair of first header tanks including a header and a tank, the pair of first header tanks aligned and spaced apart by a predetermined distance in a height direction of the second radiator, wherein the second condenser is disposed within a lower one of the pair of first header tanks with respect to the height direction of the second radiator;

a plurality of first tubes fixed to and extending between the pair of first header tanks, each of the plurality of first tubes forming an electronic component coolant flow channel; and

a plurality of first fins interposed between the plurality of first tubes.

16. The cooling module of claim 15, wherein the first condenser comprises:

a pair of second header tanks aligned and spaced apart by a predetermined distance in a length direction of the second radiator;

a plurality of second tubes fixed to and extending between the pair of second header tanks to form a refrigerant flow path; and

a plurality of second fins interposed between the plurality of second tubes.

17. The cooling module of claim 16, further comprising a vapor-liquid separator disposed intermediate the second radiator and the first condenser.

18. The cooling module of claim 17, further comprising a fan and shroud assembly, the first radiator disposed intermediate the fan and shroud assembly and the predetermined area.

19. A cooling module comprising:

a first radiator configured to cool a fuel cell stack;

a second radiator positioned in a first portion of a predetermined area downstream of the first radiator with respect to an air flow direction of the cooling module, the second radiator configured to cool an electronic component;

a first condenser positioned in a second portion of the predetermined area, the first condenser configured to condense a refrigerant, the first condenser aligned with the second radiator, the second radiator having a length one of greater than and equal to the first condenser; and

a second condenser disposed within the second radiator at a lower end of the second radiator with respect to a height direction of the second radiator.

20. The cooling module of claim 19, further comprising a vapor-liquid separator disposed intermediate the second radiator and the first condenser.