EP0869325A2

EP0869325A2 - In-line integrated heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: EP0869325A2
Application number: EP98301908A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kunihiko Zexel Corp. Konan Factory Nishishita
Original assignee: Zexel Corp
Current assignee: Valeo Thermal Systems Japan Corp; T Rad Co Ltd
Priority date: 1997-03-31
Filing date: 1998-03-13
Publication date: 1998-10-07
Also published as: JPH10281692A; CN1195104A; EP0869325A3

Abstract

In order to reduce the extent to which the heat at the individual heat exchangers (2,7) that are provided in line with each other as an integrated unit (1) affects the other to prevent any reduction in the overall performance, in an in-line integrated heat exchanger (1) having a first heat exchanger (2) and a second heat exchanger (7) that are to fulfill different purposes provided in line with each other, at least either the inflow (6a) or the outflow ports (6b) in the two heat exchangers (2,7) are provided at a common position. This achieves almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions of the two heat exchangers (2,7).

Description

The present invention relates to an in-line integrated heat exchanger in which heat exchangers such as a radiator, a condenser, an intercooler and the like are provided in line with one another as an integrated unit.

In the prior art, a radiator for cooling the coolant for the engine of an automobile and a condenser for the cabin air conditioner are manufactured separately and then the condenser is installed in the engine compartment at the front in the direction of advance of the vehicle, in close proximity to and in front of the radiator in the direction in which the vehicle advances.

Since they are manufactured separately and installed in close proximity to each other within the limited space in the engine compartment, there is a problem in that their production and installation become complicated.

Thus, a dual integrated heat exchanger, such as the one disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H 1-247990, featuring an integrated structure in which different types of heat exchangers, such as a condenser and a radiator fulfilling different purposes, are formed as an integrated unit sharing common fins, have been developed. Through such a dual integrated heat exchanger, since the two heat exchangers are integrated, the distance between the two heat exchangers is eliminated, to achieve space saving and, since the two heat exchangers can be installed at once as a single installation, the installation work is simplified.

However, in in-line integrated heat exchangers typified by the one disclosed in the publication above, since the temperatures of the heat exchanging media flowing in the individual heat exchangers vary, due to the different purposes that the heat exchangers are to fulfill, the temperature of the heat radiated from one heat exchanger may affect another heat exchanger and, in the worst situation, the other heat exchanger may become reheated. This may be caused by the heat exchanging media in the two heat exchangers flowing in opposite directions from each other. For instance, if the two heat exchangers are installed in such a manner that a portion of the heat exchanger where the quantity of heat radiated is large, e.g., the vicinity of the intake, is positioned at the front and a portion of the heat exchanger where the quantity of heat radiated is small, e.g., the vicinity of the outlet, is positioned to the rear, in close proximity to each other, the heat exchanging medium at a low temperature in the vicinity of the outlet of the rear heat exchanger may become reheated by the heat radiated by the heat exchanger positioned at the front, resulting in a problem in that the temperature of the heat exchanging medium which should be low, increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an in-line integrated heat exchanger in which the extent to which the heat at the individual heat exchangers affects other heat exchangers is minimized to ensure that performance does not become degraded.

Thus, in the in-line integrated heat exchanger according to the present invention, which is provided with a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger which are to fulfill different purposes positioned in line with each other relative to the direction of the airflow, a means for consistent temperature distribution that achieves almost equal temperature distribution in the first and second heat exchangers is provided. More specifically, this means is achieved by providing the inflow ports, the outflow ports or an inflow port and an outflow port of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger at almost common positions.

As a result, with at least either the inflow ports or the outflow ports provided at a common position, the heat exchanging media in the two heat exchangers flow in the same direction, thereby achieving almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions in the two heat exchangers and reducing the extent to which their heat affects the other.

In addition, the heat exchanging media can be made to flow in the same direction in first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.

Since the directions in which the heat exchanging media flow in the two heat exchangers are the same, almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions of the two heat exchangers are achieved as in the case described above, thereby lessening the degree to which their heat affects the other.

The above and other features of the invention and the concomitant advantages will be better understood and appreciated by persons skilled in the field to which the invention pertains in view of the following description given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the in-line integrated heat exchanger in a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the above;

FIG. 3 is an exploded front view of the above, with FIG. 3a illustrating the first heat exchanger and FIG. 3b illustrating the second heat exchanger;

FIG. 4 presents a second embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 4a showing a front view of the first heat exchanger and FIG. 4b showing a front view of the second heat exchanger;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a third embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 5a showing a front view of the first heat exchanger and FIG. 5b showing a front view of the second heat exchanger;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 6a showing a front view of the first heat exchanger and FIG. 6b showing a front view of the second heat exchanger;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of another example of an in-line integrated heat exchanger in which the present invention may be adopted; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective of yet another example of an in-line integrated heat exchanger in which the present invention may be adopted.

The following is an explanation of preferred embodiments of the present invention in reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention. This in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 is constituted by providing a first heat exchanger 2 and a second heat exchanger 7 in line with each other in the direction of the airflow.

The first heat exchanger 2 may be employed as a condenser in, for instance, the refrigeration cycle in an air conditioning system for vehicles, and is provided with

tanks

3a and 3b provided parallel to each other and a plurality of flat tube elements 4 each having a heat exchanging medium passage 5 inside provided parallel to one another alternately with fins 12 between the

tanks

3a and 3b to communicate between the

tanks

3a and 3b. The

tanks

3a and 3b are respectively provided with an inflow port 6a and an outflow port 6b through which heat exchanging medium flows in and out.

In the first heat exchanger 2 in the first embodiment, the

tanks

3a and 3b are partitioned at specific positions, as illustrated in FIG. 3A, to constitute three heat exchanging medium passage groups so that the heat exchanging medium is allowed to sequentially flow from the group where the inflow port 6a is located toward the group where the outflow port 6b is located. Thus, in the first heat exchanger 2, the temperature in the upper right portion in FIG. 3A, i.e., in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a is high, whereas the temperature in the lower left portion in FIG. 3A, i.e., in the vicinity of the outflow port 6b, is low.

The second heat exchanger 7 in the first embodiment, may be, for instance, a radiator for engine cooling water, having a structure identical to that of the first heat exchanger 2, i.e.,

tanks

8a and 8b provided parallel to each other and a plurality of flat tube elements 9 each having a linear heat exchanging medium passage 10 inside communicating between the

tanks

8a and 8b provided parallel to one another between

tanks

8a and 8b. An inflow port 11a and outflow port 11b through which heat exchanging medium flows in and out are provided at the

tanks

8a and 8b respectively. It is to be noted that the second heat exchanger 7 is a one-pass heat exchanger, in which the heat exchanging medium flows from the upper portion toward the lower portion as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3B. Thus, in the second heat exchanger 7, too, the temperature in the upper right portion in FIG. 3B, i.e., in the vicinity of the inflow port 11a is high, whereas the temperature in the lower left portion in FIG. 3B, i.e., in the vicinity of the outflow port 11b, is low.

Common corrugated fins 12 are provided extending between the

tube elements

4 and 4 in the first heat exchanger 2 and between the

tube elements

9 and 9 in the second heat exchanger 7. In addition, two brackets 14 are provided at the upper portion of the first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 7, each having a punched hole 15 for securing to a mounting member.

In the case of the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 structured as described above, after an assembled body is formed by assembling, as appropriate, the

tanks

3a and 3b and 8a and 8b, the

tube elements

4 and 9 and the fins 12, the assembly is brazed in a furnace to achieve the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. Then, by securing the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 with the brackets 14 screwed, the first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 7 are secured to the body or the like of an automobile at the same time.

Thus, the inflow port 6a of the first heat exchanger 2 and the inflow port 11a of the second heat exchanger 7 are provided at a common position, i.e., in the upper right portion in the figures, and the outflow port 6b of the first heat exchanger 2 and the outflow port 11b of the second heat exchanger 7, too, are provided at a common position, i.e., in the lower left portion in the figures. The common positions as referred to in this context do not necessarily mean that the

inflow ports

6a and 11a and the

outflow ports

6b and 11b are provided at exactly the same positions and they may be provided at the same side but at positions offset by 10mm or 30mm, for instance, with respect to their distances from the end portions.

Consequently, the temperatures of the heat exchanging media are high at the

inflow ports

6a and 11a in both of the heat exchangers and the temperatures of the heat exchanging media are low at the

outflow ports

6b and 11b in both of the heat exchangers, reducing the extent to which the heat at the individual heat exchangers affects the other, to prevent any loss of heat exchanging efficiency. In other words, almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions of the two heat exchangers are achieved.

It is to be noted that it is desirable to set the distance between the two heat exchangers in the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 at 10mm or less to achieve space saving and to assure sufficient strength for the in-line integrated heat exchanger itself. In addition, since the fins 12 are commonly used in the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 in this embodiment, it is desirable to provide a means for preventing heat conduction through them, such as a notch or an area of reduced thickness in the middle portions of the fins 12 located between the heat exchangers. It is also to be noted that in the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention, fins may be commonly used or they may be provided separately.

A condenser 2 constituting the first heat exchanger in the second embodiment has a four-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 4A with the

tanks

3a and 3b partitioned at specific positions. Its inflow port 6a and outflow port 6b are provided at the lower tank 3b. Thus, the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a (the lower right portion in the figure) and at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 6b (the lower left portion in the figure).

A radiator 7 constituting the second heat exchanger in the second embodiment has a one-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 4B, with its inflow port 11a provided at the upper tank 8a and its outflow port 11b provided at the lower tank 8b. This achieves a state in which the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 11a (the upper right portion in the figure) and is at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 11b (the lower left portion in the figure).

Consequently, since the

outflow ports

6b and 11b are provided at a common position in the second embodiment, the degree to which the heat at one heat exchanger affects the other is reduced particularly at the side where the

outflow ports

6b and 11b are provided.

A condenser 2 constituting the first heat exchanger in the third embodiment has a two-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5A and its inflow port 6a and outflow port 6b are provided at the upper tank 3a. Thus, the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a (the upper right portion in the figure) and at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 6b (the upper left portion in the figure).

A radiator constituting the second heat exchanger 7 in the third embodiment has a one-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5B, with its inflow port 11a provided at the upper tank 8a and its outflow port 11b provided at the lower tank 8b. This achieves a state in which the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 11a (the upper right portion in the figure) and is at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 11b (the lower left portion in the figure).

Consequently, since the inflow port 6b and inflow port 11b provided in t first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 7 are provided at a common position in the third embodiment, the degree to which the heat at one heat exchanger affects the other is reduced particularly at the side where the

inflow ports

6b and 11b are provided.

A condenser 2 constituting the first heat exchanger in the fourth embodiment has a four-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6A. Its inflow port 6a and outflow port 6b are provided at the lower tank 3b. Thus, while the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a (the lower right portion in the figure) and at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 6b (the lower left portion in the figure), the temperature is higher at the right side in the figure and is lower at the left side in the figure for the entire heat exchanger.

A radiator 7 constituting the second heat exchanger in the fourth embodiment has a two-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6B, with its inflow port 11a and outflow port 11b both provided at the upper tank 8a. While this achieves a state in which the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 11a (the upper right portion in the figure) and is at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 11b (the upper left portion in the figure), the temperature is higher at the right side in the figure and is lower toward the left side in the figure for the entire heat exchanger.

Thus, while the inflow /

outflow ports

6a and 6b of the first heat exchanger 2 and the inflow /

outflow ports

11a and 11b of the second heat exchanger 7 are aligned in a reverse configuration instead of in the same configuration, since the heat exchanging media in both of the

heat exchangers

2 and 7 flow from the right side toward the left side in the figures, the extent to which the heat at one heat exchanger affects the other can be reduced. In other words, almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions at the two heat exchangers are achieved.

Furthermore, a condenser 2 constituting the first heat exchanger in the fifth embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 has a five-pass structure in which the heat exchanging medium flows as indicated by the arrows, and unlike the heat exchangers described earlier, this first heat exchanger 2 is provided with

tanks

3a and 3b positioned parallel with each other in the longitudinal direction, with its inflow port 6a formed at the upper portion of the tank 3a and its outflow port 6b provided at the lower portion of the tank 3b. This achieves a state in which the temperature is at the highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a (the upper left portion in the figure) and at the lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 6b (the lower right portion in the figure).

In a radiator 7 constituting the second heat exchanger in the fifth embodiment, its inflow port 11a is provided in the vicinity of the inflow port 6a, with the heat exchanging medium flowing into its tank 8a from the direction perpendicular to the inflow port 6a, and its outflow port 11b is provided at the lower portion of the tank 8b with the heat exchanging medium flowing out in the direction perpendicular to the outflow port 6b. Thus, the temperature at the second heat exchanger 7 is at its highest in the vicinity of the inflow port 11a (the upper left portion in the figure) and at its lowest in the vicinity of the outflow port 11b (the lower right portion in the figure). Furthermore, in both the first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 7, the temperatures are higher in the upper portions of the heat exchangers and lower in the lower portions of the heat exchangers.

Consequently, in the fifth embodiment, since the

inflow ports

6a and 11a and the

outflow ports

6b and 11b are provided at common positions, and the overall heat distributions in the heat exchangers themselves are identical, the extent to which the heat at one heat exchanger affects the other is reduced.

It is to be noted that while the explanation has been given on an assumption in regard to the structure of the in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 that independent sets of

tube elements

4 and 9 are provided at the

heat exchangers

2 and 7 respectively, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the present invention is not limited to this structure.

Namely, all of the preferred embodiments of the present invention can be adopted in an in-line integrated heat exchanger 1 in which the first heat exchanger 2 and the second heat exchanger 7 are provided as an integrated unit as illustrated in FIG. 8 by, for instance, providing tube elements 18, each having

tubular portions

19 and 20 that are independent of each other and

distended tanks

21 and 22 communicating with the two sides of the

tubular portions

19 and 20 respectively, laminating the tube elements 18 alternately with fins 12 over a plurality of levels, providing an inflow port 13a and an outflow port 13b through which heat exchanging medium is to flow in and flow out at the tanks 21 of the tube elements 18 located at the two sides in the direction of the lamination and, in the same manner, providing an inflow port 24a and an outflow port 24b through which heat exchanging medium is to flow in and flow out at the tanks 22. It also goes without saying that all aspects of the present invention may be adopted in other in-line integrated heat exchangers.

As has been explained, according to the present invention, almost identical heat distribution variations among the individual portions in the two heat exchangers are achieved by providing at least either the inflow port or the outflow port in the individual heat exchangers in the in-line integrated heat exchanger at a common position or by causing the heat exchanging media to flow in the same direction, thereby reducing the extent to which the heat at one heat exchanger affects the other.

Claims

An in-line integrated heat exchanger comprising:
a first heat exchanger (2) and a second heat exchanger (7) provided in line with each other over a specific distance in a direction of airflow, with:

said first heat exchanger (2) constituted of a pair of tanks (3a, 3b), a plurality of tube elements (9) communicating between said pair of tanks (3a, 3b) and a plurality of fins (12) alternately provided between said tube elements (9), and is further provided with an inflow port (6a) through which a heat exchanging medium flows in and an outflow port (6b) through which said heat exchanging medium flows out;

said second heat exchanger (7) is constituted of a pair of tanks (8a, 8b), a plurality of tube elements (9) communicating between said pair of tanks (8a, 8b) and a plurality of fins (12) alternately provided between said tube elements, and is further provided with an inflow port (11a) through which a heat exchanging medium flows in and an outflow port (11b) through which heat exchanging medium flows out;

a means for holding (14) that secures said first heat exchanger (2) and said second heat exchanger (7) together is provided, characterized in that;

a means for consistent temperature distribution that achieves almost identical temperature distribution in said first heat exchanger (2) and said second heat exchanger (7) is provided.
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that:

said fins (12) in said first heat exchanger (2) and said fins (12) in said second heat exchanger (7) are integrated.
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

said means for consistent temperature distribution is achieved by providing said inflow port (6a) of said first heat exchanger (2) and said inflow port (11a) of said second heat exchanger (7) in close proximity to each other.
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

said means for consistent temperature distribution is achieved by providing said outflow port (6b) of said first heat exchanger (2) and said outflow port (11b) of said second heat exchanger (7) in close proximity to each other.
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

said means for consistent temperature distribution is achieved by providing said inflow port (6a) of said first heat exchanger(2) in close proximity to said inflow port (11a) of said second heat exchanger (7), and providing said outflow port (6b) of said first heat exchanger (2) in close proximity to said outflow port (11b) of said second heat exchanger (7).
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that:

said means for consistent temperature distribution is achieved by causing the heat exchanging media in said first heat exchanger(2) and said second heat exchanger (7) in which flow in the same directions overall.
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 3, characterized in that:

one tank (3a) in said first heat exchanger (2) is divided into one side and another side and the other tank (3b) is in communication throughout, with said inflow port (6a) provided at said one side of said one tank (3a) and said outflow port (6b) provided at said another side of said one tank (3a), to constitute a two-pass structure for said first heat exchanger (2); and

said inflow port (11a) is provided at one side of one tank (8a) in said second heat exchanger (7) and said outflow port (11b) is provided at another side in the other tank (8b), to constitute a one-pass structure for said second heat exchanger (7).
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 4, characterized in that:

one of said tanks (3a) in said first heat exchanger (2) is divided into two portions and the other tank (3b) is divided into three portions with said inflow port (6a) provided at a position at one end of said other tank (3b) and said outflow port (6b) provided at a position at another end of said other tank (3b) to constitute a four-pass structure for said first heat exchanger; and

said inflow port (11a) is provided at one side of one tank (8a) in said second heat exchanger (7) and said outflow port (11b) is provided at another side in the other tank (8b), to constitute a one-pass structure for said second heat exchanger (7).
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that:

one tank (3a) in said first heat exchanger (2) is divided into two portions and the other tank (3b) is also divided into two portions, with said inflow port (6a) provided at a position at one end of said one tank (3a) and said outflow port (6b) provided at a position at another end of said other tank (3b), to constitute a three-pass structure for said first heat exchanger (2) and

said inflow port (11a) is provided at one side of one tank (8a) in said second heat exchanger (7) and said outflow port (11b) is provided at another side in the other tank (8b), to constitute a one-pass structure for said second heat exchanger (7).
An in-line integrated heat exchanger according to claim 6, characterized in that:

one tank (3a) in said first heat exchanger (2) is divided into two portions and the other tank (3b) is divided into three portions with said inflow port (6a) provided at a position at one end of said other tank (3b) and said outflow port (6b) provided at a position at another end of said other tank (3b) to constitute a four-pass structure for said first heat exchanger (2); and

one tank (8a) in said second heat exchanger (7) is divided into two portions and the other tank (8b) is made to communicate throughout, with said inflow port (11a) provided at one side of said one tank (8a) and said outflow port (11b) provided at another side of said one tank (8a) to achieve a two-pass structure for said second heat exchanger (7).