Heat exchange – Flow passages for two confined fluids – Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-12
2002-07-23
Bennett, Henry (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Flow passages for two confined fluids
Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
C165S916000, C123S1960AB, C210S184000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06422305
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid cooling system, especially one which is suitable for cooling the lubricating oil of an internal combustion engine.
German Patent Application No. DE 296 22 191 discloses a plate-type heat exchanger which is comprised of a plurality of heat exchanger plates. The heat exchanger plates are formed by stacked deep-drawn troughs each having a circumferential marginal rim. The flow troughs have extensions on which surfaces of adjacent troughs are sealingly supported. In the area of temporary extensions which connect the troughs alternately to one another, openings are formed fore the heat-exchanging media. Turbulence vanes are placed in the troughs in contact on both sides with the stacked heat exchanger plates through tabs which are disposed in mutually offset rows, formed between parallel slots, and bent out of the plane of the plates in an undulating manner. The heat exchanger plates have openings associated with one another in pairs for the heat-exchanging media. The openings are arranged such that they are situated in the area of the extensions. Since the openings are smaller than the extensions, a sealing separation of the heat-exchanging media from one another is achieved.
By arranging the openings for the passage of the medium to be cooled and the openings for the cooling medium in the plates of the cooler, the effective heat exchange area of the plate heat exchanger is reduced. In order, however, to achieve good efficiency in the plate heat exchanger, the size of the plate heat exchanger is increased, so that it becomes bulkier. Since the openings must not have less than a minimum diameter for Theological reasons, the arrangement of the openings in the plates of the cooler determines the minimum size of the plate heat exchanger.
It is known that cooling elements can be built into a housing, and that connections for the coolant must be separate from the connections of the medium to be cooled, so as to cause no mixing of the two media with one another. For this purpose the connections of the two media are spatially separated and displaced from each other, and usually are contained in different components. In other embodiments of connections, the connections are passed through the housing and affixed with nuts.
These designs, however, are complicated to assemble, since the connections must be individually attached and connected. Furthermore, additional lines are needed, which require space and are considerably difficult to assemble. Despite the efforts of the prior art, there has remained a need for a liquid cooling system which requires little space and which can be assembled quickly and easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a liquid cooling system which is compact and requires little space for installation.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a liquid cooling system which can be assembled easily and quickly.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved in accordance with the present invention by providing a liquid cooling system comprising a housing defining an interior volume, a housing cover for closing the housing, and a liquid cooler disposed in the interior volume; the housing having at least one inlet for liquid to be cooled opening into the housing interior volume, at least one outlet for cooled liquid, at least one coolant inlet, and at least one coolant outlet; the liquid cooler being comprised of stacked cooler plates each forming a liquid space and a coolant space sealingly separated from one another, a return passage for the cooled liquid arranged in the liquid cooler such that it passes through all cooling plates; each liquid space having an opening in fluid communication with the inlet for liquid to be cooled and another opening in fluid communication with the outlet for cooled liquid, and the coolant spaces being in fluid communication through respective openings in a bottom plate of the liquid cooler with the coolant inlet and with the coolant outlet; wherein the bottom plate of the liquid cooler sealingly contacts the housing such that an inner area space and an outer area space completely surrounding the inner area are formed between the bottom plate and the housing and are separated from the housing interior volume; the inner area space connecting the return passage to the outlet for cooled liquid, and the outer area space connecting the coolant spaces to the coolant inlet and to the coolant outlet.
The liquid cooling system of the invention is advantageously suitable for cooling liquids such as water, oil or gasoline, and at the same time it requires little space for installation. Furthermore, the liquid cooling system of the invention can be assembled easily and quickly. For this purpose the liquid cooling system has a housing comprising a housing volume. The housing has at least one liquid inlet, one liquid outlet, a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet. These inlets and outlets can have any desired shape, such as round, oval, kidney-shaped, square, rectangular or polygonal. Also, they can vary in shape between the inlet and outlet, as for example round to oval or angular to round. They are connected to the respective lines of the corresponding circuits. Liquids, such as oil or water, for example, can be used, optionally containing additives. The housing can be an independent component into which only components of the liquid cooling system are integrated, or it also can be formed by other components. In this regard, it is possible for the housing to be formed as part of some other component of an internal combustion engine. Another variant for the construction of the housing it to configure a liquid tank, especially an oil pan, such that the housing functions are fulfilled.
The liquid cooling system furthermore comprises a housing cover and a liquid cooler. The housing cover is designed so that it can be sealingly attached to the housing. For this purpose the cover can. be fastened to the housing, for example, with screws, clips, or a bayonet lock. The housing cover, however, can also contain a screw thread which is screwed into the housing. If the housing is formed of other components as described above, the cover is sealingly joined to that component. The liquid cooler is constructed as a cooling module and is formed by individual cooler plates which are stacked and sealingly joined to one another. For example, the cooler plates can be soldered or adhesively bonded to one another. A liquid space is sealingly separated from a coolant space by the assembled cooler plates. Since a plurality of cooler plates are stacked one on top of another, a coolant space and a liquid space alternate with one another. These spaces are sealingly separated from one another so that no mixing of the coolant from the coolant space with liquid from the liquid space can occur. Furthermore, the liquid space has openings which allow the liquid to flow into and out of the liquid space. These openings communicate with the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, but no separate component is provided for connecting the openings with the inlets and outlets. The liquid cooling system has only one connection route from the liquid inlet to the openings and from the openings to the liquid outlet. This connection route is defined by components already present, such as the housing with the liquid cooler.
The coolant space has openings in a bottom plate, which communicate with the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet through an intermediate space. The intermediate space, which is formed by the housing and the bottom plate, is subdivided into an inner area and an outer area. The outer area completely surrounds the inner area. These areas are sealed from one another and from the housing volume, so that the coolant can pass only from the bottom plate into the coolant inlet and out of it and not mix with the liquid to be cooled. If desired, gaskets may be used. Appropriate means are provided to prevent the coolant from passing directly from the coolant inlet t
Bennett Henry
Filterwerk Mann & Hummel GmbH
McKinnon Terrell
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