Plug bypass valves and heat exchangers

• US 20070158059A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
• Original Assignee: Dana Canada Corporation
• Inventors: Cheadle, Brian, Pineo, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/297
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/00 Heating, cooling, or controlling temperature of lubricant arrangement of lubricant coolers in engine cooling system F01P11/08; Lubrication means facilitating engine starting
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/005 Controlling temperature of lubricant
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/146 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2007/168 By varying the cooling capacity of a liquid-to-air heat-exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0333 the plates having integrated connecting members
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/05358 Assemblies of conduits connected side by side or with individual headers, e.g. section type radiators
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0089 Oil coolers heating or cooling lubricants in vehicles F01M5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/06 Derivation channels, e.g. bypass
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/02 for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/022 the sensing element being placed within a regulating fluid flow

Abstract

Bypass valves and heat exchangers employing same are shown where the bypass valves cause the flow through the heat exchangers to be short-circuited under certain temperature conditions. The heat exchangers are formed of stacked plate pairs or tubes having enlarged communicating distal end portions forming inlet and outlet manifolds. The bypass valves can be plugged in where desired between the enlarged distal end portions to produce bypass flow between the inlet and outlet manifolds. The bypass valves include a housing which can be brazed in place during brazing of the heat exchanger. The housing has inlet and outlet openings in communication with the respective inlet and outlet manifolds for bypass flow therebetween. A removable temperature responsive actuator is located in the housing for blocking and unblocking the bypass flow through the valve.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A bypass valve comprising:

a housing having a hollow plug portion with opposed plug walls, at least one of the plug walls defining an inlet or outlet opening in said at least one of the plug walls;

the bypass valve housing also having an actuator portion located adjacent to the plug portion, the actuator portion having means for preventing flow out of the actuator portion; and

an actuator releasably mounted in the actuator portion and having a reciprocating plunger extending axially into the plug portion, the inlet or outlet opening in said at least one of the plug walls being located transversely to said axially extending reciprocating plunger, the reciprocating plunger thereby blocking and unblocking transverse flow through said plug wall transversely located inlet or outlet opening.

22. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 21 wherein the actuator is a temperature responsive actuator having a central shaft mounted in the housing actuator portion and a reciprocating barrel portion forming said plunger.

23. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 22 wherein the actuator is a thermal motor adapted to extend axially upon being heated to a predetermined temperature and to retract upon being cooled below said predetermined temperature.

24. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 22 wherein the housing actuator portion includes a removable closure located remote from the plug portion, the actuator central shaft being attached to the removable closure.

25. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 23 and further comprising biasing means located in the housing for urging the actuator to retract and the plunger to unblock the flow through the bypass valve.

26. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 24 and further comprising biasing means located in the housing for urging the actuator to retract and the plunger to unblock the flow through the bypass valve.

27. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 21 wherein the housing plug portion opposed plug walls are flat, parallel side walls.

28. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 22 and further comprising a spring located in the housing actuator portion to urge the central shaft toward the housing plug portion.

29. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 24 and further comprising a spring located between the removable closure and the actuator central shaft to urge the actuator into the housing plug portion.

30. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 21 wherein the actuator includes a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the plunger, the shaft extending upon energization of the solenoid, so that the plunger blocks flow between the inlet and outlet openings, and further comprising bias means for urging the actuator shaft to retract upon de-energization of the solenoid.

31. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 30 and further comprising a temperature sensor electrically coupled to the solenoid for activation of the solenoid when the temperature of the fluid going to the heat exchanger reaches a pre-determined temperature.

32. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 31 wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor mounted on the plunger.

33. A bypass valve as claimed in claim 32 and further comprising an electrical control circuit mounted in the housing and electrically connected between the thermistor and the solenoid for controlling the movement of the plunger in accordance with the temperature sensed by the thermistor.

34. A heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of tubular members having spaced-apart wall portions defining flow openings in the wall portions for the flow of fluid through the tubular members;

a bypass valve including a housing having a hollow plug portion with opposed plug walls defining inlet and outlet openings in said plug walls;

said plug walls being sealingly mounted between selected ones of said spaced-apart wall portions to allow fluid flow between said plug wall inlet and outlet openings and respective flow openings in said selected ones of said spaced-apart wall portions;

the bypass valve housing also having an actuator portion located adjacent to the plug portion, the actuator portion having means for preventing flow out of the actuator portion; and

an actuator releasably mounted in the actuator portion and having a reciprocating plunger extending axially into the plug portion, at least one of the inlet and outlet openings in the plug walls being located transversely to said axially extending reciprocating plunger, the reciprocating plunger thereby blocking and unblocking transverse flow through said at least one of the plug wall transversely located inlet and outlet openings.

35. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 34 wherein the tubular members are formed of plate pairs having enlarged distal end portions joined together to form adjacent inlet and outlet manifolds, said selected ones of said spaced-apart wall portions being formed in the distal end portions of an adjacent plate pair from each manifold, so that fluid can flow between the inlet and outlet manifolds when the flow through the bypass valve is unblocked.

36. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 34 wherein the actuator is a temperature responsive actuator having a central shaft mounted in the housing actuator portion and a reciprocating barrel portion forming said plunger.

37. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 36 wherein the actuator is a thermal motor adapted to extend axially upon being heated to a predetermined temperature and to retract upon being cooled below said predetermined temperature.

38. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 34 wherein the actuator includes a solenoid having a central actuator shaft attached to the plunger the shaft extending upon energization of the solenoid, so that the plunger blocks flow between the inlet and outlet openings, and further comprising bias means for urging the actuator shaft to retract upon de-energization of the solenoid.

39. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 38 and further comprising a temperature sensor electrically coupled to the solenoid for activation of the solenoid when the temperature of the fluid going to the heat exchanger reaches a pre-determined temperature.