HEAT EXCHANGER FOR VEHICLE

• US 20140116649A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 05/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: CHO, Wan Je, KIM, Jae Yeon, PARK, Soo Yong
• Granted Patent: US 9,656,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00271 HVAC devices specially adapted for particular vehicle parts or components and being connected to the vehicle HVAC unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00342 of the liquid-liquid type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/022 to adjust the fuel pressure, temperature or composition
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0212 comprising at least 3 C-Atoms, e.g. liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], propane or butane
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 21/0287 characterised by the transition from liquid to gaseous phase F02M21/06 takes precedence; Injection in liquid phase; Cooling and low temperature storage
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/20 for cooling F02M31/005 takes precedence; use of cold F02M17/52; cooling of charging-air or of scavenging-air F02B29/04
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0087 Fuel coolers apparatus for cooling fuel on vehicles F02M31/20
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/005 the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0093 Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2280/04 Means for preventing wrong assembling of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2280/06 Adapter frames, e.g. for mounting heat exchanger cores on other structure and for allowing fluidic connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A heat exchanger apparatus for a vehicle may include a heat exchanging unit including one or more plate units in which two or more plates are stacked to form different connection channels and exchanging heat with each other while different operating fluids pass through the respective connection channels in the heat exchanging unit, an upper cover mounted on one side of the heat exchanging unit, and including a plurality of inlets that introduce each operating fluid into the heat exchanging unit and are interconnected with the respective connection channels, and a lower cover mounted on the other side of the heat exchanging unit, and including a plurality of outlets that are interconnected with the respective connection channels so as to discharge the each operating fluid passing through the heat exchanging unit.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a heat exchanging unit including one or more plate units in which two or more plates are stacked to form different connection channels and exchanging heat with each other while different operating fluids pass through the respective connection channels in the heat exchanging unit;

an upper cover mounted on one side of the heat exchanging unit, and including a plurality of inlets that introduce each operating fluid into the heat exchanging unit and are interconnected with the respective connection channels; and

a lower cover mounted on the other side of the heat exchanging unit, and including a plurality of outlets that are interconnected with the respective connection channels so as to discharge the each operating fluid passing through the heat exchanging unit.

2. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plate unit includes,

a first plate coupled with being stacked on the upper cover below the upper cover, and including a first connection channel formed between the first plate and the upper cover and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets;

a second plate coupled with being stacked on the first plate below the first plate, and including a second connection channel formed between the second plate and the first plate and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets; and

a third plate coupled with being stacked on the second plate below the second plate, and including a third connection channel formed between the third plate and the second plate and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets.

3. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 2,

wherein the plurality of inlets includes first, second, and third inlets respectively spaced from each other in a length direction of the upper cover and connected with the first, second, and third connection channels through the respective connection holes, and

wherein the plurality of outlets includes first, second, and third outlets respectively spaced from each other on the lower cover to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets, and connected with the first, second, and third inlets through the first, second, and third connection channels and the respective connection holes.

4. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 3,

wherein in the first plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets, and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein in the second plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets, and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively, and

wherein in the third plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets, and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein inner peripheries of the second and third connection holes of the first plate protrude upward and an inner periphery of the first connection hole thereof protrudes downward,

wherein an inner periphery of the third connection hole of the second plate protrudes upward and an inner periphery of the second connection hole thereof protrudes downward,

wherein an inner periphery of the first connection hole of the third plate protrudes upward, and

wherein airtightness of inner peripheries of the respective connection holes is maintained so as to prevent the each operating fluid that flows in the respective connection channels from being mixed.

5. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 3, wherein the first inlet is formed at one side in a width direction at the center of the upper cover, and the first outlet is formed at a diagonal corresponding position from the first inlet of the lower cover.

6. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 3, wherein the second inlet is formed at one side of the upper cover, and the second outlet is formed at a diagonal corresponding position of the lower cover.

7. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 3, wherein the third inlet is formed at one side of the upper cover, and the third outlet is formed at a diagonal corresponding position from the third inlet of the lower cover.

8. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 4, wherein the each operating fluid includes:

medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant supplied from a condenser of an air-conditioning system, introduced through the first inlet to pass through the first connection holes and the first connection channels of the respective plates and thereafter, discharged through the first outlets;

low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant supplied from an evaporator, introduced through the second inlet to pass through the second connection holes and the second connection channels of the respective plates and thereafter, discharged through the second outlets; and

LPG fuel returned to a bombe from an engine of an LPI vehicle, introduced through the third inlet to pass through the third connection holes and the third connection channels of the respective plates and thereafter, discharged through the third outlet.

9. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 8,

wherein the medium-temperature and high-pressure liquid refrigerant and the LPG fuel flow in the same direction on the first connection channels and the third connection channels, respectively, and

wherein the low-temperature and low-pressure gas refrigerant flows in a direction different from the liquid refrigerant and the LPG fuel in the second connection channels.

10. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 8, wherein the first outlet is connected with an expansion valve, the second outlet is connected with a compressor, and the third outlet is connected with the bombe in which the LPG fuel is returned and stored.

11. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 2, wherein in the first, second, and third plates, first, second, and third verification grooves are formed at sides of the respective plates to verify that the respective plates are sequentially assembled when the respective plates are stacked and coupled with each other.

12. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 11, wherein the respective verification grooves have different numbers.

13. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging unit is formed by a plate type in which a plurality of plate units are stacked.

14. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 1, wherein the plate unit includes

a first plate coupled with being stacked on the upper cover below the upper cover, and including a first connection channel formed between the first plate and the upper cover and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets, respectively;

a second plate coupled with being stacked on the first plate below the first plate, and including a second connection channel formed between the second plate and the first plate and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets, respectively; and

a third plate coupled with being stacked on the second plate below the second plate, and including a third connection channel formed between the third plate and the second plate, and a plurality of connection holes formed to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets, respectively; and

a fourth plate coupled with being stacked on the third plate below the third plate, and including the second connection channel between the fourth plate and the third plate and a plurality of connection holes formed on the fourth plate to correspond to the respective inlets and the respective outlets, respectively.

15. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 14,

wherein the plurality of inlets includes first, second, and third inlets respectively spaced from each other in a length direction of the upper cover and connected with the first, second, and third connection channels through the respective connection holes, and

wherein the plurality of outlets includes first, second, and third outlets respectively spaced from each other on the lower cover to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets, and including first, second, and third outlets connected with the first, second, and third inlets through the first, second, and third connection channels and the respective connection holes.

16. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 15,

wherein in the first plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein in the second plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein in the third plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein in the fourth plate, first, second, and third connection holes are formed to correspond to the first, second, and third inlets and the first, second, and third outlets, respectively,

wherein inner peripheries of the second and third connection holes of the first plate protrude upward and an inner periphery of the first connection hole thereof protrudes downward,

wherein an inner periphery of the third connection hole of the second plate protrudes upward and an inner periphery of the second connection hole thereof protrudes downward,

wherein an inner periphery of the first connection hole of the third plate protrudes upward and an inner periphery of the third connection hole thereof protrudes downward,

wherein an inner periphery of the first connection hole of the fourth plate protrudes upward, and

wherein airtightness of inner peripheries of the respective connection holes is maintained so as to prevent each operating fluid that flows in the respective connection channels from being mixed.

17. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 14, wherein in the first, second, third, and fourth plates, first, second, third, and fourth verification grooves are formed at sides of the respective plates to verify that the respective plates are sequentially assembled when the respective plates are stacked and coupled with each other.

18. The heat exchanger apparatus for the vehicle of claim 17, wherein the respective verification grooves have different numbers.