Box-like cooling system

• US 7,028,751 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Modine Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Zobel, Werner, Soldner, Jörg, Reichler, Mark, Knecht, Wolfgang, Fischer, Daniela
• Primary Examiner(s): CIRIC, LJILJANA V
• Application Number:
  US10/132,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20020189786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 165/41, 165/42, 165/43, 165/44, 165/51, 165/121
• US Class Current: 165/42
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 11/10 Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/182 with multiple heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 3/18 Arrangements or mounting of liquid-to-air heat-exchangers such arrangements on cylinders or cylinder heads F01P3/04; relative to vehicles B60K11/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0431 Details or means to guide the ambient air to the heat exchanger, e.g. having a fan, flaps, a bypass or a special location in the engine compartment
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0462 Liquid cooled heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 29/0475 the intake air cooler being combined with another device, e.g. heater, valve, compressor, filter or EGR cooler, or being assembled on a special engine location
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0426 with units having particular arrangement relative to the large body of fluid, e.g. with interleaved units or with adjacent heat exchange units in common air flow or with units extending at an angle to each other or with units arranged around a central element
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0082 Charged air coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0094 for recooling the engine coolant
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A cooling system includes a radial fan rotatable by an axis to deliver radial air flow to the cooling system, a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan in a box-like configuration to receive the radial air flow therefrom, with the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system. One of the heat exchangers is provided in the form of a charge air cooler that includes a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle. The cooling system further includes a surface associated with the charge air cooler to substantially block the radial air flow from exiting the interior space through the charge air cooler.

Claims

1. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle;

a surface located relative to the fan and the charge air cooler to block the radial air flow from exiting the interior space through the charge air cooler; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers is a radiator for the engine coolant and includes a coolant outlet connected to a coolant inlet of the charge air cooler to direct the engine coolant to the second flow path.

2. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle;

a surface located relative to the fan and the charge air cooler to block the radial air flow from exiting the interior space through the charge air cooler; and

further comprising a wall and wherein the surface is defined at least in part by the wall located between the charge air cooler and the fan.

3. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle;

a surface located relative to the fan and the charge air cooler to block the radial air flow from exiting the interior space through the charge air cooler;

a front face to receive an axial air flow to the radial fan;

a rear wall located opposite the front face to close an opening bounded by the plurality of heat exchangers; and

an additional heat exchanger arranged in the rear wall.

4. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle; and

a surface positioned in the cooling system to redirect the radial air flow that would otherwise exit through the charge air cooler to exit through other heat exchangers of said plurality of heat exchangers wherein at least one of the plurality of heat exchangers is a radiator for the engine coolant and includes a coolant outlet connected to a coolant inlet of the charge air cooler to direct the engine coolant to the second flow path.

5. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle; and

a surface positioned in the cooling system to redirect the radial air flow that would otherwise exit through the charge air cooler to exit through other heat exchangers of said plurality of heat exchangers further comprising a wall and wherein the surface is defined at least in part by the wall located between the charge air cooler and the fan.

6. A cooling system for a vehicle, the cooling system comprising:

a radial fan rotatable about an axis to deliver a radial air flow to the cooling system;

a plurality of heat exchangers spaced radially from the fan and arranged around the fan to receive the radial air flow therefrom, the heat exchangers bounding an interior space of the cooling system, one of the plurality of heat exchangers being a charge air cooler, the charge air cooler including a first flow path for a charge air flow in heat exchange relation with a second flow path for an engine coolant flow of the vehicle;

a surface positioned in the cooling system to redirect the radial air flow that would otherwise exit through the charge air cooler to exit through other heat exchangers of said plurality of heat exchangers;

a front face to receive an axial air flow to the radial fan;

a rear wall located opposite the front face to close an opening bounded by the plurality of heat exchangers; and

an additional heat exchanger arranged in the rear wall.