Cooling system used for hybrid-powered automobile

• US 7,284,594 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hayasaka, Atsushi, Sugimoto, Naoki, Sanada, Ryouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford; John K.
• Application Number:
  US11/149,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20050274507A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 165/140, 165/132, 165/41, 165/51, 165/67, 165/177, 180/65.2, 180/65.4, 180/68.4, 625/09
• US Class Current: 165/41
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/182 with multiple heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/185 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/24 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/30 Circuit boards
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/14 Condenser
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 39/04 Condensers
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/0452 Combination of units extending one behind the other with units extending one beside or one above the other
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/002 with fastening means for other structures

Abstract

A radiator 9 for electric parts use, which cools an inverter and others relating to the control of an electric motor, and a condenser 12 for condensing refrigerant are arranged in parallel with each other with respect to the direction of an air flow on an upstream side of the air flow of a radiator 8 for engine use. Due to the above arrangement, as the air temperatures at the inlets of the radiator 8 for electric parts use and the condenser 12 are low, a temperature difference between air and cooling water and a temperature difference between air and refrigerant are increased, and it becomes possible to enhance the performance of the radiator 8 for electric parts use and the condenser 12.

Claims

1. A cooling system in combination with a hybrid-powered automobile, the hybrid-powered automobile having an air conditioner for cooling air, which is blown into a vehicle compartment, by utilizing latent heat of evaporation of refrigerant, the hybrid-powered automobile being driven by a combination of a water-cooled engine and an electric motor, the cooling system for the hybrid-powered automobile comprising:

a radiator for the water-cooled engine of said hybrid-powered vehicle for exchanging heat between cooling water, which has cooled the water-cooled engine of said hybrid-powered vehicle, and air so as to cool the cooling water;

a radiator for electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle for exchanging heat between cooling water, which has cooled the electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle relating to control of the electric motor, and air so as to cool the cooling water; and

a condenser for exchanging heat between the refrigerant at a high temperature and air so as to condense the refrigerant, wherein

the radiator for the electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle and the condenser are arranged in parallel with each other with respect to a direction of air flow on an upstream side of the air flow of the radiator for the water-cooled engine of said hybrid-powered vehicle;

the radiator for the electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle includes a plurality of cooling water tubes, inside of which the cooling water flows and outside of which the air flows, and also includes a first cooling water header tank disposed at one end of the cooling water tubes and a second cooling water header tank disposed at an opposite end of the cooling water tubes,

the condenser includes a plurality of refrigerant tubes, inside of which the refrigerant flows and outside of which the air flows, and also includes a refrigerant tank assembly comprising a first refrigerant header tank disposed at one end of the refrigerant tubes, the condenser further including a second refrigerant header tank disposed at an opposite end of the refrigerant tubes,

the first cooling water header tank and the first refrigerant header tank are integrated with each other into a first integrated body;

the second cooling water header tank and the second refrigerant header tank are integrated with each other into a second integrated body;

the first and second cooling water header tanks are disposed at opposite ends of the plurality of cooling water tubes;

the first and second refrigerant header tanks are disposed at opposite ends of the plurality of refrigerant tubes;

a first pair of brackets for mounting the first and second integrated bodies to the automobile are mounted to the refrigerant tank assembly and the second refrigerant header tank, respectively;

a second pair of brackets for mounting the refrigerant tank assembly and the second integrated body to the automobile are mounted to the refrigerant tank assembly and the second cooling water header tank, respectively;

the condenser is disposed below the radiator for the electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle, the plurality of refrigerant tubes are formed in parallel, and wherein the plurality of refrigerant tubes are laminated and disposed so that air flows between the plurality of refrigerant tubes, and wherein in the refrigerant tube, a wall thickness measured in the air-flow direction in the refrigerant tube is larger than a wall thickness measured in the tubes-laminated direction in the refrigerant tube.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the condenser includes a condenser portion for condensing gas-phase refrigerant, the refrigerant tank assembly includes a modulator for separating the refrigerant, which has flowed out from the condenser portion, into gas-phase refrigerant and liquid-phase refrigerant, and a sub-cooler portion for cooling the liquid-phase refrigerant which has flowed out from the modulator, and the radiator for electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle use is arranged on an upper portion of the condenser.

3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein one of the first pair of brackets and one of the second pair of brackets are mounted on the modulator.

4. A combination according to claim 2, wherein the modulator is arranged on a side of the condenser, and an upper portion of the modulator protrudes upward to a position adjacent the first cooling water header tank, and the upper portion of the modulator is fixed to the radiator for electric parts of said hybrid-powered vehicle, and a lower portion of the modulator is fixed to the condenser.

5. A combination according to claim 4 wherein one of the first pair of brackets and one of the second pair of brackets are mounted on the modulator.