Heat exchanger for vehicle

• US 9,234,604 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae Yeon
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc
• Assistant Examiner(s): Russell, Devon
• Application Number:
  US13/532,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20130140017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 165/297, 165/140, 165/166, 165/167, 165/300, 165/103, 165/41, 123/41.33, 123/41.31, 123/41.08, 123/41.09, 123/41.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 5/002 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/04 Lubricant cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2060/045 for transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/002 actuated by temperature variation thermo-electric F16K31/025
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 2021/0089 Oil coolers heating or cooling lubricants in vehicles F01M5/00
• 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 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

Abstract

A heat exchanger may include a heat radiating portion provided with first, second, and third connecting lines formed in a predetermined sequence by stacking a plurality of plates, and receiving first, second, and third operating fluids respectively into the first, second, and third connecting lines, the first, second, and third operating fluids exchanging heat with each other while passing through the first, second, and third connecting lines and the first, second, and not being mixed with each other while being circulated, and a bifurcating portion connecting an inflow hole for flowing one operating fluid of the first, second, and third operating fluids with an exhaust hole for exhausting the one operating fluid, adapted for the one operating fluid to bypass the heat radiating portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid, and mounted at an exterior of the heat radiating portion.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, comprising:

a heat exchanging portion provided with a first connecting line, a second connecting line, and a third connecting line formed in a predetermined sequence by stacking a plurality of plates, wherein the heat exchanging portion is configured for receiving a first operating fluid into the first connecting line, a second operating fluid into the second connecting line, and a third operating fluid into the third connecting line, the first, second, and third operating fluids exchanging heat with each other while the first, second, and third operating fluids are circulated without being mixed with each other; and

a bifurcating portion connecting a first inflow hole for flowing one operating fluid of the first, second, and third operating fluids with a first exhaust hole for exhausting the one operating fluid, wherein the bifurcating portion is adapted for the one operating fluid to bypass the heat exchanging portion according to a temperature of the one operating fluid, and wherein the bifurcating portion is mounted at an exterior of the heat exchanging portion,

wherein the first operating fluid flows into the heat exchanging portion through the first inflow hole and flows out from the heat exchanging portion through the first exhaust hole, and the first inflow hole is connected to the first exhaust hole through the first connecting line;

wherein the second operating fluid flows into the heat exchanging portion through a second inflow hole and flows out from the heat exchanging portion through a second exhaust hole, and the second inflow hole is connected to the second exhaust hole through the second connecting line;

wherein the third operating fluid flows into the heat exchanging portion through a third inflow hole and flows out from the heat exchanging portion through a third exhaust hole, and the third inflow hole is connected to the third exhaust hole through the third connecting line;

wherein the first, second, and third inflow holes are placed along a first lateral side of a surface of the heat exchanging portion in a longitudinal direction of the heat exchanging portion,

wherein the first, second, and third exhaust holes are disposed apart from the first, second, and third inflow holes and are placed along a second lateral side of the surface of the heat exchanging portion in the longitudinal direction of the heat exchanging portion,

wherein the bifurcating portion comprises;

a connecting pipe connecting the first inflow hole with the first exhaust hole at the exterior of the heat exchanging portion and having an inflow port formed at a position close to the first inflow hole and an exhaust port oriented in an opposing direction to the inflow port and formed at a position close to the first exhaust hole; and

a valve unit mounted at one end portion of the connecting pipe close to the first inflow hole, and adapted to extend or contract according to the temperature of the operating fluid such that the operating fluid flowing in through the inflow port flows directly to the exhaust port or flows into the heat exchanging portion,

wherein the valve unit comprises;

a mounting cap fixedly mounted to one end of the connecting pipe; and

a deformable member inserted in the connecting pipe and having one end portion connected to the mounting cap, and adapted to extend or contract according to the temperature of the operating fluid,

wherein the deformable member is formed by overlapping and contacting

a plurality of ring members with each other in a coil spring shape, and

wherein the operating fluid flowing into the inflow port bypasses to the exhaust port when bodies of the neighboring ring members closely contact with each other to block a flow passage between the inflow port and the heat exchanging portion port by the bodies thereof, or flows to the heat exchanging portion through a gap of the neighboring ring members when bodies of the neighboring ring members are spaced from each other, according to the heat of the operating fluid.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first inflow hole and the first exhaust hole are formed at first two corner portions of the surface of the heat exchanging portion, wherein the first two corner portions are aligned in a first diagonal direction of the surface of the heat exchanging portion.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the second inflow hole and the second exhaust hole are placed at second two corner portions of the surface of the heat exchanging portion at which the first inflow hole and the first exhaust hole are not positioned, wherein the second two corner portions are aligned in a second diagonal direction of the surface of the heat exchanging portion.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the third inflow hole and the third exhaust hole are formed at the corner portions of the surface of the heat exchanging portion at which the second inflow hole and the second exhaust hole are formed and are disposed apart from the second inflow hole and the second exhaust hole respectively.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the deformable member is made from shape memory alloy adapted to extend or contract according to the temperature of operating fluid.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the deformable member comprises:

a pair of fixed portions positioned at both sides thereof in a length direction and adapted not to being deformed according to the temperature; and

a deformable portion disposed between the pair of fixed portions and adapted to extend or contract according to the temperature of the operating fluid.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the mounting cap comprises:

an inserting portion having one end portion inserted in and fixed to the deformable member; and

a mounting portion having one end integrally connected to the other end of the inserting portion, and mounted at an interior circumference of the connecting pipe.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a screw is formed at an exterior circumference of the mounting portion so as to be threaded to the interior circumference of the connecting pipe.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein a blocking portion for being blocked by an end portion of the connecting pipe is integrally formed with the other end of the mounting portion.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein a tool hole is formed at an interior circumference of the blocking portion.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 7, further comprising a seal for preventing the operating fluid from leaking from the connecting pipe;

wherein the seal is mounted between the mounting portion and the inserting portion.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1, further comprising an end cap mounted at the other end of the deformable member.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 12, wherein the end cap is provided with a penetration hole for coping with a pressure change according to flowing amount of the operating fluid flowing in through the inflow port and flowing the operating fluid in the deformable member so as to improve temperature responsiveness of the deformable member.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first operating fluid is a coolant flowing from a radiator, the second operating fluid is a transmission oil flowing from an automatic transmission, and the third operating fluid is an engine oil flowing from an engine.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein the coolant circulates through the first inflow hole, the first connecting line, and the first exhaust hole, the transmission oil circulates through the second inflow hole, the second connecting line, and the second exhaust hole, and the engine oil circulates through the third inflow hole, the third connecting line, and the third exhaust hole;

and

wherein the second connecting line is positioned under the first connecting line and the third connecting line is positioned above the first connecting line.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein the coolant circulates through the first inflow hole, the first connecting line, and the first exhaust hole, the transmission oil circulates through the second inflow hole, the second connecting line, and the second exhaust hole, and the engine oil circulates through the third inflow hole, the third connecting line, and the third exhaust hole;

and

wherein the second connecting line or the third connecting line is disposed between the two neighboring first connecting lines and the second connecting line and the third connecting line are disposed alternately.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging portion causes the first operating fluid to exchange heat with the second and third operating fluids by counterflow of the first operating fluid and the second and third operating fluids.

18. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanging portion is a heat radiating portion of plate type where a plurality of plates is stacked.