DE102019002466B4 - Air-to-water intercooler - Google Patents

Abstract

Air-water intercooler, having an outer geometry, an air and water inlet area, a heat transfer area and an air and water outlet area, characterized in that the outer geometry and the heat transfer area are topology-optimized in such a way that the material meets the requirements of Strength is only available insofar as the permissible stresses specify it, the air-water inlet area and the air-water outlet area are flow-optimized in such a way that eddy-causing edges are prevented and a laminar flowing cooling fluid is guaranteed, the external geometry corresponds to an organic shape and the air-to-water intercooler is manufactured by an additive process.

Description

The invention relates to an additively manufactured air-water intercooler for cooling the intake combustion air of highly charged internal combustion engines, which is optimized with regard to the efficiency of the cooling and the minimization of installation space, weight and flow losses.

Charge air coolers are known in different designs. So reveals the DE 10 2014 217 312 A1 a charge air cooler with a reinforced base plate and / or cover plate according to the preamble of claim 1. In particular, the invention relates to charge air coolers in plate construction, which are produced by joining a multiplicity of individual plates. Such charge air coolers are also referred to as plate charge air coolers.

The invention is based on the object of providing a charge air cooler with a reinforced base plate and / or cover plate, which has an improved operating behavior with regard to alternating thermal voltages, in particular when it is a charge air cooler in plate construction, in the area between a base plate and / or cover plate and the respective adjacent plate.

Further is from the Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2010 036 591 A1 a device for charge air cooling, namely for cooling charge air which is compressed in a compressor of at least one exhaust gas turbocharger and is to be supplied to an internal combustion engine, with at least two charge air coolers being arranged in a common housing, namely in such a way that the charge air coolers which are arranged in the common housing each have one separate supply air chamber, which is provided by the common housing, can be supplied separately, and that the charge air cooled by the charge air coolers arranged in the common housing can be discharged jointly via a common exhaust air chamber, which is provided by the common housing.

Furthermore, from the laid-open specification DE 10 2010 018 356 A1 discloses an arrangement of a charge air line on an internal combustion engine, in particular for motor vehicles, which preferably extends from a charging device on one longitudinal side of the internal combustion engine to an air distribution device on the other longitudinal side, with a section of the charge air line being guided through a laterally mounted engine mount of the internal combustion engine and between the facilities a charge air cooler is switched on. A structurally and structurally particularly advantageous arrangement of the charge air line and charge air cooler is achieved in that sections of the charge air line are integrated in engine mounts provided on both longitudinal sides of the internal combustion engine, that the charge air cooler is connected to mounting flanges of the two engine mounts and communicates with the integrated sections of the charge air line.

Further is from the Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2015 204 983 A1 a heat exchanger known, in particular for a waste heat recovery device, with a plurality of fluid paths for a fluid to flow through, each fluid path being at least partially delimited by a tubular body, the tubular bodies extending along a pipe extension direction and being stacked on top of one another along a stacking direction, with an interspace which is present between two tubular bodies adjacent in the stacking direction, a gas path is formed in each case for a gas to flow through along a gas flow direction, a plurality of separating elements being arranged adjacent to one another in the fluid paths, which divide each fluid path into a plurality of fluid channels which each extend along a fluid flow direction, the fluid flow direction running orthogonally to the pipe body extension direction.

Last is from the DE 10 2015 204 015 A1 a heat exchanger is known, in particular for a tracked vehicle, with a plurality of first fluid paths for flowing through with a first fluid and a plurality of second fluid paths which are fluidically separated from the first fluid paths and thermally connected to them, the fluid paths being delimited by tubular bodies, which are produced by means of an additive manufacturing process, a pipe cross-section measured perpendicular to the direction of extension of at least one pipe body, preferably a plurality of the pipe bodies, most preferably all of the pipe bodies, increasing or decreasing at least in sections along the direction of extent.

The disadvantage of the known prior art is that due to the plate construction of the cooling elements, a certain, mostly rectangular shape of the cooling surface is mandatory, which in relation to the actual charge air duct (usually designed as a pipe geometry) on the one hand results in a significantly increased space requirement and on the other hand, the changes in cross-section / geometry result in additional flow losses. This disadvantage is also only insignificantly smaller if the plates are arranged next to one another and thus the housing shape can be made more flexible. Finally, due to the lack of installation space, further assemblies are used (motor mounts), their fluidic geometry is not optimally coordinated and its additional load was not originally intended.

The object of the invention is therefore to present an air-water charge air cooler that is optimized in terms of weight, installation space and flow.

This problem is solved by the features of the main claim. Advantageous embodiments are described in the subclaims.

The advantage of the invention is that the outer geometry is topology-optimized for the weight-optimized configuration. According to the strength requirements, material is only available to the extent that it is specified by the permissible stresses. In this way, considerable savings in material and weight are possible, particularly in the area of the mounts.

Another advantage of the air-water charge cooler according to the invention is the flow-optimized inflow and outflow area of the cooling fins as such, which enclose the water-filled cooling channels at the inlet and outlet of the cooling surface. The flow losses can thus be significantly reduced in comparison to the cooling fins of conventional heat exchangers, which are box-shaped for manufacturing reasons. In this sense, eddy-inducing edges are prevented and a laminar flowing cooling fluid is guaranteed. In the entrance area, there are no sudden changes in cross-section that generate eddy currents, but only evenly rising or falling ends. The direction of fluid entry is also particularly taken into account in order to generate a flow-calmed fluid in the feed system.

In a further, possible embodiment, the cross-sections are not constructed symmetrically like a network, but differ depending on the stress distribution in the component. For example, the wall thicknesses are increased in the area of the brackets, while they are reduced in unstressed outer areas. The well-known layer structure of the plate cooler gives way, for example, to a tension-optimized round shape.

Another advantage of the air-water charge cooler according to the invention is the flow-optimized air-water outlet area. As a further development of the known box-shaped outlet areas, the outlet area according to the invention is designed to be flow-optimized. In this sense, eddy-inducing edges are prevented and a laminar flowing cooling fluid is guaranteed. There are no eddy currents in the exit area. sudden changes in cross-section, but only evenly rising or falling end. In this case, the fluid outlet direction is also particularly taken into account in order to generate a flow-calmed fluid in the discharge system.

The air-water charge air cooler according to the invention can be adapted to existing installation spaces in terms of its geometrical design due to its one-piece construction, in contrast to the known plate construction. The geometry can be adapted to the needs of other engine assemblies. It is also possible to create a flow-optimized contour between the inlet and outlet area, which for example is routed around another component or creates the necessary space for another component, such as an engine block, injection system, air filter or additional cooler

The prerequisite for the simple implementation of the features according to the invention is the manufacture of an air-water charge air cooler using an additive manufacturing process. Both the topological and the fluidic requirements are implemented in layers inside the air-water intercooler as in its outer geometry.

A particularly advantageous embodiment is described in dependent claim 2. In contrast to known charge air coolers, the individual cooling fins of which are manufactured in the casting, extrusion or bending process and are connected to a heat exchanger by means of a soldering process, the heat transfer area of the air-water charge air cooler according to the invention can be topology-optimized, whereby e.g. Realize thinner wall thicknesses of the partition walls of the water duct and air duct, which in turn enable an improvement in heat dissipation. A partial connection of opposing walls in the cooling channel in the form of webs from a strength point of view can reduce the wall thickness between cooling channel and air channel to a minimum and maximize the dissipated heat.

All of the above have an advantageous effect Topology optimizations on the area ratio of the air duct to the cooling surface and walls, which becomes larger as a result. In relation to the volume, the effective cooling surface can thus be increased, the cooling capacity per volume is increased as a result; As a result, more compact heat exchangers can be realized.

Flow-optimized in the sense of the air-water charge air cooler according to the invention means that the flow is below the critical Reynolds number in order to guarantee an eddy-free flow with low resistance and high mass throughput. An air-water charge cooler optimized for laminar flow is described in dependent claim 3.

It shows the 1 a cross section of an air-water charge air cooler according to the invention. It shows the 2 a partial area of the side view of an air-water charge air cooler according to the invention. It shows the 3 an air-water charge air cooler according to the invention.

It shows 1 the cross section 1 an air-to-water intercooler in the heat transfer area. The air ducts 2 are the water ducts 3 adjacent and topology-optimized. In the area of the bracket 4th the air-to-water intercooler is also mass reduced. In one area 5 the geometry of an adjacent assembly is adapted.

It shows 2 a water entry 11 and a 90 ° offset air inlet opening 12 . The geometry of the water channels 13 is flow-optimized for the internal water and the external air. The cross-section changes take place continuously.

It shows 3 an additively manufactured air-water intercooler 21st with a water entry area 22nd and an air inlet area 23 . The heat exchanger area 24 is adapted to the space provided for installation in the vehicle. The water outlet area 25th and the air outlet area 26th point in the direction that is most advantageous for the connections in order to enable a further fluid fluid that is optimized for flow.

List of reference symbols

1

cross-section

2

Air ducts

3

Water ducts

4th

bracket

5

Area of adjacent assembly

11

Water ingress

12

Air inlet opening

13th

Water channels

21st

Intercooler

22nd

Water entry area

23

Air inlet area

24

Heat exchanger area

25th

Water outlet area

26th

Air outlet area

Claims (3)

Air-water intercooler, having an outer geometry, an air and water inlet area, a heat transfer area and an air and water outlet area, characterized in that - the outer geometry and the heat transfer area are topology-optimized in such a way that material according to the requirements the strength is only available to the extent that the permissible tensions dictate, - the air-water inlet area and the air-water outlet area are flow-optimized in such a way that eddy-causing edges are prevented and a laminar flowing cooling fluid is guaranteed, - the external geometry of a organic shape and - the air-water intercooler is manufactured using an additive process. Air-water intercooler after Claim 1 characterized in that the topology of the heat transfer area is optimized at least while maintaining the existing surface. Air-water heat exchanger according to one of the Claims 1 and 2 , characterized in that the flow is optimized for laminar flow in the inlet and outlet area of the heat sink.

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