EP1805470B1 - Heat exchanger, in particular radiator for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular a radiator for motor vehicles, comprising a black consisting of tubes and ribs and a lower and upper collection chamber, the lower collection chamber having several chambers which are separated from one another by partitions and between which a fluidic connection can be established. If necessary, by means of a displaceable actuator via connection orifices (17, 18, 19) that are located in a connection channel (16). According to the invention, the actuator is configured as a piston (30) that can be displaced axially between an open and a closed position and the cross-sections of the connection channel (16) and the piston (30) taper from the exterior to the interior in the vicinity of the connection orifices (17, 18, 19).

Description

The invention relates to a heat exchanger, in particular a coolant radiator for motor vehicles according to the preamble of claim 1 and the independent claim 2, known by the DE-A-10019029 ,

Coolant radiators for motor vehicles are used to cool an internal combustion engine and are connected to a coolant circuit, which consists essentially of a radiator inlet or engine return, a radiator return or engine flow with coolant pump and a bypass with thermostatic valve. Such a coolant circuit multiple secondary circuits are often connected, z. As for a charge air cooler or an oil cooler, the individual circuits have different temperature levels and therefore separated from each other in the cooler by separate chambers. The chambers are part of the collector of the radiator and are separated by partitions. When filling or emptying the coolant radiator or the coolant circuit, the individual chambers should communicate with each other, so that a faster and uniform filling without air pockets and also a faster emptying is possible.

In the DE-A 100 41 122 It has therefore been proposed to connect the individual chambers of a collecting tank to one another via a channel, wherein each chamber is in fluid communication with the channel interior via a connecting opening. In the hollow cylindrical channel is a Can be used with connecting openings, which are arranged in the same positions as the openings in the connecting channel. By rotation of the pipe socket about its longitudinal axis, these openings can be made to coincide on the one hand, so that all chambers communicate with each other, and on the other hand are closed by further rotation. A disadvantage of this solution is that in the closed state, the sealing of the individual chambers against each other is insufficient, because this seal is made only over the gap between pipe socket and channel inner wall. The gap must therefore be chosen to be relatively low, which in turn results in relatively high adjustment forces for adjusting this actuator. In addition, under certain circumstances, the use of elaborately designed special sealing elements for a permanent complete tightness is required.

The DE-A 10019029 suggests that the actuator is designed as an axially adjustable piston between an open and a closed position and that the cross sections of the connecting channel and the piston are formed differently in the region of the connection openings. The piston can thus be brought by axial displacement, which requires only small adjustment forces, in a discharge or filling position, in which communicate all chambers via the connection openings in the connecting channel with each other. Likewise, the piston can be brought by axial displacement in the closed position, in which all chambers are sealed from each other. In this case, the cross sections of the connecting channel and the piston are formed decreasing from a first outermost connection opening to a second outermost connection opening, wherein the first and the second outermost connection opening are opposite to each other and optionally further connection openings are arranged along the connection channel between the outermost connection openings.

It is an object of the present invention, a heat exchanger, in particular coolant radiator of the type mentioned above to improve such that the chambers are sufficiently sealed in the closed state of the actuator against each other and are connected to each other with sufficient cross-section.

This object is solved by the features of claim 1 and alternatively of claim 2.

According to the first embodiment of the invention, the connecting channel is designed as a stepped channel and the piston as a stepped piston. Through each step annular gaps are formed in the region of the connecting openings, which are sealed against each other in the closed position and in the open position, d. H. communicate with each other after axial displacement of the stepped piston. For example, the piston at three connection openings on three stages, which form three annular gaps, which form a contiguous gap after retraction of the stepped piston. Advantageously, the sealing of the annular gaps takes place by means of arranged on the stepped piston O-rings, which slide on the inner wall of the step channel during the axial movement of the stepped piston.

According to an advantageous embodiment, at least one connecting opening is arranged in the axial direction of the piston, so that more connecting openings are connectable than annular gaps are present. For example, four connection openings can then be connected to one another with a three-stage piston.

According to the second embodiment of the invention, portions of the connecting channel and the piston are conical. In the closed position, the piston bears against the conical inner wall of the connecting channel and thus closes the connecting openings - the chambers are thus sealed against each other. In the open position, which is achieved by axially retracting the conical piston, there is an annular gap between the outer surface of the piston and the inner surface of the connecting channel, which brings the connection openings in fluid communication with each other. This allows the chambers to communicate with each other. Advantageously, sealing rings or sealing ribs are arranged on the circumference of the piston, which improve the seal, without thereby the adjustment forces are increased significantly. The taper is to be chosen so that on the one hand a good seal and on the other hand easy release from the sealing or closed position is possible.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the piston, whether it is a stepped piston or a conical piston, at its outer end a mounting portion which is inserted into a corresponding closure opening in the collecting box. Advantageously, the attachment portion is a threaded portion on the piston and the closure opening in the collection box a threaded bore. The piston is thus screwed into the thread, whereby at the same time the required axial movement for achieving an open and a closed position is effected. The rotational movement of the piston for axial adjustment can be done via a hexagon socket on the outer end face of the piston.

Fig. 1

einen Kühlmittelkühler,

Fig. 2

einen Sammelkasten des Kühlmittelkühlers mit mehreren Kammern,

Fig. 3

einen Schnitt durch einen stufenförmig ausgebildeten Verbindungskanal (so genannten Stufenkanal) mit Verbindungsöffnungen,

Fig. 4

den Stufenkanal mit einem eingesetzten Stufenkolben in Schließstellung,

Fig. 5

den Stufenkanal mit eingesetztem Stufenkolben in Offenstellung,

Fig. 6

einen konisch ausgebildeten Verbindungskanal mit konischem Kolben in Schließstellung und

Fig. 7

den konisch ausgebildeten Verbindungskanal mit konischem Kolben in Offenstellung.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. Show it

Fig. 1

a coolant cooler,

Fig. 2

a collection box of the coolant cooler with a plurality of chambers,

Fig. 3

a section through a step-shaped connecting channel (so-called step channel) with connecting openings,

Fig. 4

the step channel with an inserted stepped piston in the closed position,

Fig. 5

the stepped channel with inserted stepped piston in the open position,

Fig. 6

a conical connecting channel with a conical piston in the closed position and

Fig. 7

the conical connecting channel with a conical piston in the open position.

Fig. 1 shows a coolant radiator 1 with an air-cooled radiator block 2. The radiator block 2 consists of cooling tubes 3, in particular flat tubes, between which corrugated fins, not shown, are arranged. Laterally, the radiator block 2 is completed by side panels 4. The cooling pipes 3 open into an upper collecting or coolant box 5 and a lower collecting or coolant box 6. The entry of the coolant takes place via an inlet connection 7 at the upper collecting box 5, and the outlet takes place The coolant radiator 1 is connected to a coolant circuit, not shown, for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle and is installed with vertically arranged cooling tubes 3 in the vehicle, ie flows through from top to bottom of the coolant. At this coolant radiator 1 further secondary circuits, not shown here, for example, for cooling a charge air cooler or an oil cooler can be connected.

Fig. 2 shows the lower collection box 6 without radiator block 2 in a plan view, ie looking in the interior of the collecting tank 6, which has a rectangular plan and is bounded by two longitudinal sides 6a, 6b and two narrow sides 6c, 6d. The entire box 6 is divided by two longitudinal partitions 9, 10 and by a transverse partition 11 in four chambers 12, 13, 14, 15. In the region of the transverse partition wall 11, a connecting channel 16 is arranged, which has four connecting openings 17, 18, 19, 29 which are in fluid communication with the chambers 12, 13, 14, 15. The connection opening 29 is arranged on the front side, ie in the axial direction of the piston, on the connecting channel. The chambers 12, 13 and 14 are connected via coolant connections 20 and 21 with secondary circuits, not shown.

Fig. 3 shows a section through the connecting channel 16 in the plane of the transverse partition wall 11 in Fig. 2 , The connecting channel 16 is of stepped design, ie as a stepped channel with different diameters D0, D1, D2, D3, where D0 <D1 <D2 <D3. The connecting channel 16 thus has four cylindrical sections 22, 23, 24, 28 which are interconnected by steps 25A, 25, 26. At the section 24 connects to the outside a threaded bore 27.

Fig. 4 shows a further step channel 16 with an inserted stepped piston 30, which has three cylindrical sections 31, 32, 33, 33A with increasing diameters d1, d2, d3, d4. The piston 30 has at its end a threaded portion 34 which is screwed into the threaded bore 27 of the connecting channel 16. At the front, the piston 30 has a flange 35, which serves as a stop when screwing. The single ones Diameter sections 31, 32, 33, 33A are interconnected via chamfered steps 36, 37, 38. On each diameter portion 31, 32, 33, 33A are annular grooves 39 for receiving sealing rings, so-called O-rings 40. The piston 30 is screwed in the position shown to the stop of the flange 35 in the stepped channel and forms with this in the area the connecting openings 17,18, 19 annular gaps 41, which are, however, sealed to each other, the connection opening 29 and the thread 34 by sealing rings 40. In this respect, the chambers 12, 13, 14, 15 connected via the connection openings 17, 18, 19, 29 and the connecting channel 16, also called connecting chamber, are in particular gas-, liquid- and pressure-tight against each other and outwards towards the thread 34 in the valve position shown sealed.

Fig. 5 shows the step channel 16 with the stepped piston 30 in the open position, that is, the piston 30 is axially displaced by rotation as a result of the threaded portion 34 to the right, the threaded portion 34 and the flange 35 are in front of the displacement to the outside. In the flange 35 and the head of the piston 30, a profile 44, for example, a hexagon socket, Phillips, external hexagon or the like is incorporated, so that the piston 30 can be rotated by means of a key and thus moved axially. Also in this extended position, the piston 30 is sealed to the outside by a sealing ring 40. An anchoring part 45, which consists of two elastically deformable legs 45a, 45b with end locking lugs, which form a stop when the piston is extended, preferably adjoins the inner piston section 31 with the smallest diameter. In the illustrated open position of the piston 30, the annular gaps 41, 42, 43 are interconnected and thus form a continuous annular gap, in which the connection openings 17, 18, 19, 29 open. In this respect, the chambers 12, 13, 14, 15 connected via the connection openings 17, 18, 19, 29 and the connecting channel 16 are connected to one another in the valve position shown and are further sealed outward from the thread 34. This allows the corresponding chambers communicate with each other. The annular gap 41 is followed inwardly by a further annular chamber 46, via which a fluid connection with the chamber 15 of the collecting tank 6 can be produced.

Adjusting the piston 30 in the closed position according to Fig. 4 takes place in that the threaded portion 34 of the piston 30 is screwed into the threaded hole 27. In this case, the piston 30 moves in the drawing to the left until the O-rings 40 again come into contact with the inner wall of the step channel 16 and thus again produce a seal between the individual annular gaps 41, 42, 43.

Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of the invention, in the form of a conically shaped connecting channel 50 and a conically shaped piston 51, wherein the connecting openings are again denoted by 17, 18, 19, 29. The connecting channel 50 has a conical section 50a, at the narrowest cross-section of which a cylindrical section 50b connects, which opens via the connecting opening 29 into the chamber 15. On the side of the largest cross section of the conical section 50a, another cylindrical section 50c adjoins, in whose outer region an internal thread 50d is incorporated. The piston 51 has a head 51 a, which is formed similar to the previous embodiment, ie with a threaded portion, a flange, an inner profile and a sealing ring 40 which slides on the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 50 c. To the head 51 a of the piston is followed by a conical piston portion 51 b behind the O-ring 40, which abuts fully and over the entire length of the inner wall of the conical portion 50 a of the connecting channel 50. Thus, the connection openings 17, 18, 19, 29 are closed and the associated chambers separated from each other.

Fig. 7 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 6 with displaced piston 51, ie the piston is unscrewed by the adjustment x from the connecting channel 50, but still sealed by the O-ring 40. Between the conical portion 50 a and the conical portion 51 b of the piston 51, a "conical" annular gap 52 has been created with an increasing diameter from inside to outside. As a result, the connection openings 17, 18, 19, 29 can communicate with one another, ie also the chambers assigned to them. The conical piston portion 51 b has on his Unfang a plurality of successively arranged sealing rings 53, which better seal against the inner wall of the conical portion 50a and thus also effective sealing of the connecting openings 17, 18, 19, 29 effect each other in the closed position of the piston 51. The adjustment of the piston 51 in the closed position takes place by screwing the piston head 51 a in the thread 50d to the path x, the piston is again driven to stop. Any tolerance Überüberan be compensated by the elasticity of the sealing rings 53.

The present invention has been described using the example of a heat exchanger. It should be noted, however, that the valve arrangement according to the invention can also be used elsewhere. In particular, the valve arrangement or the heat exchanger according to the invention is suitable for liquid as well as for gaseous fluids. The heat exchanger according to the invention can be used in particular as intercooler, oil cooler, radiator, preferably for air, land, and / or sea vehicles.

reference numerals

1

Coolant radiator

2

radiator core

3

flat tubes

4

side panel

5

upper collection box

6

lower collection box

7

inlet connection

8th

outlet connection

9

Longitudinal partition

10

Longitudinal partition

11

transverse partition

12

chamber

13

chamber

14

chamber

15

chamber

16

connecting channel

17

connecting opening

18

connecting opening

19

connecting opening

20

Coolant connection

21

Coolant connection

22

Step section (D1)

23

Step section (D2)

24

Step section (D3)

25

step

25A

step

26

step

27

threaded hole

28

sealing section

29

connecting opening

30

stepped piston

31

Piston section (d1)

32

Piston section (d2)

33

Piston section (d3)

33A

Piston section (d4)

34

threaded portion

35

flange

36

step

37

step

38

step

39

ring groove

40

seal

41

annular gap

42

annular gap

43

annular gap

50

Connecting channel (conical)

50a

conical section

50b

cylindrical section, inside

50c

cylindrical section, outside

50d

inner thread

51

piston

51a

head

51b

conical section

52

Annular gap (conical)

53

seals

Claims (7)

1. A heat exchanger, in particular a radiator for motor vehicles, comprising one or more header boxes (5, 6), with at least one header box (6) comprising several chambers (1.2, 13, 14, 15) which are divided from each other by partitions (9, 10, 11) and between which a fluid connection can be established as needed by means of a movably actuator via connecting openings, which are arranged in particular in a connecting channel, with the actuator being designed as a piston (30, 51) which can be axially adjusted between an open position and a closed position, and the cross-sections of the connecting chancels (16, 50) as well as of the piston (30, 51) being different in the regions of the connecting opening (17, 18, 19), in particular decreasing from a first outermost connecting opening toward a second outermost connecting opining, and the connecting channel being designed as a stepped channel (16, 22, 23, 24) and the piston being designed as a stepped piston (30, 31, 32, 33), characterized in that the stepped channel (16) in the region of the connecting opening (17, 18, 19) comprises chambers (22, 23, 24) having differing cross-sections (D1, D2, D3) and the stepped piston (30) comprises piston section (31, 32, 33) having differing cross-sections (d1, d2, d3), wherein between the chambers (22, 23, 24) and the piston sections (31, 32, 33) annular gaps (41, 42, 43) remain, which in the closed position are sealed among each other and in the open position forum spaces that communicate with each other.
2. A heat exchanger, in particular a radiator for motor vehicles, comprising once or more header boxes (5, 6), with at least one header box (6) comprising several chambers (12, 13, 14, 15) which are divided from each other by partitions (9, 10, 11) and between which a fluid connection can be established as needed by means of a movable actuator via connecting openings, which are arrange in particular in a connecting channel, with the actuator being designed as a piston (30, 51) which can be axially adjusted between an open position and a closed position and the cross-sections of the connecting channels (16, 50) as well as of the piston (30, 51) being different in the legion of the connecting openings (17, 18, 19), in particular decreasing from a first outermost connecting opening toward a second outermost connecting opening, characterized in that the connecting channel (50) and the piston (51) have respective conical sections (50a, 52b) and a plurality of sealing rings (53) are arranged can the conical piston sections (51b).
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting channel (16, 50) has a closing opening (27, 50d) which is arranged on the outside and receives a fastening section (34, 51a) of the piston (30, 51).
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the connecting channel has an inflow and/or outflow opening (29, 50d) arranged in the interior (15) of the header box (6).
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 or according to either claim 3 or 4, provided these are dependant on claim 1, characterized in that the annular gaps (41, 42, 43) are scaled by stealing rings (40) arranged on the stepped piston (30).
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 or according to either claim 3 or 4, provided these are dependent on claim 2, characterized in that the conical piston section (51b) of the piston (51) is seated against the conical section (50a) of the connecting channel (51) in the closed position and exposes a conical annular gap (52) in the open position.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, characterized in that the closing opening is designed as a threaded bore (27, 50d) and the fastening section is designed as a threaded section (34, 51a).

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