EP2252775B1 - Cooling device for engine and/or gearbox oil, in particular of a combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a cooling device for engine and / or transmission oil, in particular a cooling device for engine and / or transmission oil of an internal combustion engine, according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is well known that such a cooling device for engine and / or transmission oil is attached to an engine or transmission housing. In this case, both the coolant and the medium to be cooled to the cooling device and have to be removed from the cooling device. Such a cooler takes up a relatively large amount of space.

Next it is from the DE 10 2004 036 286 A1 It is already known to provide an oil cooling device for an engine in which an oil cooler is disposed within an oil pan at a distance from a ground surface. Furthermore, here an oil suction opening is arranged below the oil cooler and at a distance therefrom. With such a structure, the circulation efficiency of the oil in the sump should be improved, which in turn should have a positive effect on the efficiency of the oil cooling itself.

From the EP 1 600 611 B1 is a structure of an oil pan for a motor and / or a transmission known, the bottom-side opening is closed with a lid. This cover comprises a heat exchanger for the oil, which has a coolant inlet, a coolant outlet and fluidly intermediate coolant channels.

From the DE 196 19 977 A1 Furthermore, an internal combustion engine with an oil pan is known, in whose housing oil channels are formed. The cooling device formed by a plate heat exchanger sits here outside the oil pan.

From the DD 39 500 Further, a cooling device for an oil pan is known in which a cooling channel from an outer inlet opening to an approximately in the middle of the Sump located suction chamber of the oil pump is guided in the form of a spiral. From the pressure line of the oil pump diverted oil is passed through a preferably nozzle-shaped opening under the oil level approximately horizontally into the oil layer via the oil passage via a pressure relief valve.

Another Olkühleinrichtung is also from the DD 85 686 in which the cooling circuit of the engine is connected to the lower lid of the engine and fixed to the oil pan, wherein in the oil pan bottom, which is separated from the lower lid by a partition wall, a suction basket of the oil pump is arranged. In the lid, the passageways for the passage of the cooling liquid and in the bottom of the passageways for the passage of the lubricating oil are formed by the ribs.

From the US 2,782,008 A1 a complex, bottom-side arrangement of a plate heat exchanger is shown, in which the individual plates are welded or arranged and fastened in connection with spacer and spacer elements oil pan side.

In contrast, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooling device for engine and / or transmission oil, in particular an internal combustion engine, by means of which the oil cooling can be carried out in a simple manner with high efficiency.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to claim 1, the cooling device comprises a arranged in an oil pan oil cooler, which is flowed through by a coolant, wherein the oil cooler is formed by a plate heat exchanger with coolant and oil-carrying plate interspaces, and wherein the oil-carrying plate interspaces arranged on the outer periphery of the plate heat exchanger outer mouth region as Have inflow, flows through the hot, cooled oil in the oil-carrying plate interstices. Further, the oil-carrying plate interspaces have a spaced apart from the inflow on the outer periphery of the plate heat exchanger, the outer Ausströmbereich which is directly or indirectly connected to an outer Ölleitungsanschlussbereich via the cooled oil after flowing through the oil-carrying plate interspaces and thus flows off after a heat exchange with the coolant. According to the invention, the plate heat exchanger is suspended in the oil pan so that it has a defined, predetermined distance to the oil pan bottom wall and to the oil pan side walls.

Such a plate heat exchanger or plate heat exchanger allows an overall simple structure of the cooling device, wherein the cooling of the oil can be done in an effective and efficient manner. In particular, the possibility that the oil can flow directly into the heat exchanger via the respective oil-carrying plate interspaces, in conjunction with the relatively long flow paths in a plate heat exchanger, enables oil cooling with high efficiency.

Another particular advantage of this structure is that by integrating the plate heat exchanger in the oil pan relatively much cooling surface can be provided, which is not regularly the case due to the restricted space in the outside heat exchangers or coolers.

A particularly efficient heat dissipation in connection with long flow paths results according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the present inventive concept when the outer inflow region and the outer outflow region, viewed in cross section through the plate heat exchanger, lie on opposite sides of the plate heat exchanger.

According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present inventive idea, it is provided that the plate heat exchanger has a plate pack comprising a plurality of plates, wherein the plate pack is arranged in a heat exchanger housing which has an oil inlet opening on the inflow region, via which oil from the oil pan into the housing flows in and the outflow side has a Ölauslassöffnung, the upper flows from the oil from the housing. With such an encapsulated solution, the plate heat exchanger can be set in a simple manner, for example, on the housing side fasteners oil pan side and particularly favorable flow conditions are achieved, which has a particularly advantageous effect on the efficiency of heat transfer in the plate heat exchanger. The latter applies in particular also to the case that, as is proposed according to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the inflow region of the plate pack in the heat exchanger housing a Upstream of the inflow chamber into which the oil flows via the oil inlet opening. This oil inlet opening is preferably arranged geodetically lower lying than the plate heat exchanger or the plate pack, wherein preferably an inflow from below, based on the mounted state occurs. On the inflow area side, in particular in the region of the oil inlet opening, a filter and / or sieve element is preferably arranged with which the inflow of impurities can be advantageously avoided.

With such an inflow chamber, it is further possible to ensure in a simple manner that equal inflow conditions prevail with respect to the oil flowing into the respective oil-carrying plate interspaces, essentially over the entire plate pack. The same applies analogously with regard to the outflow conditions for a further preferred embodiment, according to which the outflow region of the plate pack in the heat exchanger housing is followed by an outflow chamber into which the oil flows after flowing through the oil-carrying plate interspaces and whose oil outlet forms an oil line connection region.

According to a further preferred embodiment, an oil line may be connected to the oil line connection region or may be integrally connected thereto. The oil line itself is preferably formed by an oil pump-side suction pipe, so that this suction pipe, the suction pressure can be applied to the oil in the oil pan to this opening over the opening into the oil pan oil-leading plate interspaces or their mouth areas that form the inflow into the plate heat exchanger to suck in.

Particularly preferably, the plate heat exchanger by means of heat exchanger bearing elements on the housing wall side supports and / or housing wall-side connection points and / or fixed directly to the housing wall. In particular releasable fastening means are provided as fastening means, for example screws, which are preferably arranged so that they are very well and easily accessible from an oil pan opening for installation.

These heat exchanger bearing elements can basically be designed in many different ways. Particularly preferred is an embodiment in which the at least one heat exchanger bearing element is formed by an insert plate or a yoke plate. Under a yoke plate is an example understood in the manner of a truss frame designed component, as for example in the EP 0 691 462 A1 is described and can cause a stiffening of the engine assembly in conjunction with a vibration reduction. In principle, however, the at least one heat exchanger bearing element can also be formed by an insert plate, which in turn is integrated in the yoke plate or connected thereto. With such an insert plate or in particular with such a yoke plate, the plate heat exchanger can be arranged in a simple and reliable manner in the desired manner in the oil pan or hung. In particular, in conjunction with the yoke plate results in a functional integration in that a possibly already already installed on the oil pan side component is used in a dual function at the same time as a holding element or bearing element for the plate heat exchanger.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the plate heat exchanger with its at least one heat exchanger bearing element between two or more oil pan housing walls, in particular between two opposite oil pan housing walls, supported and / or braced, so that the plate heat exchanger forms here, for example, a kind of tension element. As a result, the oil pan side walls are supported against each other, which significantly reduces swinging of the side walls and thus leads to a noise reduction.

For a particularly high functional integration is proposed to integrate coolant channels in the at least one heat exchanger bearing element, for example in the yoke or insert plate. These coolant channels are fluidly connected to at least part of the coolant-carrying plate interspaces. According to a further particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the coolant channels which are flow-connected to the coolant-carrying plate interspaces are formed by coolant channels integrated at least partially into a housing wall of the oil sump. Particularly preferred is an embodiment according to which the two embodiments described above are combined with one another, namely such that the coolant channels integrated into the at least one heat exchanger bearing element are flow-connected to the coolant channels integrated in the housing wall. The coolant channels are preferably formed by a plurality of mutually communicating holes that are simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing.

Fig. 1a

schematisch einen Querschnitt durch eine Ölwanne mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung,

Fig. 1b

eine zur Fig. 1a alternative Ausgestaltung mit in den Jochplattenrahmen integrierter Saugrohrleitung,

Fig. 2

schematisch einen Querschnitt durch eine Ölwanne mit einer alternativen Ausgestaltung einer erfindungsgemäßen Kühlvorrichtung.

Show it:

Fig. 1a

FIG. 2 schematically a cross section through an oil sump with a cooling device according to the invention, FIG.

Fig. 1b

one to Fig. 1a alternative embodiment with integrated in the Jochplattenrahmen intake manifold,

Fig. 2

schematically a cross section through an oil pan with an alternative embodiment of a cooling device according to the invention.

In the Fig. 1a schematically a cross-sectional view through a first embodiment of a cooling device 1 according to the invention is shown. This cooling device 1 comprises a plate heat exchanger 3 accommodated and arranged in an oil pan 2 as an oil cooler.

This plate heat exchanger 3 is concretely formed by a plate pack of a plurality of flat plates 4, which form for a Kühlmfttelführende plate interstices 5 and the other oil-leading plate interstices 6.

The pre-chamber 3b of the plate package surrounding housing 3a of the plate heat exchanger 3. This prechamber 3b opens with a here nipple-like inlet opening 3c in the oil pan, so that on this Example slot-like in the image plane extending into or out of the image plane extending inlet port 3c sucked oil from the oil pan 2 in the prechamber 3b and can then be sucked into the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 via the outer inflow 6a. In the region of this inlet opening 3 c, a filter and / or screen element 3 e is preferably arranged, for example inserted or pushed, by means of which impurities, such as metal parts or the like, are retained and remain in the oil sump 2.

On the opposite side of the plate pack, an outflow chamber 3d is formed in the housing 3a, into which an outer outflow region 6b of the oil-carrying plate interstices 6 opens. The inflow and outflow of the oil to be cooled takes place here, based on the cross section through the plate heat exchanger 3, opposite sides of the plate heat exchanger 3, whereby a very long flow path through the plate heat exchanger 3 is achieved and made available. The plate pack of the plate heat exchanger 3 is encapsulated by, for example, the housing 3a in a manner not shown here, in the direction opposite to the image plane or out of the image plane, so that it is opposite to or in front of the image plane Side of the plate heat exchanger 3 no oil in the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 can flow in and out. In other words, this means that the oil to be cooled preferably flows into the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 essentially only in the region of the outer inflow region 6a and can only flow out of the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 in the region of the outer outflow region 6b.

The individual plates 4 of the plate package can be stored or supported, for example, on the walls of the heat exchanger housing 3a.

The plate heat exchanger 3 itself is preferably supported by means of the heat exchanger housing 3a on a heat exchanger side bearing member forming yoke plate 30 such that the plate heat exchanger 3 both to the side walls 12 and the bottom wall 13, in the usual manner, an oil drain plug 14 is arranged spaced is. This yoke plate 30 is fixedly connected to the oil sump 2, for example by means of screw connections, and has a peripheral frame plate frame 31, wherein the opposing yoke plate frame sides 31a and 31b have a plurality of transverse webs 32 spaced apart from one another in the direction of the image plane having. This means, therefore, that the yoke plate 30 has an approximately ladder-like shape, in which the individual transverse webs 32 form the ladder rungs.

The fixing of the plate heat exchanger 3 takes place concretely, for example, by means of screw connections 11 ', which are only shown very schematically here, at defined locations of the yoke plate 30.

Coolant channels 15a, 15b made for example by simple bores can now be integrated into these transverse webs 32, which in turn communicate with coolant channels 16a, 16b formed in the yoke plate frame sides 31a, 31b. In order to seal the coolant channels 15a, 16a, sealing plugs 17 or closure screws 17 can be inserted into them, as shown in FIGS Fig. 1a is shown only extremely schematically and by way of example. Like this in the Fig. 1a dash-dotted lines, where the arrow 18 is located, coolant flow into the yoke plate frame side coolant channel 16a, from where it passes through the qustegseitigen coolant channel 15a in the coolant-carrying plate interspaces 5, before the coolant via the other qustegseitigen coolant channel 15b and the yoke plate frame side coolant channel 16b flows out. The coolant channels 16a and 16b are here as shown in FIG Fig. 1a can be seen differently shaped to illustrate that not only, based on the image plane vertically extending coolant channels can be formed in the region of the yoke plate 30, but also, depending on the particular installation situations, horizontally extending coolant channels.

It goes without saying that only the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 with oil 25 in the oil pan 2 are fluidly connected. This means that the coolant side and the oil side are separated from each other tightly and only a desired heat transfer takes place between the two media. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the coolant-carrying plate interspaces 5 are of course fluidly connected to one another in order to ensure that a corresponding coolant flow flows through all the coolant-carrying plate interspaces 5.

Like this one Fig. 1a can be further removed, is connected to the discharge opening having a discharge port or a discharge duct 3 3 a suction pipe 22, which is guided to an oil pump, not shown here. This suction pipe 22 is fixed to the yoke plate side, for example, by means of the screw connection 11 shown only schematically here. It is further understood that the coolant circuit is also connected to a pump which pumps the coolant in the circuit.

During operation of the cooling device 1, oil is thus drawn in from the oil sump 2 into the prechamber 3 and further via the outer inflow region 6a into the plate heat exchanger 3 or into its oil-carrying plate interspaces 6, so that the oil then along the entire length of the plate heat exchanger 3 flows and there is a heat exchange with the coolant in the coolant-carrying plate interspaces 5. The oil flow is shown schematically here by the arrows 26.

After the cooled oil has flowed out of the outer outflow region 6b into the outflow chamber 3b, the cooled oil is suctioned off via the suction pipe 22.

In the Fig. 1b is one to Fig. 1a shown alternative embodiment, that of the Fig. 1a differs in that here, for example, designed as a suction pipe 22 outflow channel is now integrated directly into the yoke plate frame 31 here. In the mouth-side region 22a, for example, a further line can be connected here. The integrated in the yoke plate frame 31 outlet opening can be made for example by a bore or the like.

In the Fig. 2 is finally a to Fig. 1a shown further alternative embodiment, which except for the yoke plate 30 of the previously in connection with the Fig. 1a corresponds to described embodiment. In contrast to the yoke plate embodiment of Fig. 1a is the plate heat exchanger 3 here by means of a heat exchanger side insert plate 30 on Wannenseitigen supports 9, 10 supported such and fixed, for example by means of screw 11 'that the plate heat exchanger 3 to both the side walls and the bottom wall 13, arranged in the usual way an oil drain plug 14 is, is spaced. In the insert plate 33 are here produced by simple holes coolant channels 15a, 15b integrated, which in turn communicate with integrated into the housing wall of the oil pan 2, also produced by simple holes coolant channels 16a, 16b. In relation to the image plane of the Fig. 2 horizontally extending coolant channel parts that open into the outer wall to seal, are inserted into these plugs or screws 17.

Like this in the Fig. 2 is only shown in phantom, where the arrow 18 is located, coolant can flow into the housing-side coolant passage 16 a, from where it passes through the insert-side coolant channel 15 a in the coolant-carrying plate interspaces 5, before the coolant through the further insert plate-side cooling channel 15b and the housing-side coolant channel 16b flows according to the arrow 19.

In order to seal the coolant channels 15, 16 against one another, sealing elements 20 are arranged between the insert plate 33 on the one hand and the housing-side supports 9, 10 associated therewith.

Otherwise, the structure corresponds to that of the Fig. 1a or also Fig. 1 b.

It goes without saying that only the oil-carrying plate interspaces 6 are fluidly connected to the oil 25 in the oil pan 2 via the mouth regions 24. This means that the coolant side and the oil side are separated from each other tightly and only a desired heat transfer takes place between the two media.

Claims (13)

1. Cooling device for engine and/or transmission oil, in particular of an internal combustion engine, having an oil cooler arranged in an oil pan (2), through which oil cooler a coolant flows,
   wherein the oil cooler is formed by a plate heat exchanger (3) having plate interspaces (5, 6) that conduct coolant and oil,
   wherein the plate interspaces (6) that conduct oil have an outer mouth region, which is arranged on the outer periphery of the plane heat exchanger (3), as an inlet region (6a), via which hot oil to be cooled flows into the plate interspaces (5, 6) that conduct oil, and
   wherein the plate interspaces (6) that conduct oil furthermore have an outer outlet region (6b), which is arranged spaced apart from the inlet region (6a) on the outer periphery of the plate heat exchanger (3), which region is connected indirectly or directly to an outer oil line connection region, via which cooled oil flows out after having flowed through the plate interspaces (6) that conduct oil and thus after a heat exchange with the coolant,
   characterised in that,
   the plate heat exchanger (3) is suspended in the oil pan (2) with a defined distance to the oil pan walls (12, 13) that enclose this.
2. Cooling device according to claim 1, characterised in that the outer inlet region (6a) and the outer outlet region (6b), as seen in a cross-section through the plate heat exchanger (3), are disposed on opposite sides of the plate heat exchanger (3).
3. Cooling device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the plate heat exchanger (3) has a plate pack made from a plurality of plates (4), wherein the plate pack is arranged in a heat exchanger housing (3a) that has an oil inlet opening (3c) on the side of the inlet region, via which opening oil flows from the oil pan (2) into the heat exchanger housing (3a), preferably filtered by a filter and/or sifting arrangement (3e) and that has an oil outlet opening on the outlet side, via which opening oil flows out of the heat exchanger housing (3a).
4. Cooling device according to claim 3, characterised in that an antechamber (3b) or inlet chamber is arranged upstream of the inlet region (6a) of the plate pack in the heat exchanger housing (3a), into which chamber the oil flows via the oil inlet opening (3c) that is preferably disposed geodetically deeper than the plate heat exchanger (3).
5. Cooling device according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that an outlet chamber (3d) is arranged downstream of the outlet region (6b) of the plate pack in the heat exchanger housing, into which chamber the oil flows after having flowed through the plate interspaces (6) that conduct oil, and whose oil outlet opening forms an oil line connection region.
6. Cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that an oil line (22) is connected to the oil line connection region or integrally linked thereto, and
   in that the oil line (22) is formed by a suction tube line on the oil pump side.
7. Cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the plate heat exchanger (3) is fixed on the oil pan side and/or on supports (9, 10) on the oil pan side and/or connecting elements by means of at least one heat exchanger bearing element (30; 33).
8. Cooling device according to claim 7, characterised in that the at least one heat exchanger bearing element (30; 33) is formed by an insert plate (33) or a yoke plate (30) or by an insert plate that is integrated into a yoke plate.
9. Cooling device according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the plate heat exchanger (3) having the at least one heat exchanger bearing element (30; 33) is supported and/or braced between several oil pan housing walls (12), in particular between two oil pan housing walls that are opposite each other.
10. Cooling device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that coolant channels (15, 16) are integrated into the at least one heat exchanger bearing element (30; 33), which channels are connected for flow with at least one part of the plate interspaces (5) that conduct coolant.
11. Cooling device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the coolant channels that are connected for flow with the plate interspaces (5) that conduct coolant are formed by coolant channels (16) that are at least partially integrated in a housing wall (12, 13) of the oil pan (2).
12. Cooling device according to claim 10 and 11, characterised in that the coolant channels (15) that are integrated into the at least one heat exchanger bearing element (30; 33) are connected for flow with at least one part of the coolant channels (16) that are integrated into the housing wall (12, 13).
13. Cooling device according to one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the coolant channels (15, 16) are formed by a plurality of boreholes that interact with one another.

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