EP2756196A1 - Flexible fan shroud - Google Patents

Flexible fan shroud

Info

Publication number
EP2756196A1
EP2756196A1 EP11782216.3A EP11782216A EP2756196A1 EP 2756196 A1 EP2756196 A1 EP 2756196A1 EP 11782216 A EP11782216 A EP 11782216A EP 2756196 A1 EP2756196 A1 EP 2756196A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
shroud
fan
radiator
shape
peripheral wall
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP11782216.3A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2756196B1 (en
Inventor
Pierre CAREZ
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Volvo Truck Corp
Original Assignee
Renault Trucks SAS
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Renault Trucks SAS filed Critical Renault Trucks SAS
Publication of EP2756196A1 publication Critical patent/EP2756196A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2756196B1 publication Critical patent/EP2756196B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
    • F04D—NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
    • F04D29/00—Details, component parts, or accessories
    • F04D29/40—Casings; Connections of working fluid
    • F04D29/52—Casings; Connections of working fluid for axial pumps
    • F04D29/54—Fluid-guiding means, e.g. diffusers
    • F04D29/541—Specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
    • F04D29/545—Ducts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01P—COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES
    • F01P11/00—Component parts, details, or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F01P1/00 - F01P9/00
    • F01P11/10—Guiding or ducting cooling-air, to, or from, liquid-to-air heat exchangers

Definitions

  • the invention can be implemented for installations where the radiator is located upstream or downstream of the fan in the air flow generated by the fan. Nevertheless, in the shown embodiment, the fan is located downstream of the radiator. Also, the engine is not necessarily located rearwards of the fan and radiator assembly. Other respective locations can be contemplated, especially in fixed engine installations, such as where the engine drives an electric generator. Nevertheless, the radiator and the fan extend essentially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis X, and the fan creates an air flow which flows substantially along said axis X.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
  • Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)

Abstract

The invention relates to a shroud (11) which is intended to be mounted between a radiator (4) and a fan (10) of an internal combustion engine arrangement. The shroud (11) has a peripheral wall comprising: - a first end (12) having a first cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the radiator (4); - a second end (13) having a second cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the fan (10). Furthermore, the peripheral wall of the shroud (11) is made of flexible material and is designed to be tensioned, at least in operation, so as to form a substantially smooth peripheral guiding surface for an air flow.

Description

FLEXIBLE FAN SHROUD
Field of the invention The present invention relates to a shroud intended to be mounted between a radiator and a fan of an internal combustion engine arrangement. The invention can be implemented more specifically, but not exclusively, on a vehicle, especially an industrial vehicle such as a truck. Technological background
In order to cool an engine, such as the engine of a vehicle, there is conventionally provided a cooling circuit carrying a cooling fluid. Said cooling circuit typically includes a radiator arranged on the front of the vehicle, through which ambient air can flow rearwards, thereby cooling the cooling fluid which has been heated by the engine.
To further cool the engine when needed, the vehicle can be equipped with a fan arranged rearwards from the radiator. Such a fan comprises a propeller which is mounted on the engine shaft, or more generally directly or indirectly on the engine, and which is surrounded by a fan ring designed to improve the aerodynamic properties of the fan. When the engine makes the propeller rotate, a great amount of air is sucked through the radiator, therefore providing an additional cooling of the cooling fluid and consequently an additional cooling of the engine.
In order to improve the efficiency of such a system, there can be provided a fan shroud mounted between the radiator and the fan so as to create a channel for the air flow between the radiator and the fan.
A typical fan shroud is constituted by a substantially rigid plastic part which is fastened at a first end to the radiator and which contacts the fan ring equipped with an appropriate seal. Such a conventional fan shroud has some disadvantages.
First of all, a fan shroud of this type is realised by moulding, which involves expensive tooling, all the more as several moulds are required for the whole range of fan installations. Furthermore, moulding offers few possibilities to modify the tooling in case there is a need for an evolution of the shroud. Moreover, the tooling lead time can be up to several months, which is generally not desirable.
Another weakness of this known fan shroud is that the limits in terms of mechanical resistance of the plastic material available for this type of part can be reached due to the quite high underpressure created by the fan and/or to the ambient temperature which can be up to 100°C. A further significant constraint is the relative displacement between the fan and the radiator during engine operation. Indeed, the engine is usually mounted through flexible suspensions on a carrying member - for example the chassis of a vehicle or the ground when the internal combustion engine arrangement is a fixed installation - while the radiator can be fixed to said carrying member. Thus, due to engine movements, there may be a relative displacement between the radiator and the fan in the order of more than 10 mm in each direction.
The above pressure, temperature and/or relative displacement factors generate deformations and stress in the fan shroud. As a result, the shape and efficiency of such fan shrouds can be impaired.
The aerodynamics of the assembly is not fully satisfactory either. Indeed, the shroud generally comprises a profile including steps or cavities, which is not optimum for the flow of air. This can be due to manufacturing technical requirements and/or to the section change of the shroud from a first end designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the radiator and a second end designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the fan. Besides, some leakage between the radiator and the fan shroud often appears.
Additionally, these fan shrouds cannot be stacked up in a compact set due to their specific shape. This results in logistic problems for transport and storage.
It therefore appears that, from several standpoints, there is room for improvement in fan shrouds.
Summary
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shroud which can overcome the above mentioned drawbacks of conventional fan shrouds. To this end, the invention relates to a shroud intended to be mounted between a radiator and a fan of an internal combustion engine arrangement, said shroud having a peripheral wall comprising:
- a first end having a first cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the radiator;
- a second end having a second cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the fan;
the peripheral wall of the shroud being made of flexible material and being designed to be tensioned, at least in operation, so as to form a substantially smooth peripheral guiding surface for an air flow.
Thus, the invention provides a shroud which forms a flexible tubular sheet, the cross section of which can change from a first cross section to a second cross section if these are different in shape and/or in size. Said shroud is tensioned, either permanently due to its shape and dimensions, or at least in operation, as a result of the underpressure in the shroud. Because the shroud forms a smooth surface, the air flow passing through the radiator can be increased and the turbulence can be greatly reduced, which results in a better cooling performance.
The overall aerodynamics of the assembly is also improved because of a better sealing of said flexible fan shroud onto the radiator and the fan ring, as compared with a conventional rigid fan shroud.
Besides, being flexible, the shroud according to the invention can be folded and stacked up, which reduces the packaging space required for transport and storage and makes it possible to have an increased space for maintenance operations.
This flexibility is also advantageous in that it makes it possible for the shroud to accommodate the relative movements between the fan ring and the radiator in operation, thereby reducing the stress applied to said shroud.
In concrete terms, the term "flexible" means that the overall shape of the shroud can vary, especially when the fan moves with respect to the radiator.
Another significant advantage of the shroud according to the invention is that the tooling cost and manufacturing lead-time can be greatly reduced as compared with a rigid plastic injected fan shroud. Indeed, different installations which require different shapes of the fan shroud can be accommodated without providing an expensive mould for each and every shroud shape.
Furthermore, the mechanical durability of the shroud according to the invention is greater than the one of a conventional rigid fan shroud.
The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a radiator and a fan for an internal combustion engine arrangement, said assembly further comprising a shroud which is mounted between said radiator and said fan. For example, this arrangement can be installed on a vehicle such as a truck, or can be part of a fixed installation, such as an electric generating set.
These and other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in view of the drawing attached hereto representing, as a non-limiting example, an embodiment of a shroud according to the invention. Brief description of the drawings
The following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment disclosed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembly according to an embodiment of the invention, said assembly comprising a radiator, a fan and a fans shroud;
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the assembly of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a cross section view of the assembly of Figure 1 , taken along a substantially vertical median plane;
Figure 4 is a schematic drawing of the assembly and an engine, showing the air flow path. Detailed description of the invention
In Figure 4 is illustrated a chassis frame 1 on which is installed an engine 2 and a radiator 4 of an internal combustion engine arrangement.
The following description is made in the specific case of such an arrangement which is part of a vehicle such as a truck. However, the invention can be used in a fixed installation, such as an electric generating set. The engine 2 has a shaft 3 extending in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle. In Figure 4 are also represented the vertical axis Z and the transversal axis Y of the vehicle.
The radiator 4 is designed to cool the cooling fluid by means of ambient air passing through the radiator 4 substantially longitudinally rearwards, towards the engine 2. The radiator can typically have a substantially rectangular cross section as best seen on Figures 1 and 2. By way of an example, in the case of an engine arrangement for a heavy truck, the radiator cross section can be around 0,8 m wide and around 1 ,2 m high.
A fan 10 is arranged between the engine 2 and the radiator 4, in order to provide an additional cooling when needed. The fan 10 comprises a propeller 5 which is mounted on the engine 3 so as to be rotated by the engine 2 when the cooling fluid is not sufficiently cooled in the radiator to properly cool the engine 2, an additional cooling being therefore needed. The fan 10 preferably also comprises a fan ring 6 which surrounds the propeller 5 and which can be fastened onto the engine 2 by appropriate means such as fastening legs 7. The purpose of the fan ring 6 is to improve the aerodynamics of the propeller 5. By way of an example, for a truck, the fan diameter can be comprised between around 630 and 700 mm.
When the propeller 5 is rotating, ambient air is sucked from the front of the vehicle, and passes through the radiator 4 and the fan 10 towards the engine 2, as shown by the arrows in Figure 4. It should be noted that the invention can be implemented for installations where the radiator is located upstream or downstream of the fan in the air flow generated by the fan. Nevertheless, in the shown embodiment, the fan is located downstream of the radiator. Also, the engine is not necessarily located rearwards of the fan and radiator assembly. Other respective locations can be contemplated, especially in fixed engine installations, such as where the engine drives an electric generator. Nevertheless, the radiator and the fan extend essentially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis X, and the fan creates an air flow which flows substantially along said axis X.
A fan shroud 11 is provided between the radiator 4 and the fan 10 in order to create a channel 14 for guiding the air flow between the radiator and the fan. In this embodiment, the shroud 11 is therefore located upstream of the fan and downstream of the radiator in the air flow generated or complemented by the fan. The fan shroud 11 comprises essentially a peripheral wall which extends around a longitudinal axis X for channelling the air flow. The peripheral wall of the shroud has a first end 12 having a first cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the radiator 4, and a second end 13 having a second cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the fan 10.
The first and second cross sections can be different in shape and/or in size.
In the illustrated embodiment, the first cross section is substantially rectangular - to match the shape of the radiator 4 - and the second cross section is substantially circular - to match the shape of the fan 10, more specifically the round shape of the fan ring 6. It can be noted that the shroud is not necessarily fitted directly on the fan ring or on the radiator but may be fitted to an intermediate part connected to the fan and/or to the radiator. The respective intermediate part may then be rigidly connected to the fan and/or the radiator.
According to the invention, the peripheral wall of the shroud is made of a flexible material. Preferably, the material should be flexible enough to allow a relative movement between the parts to which it is attached to by the sole deformation of the material itself, without said deformation generating a significant effort which could cause a significant deformation of the parts to which the flexible material is attached. Preferably, the deformation of the flexible peripheral wall of the shroud accommodates alone the relative displacement of the fan and of the radiator, without the need for further compensation means, and without creating any additional gap allowing air to be sucked in the air channel between the radiator and the fan. Also, the material should be flexible enough so as to withstand the repeated deformations caused by the relative displacement of the fan and of the radiator in operation.
Furthermore, as illustrated in the figures, the shroud 11 is designed to be tensioned, at least in operation, so as to form a substantially smooth peripheral guiding surface for the air flow.
According to an implementation of the invention, the shroud 11 can be tensioned permanently due to its shape and dimensions. According to another implementation, the shroud 1 1 can be tensioned in operation, as a consequence of the low pressure in the channel 14 delimited by the shroud 11 due to fan operation. Then, the shroud 11 should be flexible enough to be tensioned (as a sail) by the pressure difference between both sides of the shroud 11 , i.e. between the inside and the outside of the channel delimited by the peripheral wall of the shroud 1 1.
With such an assembly 15 - comprising a radiator 4, a fan 10 and a flexible and tensioned shroud 11 - the invention makes it possible to improve the aerodynamics. Therefore, it could lead to an increase of the flow rate of air directed through the radiator, i.e. to an improvement of the cooling efficiency. Alternatively, with a same air flow, the invention could allow a decrease in the power consumption of the fan 10.
Preferably, the shroud peripheral wall being tensioned implies that any cross section of said peripheral wall by a plane containing axis X exhibits a substantially linear or rounded profile, without any abrupt shape, i.e. with a local radius of curvature of the profile not below 30mm, preferably not below 50mm.
Furthermore, because the shroud 11 is flexible, the relative movements between the fan 10 and the radiator 4 in X, Y and Z directions can be accommodated. Said movements can reach 20 mm in certain operating conditions. For example, the relative displacement can be around 20 mm in the Y and Z directions, and 5 mm in the X direction.
According to an implementation of the invention, the peripheral wall of the shroud 11 can comprise at least one portion made of flexible and elastic material, or of flexible but non elastic material. Using an elastic material, i.e. a material that is extendable, can make it easier to have the shroud 11 tensioned when the fan 10 is not operational, since the shroud 11 could then be more easily pretensionned between the fan 10 and the radiator 4.
For example, the shroud 11 can comprise a sheet like material, a fabric-like material, and/or a membrane like material. It can comprise a thermoplastic elastomer, or a woven or a non-woven fabric, possibly laminated with air tight or quasi airtight material.
The air tightness of such an assembly, as defined by the ratio of air flow through the radiator versus air flow through the fan can be over 80%, preferably over 95%, which is satisfactory for this implementation. In other words, only a fairly low portion of the air sucked by the fan 10 has passed through the shroud 11 or through gaps in the fan/radiator/shroud assembly instead of flowing through the radiator 4 and then in the channel 14. Therefore, most of the air going through the fan 10 also flows through the radiator 4. In an embodiment, the shroud 1 1 could include ribs, stiffeners, and/or any other appropriate members in order to avoid a negative effect on the noise level of the installation, and/or to get the appropriate shape to adapt to surroundg parts.
In an embodiment of the invention, the peripheral wall of the shroud
11 can comprise at least two portions 16 which are assembled by means such as welding, sewing, gluing or the like. This makes the shroud 11 easier to manufacture. This further makes it possible to make a shroud 11 having a complex three-dimensionnal shape with a cross section varying in shape and/or in size, from initally two-dimensionnal flat pannels of material, even if said material is not elastic.
For example, said portions 16 can be assembled along substantially longitudinal lines 17.
More specifically, in the embodiment shown in figures 1 and 2, the peripheral wall of the shroud 11 can comprise four substantially identical portions 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d. Each portion can have a first edge 18 which is substantially linear and a second edge 9 which has the shape of a quarter of a circle, when the shroud 11 is mounted between the radiator 4 and the fan 10. When said four portions 16a-d are joined along longitudinal lines 17, the first edges 18 form a rectangle which matches the shape of the radiator 4, while the second edges 19 form a circle which matches the shape of the fan ring 6.
Advantageously, the shape of the shroud 11 could be defined to get a sufficient gap with surrounding parts, according to the requirements of the internal combustion engine arrangement, for example the vehicle design.
The fitting of the shroud 11 onto the radiator 4, on the one hand, and onto the fan ring 6, on the other hand, can be achieved by various means.
For example, the shroud 11 can be mounted onto the fan ring 6 of the fan 10 by crimping. Such a fitting method does not require a seal member, which greatly simplifies the mounting of the shroud 11. In practice, a conventional fan ring 6 can typically be made of aluminium and be equipped with a portion designed for crimping a seal member. Therefore, one can take advantage of this existing portion to mount the shroud 1 according to the invention by crimping. Other means would typically include strapping, welding, gluing, which all allow a substantially continuous fixing of the corresponding end section of the shroud on a corresponding fixing surface connected to the radiator or to the fan. Other fitting means include discrete fitting means such as screws, rivets, snap buttons, hooks, etc...
Concerning now its first end 12, the shroud 1 1 can be mounted onto the radiator 4 by fitting means which are capable of withstanding the suction created by the air flow. Said means can include for example a frame, eyelets, snap fasteners or the like. In an implementation of the invention, no seal member is required to ensure a satisfactory airtightness.
Of course, the invention is not restricted to the embodiment described above by way of a non-limiting example, but on the contrary it encompasses all embodiments thereof.

Claims

1. A shroud intended to be mounted between a radiator (4) and a fan (10) of an internal combustion engine arrangement, said shroud (11) having a peripheral wall comprising:
a first end (12) having a first cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the radiator (4);
a second end (13) having a second cross section designed to match the shape of a fixing surface connected to the fan (10);
characterized in that the peripheral wall of the shroud (11) is made of flexible material and is designed to be tensioned, at least in operation, so as to form a substantially smooth peripheral guiding surface for an air flow.
2. The shroud according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first and second cross sections are different in shape.
3. The shroud according to claim 1 , characterized in that the first cross section is substantially rectangular and the second cross section is substantially circular.
4. The shroud according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first and second cross sections are different in size.
5. The shroud according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the peripheral wall of the shroud (11) comprises at least one portion made of flexible and elastic material.
6. The shroud according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the peripheral wall of the shroud (11) comprises at least two portions (16, 16a-d) which are assembled by means such as welding, sewing, gluing or the like.
7. The shroud according to claim 6, characterized in that the portions (16, 16a-d) are assembled along substantially longitudinal lines (17).
8. The shroud according to claim 3 and claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the peripheral wall of the shroud (11) comprises four substantially identical portions (16a-d), each portion having a first edge (18) which is substantially linear and a second edge (19) which has the shape of a quarter of a circle, when the shroud (11) is mounted between the radiator (4) and the fan (10).
9. An assembly comprising a radiator (4) and a fan (10) for an internal combustion engine arrangement, characterized in that it further comprises a shroud (11) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 which is mounted between said radiator (4) and said fan (10).
10. The assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that the shroud (11) is mounted onto a fan ring (6) of the fan (10) by crimping.
11. The assembly according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the shroud (11) is mounted onto the radiator (4) by fitting means which are capable of withstanding the suction created by the air flow, such as a frame, eyelets, snap fasteners, or the like.
EP11782216.3A 2011-09-15 2011-09-15 Flexible fan shroud Not-in-force EP2756196B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/IB2011/002433 WO2013038222A1 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-09-15 Flexible fan shroud

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2756196A1 true EP2756196A1 (en) 2014-07-23
EP2756196B1 EP2756196B1 (en) 2018-12-19

Family

ID=44947139

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11782216.3A Not-in-force EP2756196B1 (en) 2011-09-15 2011-09-15 Flexible fan shroud

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2756196B1 (en)
BR (1) BR112014006267A2 (en)
WO (1) WO2013038222A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US10081250B2 (en) 2014-12-15 2018-09-25 Dayton-Phoenix Group, Inc. Cooling fan vane assembly for a resistor grid
AT522171B1 (en) * 2019-05-28 2020-09-15 Dipl Ing Thomas Euler Rolle cooler

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3346705C2 (en) * 1983-12-23 1985-12-19 Daimler-Benz Ag, 7000 Stuttgart Cooling device for a liquid-cooled internal combustion engine
JPH0247228Y2 (en) * 1985-09-14 1990-12-12
US7165515B2 (en) * 2004-08-30 2007-01-23 International Truck Intellectual Property Company, Llc Engine cooling fan shroud

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2013038222A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2756196B1 (en) 2018-12-19
BR112014006267A2 (en) 2017-04-11
WO2013038222A1 (en) 2013-03-21

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