Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H3/00—Air heaters
  • F24H3/02—Air heaters with forced circulation
  • F24H3/04—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
  • F24H3/0405—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
  • F24H3/0429—For vehicles
  • F24H3/0452—Frame constructions
  • F24H3/0458—One-piece frames
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H3/00—Air heaters
  • F24H3/02—Air heaters with forced circulation
  • F24H3/04—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element
  • F24H3/0405—Air heaters with forced circulation the air being in direct contact with the heating medium, e.g. electric heating element using electric energy supply, e.g. the heating medium being a resistive element; Heating by direct contact, i.e. with resistive elements, electrodes and fins being bonded together without additional element in-between
  • F24H3/0429—For vehicles

Definitions

• the invention relates to a heat sink of an electric heating device intended to be traversed by a flow of air to be heated.
• the invention applies more particularly to heating and / or air conditioning apparatus for motor vehicles.
• the present invention also relates to the method of assembling an electric heater.
• the heating of the air for heating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, as well as demisting and defrosting is provided by passing an air flow through a heat exchanger, specifically by a heat exchange between the flow of air and a liquid, usually the engine coolant.
• this heating mode may be inadequate or insufficient to ensure a rapid and efficient heating of the passenger compartment and thus may hinder the thermal comfort in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Therefore, a way of improving comfort for passengers is to quickly heat the air in the cabin, especially during the winter season.
• a known solution consists in adding to the heat exchanger an electric heating device, otherwise called electric radiator.
• This electric heating device comprises electric heating modules arranged to be exposed directly to the air passing through the electric heating device to achieve an almost immediate extra heat.
• the heating modules are made in the form of heating bars; a heating bar comprising resistive elements for example with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), such as PTC stones, heat sinks and electrodes.
• PTC positive temperature coefficient
• a heating module or heating bar having two longitudinally extending electrodes, each enclosing a heat sink formed for example of a metal strip. pleated or corrugated and bearing against resistive elements, such as CTP stones.
• the electrodes distribute the electric current supplied by a power source to the resistive elements.
• the heat sink function performed by the corrugated ribbon is to exchange with the air flow the heat produced by the resistive elements CTP effect, so as to heat the flow of air passing through the heat sink.
• the heater generally includes a frame having housing for receiving the heater modules including resistive elements, heat sinks, and electrodes.
• Such heating modules have a major disadvantage: by their structure, these heating modules are expensive. Indeed, it comprises at least three elements: the resistive element, the electrode and the heat sink, and a support frame of all these elements. These heating modules therefore require several components or materials, which implies a significant cost.
• the assembly of the elements of the heating modules and the assembly of the heating modules in the frame can be complex.
• the invention therefore aims to overcome these disadvantages of the prior art by providing a simplified electric heating device by reducing the number of elements to lower the manufacturing cost of the electric heater.
• the invention also aims to simplify or even automate the assembly process of such an electric heater or electric heater.
• the present invention provides a solution via a heat sink of a heating module for a device for electric heating of an air flow, said heating module comprising at least one heating element and said heat sink being configured to to be traversed by the air flow and to transmit the heat of the heating element to the flow of air to be heated,
• the heat sink is a unitary block having at least one at least one receiving housing of at least one heating element, the housing having at least one opening on a face of said dissipator intended to be in contact with the air flow.
• a heat sink forming a unitary block may have a function of supporting the heating elements.
• a single heat sink block transfers the heat produced by the heating elements to the airflow to be heated. The same heat sink provides this heat dissipation function for all the heating elements, and no longer a heat sink for each row of heating elements as in some solutions of the prior art.
• the design of the heating module is simplified.
• the heating elements such as resistive elements of positive temperature coefficient type, and the associated electrodes, are directly received in a housing of the heat sink. It is not necessary to provide for each heating structure a heat sink clamped by the electrodes and bearing against the resistive elements, all to be inserted into a housing of a support frame.
• Said heat sink may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken separately or in combination:
• said dissipator is made in one piece; which allows a gain in terms of manufacturing and cost,
• the dissipator has an inlet face of the air flow and an outlet face of the air flow, and the housing has at least one opening formed on the outlet face of the air flow of said dissipator;
• the receiving housing has a substantially U-shaped cross section
• the heating element is arranged in thermal and electrical contact with the dissipator and an electrode is disposed in the housing in electrical contact with the heating element; said dissipator further comprises a layer of electrical insulation disposed in the housing and intended to mechanically close the housing, the electrical insulation layer is for example a silicone layer;
• the electrical insulating silicone is a thermal conductor
• said dissipator comprises at least one heat dissipation zone distinct from the receiving housing
• the heat dissipation zone has louvers
• the heat dissipation zone comprises dissipation fins
• said dissipator has an alternation of heat dissipation zones and receiving housing of at least one heating element
• said dissipator is in the form of a support plate.
• the invention also relates to a heating module of an electric heating device for a heating and / or air conditioning device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one heating element and a heat sink configured to be traversed by the air flow and for transmitting the heat of the heating element to the airflow to be heated, characterized in that the heat sink is a unitary block having at least one housing for receiving at least one heating element and forming a support for said at least one element heating, the housing having at least one opening on one side of said dissipator intended to be in contact with the air flow.
• Said heating module may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken separately or in combination:
• the heating element is a resistive element
• said heating module comprises at least one electrode in contact with the heating element
• the heat sink receives in a receiving housing at least one heating element arranged between the heat sink and an electrode plate;
• said heating module comprises at least one heating structure comprising a predefined number of heating elements and two electrode plates on either side heating elements, and wherein a heating structure is received in a receiving housing of the heat sink.
• the invention also relates to a method of assembling a heating module as defined above, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
• a heat sink is produced in the form of a unitary block comprising at least one housing for receiving at least one heating element and at least one heat dissipation zone, the housing having at least one opening formed on a face of said dissipator; intended to be in contact with a flow of air passing through said dissipator, and
• At least one heating element is arranged in an associated receiving housing of the heat sink.
• the method may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken separately or in combination:
• the heat sink is made in one piece from a metal material, by stamping or molding;
• blinds are made by folding over the heat dissipation zone
• an electrode plate is arranged on said at least one heating element arranged in a housing for receiving the heat sink;
• a layer of electrical insulation is arranged on the electrode plate and said at least one heating element is arranged in a housing for receiving the heat sink, such as a silicone layer; the silicone layer thus provides both a function of electrical insulator and mechanical support while controlling the heat dissipation;
• the layer of electrical insulator is arranged on an outlet face of the air flow of said dissipator
• said method comprises a preliminary step in the step of arranging at least one heating element in the associated receiving housing of the heat sink, in which glue is disposed in said at least one housing of the heat sink; - Dissipation fins are formed in one piece with said dissipator by molding;
• Dissipation fins are assembled on the heat dissipation zone, by soldering or gluing;
• said method comprises the following steps: two electrode plates are assembled on each side of a predetermined number of heating elements, so as to form a heating structure, and the heating structure is inserted into an associated housing of the heatsink.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic partial view of a heating module of a heating device for a motor vehicle, according to a first embodiment of the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the heating module of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the heating module of FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view of a heat sink of the heating module represented in FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view of the heat sink of FIG. 4a during a glue deposition step in heat sink housings
• FIG. 4c is a cross-sectional view of the heat sink of FIG. 4b during a step of positioning heating elements in the heatsink housing
• FIG. 4d is a cross-sectional view of the heat sink of FIG. 4c during an electrode positioning step in the heat sink slots
• FIG. 4e is a view of FIG. 4d during a pressing step
• FIG. 4f is a cross-sectional view of the heat sink of FIG. 4e during a step of depositing a holding layer on the elements received in FIGS. heatsink housing,
• FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a heating module according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the heating module of FIG. 5,
• FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a heating module according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of a heat sink of the heating module of FIG. 7,
• FIG. 9 schematically represents a heating structure of the heating module of FIG. 7,
• FIG. 10a is a diagrammatic front view showing a heat sink of the heating module of FIG. 7 according to the third embodiment.
• FIG. 10b is a schematic view of the heating module according to the third embodiment in a step of inserting the heating structures in the housing of the heat sink of Figure 10a.
• the heating of the air can be provided by a heat exchanger, for example using the engine coolant as heat transfer liquid and / or by an electric heating device 1 , otherwise known as electric radiator, shown schematically and partially in FIG.
• Such an electric heater 1 is arranged to be traversed by the flow of air to be heated.
• the heating device 1 comprises a heating module 3 or several identical or different heating modules 3.
• the heating module 3 comprises at least one heating element 5 and a heat sink 7, 107, 207.
• a heating module 3 may comprise at least one resistive element 5 of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) type.
• the resistive elements are for example made in the form of PTC stones.
• the resistive element 5 may be of parallelepipedal shape. By its shape, this resistive element 5 comprises two large end faces 5a, 5b opposite.
• the heating module 3 comprises a common heat sink 7, 107, 207 for all the resistive elements 5.
• the heat sink 7, 107, 207 makes it possible to transmit the heat of the heating elements 5 to the flow of air to be heated which passes through the heating module 3.
• This heat sink 7, 107, 207 is made of a thermally conductive metal material.
• the material is electrically conductive. This material can be aluminum.
• the heat sink 7, 107, 207 forms a support for the heating element (s) 5, and all the elements of the heating module 3 as will be detailed later.
• the heat sink 7, 107, 207 is in the form of a unitary block which has at least one receiving housing 9, 209 of at least one heating element 5.
• the heating module 3 comprises several rows of resistive elements 5, as an illustrative example three rows of three PTC stones 5, and a heat sink 7 made in one piece.
• the heat sink 7 is for example made in the form of a deformed support plate in which the deformations form at least one housing of receiving the resistive elements, for example by stamping or molding.
• the support plate formed by the heat sink 7 has a generally parallelepipedal general shape.
• the length L and the width 1 are defined schematically in FIG.
• the flow of air to be heated passes through the heating module 3 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the general plane P defined by the heat sink 7.
• This heat sink 7 has two opposite faces of inlet and outlet air, in the direction of flow of the air flow to be heated.
• the heat sink 7 is adapted to receive at least one heating element 5, here a resistive element in the form of PTC stone 5.
• the heat sink 7 has for this purpose at least one receiving housing 9 of one or more resistive elements 5 and at least one heat dissipation zone 11 for dissipating the heat produced by the resistive elements 5 towards the flow of air passing through the heat sink 7.
• the dissipator 7 is able to receive three resistive elements 5 in a receiving housing 9 and has three receiving housings 9.
• Each housing 9 is therefore dimensioned so as to receive at least one resistive element 5 in its entirety here, three resistive elements 5 in their entirety.
• the resistive elements 5 are arranged in the housings 9 so as to be exposed directly to the flow of air passing through the heat sink 7.
• the housings 9 have at least one opening on one side of the dissipator 7 intended to be in contact with the air flow passing through the dissipator 7.
• the opening is provided on the airflow outlet face of the dissipator 7.
• the housing 9 is therefore semi-open which facilitates the assembly of the elements of the heating module 3 to the dissipator 7, as will be described later.
• a receiving housing 9 is according to the first illustrated embodiment made with a substantially U-shaped cross-section, as is best seen in FIG. 2. This housing 9 extends and is continuous in the lengthwise direction. of the support plate formed by the heat sink 7. As a result, a housing 9 and the resistive element or elements 5 received in the housing 9 extend substantially perpendicular to the direction of the air flow.
• a housing 9 has a solid surface that is to say not perforated, so that it is not crossed by the air flow to be heated.
• a housing 9 is provided for fixing one or more resistive elements 5.
• Fixing can for example be done by gluing, using an adhesive 10 (see Figure 2) such as a silicone adhesive.
• the resistive element or elements 5 are arranged in electrical and thermal contact with the heat sink 7.
• the latter is connected to ground. More specifically, a resistive element 5 is arranged in a housing 9 associated with a first end face 5a in electrical and thermal contact with the heat sink 7.
• the heat sink 7 forms a support for the various elements of the heating module 3.
• a receiving housing 9 is also able to receive an electrode 12.
• This electrode 12 is in the form of a plate extending longitudinally in the direction of the length L of the heat sink 7 .
• the electrode plate has a terminal 12a for connection to a power source (not shown).
• the connection terminal 12a forms a projection relative to the heat sink 7, in the direction of the length L.
• the electrode 12 is arranged on the resistive element or elements 5 received in the associated receiving housing 9. According to the illustrated example, an electrode 12 is arranged on three PTC stones 5 in an associated housing 9.
• a resistive element 5 has two large opposite faces 5a, 5b, with a large face 5a in electrical and thermal contact with the heat sink 7, and the other large face 5b of a resistive element 5 in electrical contact with the electrode plate 12.
• a resistive element 5 is arranged between on the one hand the heat sink 7 and on the other hand an associated electrode plate 12.
• an additional layer 13 in particular a silicone deposit, on the elements received in a receiving housing 9 of the heat sink 7.
• This additional layer 13 is provided for maintaining contact between the electrode plate 12 and the resistive element (s) 5 received in the associated housing 9 as well as for the protection of these elements. This guarantees a certain reliability and robustness of the heating module 3.
• This additional layer 13 is an electrical insulating layer, such as a silicone layer. The electrical insulating silicone is thermal conductor, so as to participate in the heat transfer between the heating elements 5 and the flow of air passing through the heating module 3.
• the heat sink 7 also comprises at least one heat dissipation zone 11.
• the heat dissipation zone 11 is intended to exchange heat with the air flow passing through the heating module 3 and therefore through the heat sink 7. It is meant by exchanging heat with the air flow that the air flow passes right through the heat dissipation zone 11 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane P defined by the heat sink 7 and thus increases its temperature in contact with this heat dissipation zone 11.
• This heat dissipation zone 11 has a plurality of louvers 15, better visible in FIGS. 2 and 3.
• louvers 15 are for example made by cutting and folding.
• the louvers 15 have a substantially "U" -shaped cross section and each comprise a large substantially rectangular face 15a defining the length of the louver 15 and two small lateral faces 15b, 15c to a flat wall 17 of the heat dissipation zone 11.
• the louvers 15 are contained in a plane substantially parallel to the plane P.
• the louvers 15 succeed one another in the direction of the length L of the heat sink 7.
• a heat dissipation zone 11 is therefore distinct from the housing of reception 9.
• a receiving housing 9 and a heat dissipation zone 11 are of different structures. Indeed, a housing 9 has a solid surface not perforated and thus is not traversed right through by the air flow to be heated, while the heat dissipation zone 11 is perforated and is traversed from one side to the other by the flow of air to be heated.
• a housing 9 is the site of attachment of one or more resistive elements 5 on the heat sink 7 and allows to conduct the heat produced by the resistive elements 5 to the heat dissipation zone 11, the heat dissipation zone 11 allows for its part to dissipate the heat produced by the resistive elements 5 towards the flow of air passing through the heat dissipation zone 11.
• the heat sink 7 may comprise a plurality of housings 9 and dissipating zones 11. More precisely , the heat sink 7 may comprise an alternation of housings 9 and dissipating zones 11.
• the heat sink 7 comprises three housings 9 and four dissipating zones 11 arranged alternately. This alternation is done according to the width 1 of the heat sink 7.
• a housing 9 is adjacent to two heat dissipation zones 11 intended to exchange heat with a flow of air passing through the heat sink 7.
• the housings 9 and the heat dissipation zones 11 of the heat sink 7 are contained in the same plane P.
• Such a dissipator 7 forming a support of the elements of the heating module 3, therefore forms a unitary block.
• the housings 9 and the heat dissipation zones 11 are secured to the heat sink 7.
• the set of elements of the heating module 3 the heat sink 7, the resistive elements 5, the electrodes 12, form a heating block.
• a heat sink 7 is produced in the form of a unit block as described above.
• the heat sink 7 is made in one piece from a metallic material.
• the housings 9 and the heat dissipation zones 11 are formed in one piece with the heat sink 7. There is thus a single piece made by simple stamping or molding.
• a cutting step can be used to cut the material to the desired dimensions. Then, it is possible to form, for example by stamping or molding, at least one semi-open receiving housing 9, for example of substantially U-shaped cross-section, and at least one heat-dissipating zone 11 capable of being traversed on the one hand. in part by the flow of air to be heated. Louvers 15 may for example be made by cutting and folding at the heat dissipation zone (s) 11.
• the glue 10 such as silicone glue, is disposed at the receiving receptacles 9 of the heat sink 7.
• At least one heating element such as a resistive element 5 is arranged in an associated housing 9 covered with adhesive 10.
• the resistive elements 5 are fixed in the associated housings 9 of the heat sink 7 by the glue 10.
• the fixing of a resistive element 5 is such that a first large face 5 has contact with the heat sink 7.
• an electrode plate 12 is placed on the resistive element or elements 5 received in a housing 9.
• This electrode plate 12 is placed on the second large free face 5b of the one or more resistive elements 5 received in the associated housing 9.
• the electrode plates 12 are for example pre-coated with glue to allow attachment to the resistive elements 5.
• the arrangement of the plates electrode 12 on the resistive elements 5 received in the housing 9 is simplified due to the semi-open housing 9 with their opening at one side, for example airflow outlet, the heat sink 7.
• the process may then comprise a pressing step (FIG. 4e) as well as a step of heating the assembly, for example by passing through an oven.
• This step makes it possible in particular to harden the glue used for fixing the resistive elements 5 in the housings 9 and the electrodes 12.
• the method may also include a step of deposition of an additional layer 13 for maintaining the contact between the electrodes 12 and the associated resistive elements 5 in a receiving housing 9 of the heat sink 7.
• This additional layer 13 is an insulating layer electrical, such as a layer of thermal conductive silicone. This layer of electrical insulation also ensures the mechanical maintenance of the elements received in the housing 9 while allowing control of the heat dissipation.
• the heat sink block 107 comprises a support plate 119, for example made of aluminum, and dissipation fins 121, for example made of aluminum.
• the assembly can be fixed by gluing or soldering thereby forming a unitary block.
• the dissipation fins 121 are arranged at the heat dissipation zones 111 of the heat sink 107.
• the receiving housings 109 are made with a "U" cross-section and extend in the length direction L of the heat sink 107.
• the resistive elements 5, the electrodes 12, and a possible layer 13 of thermal conductive and mechanical mechanical insulation, are identical to the first embodiment.
• the steps of the assembly method are substantially the same as for the first embodiment.
• the difference lies in the phase of obtaining the heat sink block 107 comprising dissipating fins 121.
• the dissipation fins 121 may be made in one piece with the heat sink 107 and the housings 109, for example by molding.
• the dissipating fins 121 may be soldered or bonded to the housings 109 to form a heat sink 107 in the form of a unitary block.
• the heat sink block 207 has a support plate 219 comprising housings 209 and dissipating fins 221.
• housings 209 have a substantially tube shape and have a cross section of substantially rectangular shape as shown in Figure 8.
• the housing 209 may have an opening provided on one side of the heat sink 207 intended to be in contact with the air flow, such as for example the airflow outlet face.
• the housings 209 are made in the form of partially open tubes.
• heating structures 223 are arranged in the associated housings 209 of the heat sink 207.
• the shape of the housing 209 is complementary to the shape of the heating structures 223.
• a heating structure 223 comprises a predefined number of heating elements 5, in particular coefficient-type resistive elements.
• positive temperature for example made in the form of PTC stones 5 and two electrodes 212 and 212 '.
• the two electrodes are arranged on either side of the resistive elements 5, in the direction of the width 1 of the heat sink 207, once assembled to the heat sink 7, and extend longitudinally.
• the electrode 212 is for example the positive electrode and the electrode 212 'the negative electrode.
• the resistive elements 5 are electrically isolated from the heat sink 207, using an insulation envelope 225.
• This insulation envelope 255 surrounds the heating elements 5 and the electrodes 212 and 212 'associated for the isolate heat sink 207.
• the insulation envelope 255 is for example made Kapton.
• a heat sink 207 is produced in the form of a unitary block as described according to the third embodiment.
• the assembly 209 substantially in the form of partially open tube, and heat dissipation zones 211 comprising dissipating fins 221.
• the same material for example aluminum, is used for the support plate 219 and the fins 221.
• the assembly can be assembled by gluing or brazing, or alternatively the fins 221 may be made in the same mold as the support plate 219 and the housing 209.
• At least one assembled heating structure is inserted during a preliminary step into an associated housing 209.
• two electrode plates 212 and 212 ' are assembled on either side of a predetermined number of resistive elements 5.
• the heating structure 223 When a heating structure 223 is inserted into an associated housing 207 of the heat sink 207, from the left in FIGS. 10a, 10b, the heating structure 223 is guided continuously along the housing 209 by its tube shape.
• a heating block is thus obtained, the elements of the heating module 3: the resistive elements 5, the electrodes 212, 212 ', and the insulation envelope 225, being worn. by the heat sink 207.
• a heat sink 7, 107, 207 forms a unitary unit advantageously made of the same material and preferably in one piece, and serves as a support for the all of the elements of the heating module 3, in particular for the resistive elements 5 and the associated electrodes 12, 212, 212 '.
• the method of assembling a heating module 3 is thus simplified because it requires less step, and can be easily automated.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Direct Air Heating By Heater Or Combustion Gas (AREA)
• Air-Conditioning For Vehicles (AREA)
• Cooling Or The Like Of Electrical Apparatus (AREA)
• Resistance Heating (AREA)

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• 2012
  • 2012-10-19 FR FR1259983A patent/FR2997168B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2013
  • 2013-10-17 WO PCT/EP2013/071777 patent/WO2014060546A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2013-10-17 US US14/435,811 patent/US20150300686A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-10-17 KR KR1020157012958A patent/KR20150074088A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-10-17 JP JP2015537263A patent/JP6301938B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2013-10-17 CN CN201380062425.9A patent/CN104823004B/zh active Active
  • 2013-10-17 EP EP13779572.0A patent/EP2909542B1/fr active Active

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