FR3024771A1 - HEAT EXCHANGER BEAM AND HEAT EXCHANGER COMPRISING SAID BEAM - Google Patents

Abstract

A heat exchanger bundle, in particular a charge air cooler, said bundle comprising a plurality of plates (20) stacked in a stacking direction so as to define circulation channels (22, 24) for a first and a second fluid for exchanging heat therebetween, said beam further comprising a housing within which said plates (20) are housed, said housing (40) comprising at least one wall (42s) disposed with respect to one (20s) of said plurality of plates, said upper and / or lower plate, provided at the end of said plurality of plates (20) in said stacking direction, said wall (42s), said flow wall, being configured to form a passage blade (41) of one, said first, fluids.

Description

The invention relates to a bundle for a heat exchanger and a heat exchanger comprising said bundle. It relates in particular to the field of charge air coolers and even more particularly to the field of air intake modules for a heat engine comprising such a cooler. It will find its applications, in particular in the field of motor vehicles It is known to perform the air supply of an engine using a supercharging system using air compressors, for example turbochargers. The air output of the compressors is heated which has certain disadvantages. It is thus known from the prior art to cool the supply air by means of a heat exchanger, also called charge air cooler (RAS).

It was firstly used mainly intercooler-type charge air coolers allowing a heat exchange between the charge air circulating in the tubes and a flow of air coming from the outside of the vehicle, flowing between the tubes.

It has also been proposed heat exchangers comprising a beam formed of a stack of superimposed plates, allowing a heat exchange between the charge air and a cooling fluid, generally liquid. The stacked plates alternately form circulation channels for the charge air to be cooled and circulation channels for the cooling fluid. To define the coolant circulation channels the plates are stamped and define each of the blades for passage of said coolant. Since said plates are assembled in pairs, the coolant passage section corresponds to the addition of the passage section of each of the blades defined by the plates of the same pair. The beam further comprises a housing inside which said plates are housed. Said casing makes it possible to hook air intake or outlet manifolds and various inlet or outlet pipes for the cooling liquid as well as fastening attachment flanges. Said casing comprises flat walls fixed to the upper and / or lower plates of the beam. Said walls thus form a cover closing the passage plates of the upper and / or lower plates. It results from such an assembly that at the housing, the passage section of the cooling liquid is limited to the only passage blade defined by the plate located vis-à-vis. This configuration entails a risk of heating up the coolant, which can lead to its boiling, which can have major consequences on the mechanical strength of the plates. In order to improve the situation, the invention proposes a heat exchanger bundle, in particular a charge air cooler, said bundle comprising a plurality of plates stacked in a stacking direction so as to define circulation for a first and a second fluid for exchanging heat with each other, said beam further comprising a casing within which said plates are housed, said casing comprising at least one wall, arranged facing each other; one of said plurality of plates, said upper and / or lower plate, provided at the end of said plurality of plates in said stacking direction, said wall, said flow wall, being configured to form a blade of passage of one, says first, fluids. In other words, said circulation wall is first used to define the passage blade of the first fluid rather than of said upper and / or lower plate. Said wall being more robust, for example thicker, since it is a housing wall, the risk of failure is limited. According to one aspect of the invention, said upper and / or lower plates also form a blade for passing said first fluid, said passage blade defined by the circulation wall and said passage blade defined by said upper and / or lower plate. advantageously extending in correspondence of one another. In this way, the flow section of the first fluid is increased with respect to the solutions of the prior art mentioned above, which may also contribute to limiting the failures indicated above, without the circulation wall necessarily being more robust than the beam plates.

According to embodiments of the invention which may be taken separately or in combination: - said circulation wall comprises corrugations intended to disturb the flow of said first fluid in said first fluid passage blade, - said corrugations are locally affixed to said upper and / or lower plate, in particular at the level of corrugations of said upper and / or lower plates, said circulation wall is configured so that said passage blade of the first fluid forms a serpentine channel, said circulation wall has inlet and outlet orifices of said first fluid, said inlet and / or outlet orifices are arranged at two opposite ends of said channel, said circulation wall comprises partitions configured in such a way said channel comprises passes, separated by said partitions, said passes being intended to be p arcuate in series by said first fluid in opposite directions, from one pass to another, - said flow wall comprises a peripheral edge for attachment to said upper and / or lower plate, - said edge runs along said passage blade of the first fluid, - said circulation wall defines a face of said housing and has a hooking edge 20 of a manifold of the other, said second, said fluids, - said hooking edge connects two other faces of said casing, - the circulation wall comprises attachment flanges to at least one of said other faces of the casing, - said flanges are provided at one or more edges of said wall, said interface edges, disposed transversely to said hooking edge, - said housing further comprises three other walls, two of said other walls respectively defining said two other faces of the housing and the third of said other walls being located vis-à-vis the other plates among the upper and / or lower plate, said circulation wall and said other walls being secured between them; said third of the other walls also forms a circulation wall; said circulation wall or walls are formed by stamping; , by machining and / or forming.

The invention also relates to a heat exchanger comprising a beam as defined above. Said exchanger may be configured in the form of an air intake module.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments, given in a non-limiting manner and with reference to the appended figures in which: FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective an exemplary embodiment of the heat exchange bundle according to the invention; FIG. 2 illustrates in more detail a transversely cut part of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 illustrates a circulation wall of the bundle of FIG. 1, seen from below. . In these figures, identical references are given to similar objects.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the invention relates to a heat exchanger bundle. Said beam comprises a plurality of plates 20 stacked in a stacking direction D, so as to define circulation channels for a first and a second fluid for exchanging heat with each other.

Said first fluid is, for example, a cooling liquid, such as a mixture of water and antifreeze, especially glycol. Said second fluid is, for example, air. This is not limiting to the scope of the present invention for which the second fluid may be a mixture of air and exhaust gas, in particular recirculated exhaust gas, or even another gas or gas mixture. . As best seen in FIG. 2, said plates 20 are advantageously assembled in pairs to form said circulation channels of the first and second fluids, two plates of a same pair forming a circulation channel 22 for the first fluid and two plates of two pairs, different and adjacent, forming a circulation channel 24 for the cooling fluid. Said plates 20 are advantageously identical, said plates 20 of one and the same pair of plates being mounted symmetrically with respect to each other with respect to a plane of symmetry situated at the interface between said plates 20.

In order to improve the heat exchange, said beam may comprise disrupters in the circulation channels for the second fluid. In other words, the disturbers 25 extend between the plates of two different and adjacent pairs of plates 20.

Said pairs of plates 20 communicate so as to allow a circulation of the first fluid between them. For this, they may include stampings, not visible in the drawings, coming into contact stampings of the plate 20 of the neighboring pair of plates. The said stampings comprise a through hole for the first fluid. Taking into account the stack of the plates 20, and therefore of their stampings, one thus forms an inlet manifold 26 and an outlet manifold 28 for the first fluid with which communicate the channels 22 for circulation of the first fluid, formed by each of the pairs of plates 20.

In other words, referring again to FIG. 1, it can be seen that said first fluid enters the beam according to an arrow indicated by the inlet manifold 26 of the first fluid and is distributed in each of the channels 22. for said first fluid. It then passes into said outlet manifold 28 for the first fluid to exit the beam according to the arrow marked 32. On its side the second fluid enters the beam being distributed between the different channels 24 for the second fluid in an arrow marked 34 to come out according to an arrow marked 36. Said beam further comprises a casing 40 inside which said plates 20 are housed. Said casing 40 comprises at least one wall disposed opposite one of the plates of said plurality of plates, said upper and / or lower plate, provided at the end of said plurality of plates in said direction of said D. Here, said casing comprises a wall 42s, said upper, arranged vis-à-vis plate 20s provided at the upper end of said bundle and a wall 40i, said lower, arranged vis-à-vis plate 20i provided at the lower end of said beam. The notions of "superior" and "inferior" used here, however, do not presage a beam orientation but are given in view of the direction arbitrarily chosen for the stacking direction D. According to the invention, said upper wall 42s and / or said bottom wall 42s, said circulation wall, are configured to form a passage blade 41 of the first fluid. Said passage blade 41 advantageously extends over most of the surface 3024771 6 of the circulation plate or plates. Thanks to the invention, a passage for the first fluid is defined in an element that is intended to be more robust than the plates 20 of the beam since it is a part of a housing. By way of example, the one or more said circulation walls 42s, 42i may have a thickness greater than those of the plates 20. It is, in particular, a thickness greater than 1 mm, in particular between 2 and 4 mm. . As illustrated in Figure 3, there is described in the following a circulation wall which may as well be said upper wall 42s and lower 42i.

Said circulation wall 42s, 42i advantageously comprises corrugations 44 intended to disturb the flow of said first fluid in said passage plate 41 of the first fluid. Said corrugations 44 here extend substantially straight, parallel to each other and transversely to a flow direction of said first fluid in said blade 41. Said corrugations 44 may further be locally attached to said upper plate 20s and / or lower 20i, especially at their vertex, as is best seen in FIG.

An embodiment not shown proposes that the circulation wall 42s, 42i does not include corrugations 44 intended to disturb the flow of said first fluid in said passageway 41 of the first fluid but that the wall is smooth. In such a case, means for disturbing the flow of said first fluid in said passageway 41 of the first distinct fluid 42s, 42i of said circulation wall may be provided in the form, for example, of a fin corrugated. Said circulation wall 42s, 42i is configured so that said passage blade 41 of the first fluid forms a serpentine channel. More specifically, said circulating wall 42s, 42i here comprises partitions 46 configured so that said channel comprise passages 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, separated by said partitions 46. Said passages 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d , are intended to be traversed in series by said first fluid in opposite directions, from one pass to another, according to the illustrated arrows 50. In other words, between each of said passes 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, the first 35 fluid changes meaning.

These corrugations 44 are here arranged transversely to the direction of extension of the passes, said corrugations succeeding in pairs along said extension direction, in the same pass.

Said circulation wall 42s, 42i have inlet orifices 50 and outlet 52 of said first fluid disposed at two opposite ends of said first fluid circulation channel. As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 1, said inlet and outlet orifices 50 and / or 52 are arranged in the extension of the manifolds 26, 28 for the first fluid. Here said inlet and outlet ports 50 and / or 52 are arranged on the upper circulation wall 42s and the inlet and / or outlet orifices 52 of the lower circulation wall 42i are intended to be plugged or absent. . Said circulation wall 42s, 42i may comprise a peripheral edge 60 for attachment to said upper plate 20s and / or lower20i. Said fixing edge 60 runs along said passage blade 41 of the first fluid, here said first and last passes 48a, 48d as well as the longitudinal ends of said passes 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d. Said circulation wall 42s, 42i defines a face 70 of said housing 40 and has hooking edges 72 of a manifold, not shown of the second fluid. Said gripping edges 72 connect two other faces 74, 76 of said housing 40 (see FIG. 1). The circulation wall 42s, 42i comprises attachment flanges 80 to at least one of said other faces 74, 75 of the housing, here to each of the other faces 74, 76 of said housing 40. Said flanges 80 are provided at the one or more edges 82 of said circulation wall 42s, 42i, said interface edges, arranged transversely to said hooking edge 72. Referring again to FIG. 1, considering that the wall of 42s circulation is the first evoked, it is found that said casing 40 comprises in addition three other walls. Two 90, 92 of said other walls are side walls and respectively define said two other faces 74, 76 of the housing. The third of said other walls is the lower circulation wall 42i. Said circulation walls 42s, 42i and lateral 90, 92 are secured to each other.

In other words, the housing comprises four walls 42s, 42i, 90, 92 surrounding the stacked plates 20, namely the upper circulation wall 42s, the two side walls 90, 92, and the lower circulation wall 42i which is located opposite to the upper circulation wall 42s, said circulation walls being connected by said side walls. Said walls are secured to each other by the flanges 80 provided at the interface edges 82 of the circulation walls 42s, 42i. The side walls 90, 92 include a dropped edge 94 on which said flanges 80 are crimped. Said housing walls 40 define an inlet port, not visible, and an outlet port 100 of the second fluid in the beam. The contour of said orifices is delimited by the attachment edges 72 of said circulation walls 42s, 42i and the attachment edges 102 of the side plates 90, 92. Advantageously, said upper plates 20s and / or lower 20i may also form a passage blade 200 of said first fluid. This is more particularly visible in FIG. 2 for said upper plate 20s. The flow section of the first fluid is thereby increased, which is also favorable for the proper operation of the beam. Said other plates 20 of the stack of plates may have the same passage plate 200 of the first fluid, said passage blades then forming the channel 22 for passage of the first fluid. Said passage blade 200 of the first fluid formed in said plates 20, in particular in said upper and / or lower plates, may have a shape similar to that 41 of the circulation wall or walls 42s, 42i, in particular a shape of 25 serpentine channel. Said channels may thus have at their end the passage orifices between the pairs of plates located at the collectors for the first fluid. Said channels may also be provided with corrugations 202. As regards the upper and / or lower plates, said corrugations 202 may be attached to the corrugations 44 of the circulation walls 42s, 42i by their top, as already mentioned.

In other words, said passage blade 41 defined by the circulation wall (s) 42s, 42i and said passage blade 200 defined by said upper plate 20s and / or lower 20i advantageously extend in correspondence with one another .

Advantageously, the plates 20 such as the housing 40 are made of metal, for example aluminum and / or aluminum alloys.

The circulation wall or walls 42s, 42i are formed, for example, by stamping, machining and / or forming.

The invention also relates to a heat exchanger comprising a beam as described above. Said exchanger comprises manifolds for the second fluid, not shown. Said manifolds are secured to said housing, in particular at said hooking edge 72 102 of its walls 42s, 42, 90, 92. Said outlet box may be configured so that said exchanger forms a module of air intake of a heat engine. Said heat exchanger may also include inlet and / or outlet nozzles of the first fluid, not shown. Said pipes are fixed, for example, to said upper circulation wall 42s, at said inlet orifices 50 and / or outlet 52 of said first fluid.

Claims (15)

REVENDICATIONS1. A heat exchanger bundle, in particular a charge air cooler, said bundle comprising a plurality of plates (20) stacked in a stacking direction so as to define circulation channels (22, 24) for a first and a second fluid for exchanging heat therebetween, said beam further comprising a housing (40) within which said plates (20) are housed, said housing (40) comprising at least one wall (42s, 42i) disposed opposite one of said plurality of plates, said upper plate (20s) and / or lower plate (20i), provided at the end of said plurality of plates (20) in said direction of said stack, said wall (42s, 42i), said flow wall, being configured to form a passage blade (41) of a, said first, fluids. 2. A harness according to claim 1 wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) comprises corrugations (44) for disrupting the flow of said first fluid into said passageway (41) of the first fluid. A harness according to claim 2 wherein said corrugations (44) are locally attached to said upper (20s) and / or lower (20i) plate. A harness according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) is configured so that said passage blade (41) of the first fluid forms a serpentine channel. 2 5 5. Beam according to the preceding claim wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) has inlet ports (50) and outlet (52) of said first fluid disposed at two opposite ends of said channel. A harness according to any one of claims 4 or 5 wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) comprises partitions (46) configured such that said channel comprises passes (48a, 48b, 48c, 48d). ) separated by said partitions (46), said passes being intended to be traversed in series by said first fluid in opposite directions, from one pass to another. 35 A harness according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) comprises a peripheral edge (60) for attachment to said upper (20s) and / or lower plate (20i), said edge (60) along said blade (41) for passage of the first fluid. A harness according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said circulation wall (42s, 42i) defines a face (70) of said housing (40) and has a hooking edge (72) of a collector box (42). the other, said second, said fluids, said hooking edge (72) connecting two other faces (74, 76) of said housing. 9. Beam according to the preceding claim wherein the circulation wall 10 (42s, 42i) comprises attachment flanges (80) to at least one of said other faces (74, 76) of the housing. 10. A harness according to any one of claims 8 or 9 wherein said housing (40) further comprises three other walls, two (90, 92) of said other walls 15 respectively defining said two other faces (74, 76) of the housing and the third of said other walls being located opposite each other of the plates of the upper (20s) and / or lower plate (20i), said circulation wall and said other walls being secured to one another. 20 The harness according to claim 9 wherein said third of the other walls also forms a circulation wall. A harness according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said one or more circulation walls (42s, 42i) are formed by stamping, machining and / or forming. 13. A harness according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said upper (20s) and / or lower (20i) plates also form a blade (200) for passage of said first fluid. 14. Heat exchanger comprising a beam according to any one of the preceding claims. 15. Heat exchanger according to the preceding claim configured to form an air intake module of a heat engine.