WO2014068424A1

WO2014068424A1 - Apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor

Info

Publication number: WO2014068424A1
Application number: PCT/IB2013/059011
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Orlandi
Original assignee: Orlandi Radiatori S.R.L.
Priority date: 2012-10-31
Filing date: 2013-09-30
Publication date: 2014-05-08
Also published as: ITPR20120073A1

Abstract

A cooling apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor (2), the apparatus comprising: - a chamber (30) having a first and a second opposing base (301, 302) and a side portion (5) interposed between the first and the second base (301, 302); - air moving means (31) which determine the transit of air in said chamber (30) and which comprise a centrifugal fan (32) or a lobe-type air mover; - means (6) for the exchange of heat between the air and a coolant fluid suitable for cooling the endothermic motor (2); at least a part of said side portion (5) being defined by the heat exchange means (6); an air inlet (300) into said chamber (30) being defined on said first base (301 ). - deflector means (4) inside the chamber (30), which direct at least a part of the air introduced into the chamber (30) toward the heat exchange means (6) of the side portion (5).

Description

DESCRIPTION

Apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor

Technical field

The present invention relates to an apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor.

State of the art

A cooling system comprising a chamber having a plurality of walls defined by heat exchange means, through which a coolant fluid passes, is well known. An axial flow, suction-type fan is placed at one of said walls and extracts the air present in the chamber, consequently drawing further air into the chamber through the walls. The passage of air along the walls defined by said heat exchange means results in the cooling of the coolant fluid, which can thus be used in a cooling circuit.

A heat exchange apparatus as described in patent document US4136735 is well known. This heat exchange apparatus shows a chamber and air moving means which determine the passage of air in said chamber.

The apparatus further comprises a fan nozzle which extends inwardly into the chamber and is passed through only internally by the air stream entering the chamber; the nozzle contributes to having a stream that is axial relative to the inlet of the chamber. The nozzle faces a flat rear wall devoid of heat exchange means. The flat rear wall diverts the flow from an axial direction to a radial direction to permit it to pass across annular heat exchange means.

The air moving means consist of an axial flow fan. The use of an axial fan determines an increase in turbulence, in particular at the hub, where the blades are absent and thus do not exert a pushing action. Moreover, the presence of heat exchange means disposed only annularly, and toward which all of the air is conveyed, allows only a part of the walls delimiting the available space inside the chamber to be exploited.

Object of the invention

In this context, the technical task at the basis of the present invention is to propose an apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor which enables the above-mentioned prior art to be optimized.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which enables the heat exchange efficiency to be improved and the noise level to be reduced.

Brief description of the drawings

The stated technical task and specified objects are substantially achieved by an apparatus comprising the technical features set forth in one or more of the appended claims.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the approximate and hence non-limiting description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of an apparatus as illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

-Figure 1 shows a picture of a system according to the present invention; -Figures 2 and 3 show perspective views of an apparatus according to the present invention; these figures illustrate a portion of what is illustrated in figure 1 , with some parts removed to better illustrate others.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

In the appended figures, the reference number 1 indicates a heat exchange apparatus. In particular, the apparatus 1 is suitable for cooling an endothermic motor 2. By virtue of the cooling provided by the apparatus 1 , a prolonged operation of the endothermic motor 2 is enabled. The apparatus 1 in turn comprises a chamber 30 having a first and a second opposing base 301 , 302 and a side portion 5 interposed between the first and second bases 301 , 302. The side portion 5 thus connects the first and second bases 301 , 302. In the preferred embodiment, the chamber 30 is parallelepiped (see for example the figure). In an alternative embodiment, the chamber 30 could however have other shapes, e.g. cylindrical, cubic, etc..

The apparatus 1 in turn comprises air moving means 31 which determine the transit of air in said chamber 30. The air moving means 31 comprise a centrifugal fan 32 or a lobe-type air mover (both well known in the prior art if considered individually and thus not further described). Optionally, the air moving means 31 could also comprise a positive displacement mover. This type of moving means 31 can best satisfy cooling needs, since they permit high flow rates and a considerable increase in pressure, but lower absolute velocities than an axial fan (a high absolute velocity of the air would result in an increase in pressure losses and an increase in noise). The air moving means 31 are upstream of said chamber 30 relative to the direction of air flow. This ensures that the air is not drawn in by the chamber 30, but is rather pushed internally to the chamber 30.

At least a part of said side portion 5 is defined by means 6 for exchanging heat between the air and a coolant fluid that can be used to cool the endothermic motor 2. The coolant fluid flows inside conduits of the heat exchange means 6 and these conduits have the air flowing over them externally. The side portion 5 enables the outflow of air from the chamber 30.

The side portion 5 comprises:

-passages for the flow of the coolant fluid that can be used to cool the endothermic motor 2;

-passages for the air which allow the air present in the chamber 30 to be evacuated to the outside.

The passages for the coolant fluid intersect the passages per the air.

The heat exchange means 6 contribute to delimiting the chamber 30 and define structural means for supporting said chamber 30. For example, the heat exchange means 6 could comprise tubes with fins or a series of heat exchangers with a bar and plate design (well known in the technical field and thus not further described). An air inlet 300 into said chamber 30 is defined on said first base 301 .

The apparatus 1 further comprises deflector means 4 which are inside the chamber 30. The deflector means 4 direct at least part of the air introduced into the chamber 30 toward the heat exchange means 6 of the side portion 5. In this manner, pressure losses are reduced and the heat exchange is improved.

As exemplified in figure 2, the deflector means 4 comprise a first deflector 40. It extends toward the inside of the chamber 30, away from said second base 302. The first deflector 40 extends toward the first base 301 , away from the second base 302. Conveniently, the first deflector 4 has a converging shape as it extends from the second base 302 toward the first base 301 . Preferably, the first deflector 40 has a first end 83 abutting on said second base 302 and a second end 84 away from said second base 302. Conveniently, at the second end 84 the first deflector 40 is a truncated tip. As it extends away from the first end 83, the first deflector 40 converges toward the second end 84.

The first deflector 40 comprises:

-a first opening 81 situated at said second end 84;

-a hollow internal conduit 82 which places the first opening 81 and the second base 302 in communication (the hollow conduit 82 is illustrated in figure 2 through a cutaway of the first deflector 40). In fact, in the preferred embodiment, the second base 302, too, is at least in part defined by the heat exchange means 6.

Conveniently, the first opening 81 is facing the inlet 300.

The first deflector 40 extends horizontally away from the second base 302. The first deflector 40 diverts the air entering the chamber 30 toward the side portion 5. Conveniently, the first deflector 40 extends along a first axis which coincides with a second axis. The second axis is perpendicular to the air inlet 300 into the chamber 30 and passes through the geometric centroid of the inlet 300. Conveniently, the first axis of the first deflector 40 is defined by the intersection of two mutually perpendicular planes of symmetry of the first deflector 40. The first axis of the first deflector 40 is horizontal.

By way of non-limiting example, the side portion 5 comprises a plurality of walls. Preferably, the side portion 5 comprises four walls 51 , 52, 53, 54, at least three of which are affected by said heat exchange means. In a preferred embodiment, the four walls 51 , 52, 53, 54 are affected by the heat exchange means 6. This serves to optimize the heat exchange surface in relation to the occupied volume. The first deflector 40 comprises a plurality of faces 41 (preferably shaped as concavities) turned toward corresponding walls 51 , 52, 53, 54 of the side portion 5 affected by said heat exchange means 6 .

The first deflector 40 constitutes a divider of the air flow entering the chamber 30, which it distributes at least toward distinct parts of the side portion 5. In particular, the first deflector 40 distributes the flow at least between two or more of the walls 51 , 52, 53, 54 of said chamber 30.

The fan 32 or lobe-type air mover comprises an impeller element 320 and an air conveyance housing 321 which wraps around the impeller element 320. In the preferred embodiment, the housing 321 is connected by means of a diverging element to the air inlet 300 into said chamber 30. The apparatus 1 further comprises a casing 322 which wraps around said air conveyance housing 321 . The casing 322 further comprises an opening 323 for the entry of air into the air moving means 31 . Conveniently, the opening 323 is connected by means of a nozzle to the air inlet into the housing 321 . The casing 322 is covered with sound absorbing material. In particular, the casing 322 is internally clad in sound absorbing material. This serves to minimize noise dispersion. As exemplified in figure 1 , the casing 322 is placed alongside and immediately adjacent to the side portion 5. Conveniently, the apparatus 1 comprises a same frame which supports both said air moving means 31 and the walls of said chamber 30. The present invention enables important advantages to be obtained. First, it makes it possible to increase the air flow across the exchanger means 6, thereby determining a better heat exchange with the coolant fluid used to cool the endothermic motor (or equivalently, the amount of heat removed being equal, it makes it possible to reduce the heat exchange surfaces and hence the overall dimensions and cost of the apparatus 1 ). This advantage is obtained by using a centrifugal fan or in any case a lobe-type air mover. It provides an effect in synergy with the deflectors inside the chamber 30, since they enable the pressure losses to be reduced and the fluid dynamics inside the chamber 30 to be improved, thus contributing to increase the quantity of heat removed from the coolant fluid in the heat exchange means 6. Moreover, by reducing pressure losses, the deflectors also bring about a reduction in noise. A noise reduction is similarly achieved by using a centrifugal fan or a lobe-type air mover, which makes it possible to have slower air speeds compared to an axial flow fan.

The subject matter of the present invention also relates to a system comprising:

-an apparatus 1 having one or more of the previously described features; -an endothermic motor 2.

In figure 1 , with the reference number 7, there is schematically illustrated a cooling circuit which connects the apparatus 1 and the endothermic motor 2.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept which characterizes it. Moreover, all the materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any whatsoever according to need.

Claims

1 . A cooling apparatus suitable for cooling an endothermic motor (2), said apparatus comprising:

- a chamber (30) having a first and a second opposing base (301 , 302) and a side portion (5) interposed between the first and second bases (301 ,

302);

- air moving means (31 ) which determine the transit of air in said chamber (30);

- means (6) for the exchange of heat between the air and a coolant fluid suitable for cooling the endothermic motor (2); at least a part of said side portion (5) being defined by the heat exchange means (6); an air inlet (300) into said chamber (30) being defined on said first base (301 );

characterized in that:

- the air moving means (31 ) comprise a centrifugal fan (32) or a lobe-type air mover;

- it comprises deflector means (4) inside the chamber (30), which direct at least a part of the air introduced into the chamber (30) toward the heat exchange means (6) of the side portion (5).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that the deflector means (4) comprise a first deflector (40) which converges and extends toward the first base (301 ), away from said second base (302), said first deflector (40) diverting the air entering the chamber (30) toward the side portion (5).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the first deflector (40) comprises a first end (83) near said second base (302) and a second end (84) further away from said second base (302); said first deflector (40) comprising:

- a first opening (81 ) situated at said second end (84);

- a hollow internal conduit (82) that places the first opening (81 ) and the second base (302) in communication, the heat exchange means (6) also affecting the second base (302).

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that the side portion (5) comprises four walls (51 , 52, 53, 54), at least three of which are affected by said heat exchange means (6).

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 when it depends directly or indirectly on claim 2, characterized in that said first deflector (40) comprises a plurality of faces (41 ) turned toward corresponding walls (51 , 52, 53, 54) of the side portion (5); the first deflector (40) constituting a divider of the air flow entering the chamber (30) and distributing it at least between two or more walls of said side portion (5).

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 or 5 when it depends on claim 2, characterized in that said first deflector (40) comprises a plurality of concavities (41 ) turned toward corresponding walls (51 , 52, 53, 54) of the side portion (5) affected by said heat exchange means (6).

7. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heat exchange means (6) contribute to delimiting the chamber (30) and define structural means of said chamber (30); the heat exchange means (6) being at least in part integrated into the side portion (5) and comprising:

- passages for said coolant fluid;

- air passages which enable the air present in the chamber (30) to be evacuated;

the passages for the coolant fluid and the air passages mutually intersecting.

8. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fan (32) comprises an impeller element (320) and an air conveyance housing (321 ) which wraps around the impeller (320); said system comprising a casing (322) which wraps around said air conveyance housing (321 ); said casing (322) being covered with sound absorbing material.

9. The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the air moving means (31 ) are upstream of said chamber (30) relative to the direction of air flow.

10. A system comprising:

- an apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9;

- an endothermic motor (2) cooled by said apparatus.