Module for cooling the charge air and recirculated exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The cooling module consists of a charge air cooler and of a recirculated exhaust gas cooler. The charge air cooler comprises a heat exchange bundle ( 2 ), an inlet header box for the air that is to be cooled and an outlet header box for the cooled air. The recirculated exhaust gas cooler comprises a heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) for cooling the recirculated exhaust gases, an inlet header box for the recirculated exhaust gases and an outlet header box for these gases. A wrapper consisting of two half-casings ( 7 and 8 ) accommodates the exchange bundles ( 2 and 4 ). The charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ) and the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) are assembled in a single brazing operation. They are also assembled with one another during this same brazing operation, possibly at the same time as the two half-casings ( 7 and 8 ).

1 . A cooling module consisting of a charge air cooler and a recirculated exhaust gas cooler, the charge air cooler comprising a heat exchange bundle ( 2 ) for cooling the charge air and the recirculated exhaust gas cooler comprising a heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) for cooling the recirculated exhaust gases, characterized in that the charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ) and the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) are assembled in a single brazing operation and in that they are also assembled with one another during this same brazing operation.  
   
   
       2 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a wrapper ( 6 ) housing the charge air cooler and recirculated exhaust gas cooler bundles ( 2 ,  4 ), said wrapper ( 6 ) being assembled with these bundles during the single brazing operation during which these bundles are assembled with one another.  
   
   
       3 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the charge air cooler further comprises an inlet header box ( 30 ) for the air that is to be cooled immediately adjacent to an inlet end of the charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ) and an outlet header box ( 32 ) for the cooled air immediately adjacent to an outlet end of the charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ), and in that the wrapper ( 6 ) comprises a first and a second peripheral rim which protrude on each side of the charge air cooler bundle ( 2 ), the charge air cooler inlet header box being assembled with one of these rims, the charge air cooler outlet header box ( 32 ) being assembled with the other of these peripheral rims.  
   
   
       4 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 3 , characterized in that the dimensions of the wrapper ( 6 ) are chosen such that they delimit a first and a second empty space ( 88 ,  90 ), one at an inlet end and one at an outlet end of the charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ), the first and second empty spaces respectively constituting an inlet header box and an outlet header box for the charge air.  
   
   
       5 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 2   4 , characterized in that the wrapper ( 6 ) comprises two half-casings ( 7 ,  8 ).  
   
   
       6 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that the two half-casings ( 7 ,  8 ) are able to slide one with respect to the other in order to accommodate variations in height of at least one of the heat exchange bundles ( 2 ,  4 ).  
   
   
       7 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that each of the two half-casings ( 7 ,  8 ) has a U-shaped cross section comprising an end wall ( 10 ) and two lateral edges ( 12 ) situated one on each side of the end wall ( 10 ), the lateral edges ( 12 ) of one of the half-casings sliding with respect to the lateral edges of the other half-casing.  
   
   
       8 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that each of the two half-casings ( 7 ,  8 ) has the shape of a container comprising a peripheral rim, the peripheral rim of one half-casing being able to fit into the peripheral rim of the other half-casing and to slide with respect to the latter.  
   
   
       9 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the wrapper ( 6 ) comprises a pressed housing ( 14 ) which accommodates the recirculated exhaust gas cooler bundle ( 4 ).  
   
   
       10 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that the wrapper ( 6 ) comprises a separate recirculated exhaust gas cooler casing ( 73 ), this separate casing ( 73 ) being brazed in a single operation to one of the two half-casings ( 7 ,  8 ) during the single brazing operation during which the bundles ( 2 ,  4 ) are assembled with one another.  
   
   
       11 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 9 , characterized in that the recirculated exhaust gas cooler comprises an inlet header box ( 16 ) for the recirculated exhaust gases immediately adjacent to an inlet end of the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) and an outlet header box ( 18 ) for the recirculated exhaust gases immediately adjacent to an outlet end of the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle ( 4 ), the housing ( 14 ) or the separate casing ( 76 ) for the recirculated exhaust gas cooler bundle ( 4 ) delimiting a first and a second empty space ( 16 ,  18 ), one at an inlet end and one at an outlet end of the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle, the first and second empty spaces respectively constituting the inlet header box ( 16 ) and the outlet header box ( 18 ) for the recirculated exhaust gases.  
   
   
       12 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that at least one of the two half-casings comprises an end wall which is taller so as to make it easier to install the recirculated exhaust gas cooler.  
   
   
       13 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 5 , characterized in that it comprises a passage ( 18 ,  72 ,  79 ) for the recirculated exhaust gases which opens directly into the outlet header box ( 32 ) of the charge air cooler, the cross section of this passage being equal to or greater than the cross section of the recirculated exhaust gas cooler bundle ( 4 ).  
   
   
       14 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 1  in which the charge air cooler heat exchange bundle ( 2 ) and the recirculated exhaust gas cooler heat exchange bundle ( 4 ) are made of aluminum and/or aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       15 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 14  in which the wrapper ( 6 ) is also made of at least one of aluminum and aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       16 . The cooling module as claimed in  claim 15  in which the header boxes ( 16 ,  18 ,  30 ,  32 ) of said coolers are also made of at least one of aluminum and aluminum alloy.