Two-fold combo-cooler

Abstract

A two-fold combo cooler comprising non gas cooler and gas cooler portions, is provided, particularly for use in an assembly. An assembly having a gas combo-cooler has been found especially useful in automotive applications.

1 . A heat exchanger assembly for automotive vehicles comprising a gas combo-cooler having a first and a second combo cooler module, each combo cooler module having: 
 a gas cooler portion;    a non gas cooler portion;    a first manifold;    a second manifold opposite the first manifold;    a plurality of first tubes in fluid communication with the first and second manifolds, the plurality of first tubes adapted to have a first fluid flow therethrough;    a plurality of second tubes in fluid communication with the first and second manifolds, the plurality of second tubes adapted to have a second fluid, different from the first fluid, flow therethrough;    a plurality of fins disposed between the first and second tubes, with the first and second tubes and fins being generally co-planar relative to each other.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger, as in  claim 1 , wherein a fluid connection means is between the at least one manifold of the first combo cooler module and the at least one manifold of the second combo cooler module.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger, as in  claim 2 , wherein the first and the second manifold are separated into parts, one part of the manifold in communication with the plurality of first tubes and another part of the manifold in communication with the plurality of second tubes.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger, as in  claim 3 , wherein the fluid connection means is between the part of the manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of first tubes.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger, as in  claim 3 , wherein the fluid connection means is between the parts of the manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of second tubes.  
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 5 , wherein the part of the manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of second tubes is the non gas cooler portion, and the non gas cooler portion is a two fold cooler.  
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger assembly as in  claim 5 , wherein the part of the manifold in fluid communication with the plurality of second tubes is the non gas cooler portion, and the non gas cooler portion is a one fold cooler.  
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 4 , wherein the part of the manifold in communication with the plurality of first tubes is the gas-cooler portion, and the part of the manifold in communication with the plurality of second tubes is the non gas cooler portion.  
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger assembly as in  claim 8 , wherein the gas fluid portion of the gas combo-cooler has fewer than 4 passes.  
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 9 , wherein the tubes have an external air side relative to the direction of air flow and the external air side thermal resistance of the gas cooler portion is between about 35 and 80% of the total thermal resistance.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 9 , wherein the inside tube thermal resistance is between about 20 and 65% of the total thermal resistance.  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 10 , wherein the internal surface of the tubes is the wetted side of the tubes, and wherein the size of the wet surface area of the tubes of the gas cooler portion is smaller than the size of the wet surface area of the non gas cooler portion on a per tube basis.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 12 , wherein the Surface_oilnsideTube/Surface_externalAir>Surface_GasInsideTube/Surface_externalAir.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 6 , wherein the non gas cooler portion has at least two types of tubes.  
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 6 , wherein the hydraulic diameter of the tubes of the gas cooler is Dg and the hydraulic diameter of the non-gas cooler is Do, and the product of hydraulic (Dg) and (Do) is given by the following equation:  
       0.15 mm 2 <Dg Do<8.0 mm 2 .  
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 14 , wherein the non gas cooler portion is part of a non gas combo cooler.  
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 14 , wherein the non gas cooler portion is part of a non gas combo cooler.  
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 18 , further comprising at least one non-communication chamber in at least one manifold and at least one detection means.  
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 18 , wherein at each non-communication chamber has at least one detection means.  
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 18 , wherein at least one detection means is located on at least one manifold of the first and the second combo cooler manifold, and wherein the detection means are at approximately the same level.  
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger assembly, as in  claim 18 , wherein at least one detection means is located on at least one manifold of the first and the second combo cooler manifold, and wherein the detection means are at different levels.