Heat exchanger, in particular oil cooler

Abstract

The present invention provides a heat exchanger including a flow duct for a coolant and a flow duct for a medium to be cooled, a cover on one side of the heat exchanger, and a thermostat valve operable to regulate temperature-dependent throughflow in one of the flow ducts, arranged on an inflow or outflow duct, and covered by the cover. A temperature sensor of the valve is arranged in a housing, which is fastened in proximity to the inflow or outflow duct so that one of the medium to be cooled and the coolant can flow around an outer side of the housing, with the temperature sensor on an inner side of the housing reacting to a local temperature and correspondingly regulating throughput of an other of the medium to be cooled and the coolant through the heat exchanger.

1 . A heat exchanger, in particular oil cooler, comprising:
 a flow duct for a coolant and a flow duct for a medium to be cooled, the flow ducts being separated from one another and being penetrated by inflow and outflow ducts;   a cover on one side of the heat exchanger; and   a thermostat valve operable to regulate temperature-dependent throughflow in one of the flow ducts, arranged on an inflow or outflow duct, and covered by the cover;   wherein a temperature sensor of the thermostat valve is arranged in a housing, which is fastened in proximity to the inflow or outflow duct in such a way that one of the medium to be cooled and the coolant can flow around an outer side of the housing, with the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve on an inner side of the housing reacting to a local temperature and correspondingly regulating throughput of an other of the medium to be cooled and the coolant through the heat exchanger.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve is in direct heat-exchanging contact with the inner side of the housing. 
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein an intermediate space is formed between the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve and the inner side of the housing. 
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate space is at least partially filled with the coolant. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is provided with elements which enlarge its thermal contact faces on inner and/or outer sides. 
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve is provided with elements which enlarge its thermal contact face. 
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the elements are formed by projections, in particular fins. 
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the elements are formed by projections, in particular fins. 
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the valve element and a passage controlled by the valve element are arranged in an interior of the inflow or outflow duct for the coolant. 
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing and the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve are arranged on a side of the heat exchanger opposite from the valve element. 
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a piston of the thermostat valve is connected by a rod to the valve element. 
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermostat valve is maintained in a closed position by an elastic element, and in the event of the temperature sensor being heated, can be moved by the medium being cooled into an opening position. 
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is of an approximately pot-shaped design. 
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is a heat exchanger element and is formed from a material having relatively high thermal conductance. 
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger according  claim 1 , wherein the housing is in contact with a facing plate of the heat exchanger and is fixedly and sealingly fastened thereto. 
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the intermediate space is connected to the inflow or outflow duct for the coolant by openings which have a small passage cross section. 
   
   
       17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is provided on one side of the heat exchanger and is formed from an approximately pot-shaped dome, wherein the housing and the temperature sensor project into the dome, and wherein the medium to be cooled is situated in an intermediate space between the dome and the housing and can flow around the housing along an outer side of the housing. 
   
   
       18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve is held in its entirety by the housing. 
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature sensor of the thermostat valve is contained, with an entire axial length, in the inflow or outflow duct for the coolant. 
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 19 , wherein the housing extends with an end-side base approximately within a plane of a plate of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 20 , wherein the housing is surrounded, at a distance from the outer side, by a casing which adjoins the housing at a side situated opposite the base of the housing and which extends from there approximately to the base so as to form an outer annular space which is closed off with respect to the coolant and is open in the direction of a space which conducts the medium to be cooled. 
   
   
       22 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein the casing is designed for the fastening of the housing to a plate of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 22 , wherein the casing has a flange at a free end, and is fastened by the flange to a plate of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein the housing forms an integral component with the casing. 
   
   
       25 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 23 , wherein the cover which is provided on one side of the heat exchanger is formed from a planar closure plate which, together with the plate which runs at a distance therefrom and holds the plate, delimits a space which conducts the medium to be cooled. 
   
   
       26 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the cover is an integral component of an end plate of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       27 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is an integral component of a final plate in the stack of the heat exchanger. 
   
   
       28 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing and an inflow or outflow duct for the coolant form an integral component. 
   
   
       29 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 28 , wherein the integral component is arranged close to or in the axial direction of the inflow or outflow duct for the medium to be cooled.