Plate-Type Heat Exchanger And Air-Conditioning Circuit For A Vehicle

Abstract

A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) for a vehicle cools a cooling fluid by means of a coolant. The exchanger ( 30 ) has a plurality of heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) which are stacked one on top of the other. Coolant chambers ( 44 ) and cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ), which each have an inflow ( 48, 52 ) and an outflow ( 50, 54 ) for the coolant and/or the cooling fluid are formed between adjacent heat exchanger plates ( 40 ). The coolant and/or cooling fluid chambers ( 44, 46 ) are embodied in their entirety as U-shaped flow ducts ( 64, 68 ), wherein the assigned inflow ( 48, 52 ) is arranged at the end of a first limb, and the assigned outflow( 50, 54 ) is arranged at the end of a second limb, of the flow ducts ( 64, 68 ). The invention also relates to an air-conditioning circuit ( 10 ) for a vehicle.

1 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) for a vehicle for cooling a cooling fluid by means of a coolant, the heat exchanger ( 30 ) having a plurality of heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) which are stacked one on top of each other,
 wherein coolant chambers ( 44 ) and cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ), which each have an inflow ( 48 ,  52 ) and an outflow ( 50 ,  54 ) for the coolant and/or the cooling fluid, are formed between adjacent heat exchanger plates ( 40 ), and   the coolant and/or cooling fluid chambers ( 44 ,  46 ) are embodied altogether as U-shaped flow ducts ( 64 ,  68 ), wherein the assigned inflow ( 48 ,  52 ) is arranged at the end of a first limb, and the assigned outflow ( 50 ,  54 ) is arranged at the end of a second limb, of the U-shaped flow duct.   
     
     
         2 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat-exchanger plates ( 40 ) have, in the plane of their plates, both a main extent direction ( 58 ) and a secondary extent direction ( 60 ) running perpendicular thereto, and are arranged one next to the other in a stacking direction ( 42 ) which runs perpendicular to the main extent direction ( 58 ) and to the secondary extent direction ( 60 ), and wherein the inflow ( 48 ) and outflow ( 50 ) for the coolant are provided in the main extent direction ( 58 ), at the same end of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ). 
     
     
         3 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 2 , comprising a common inflow connection ( 49 ) and outflow connection ( 51 ) for all the coolant chambers ( 44 ), wherein a connection component ( 62 ) is provided which permits direct attachment of an expansion valve ( 28 ) for the coolant to the plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ). 
     
     
         4 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the connection component ( 62 ) has a coolant distributor ( 81 ) which homogenizes distribution of the coolant phase mixture among different coolant chambers ( 44 ) of the plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ). 
     
     
         5 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) have, in the plane of their plates, both a main extent direction ( 58 ) and a secondary extent direction ( 60 ) running perpendicular thereto, and are arranged one next to the other in a stacking direction ( 42 ) which runs perpendicular to the main extent direction ( 58 ) and to the secondary extent direction ( 60 ), and wherein the inflow ( 52 ) and outflow ( 52 ) ( 54 ) for the cooling fluid are provided in the main extent direction ( 58 ), at the same end or at opposite ends of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ). 
     
     
         6 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising in each case a one common inflow connection ( 49 ) and a common outflow connection ( 51 ) for all the coolant chambers ( 44 ), and in each case a common inflow connection ( 53 ) and a common outflow connection ( 55 ) for all the cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ), wherein the common inflow connection ( 49 ) and outflow connection ( 51 ) for the coolant are arranged in the stacking direction ( 42 ) on the same lateral surface or on opposite lateral surfaces of the plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ), as are the inflow connection ( 53 ) and outflow connection ( 55 ) for the cooling fluid. 
     
     
         7 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising a common inflow connection ( 53 ) and/or outflow connection ( 55 ) for all the cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ), wherein an end plate ( 56 ) is provided which is arranged in front of or behind the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) in the stacking direction ( 42 ) and which forms at least one flow duct for the cooling fluid, the at least one flow duct connects the common inflow connection ( 53 ) and/or outflow connection ( 55 ) of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) to a connection ( 72 ) for a cooling fluid system. 
     
     
         8 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) have, in the plane of their plates, both a main extent direction ( 58 ) and a secondary extent direction ( 60 ) running perpendicular thereto, and are arranged one next to the other in a stacking direction ( 42 ) which runs perpendicular to the main extent direction ( 58 ) and to the secondary extent direction ( 60 ), and in that the inflow ( 48 ) and outflow ( 50 ) for the coolant are arranged in the main extent direction ( 58 ), at opposite ends of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ), as are the inflow ( 52 ) and outflow ( 54 ) for the cooling fluid. 
     
     
         9 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the directions of flow in adjoining coolant chambers ( 44 ) and cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ) are the same or opposed. 
     
     
         10 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) form a flow duct ( 70 ) in the cooling fluid chambers ( 46 ), and the flow duct ( 70 ) runs from an inflow ( 52 ) of the cooling fluid at one end of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ) in the main extent direction ( 58 ) to an outflow ( 54 ) of the cooling fluid at the opposite end of the heat exchanger plates ( 40 ). 
     
     
         11 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the difference of pressure across the first limb of the U-shaped flow duct ( 64 ) for the coolant is between 70% and 100% of the overall difference of pressure, and the difference of pressure across the second limb of the U-shaped flow duct ( 64 ) for the coolant in the direction of flow is between 0% and 30% of the overall difference of pressure. 
     
     
         12 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the U-shape of the flow ducts ( 64 ,  68 ) is formed by an intermediate wall ( 66 ) which is formed by a part ( 74 ), which connects the adjacent heat exchanger plates ( 40 ), or by a shaped section ( 76 ) of at least one heat exchanger plate ( 40 ). 
     
     
         13 . A plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the limbs of the U-shaped flow ducts ( 64 ,  68 ) are formed by numerous elongated ducts arranged one next to the other. 
     
     
         14 . An air-conditioning circuit ( 10 ) for a vehicle, the air-conditioning circuit ( 10 ) having a primary circuit ( 12 ) for a coolant and a secondary circuit ( 14 ) for a cooling fluid, wherein the primary circuit ( 12 ) and the secondary circuit ( 14 ) are coupled via the plate-type heat exchanger ( 30 ) according to  claim 1 .