Gear casing heat exchanger

Abstract

A gear casing heat exchanger has a mounting flange separating the heat exchanger into a first side and a second side. A manifold section is on the first side, and includes an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold. A heat exchange section is on the second side, and extends from the mounting flange in a lengthwise direction. A sealing perimeter is on the second side, and the heat exchange section is entirely contained within a projection of the sealing perimeter in the lengthwise direction. The heat exchange section of the heat exchanger can be inserted through an aperture of a gear casing to provide a cooled gear assembly.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A gear casing heat exchanger comprising:
 a mounting flange defining a mounting face;   a manifold section located to one side of the mounting face, the manifold section including an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold;   a heat exchange section located to an opposite side of the mounting face from the manifold section, the heat exchange section extending perpendicularly from the mounting face in a lengthwise direction; and   a sealing perimeter spaced away from the mounting face on the same side of the heat exchanger as the heat exchange section, the sealing perimeter defining a second length substantially similar to the first length, wherein the heat exchange section is entirely contained within the projection of the sealing perimeter.   
     
     
         2 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange section comprises a plurality of fluid conduits, inlet ends of the fluid conduits being fluidly connected to the inlet manifold and outlet ends of the fluid conduits being fluidly connected to the outlet manifold. 
     
     
         3 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising a header to receive the inlet and outlet ends of the fluid conduits, wherein the sealing perimeter is provided on an exterior surface of the header. 
     
     
         4 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the sealing perimeter defines a circular profile. 
     
     
         5 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein the sealing perimeter is provided by an o-ring arranged within a circumferential groove. 
     
     
         6 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 3 , each one of the plurality of fluid conduits comprising:
 a first straight tube length extending from the header and having a tube end joined to the header;   a second straight tube length parallel to the first straight tube length; and   a return bend joining those ends of the first and second straight tube lengths furthest away from the header.   
     
     
         7 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the second straight tube length includes a tube end joined to the header. 
     
     
         8 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bracket arranged at the end of the heat exchange section opposite the mounting face; and   a locator post connected to the bracket.   
     
     
         9 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 2 , each of the fluid conduits comprising a continuous bent tube. 
     
     
         10 . A gear casing heat exchanger comprising:
 a manifold section having a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port, an inlet manifold fluidly connected to the fluid inlet port, and a fluid outlet manifold fluidly connected to the fluid outlet port;   a plurality of tubular fluid conduits, each fluid conduit having at least two straight sections joined by one or more bends and extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; and   a cylindrical header receiving the inlet and outlet ends of the plurality of fluid conduits, a portion of the cylindrical header being received into an open end of the manifold section to fluidly connect the inlet ends of the plurality of fluid conduits to the inlet manifold and to fluidly connect the outlet ends of the plurality of fluid conduits to the outlet manifold.   
     
     
         11 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising an o-ring arranged within an annular groove circumscribing an exposed outer surface of the cylindrical header. 
     
     
         12 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the o-ring is a first o-ring and the annular groove is a first annular groove, further comprising a second o-ring received into a second annular groove circumscribing an outer surface of the cylindrical header, the second o-ring being arranged on that portion of the cylindrical header received into the manifold section to provide a fluid seal between the header and the manifold section. 
     
     
         13 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the manifold section is an aluminum casting. 
     
     
         14 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the manifold section includes a mounting flange which defines a mounting face. 
     
     
         15 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 14 , further comprising an o-ring arranged within an annular groove circumscribing the cylindrical header, said annual groove being arranged between the plurality of tubular conduits and the mounting face. 
     
     
         16 . A gear casing heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat exchange section arranged within an interior volume of a gear casing, the heat exchange section including a plurality of fluid conduits;   a manifold section arranged external to said interior volume, the manifold section including a coolant inlet port and a coolant outlet port;   a mounting flange arranged between the heat exchange section and the manifold section, the gear casing heat exchanger being secured to the gear casing through the mounting flange; and   an o-ring seal arranged within a circular aperture extending through a wall of the gear casing.   
     
     
         17 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 16 , further comprising a cylindrical header to receive inlet and outlet ends of the fluid conduits, wherein the o-ring seal is provided on an exterior surface of the cylindrical header. 
     
     
         18 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a bracket arranged at the end of the heat exchange section opposite the mounting flange; and   a locator post connected to the bracket.   
     
     
         19 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the locator post is received within a feature of the gear casing in order to structurally support said end of the heat exchange section. 
     
     
         20 . The gear casing heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the heat exchange section is removably inserted into the interior volume through the circular aperture.