Header tank for heat exchanger

A header tank of a heat exchanger. The header tank includes a housing defining a coolant chamber through which coolant flows. The header tank further includes a flow control member, which extends into the coolant chamber. The flow control member is configured to advantageously reduce swirling of coolant in the coolant chamber, reduce velocity of coolant in the coolant chamber, and reduce liquid pressure drop of the heat exchanger.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a header tank for a heat exchanger.

BACKGROUND

Heat exchangers, such as radiators, typically include an inlet header tank through which coolant flows prior to reaching a core of the heat exchanger. While existing header tanks are suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. For example, current header tank geometry occasionally causes coolant flowing through the header tank to swirl. This swirling flow causes an increase in pressure drop in the heat exchanger. The swirling coolant also causes an increase in coolant velocity in the inlet header tank, which can lead to increased erosion of tube ends inside the header tank. An improved header tank that minimizes the occurrence of coolant swirling would therefore be desirable. Such a header tank would advantageously reduce the liquid pressure drop of the heat exchanger, and reduce the risk of erosion in the tube ends inside the header tank. The present disclosure advantageously provides for an improved header tank that reduces swirling and provides numerous additional advantages as explained herein, and as one skilled in the art will appreciate.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure includes a header tank of a heat exchanger. The header tank includes a housing defining a coolant chamber through which coolant flows. The header tank further includes a flow control member, which extends into the coolant chamber. The flow control member advantageously reduces swirling of coolant in the coolant chamber, reduces velocity of coolant in the coolant chamber, and reduces liquid pressure drop of the heat exchanger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates an exemplary heat exchanger10. The heat exchanger10may be any suitable heat exchanger, such as a radiator. The heat exchanger10includes an inlet header tank12in accordance with the present disclosure. The heat exchanger10further includes an outlet header tank14and a core16, which is between the inlet header tank12and the outlet header tank14. The inlet header tank12includes a housing20, which defines an inlet22. Any coolant suitable for the heat exchanger10is introduced into the inlet header tank12through the inlet22. The coolant flows from the inlet header tank12to the core16, and ultimately to the outlet tank14. The coolant exits the outlet tank14through an outlet thereof.

With reference toFIG. 2, the housing20includes a first sidewall30and a second sidewall32, which extend generally parallel to one another. A ceiling or top portion34connects the first sidewall30and the second sidewall32together. The ceiling34is generally curved, and has an apex36at an interior surface thereof. Extending from the first sidewall30is a first foot40, and extending from the second sidewall32is a second foot42.

The housing20of the header tank12is coupled to a header plate50. Specifically, the first foot40is seated within a first receptacle52defined by the header plate50. The second foot42is seated in a second receptacle54defined by the header plate50. The housing20and the header plate50together define a coolant chamber60through which coolant introduced through the inlet22flows.

The inlet header tank12further includes one or more flow control members extending into the coolant chamber60from one or more of the ceiling34, the first sidewall30, and the second sidewall32. The flow control member is any suitable flow control member configured to reduce swirling of coolant in the coolant chamber60, reduce velocity of coolant in the coolant chamber60, and/or reduce liquid pressure drop of the heat exchanger10. The flow control member may be any suitable fin or rib, for example.

In the example ofFIG. 2, the flow control member is a fin70A. The fin70A extends from the apex36of the ceiling34into the coolant chamber60. The fin70A extends towards the header plate50, and terminates prior to reaching the header plate50. For example, the fin70A may extend from the ceiling34about two-thirds of the way to the header plate50. The fin70A extends any suitable distance along a length of the housing20. In many applications, the fin70A will not extend along an entire length of the housing20. The fin70A may be formed integral with the housing20, such as molded with the housing20, or attached to the housing20in any suitable manner.

With reference toFIG. 3, the fin may include a first portion70A on a first side of the inlet22, and a second portion70A′ on a second side of the inlet22. Thus the inlet22is between the first portion70A and the second portion70A′. The present disclosure includes applications having the first portion70A or the second portion70A′ alone, as well as applications having both the first portion70A and second portion70A′. With reference toFIG. 4, the fin70A may not be continuous along the length of the housing20. Instead, the fin70A may include a plurality of spaced apart first portions70A on a first side of the inlet22, and a plurality of spaced apart second portions70A′ on a second side of the inlet22.

The inlet header tank12may include multiple flow control members. For example and as illustrated inFIG. 5, the housing20may include the fin70A as a first fin, and may further include a second fin70B. The first and second fins70A and70B both extend from the ceiling34on opposite sides of the apex36. The first and second fins70A and70B extend generally parallel to one another, and parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing20. Similar to the arrangements ofFIGS. 3 and 4with respect to the first fin70A, the second fin70B may include one or more first portions on a first side of the inlet22, and one or more second portions on a second side of the inlet22. The first and second fins70A and70B may both be formed integral with the housing20, or attached to the housing20in any suitable manner.

With additional reference toFIG. 6, the flow control member may be a fin70C extending from the first sidewall30or the second sidewall32as illustrated. Like the fin70A, the fin70C may include a first portion and a second portion on opposite sides of the inlet22. The first and second portions of the fin70C on opposite sides of the inlet22may each be unitary (similar to the first and second portions70A and70A′ illustrated inFIG. 3) or configured as a plurality of spaced apart portions on opposite sides of the inlet22(similar to the plurality of first portions70A and the plurality of second portions70A′ illustrated inFIG. 4). The fin70C extends perpendicular to the second sidewall32into the coolant chamber60. The fin70C may extend any suitable distance into the coolant chamber60, and terminates prior to reaching the first sidewall30. The fin70C is secured to the first or second sidewalls30,32in any suitable manner. For example, the fin70C may be formed integral with the first or second sidewalls30,32, such as by molding, or attached thereto in any suitable manner. The housing20may include only a single fin70C as illustrated inFIG. 6, or multiple fins on the second sidewall32, multiple fins on the first sidewall30, or one or more fins on each one of the first and second sidewalls30,32.

The present disclosure thus advantageously provides for an inlet header tank12including flow control members (such as one or more fins70A,70A′,70B,70C), which reduce the amount of coolant swirling within the coolant chamber60. Specifically, testing shows that the flow control members (such as one or more fins70A,70A′,70B,70C) resulted in at least a 5% reduction in pressure drop of the heat exchanger10. The flow control members70A,70A′,70B,70C also reduce velocity of coolant in the coolant chamber60, which reduces the risk of erosion at tube ends inside the header tank12. Furthermore, the reduction in pressure provides numerous efficiencies. For example, a smaller coolant pump requiring less energy may be used to pump coolant through the heat exchanger10due to a reduction in coolant flow resistance. The present disclosure also advantageously improves thermal cycle performance because the flow control members (such as one or more fins70A,70A′,70B,70C) reduce swirling of coolant in the coolant chamber60. As a result, more coolant flow can reach the end of the tank12, thus reducing the temperature gradient, thereby improving thermal cycle performance.