Abstract:
A heat exchanger of the type having a tube assembly made up of a number of tubes through which a first medium flows and around and between which a second medium flows to accept heat from, or transfer heat to, the first medium. One of the media is constrained by a baffle to follow a path through the heat exchanger. According to the invention, the baffle is completely separate from the tubes, so permitting the baffle to adjust automatically. The baffle may be carried on springs and the position based on a pressure balance of the first medium, with the result of allowing the first medium to flow through a varying amount of tubes.

Description:
FIELD 
     This present disclosure relates to the field of automotive heat exchangers, more specifically this disclosure relates oil cooler with adjustable flow baffle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. 
     In automotive vehicles, it is common to have a series of different heat exchangers transferring heat to or from a variety of liquids or gases. A typical vehicle may contain a heat exchanger to cool a fluid that is used to cool an engine. Charge air coolers are used to cool the air that is being compressed before leading into the intake of an engine. Additional heat exchangers may be used to cool oil that lubricates the internal components of the engine; additionally transmission fluid may also flow through a heat exchanger to maintain the transmission at an optimum temperature. Typical construction of such heat exchangers generally have an inlet or an outlet on one or both of the heat exchanger tanks and may have a fixed baffle to accommodate packaging constraints or increase heat rejection. The baffle is fixed so that the medium entering the inlet passes through a fixed number of tubes and the medium exiting has passed through a fixed number of tubes. 
     A problem with the conventional fixed baffle heat exchangers is their lack of versatility. Heat exchangers are optimally designed for one application only in accordance with the flow parameters and heat exchange requirements expected in that application and in an optimum condition. Where the heat exchanger designed for one application is used in another application in which the flow rate of the medium to be cooled is greater than the design flow rate, there is usually an unacceptable pressure drop in the system. Or if the viscosity of the fluid can change based on temperature, like oil, there may be an unacceptable pressure drop as well. If, on the other hand, the heat exchanger is used in an application in which the flow rate is less than the design flow rate, there is inefficient heat transfer to the cooling medium. 
     Heat exchangers with fixed baffle arrangements lack versatility in that it is not possible to cater for different flow parameters and heat exchange requirements. Also if the viscosity of a liquid can change based on its temperature the heat exchanger with fixed baffles cannot adjust to maximized optimum fluid flow limiting pressure drop losses. 
     A current solution is to install a bypass system. This system would allow the medium, during certain conditions, to bypass the heat exchanger entirely until the correct conditions are met. Such systems add complex components like control modules with sensors to regulate the system driving up overall costs and difficulty in implementation. However, if the heat exchanger was versatile to change the internal baffle position to allow for greater flow during high viscosity period and regulate to an optimum flow during normal operation, there would be no need for complex solutions. 
     It would be desirable to have a heat exchanger which has greater versatility, and the present development seeks to provide such a heat exchanger. 
     SUMMARY 
     This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. 
     A heat exchanger for transferring heat from a liquid that comprises a first header tank also a second header tank. In between the two tanks are a plurality of tubes, these fluidly join the first header tank and the second header tank. Contained within one of the tanks is a moveable baffle. This baffle may divide one of the first header tank and the second header tank into a first chamber and a second chamber. 
     An additional embodiment may be an automotive heat exchanger with a plurality of tubes which medium flows through, at least two tanks which connect the tubes and which the heat exchange medium flows in and out. The tank encloses a self-adjusting partition baffle. The baffle is for dividing one of the tank portions into different independent tank chambers. The self-adjusting partition baffle may be resiliently attached to the tank. 
     An additional embodiment may be an oil cooler for a vehicle with a first end tank divided into a first portion and a second portion. The division is made by an adjustable baffle. An inlet of the tank is at the first portion, the second portion contains an outlet. The oil cooler has a plurality of a first section of tubes in fluid communication with the first portion of the first end tank. The section of first tubes has a fluid that flows to a second end tank. A section of second tubes may be in fluid communication with the second end tank and the second portion of the first end tank. The first end tank also has a first end and a second end, a spring extends from one end and attached to the adjustable baffle and changes the number of the first tubes in fluid communication with the first portion of the first end tank and the second end tank. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a vehicle having a engine, transmission and heat exchangers; 
         FIG. 2  is a representation of the prior art; 
         FIG. 3A  is a representation of the current embodiment; 
         FIG. 3B  is a representation of the current embodiment; 
         FIG. 4A  is view of the baffle; 
         FIG. 4B  is a cutout view of the tank; 
         FIG. 5A  is view of the baffle; 
         FIG. 5B  is a cutout view of the tank 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective of an additional embodiment; 
         FIG. 6B  is a perspective of an additional embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6C  is a perspective of an additional embodiment. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an automotive vehicle  10  with an engine  12  and transmission  14  representations shown. Vehicle  10  includes heat exchangers at the front of the vehicle  10 , a radiator  16  and an oil cooler  20 . It is known in the art that the radiator  16  cools an engine coolant (not shown) that flows through the engine  12  and then back to the radiator  16 . Additionally the vehicle has a transmission  14  that contains some lubricating fluid (not shown), that fluid may be cooled by oil cooler  20 . Also, it is known that the engine  12  has lubricating oil for internal components; this may also be cooled in oil cooler  20 . A series of pumps, tubing, and piping is needed to connect the heat exchangers to the engine  12  and transmission  14 , this is understood in the art and will not be described in detail. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , a typical oil cooler  20  that is used on a typical vehicle is shown, it may be understood that this style of heat exchanger can be used for any fluid. The oil cooler  20  has an inlet  22  and outlet  24  in the first tank  26 . A core section  28  connects the first tank  26  to the second tank  30 . The core section includes a first plurality of tubes  33 , in between the tubes is a series of fins  34 . The first tank  26  is separated into two chambers, an inlet chamber  32  and an outlet chamber  34 . The two chambers are separated in the first tank  26  by a baffle  36 . It is understood in the art that the baffle  36  may be known as a partition, or any piece to isolate the two chambers from each other. The baffle  36  is in a fixed position that separates the medium (not shown) in the inlet chamber  32  and the outlet chamber  34 . The typical function of the oil cooler  20  is the oil or liquid medium (not shown) would flow into inlet  22  represented by arrow  38 . The medium would fill the inlet chamber  32  and flow through the first portion of tubes  33 , the flow is represented by group of arrows  40 . The medium flows through the first portion tubes  33  into the second tank  30 . The second tank  30  is just a single chamber with no baffles or partitions, however it is understood in the art that oil coolers or any heat exchangers can be incorporated with each other and share end tanks. The medium represented by arrows  42 , flows down tank  30  and into second portion of tubes  44 . The medium then flows back to the first tank  26  to the second chamber  34  and out the outlet  24 , the flow represented by arrow  46 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3  A, the oil cooler  50  is very similar to the current art. The oil cooler  50  has an inlet  52  and outlet  54  in the first tank  56 . A core section  58  connects the first tank  56  to the second tank  60 . The core section includes a first plurality of tubes  63 , in between the tubes is a series of fins  65 . The first tank  26  is separated into two chambers, an inlet chamber  62  and an outlet chamber  64 . The two chambers are separated in the first tank  56  by an adjustable baffle  66 . The adjustable baffle  66  separates the medium (not shown) in the inlet chamber  62  and the outlet chamber  64 . The typical function of the oil cooler  50  is the oil or liquid medium (not shown) would flow into inlet  52 . The medium would fill the inlet chamber  62  and flow through the tubes  63 . The medium flows through the tubes  63  into the second tank  60 . The second tank  60  is just a single chamber with no baffles or partitions, the medium flows down tank  60  and into second portion of tubes  68 . The medium then flows back to the first tank  56  to the outlet chamber  64  and out the outlet  54 . 
     The adjustable baffle  66  is moveable within the tank  56 , track rails  70  and  72  may be inside the tank for the baffle  66  to ride against and stay perpendicular to the tank  56 . The adjustable baffle  66  position is based upon the pressure balance of the inlet pressure represented by arrow  74  and outlet pressure represented by arrow  76 . As shown in  FIG. 3B , during a cold vehicle start up condition the oil viscosity is increased due to the decreased temperature. This increases the pressure inside the inlet chamber  62  of the first tank  56 . In this condition, the baffle  66  is pushed downward in the tank  56  by the inlet pressure  74  which allows for the number of tubes  63  connected to the inlet chamber  62  to be greater in relation to the number of tubes  68  connected to the outlet chamber  64  when the viscosity is higher. The flow path is maintained the same as described above. It can be appreciated in the art that as the vehicle is driven more the oil in the engine  12  or transmission  14  that will warm up and become less viscous. This reduces the pressure  74  in inlet chamber  62  of the tank  56 , the reduction in pressure will allow the baffle  66  to move back into a neutral position as shown in  FIG. 3B . Additionally, the warm medium that is being cooled in the core section  58  will become more viscous, this may increase the pressure  76  in the outlet chamber  64 . The increase in pressure  76  will push the baffle  66  back into a neutral position in the tank  56 . While the vehicle  10  is in normal operation the baffle  66  position will be balanced by pressures  74  and  76 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4B , the baffle  66  and cross-section cut  78  of the tank  56  from  FIG. 3A  is shown. The baffle  66  has the same perimeter periphery as the inside shape of the tank  56 . A semi-circular shape is shown, however it is appreciated in the art that heat exchanger tanks can be a variety of shapes, square, rectangular, circular, or any combination by way of non-limiting example. It is also understood in the art that the heat exchanger tank  56  may be of many different materials, common in the art are a plastic/polymer material, aluminum, copper or steel by way of non-limiting example. The baffle  66  may also be made of any variety of material, currently in the art baffles may be made of any synthetic material such as rubber, plastic/polymer, or metallic material may be used such as aluminum or any combination thereof. The baffle  66  may be made of a metal material with an outer ridge of synthetic material (not shown) as an example. The baffle  66  has a general outer perimeter periphery  80  that is substantially the same shape of the inner surface  82  of the tank  56 . The tank  56  may include track rails  70  and  72  to guide the baffle  66 , cutouts  84 , and  86  may be incorporated in the baffle to help control the position. Edge  88  of the baffle interfaces with the inlet  90  of the tubes  62  of the core section  58 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B  It can be appreciated by one in the art that the track rails  70  and  72  may not needed for the adjusting baffle  66  if the tubes  62  protrude into the inlet and outlet chambers  62  and  64 . The baffle  66  may have a cut out  92  substantially the same shape of the tubes  62 , and the tubes act as a track rail to maintain the baffle  66  position. 
     A additional embodiment in  FIG. 6A  may have a resilient member further described as a spring  94  may extend from the bottom end  96  of the outlet chamber  64  of the tank  56 . The spring may assist in the positioning, to a neutral position, of the adjusting baffle  66  as the inlet pressure decreases. It can be appreciated by one in the art that a spring  100  may also extend from a top end  98  of the inlet chamber  62  of tank  56 , as shown in  FIG. 6B . Another embodiment may have springs  102  and  104 , extend from both ends  96 , and  98  as shown in  FIG. 6C , and attach to baffle  66 . The springs disclosed can be any resilient member to help assist the positioning of the baffle  66  within the tank  56 . Attachment of the spring  94 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104  to the baffle  66  may be any attachment means like a rivet, nut and bolt, weld, molded over, epoxy by way of non-limiting example. The same means may be used to attach the spring  94 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104  to the tank  56 . 
     Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, the specification and the following claims. 
     The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.