Patent Publication Number: US-2022228522-A1

Title: Radiator-intercooler integrated module and vehicle including the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) the benefit of priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0006722 filed on Jan. 18, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     (a) Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a radiator-intercooler integrated module and a vehicle including the same, and more particularly, to a radiator-intercooler integrated module into which a low-temperature radiator and a water cooled intercooler of a vehicle are integrated. 
     (b) Background Art 
     A vehicle in which a turbocharger is mounted is equipped with an intercooler for cooling heat generated by charging air. The intercooler is classified into an air cooled intercooler that cools charged air using air supplied during driving and a water cooled intercooler that cools the charged air using a coolant. 
     Recently, there has been a tendency to adopt the water cooled intercooler. Considerate change in an engine system is required to mount the water cooled intercooler on an engine. For example, an overall change in the front region of the vehicle is required to additionally mount a low-temperature radiator through which a coolant for heat exchange with the charged air flows. Further, in case of the water cooled intercooler, a number of components are added in comparison with the air cooled intercooler. At least for these reasons, the water cooled intercooler has a complicated structure, and a layout configuration of the components of the water cooled intercooler becomes difficult. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems associated with prior art. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a radiator-intercooler integrated module capable of simplifying a structure thereof, and simplifying layout design of a front region of a vehicle for a water cooled intercooler. 
     Objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described objectives, and other objectives of the present disclosure, which are not mentioned, can be clearly understood from the following description by those having ordinary skill in the art which the present disclosure pertains. The features of the present disclosure for achieving the above objectives of the present disclosure and performing the following characteristic functions of the present disclosure, which will be described later, are as follows. 
     In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a radiator-intercooler integrated module may include: a low-temperature radiator and a water cooled intercooler formed integrally with the low-temperature radiator into a single body. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a radiator-intercooler integrated module may include: a low-temperature radiator having a radiator core, the low-temperature radiator including an inlet tank and exit tank disposed above and below the radiator core, respectively, and communicating with the radiator core; and a water cooled intercooler which has a cooling core inserted and mounted in the exit tank, wherein compressed air flows in the cooling core. 
     In some embodiments of the present disclosure, a vehicle may include: a turbocharger configured to charge air; a radiator-intercooler integrated module having a water cooled intercooler receiving the charged air from the turbocharger and a low-temperature radiator formed integrally with the water cooled intercooler. A coolant configured to exchange heat with the air circulates the low-temperature radiator and an intake manifold receiving the heat-exchanged air discharged from the radiator-intercooler integrated module. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a radiator-intercooler integrated module capable of simplifying layout design of a front region of a vehicle even if a water cooled intercooler instead of an air cooled intercooler is applied to cool supercharged air. Effects of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned effects. Other unmentioned effects can be clearly recognized from the following description by those having ordinary skill in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other features of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are given hereinbelow by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present disclosure, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating a radiator-intercooler integrated module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective view illustrating a low-temperature radiator of the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2B  is a perspective view illustrating a radiator-intercooler integrated module according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a view illustrating a state in which a part of the low-temperature radiator of the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is removed; 
         FIG. 4  is a view illustrating an intercooler of the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5A  is a sectional view taken along line A-A′ of  FIG. 3  and illustrating the case where an exit tank is disposed on an upper side of a radiator core; 
         FIG. 5B  is a sectional view taken in the same direction as in  FIG. 5A  and illustrating the case where the exit tank is disposed on a lower side of a radiator; 
         FIG. 6  is a general scheme illustrating a layout of a general front region of a vehicle; 
       and 
         FIG. 7  is a view schematically illustrating a layout of a front region of a vehicle in which the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is mounted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific structures or functions described in the embodiments of the present disclosure are merely for illustrative purposes. Embodiments according to the concept of the present disclosure may be implemented various forms, and it should be understood that they should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in the present specification, but include all of modifications, equivalents, or substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. 
     It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another element. For instance, a first element discussed below could be termed a second element without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Similarly, the second element could also be termed the first element. 
     It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another element, it can be directly coupled or connected to the other element or intervening elements may be present therebetween. In contrast, it should be understood that when an element is referred to as being “directly coupled” or “directly connected” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other expressions that explain the relationship between elements, such as “between,” “directly between,” “adjacent to,” or “directly adjacent to,” should be construed in the same way. 
     Like reference numerals denote like components throughout the specification. In the meantime, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” etc., when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated components, steps, operations, and/or elements, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and/or elements thereof. 
     Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a radiator-intercooler integrated module  1  according to the present disclosure may include a low-temperature radiator  20  and a water cooled intercooler  40 . The low-temperature radiator  20  and the water cooled intercooler  40  are integrated as a single assembly. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the low-temperature radiator  20  may include an inlet tank  120 , an exit tank  220 , and a radiator core  320 . The inlet tank  120  and the exit tank  220  are disposed at each side of the radiator core  320 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in  FIG. 2A , when the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the present disclosure is mounted in a vehicle, the inlet tank  120  is disposed below the radiator core  320 , and the exit tank  220  is disposed above the radiator core  320 . According to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B , when the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the present disclosure is mounted in a vehicle, the exit tank  220  is disposed below the radiator core  320 , and the inlet tank  120  is disposed above the radiator core  320 . Hereinafter, the present invention is described based on which the inlet tank  120  is disposed below the radiator core  320 . However, as described above, the positions of the inlet tank  120  and the exit tank  220  may be changed. 
     The inlet tank  120  may include a water inlet  122 . The water inlet  122  may be supplied with a coolant from a coolant supply source or an electric water pump (EWP). The radiator core  320  may be disposed above the inlet tank  120 . On the contrary, as described above, when the exit tank  220  is disposed below the radiator core  320  and the inlet tank  120  is disposed above the radiator core  320 , the radiator core  320  may be disposed below the inlet tank  120 . The radiator core  320  may include coolant pipelines  322  along which a coolant flows. The coolant of the inlet tank  120  which is introduced from the water inlet  122  flows through the radiator core  320 . Heat exchange between cooling wind passing the radiator core  320  and the coolant passing the coolant pipelines  322  occurs at the radiator core  320 . A plurality of radiator cooling fins  324  may be provided to the radiator core  320  along the coolant pipelines  322  and promote cooling of the coolant while the cooling wind passes the radiator cooling fins  324 . 
     The exit tank  220  may be disposed above the radiator core  320 . On the contrary, as described above, when the inlet tank  120  is disposed above the radiator core  320 , the exit tank  220  may be disposed below the radiator core  320 . The coolant cooled while passing the radiator core  320  may be introduced into the exit tank  220 . The exit tank  220  may be equipped with a water outlet  222 . The coolant passing the exit tank  220  may be discharged to the outside of the radiator-intercooler integrated module  1  through the water outlet  222 . The coolant recirculates around the radiator-intercooler integrated module  1  through the electric water pump (EWP). The exit tank  220  may include an opening  224  that passes through a part of the exit tank  220 . A holding space S is provided inside the exit tank  220 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the water cooled intercooler  40  is integrated into the low-temperature radiator  20 . In particular, the water cooled intercooler  40  is mounted on the exit tank  220  and is received in the holding space S. The water cooled intercooler  40  may include a first tank  140 , a second tank  240 , and a cooling core  340 . The first tank  140  and the second tank  240  may be disposed at each side of the cooling core  340 . The first tank  140  may have an air inlet  142  and an air outlet  144 . Compressed air of a turbocharger may be introduced into the air inlet  142 . The air flowing into the outlet tank  220  through the air inlet  142  may be discharged through the air outlet  144 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the first tank  140  may protrude from the exit tank  220  and, more particularly, may protrude from the opening  224 . 
     Air introduced into the first tank  140  passes the cooling core  340 . As indicated by an arrow and a dotted line of  FIG. 3 , the compressed air supplied through the turbocharger is introduced into the first tank  140  through the air inlet  142 , cooled through the cooling core  340 , and then discharged through the air outlet  144  of the first tank  140 . The cooling core  340  may include air pipelines  342  through which the compressed air introduced into the first tank  140  may flow. As illustrated in  FIG. 5A , the compressed air passing the air pipelines  342  is configured to exchange heat with the coolant passing the radiator core  320  and then flow in the outlet tank  220  from the radiator core  320 , thereby reducing a temperature thereof. Arrows of  FIG. 5A  indicate a flow direction of the coolant. 
     In other words, the coolant inside the low-temperature radiator  20  may be cooled by the cooling wind. The coolant cooled in this way cools the compressed air introduced into the cooling core  340  in the exit tank  220  while passing the water cooled intercooler  40 . Meanwhile,  FIG. 5A  illustrates a case where the exit tank  220  is disposed above the radiator core  320  and the coolant moves up from bottom to top. On the contrary,  FIG. 5B  illustrates a flow direction of the coolant that moves down from top to bottom when the exit tank  220  is disposed below the radiator core  320 . 
     According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of intercooler cooling fins  344  are provided along the air pipelines  342 . The intercooler cooling fins  344  enables a coolant to more effectively cool air inside the air pipelines  342  while the coolant passes by the air pipelines  342 . The compressed air passing the air pipelines  342  may pass the second tank  240 , pass the air pipelines  342  again, and return to the first tank  140 . The cooled compressed air returning to the first tank  140  exits through the air outlet  144  and is supplied to an intake manifold  610 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary front region of a vehicle in which a water cooled intercooler is mounted, and  FIG. 7  illustrates a front region of a vehicle in which the radiator-intercooler integrated module according to the present disclosure is mounted. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , a heat exchanger including a radiator and a condenser is generally disposed in front of an engine  600  and an intake manifold  610  of a vehicle. In the vehicle to which the water cooled intercooler is applied, a low-temperature radiator  620  is typically disposed in front of a high-temperature radiator  630  disposed in the front region of a vehicle, and is disposed between a condenser  640  and the high-temperature radiator  630 . The high-temperature radiator  630  is configured to cool an engine coolant, and the low-temperature radiator  620  is configured to cool a coolant of a water cooled intercooler  650 . 
     Charged air passing a turbocharger  660  may be cooled while passing the water cooled intercooler  650  and is delivered to the intake manifold  610 . The cooling of the charged air may be performed at the low-temperature radiator  620  and by the coolant circulating through the water cooled intercooler  650 . In contrast, in the present disclosure illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the low-temperature radiator  20  is juxtaposed with the condenser  640 . Accordingly, the low-temperature radiator  20  may be cooled without a loss of cooling wind, and thus a size of the low-temperature radiator  20  may be reduced. 
     Further, since the water cooled intercooler  40  is integrated into the low-temperature radiator  20 , a structure of the radiator-intercooler integrated module may be simplified, and thus an effect of reducing an overall cost may be achieved. According to the present disclosure, the low-temperature radiator  20  and the water cooled intercooler  40  are mounted at a position where the air cooled intercooler is disposed in the related art. Accordingly, there is no need to change the layout or the engine structure of the vehicle, thereby reducing investment expenses. 
     To satisfy the increasingly stricter emission control limits, there is a need to expand a usable range of low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation (LPEGR). The air cooled intercooler has a limitation due to a low-temperature freezing problem, whereas the water cooled intercooler may enable expansion of the usable range of the LPEGR in that cooling efficiency can be controlled using the electric water pump and without the freezing problem. According to the present disclosure, the radiator-intercooler integrated module may be mounted at the same position as the conventional air cooled intercooler is mounted, while applying the water cooled intercooler, thereby solving a problem with mounting of the water cooled intercooler. 
     The present disclosure described above is not limited by the above-mentioned embodiments and the attached drawings, and it will be apparent to those having ordinary skills in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present disclosure.