Heat exchanger apparatus for a plurality of cooling circuits using the same coolant

Claim 2

An air cooled engine radiator apparatus for a liquid cooled engine requiring cooling circuits at differing temperatures from a common coolant supply comprising a first elongated fluid tank having at least one inlet neck and at least one outlet neck, a second elongated fluid tank having at least one outlet neck, a bank of heat exchanger tubes being mounted at one end on said first fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith and at the other end on said second fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith, said first and second fluid tanks being divided into a plurality of compartments separated by internal partitions extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of said first and second fluid tanks, which longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction of the tubes of said bank, said compartments dividing said bank of heat exchanger tubes into a plurality of coolant flow paths comprising a main sub-bank and at least one secondary sub-bank, said main sub-bank including a larger number of heat exchange tubes than employed in said at least one, or each, secondary sub-bank, the fluid flow path in said main sub-bank being in a single directional pass while the fluid flow path in said at least one secondary sub-bank being in opposed directional passes; and outlet connection means being provided on said first and second fluid tanks to permit connection of said main sub-bank and said at least one secondary sub-bank to a cooling circuit of said engine.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the bank (10) includes one main sub-bank (FP) for cooling said engine, and one secondary sub-bank (FS) for cooling the oil.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined by claim 1, characterized in that the bank (10) includes one main sub-bank (FP) and two sub-banks (FS1, FS2).

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized in that the first fluid tank (18) includes one main compartment (24) into which said at least one inlet neck (34) discharges that is arranged to be connected to a source of coolant, and a plurality of secondary compartments (56, 58, 60 and 62) separated from the main compartment by a plurality of partitions, said second fluid tank (22) includes a main compartment (38) having a main discharge outlet neck (48) that is arranged to be connected to a main cooling circuit and a plurality of secondary compartments (68, 70, 72 and 74) separated from the main compartment by a plurality of partitions, and wherein said main sub-bank (FP) is in fluid communication with said main compartments of said first and second fluid tanks, said at least one sub-bank comprising a plurality of sub-banks (FS1, FS2) in fluid communication with said secondary compartments of said first and second fluid tanks; and wherein said secondary compartments of said first fluid tank include plural secondary outlets to provide connection to secondary cooling circuits.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined by claim 4, characterized in that the main compartment (24) of the first fluid tank (18) communicates with a secondary compartment (56) of the same fluid tank, via at least one tube of the sub-bank (FS1) connecting the main compartment (24) of the first fluid tank (18) to a secondary compartment (68) of the second fluid tank (22), and via at least one other tube of the sub-bank (FS1) connecting this latter secondary compartment (68) with the secondary compartment (56) of the first fluid tank.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined by claim 5 including a fluid flow control opening (78) between said sub-bank (FS1) and the next adjacent sub-bank (FS2).

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized in that the first fluid tank (18) includes one main compartment (24) into which said at least one inlet neck (34) discharges that is arranged to be connected to a source of coolant, and a plurality of secondary compartments (26, 28) separated from the main compartment by partitions (30, 32), said second fluid tank (22) includes a main compartment (38) having a main discharging outlet neck (48) that is arranged to be connected to a main cooling circuit, and a plurality of secondary compartments (40, 42) separated from the main compartment by partitions (44, 46), and wherein said main sub-bank (FP) is in fluid communication with said main compartments of said first (18) and second (22) fluid tanks and said at least one secondary sub-bank comprises a single sub-bank (FS) in fluid communication with said secondary compartments of said first and second fluid tanks; and wherein said at least one outlet neck in said first fluid tank (18) comprises an outlet neck (36) in fluid communication with said secondary sub-bank to provide connection to a secondary cooling circuit.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined by claim 7 characterized in that the main compartment (24) of the first fluid tank is in fluid communication with said plurality of secondary compartments in said first fluid tank by means of a calibrated flow opening.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized in that the first fluid tank (18) includes one main compartment (24) into which said at least one inlet neck (34) discharges that is arranged to be connected to a source of coolant, said main compartment including a chamber (86) and a secondary compartment (82) separated from the main compartment by a partition (84), said second fluid tank (22) includes a main compartment (38) having a main discharge outlet neck (48) that is arranged to be connected to a main cooling circuit, and a plurality of secondary compartments (90, 92, 94) separated from the main compartment by a plurality of partitions and wherein said main sub-bank (FP) is in fluid communication with said main compartments of said first and second fluid tanks, said at least one sub-bank comprises a plurality of sub-banks (FS2, FS1) in fluid communication with said chamber (86) and secondary compartment (82) of said first fluid tank (18) and said secondary compartments (90, 92, 94) of said second fluid tank whereby said plurality of sub-banks (FS2, FS1) provide cooling circuits at an outlet neck (96) in said second tank and at an outlet neck (88) in said first tank.

Claim 11

An apparatus as defined by claim 9 characterized in that the chamber (86) in said main compartment (24) permits internal flow reversal for one of said sub-banks (FS2) while permitting external flow around said chamber to another (FS1) of said sub-banks.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined by claim 1 characterized in that the first fluid tank (18) includes one main compartment (24) into which said at least one inlet neck (34) discharges that is arranged to be connected to a source of coolant, and a plurality of secondary compartments (98, 100, 102, 104) separated from the main compartment by a plurality of partitions, said second fluid tank (22) includes a main compartment (38) having a main discharge outlet neck (48) that is arranged to be connected to a main cooling circuit and a plurality of secondary compartments (110, 112, 114, 116) separated from the main compartment by a plurality of partitions, and wherein said main sub-bank (FP) is in fluid communication with said main compartments of said first and second fluid tanks, said at least one sub-bank comprising a plurality of sub-banks (FS1, FS2) in fluid communication with said secondary compartments of said first and second fluid tanks; and wherein said plurality of said sub-banks (FS1, FS2) and associated secondary compartments, respectively, are mounted on opposite sides of said main sub-bank (FP).

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined by claim 11 wherein said secondary compartments of said first fluid tank mounted on opposite sides of said main compartment are equipped with an outlet (106, 108) at opposite end portions of said first fluid tank to provide connection to secondary cooling circuits.

Claim 14

An air cooled engine radiator apparatus for a liquid cooled engine requiring cooling circuits at differing temperatures from a common coolant supply comprising a first elongated fluid tank (18) having at least one inlet neck and at least one outlet neck, a second elongated fluid tank having at least one outlet neck, a bank (10) of heat exchanger tubes being mounted at one end on said first fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith and at the other end on said second fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith, said first and second fluid tanks being divided into a plurality of compartments separated by internal partitions extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of said first and second fluid tanks, which longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction of the tubes of said bank, said compartments dividing said bank of heat exchanger tubes into a plurality of coolant flow paths comprising a main sub-bank (FP) and two secondary sub-banks (FS1, FS2), said main sub-bank including a larger number of heat exchange tubes than employed in said secondary sub-banks, the fluid flow path in said main sub-bank being in a single directional pass while the fluid flow path in said secondary sub-banks being in opposed directional passes, and outlet connection means being provided on said first and second fluid tanks to permit connection of said main sub-bank and said secondary sub-banks to a cooling circuit of said engine, said first fluid tank (18) including a main compartment (24) and a plurality of secondary compartments (136, 138, 140, 142, 144), said at least one inlet neck being a main inlet neck (34) discharging into the main compartment (24) and arranged to supply the main sub-bank (FP) and one secondary sub-bank (FS1); and a secondary inlet neck (146) discharging into one of said secondary compartments (138) and arranged to supply another secondary sub-bank (FS2) directly.

Claim 15

An air cooled engine radiator apparatus for a liquid cooled engine requiring cooling circuits at differing temperatures from a common coolant supply comprising a first elongated fluid tank (18) having at least one inlet neck and at least one outlet neck, a second elongated fluid tank having at least one outlet neck, a bank (10) of heat exchanger tubes being mounted at one end on said first fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith and at the other end on said second fluid tank to be in fluid communication therewith, said first and second fluid tanks being divided into a plurality of compartments separated by internal partitions extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of said first and second fluid tanks, which longitudinal direction is perpendicular to the direction of the tubes of said bank, said compartments dividing said bank of heat exchanger tubes into a plurality of coolant flow paths comprising a main sub-bank (FP) and two secondary sub-banks (FS1, FS2), said main sub-bank including a larger number of heat exchange tubes than employed in said secondary sub-banks, the fluid flow path in said main sub-bank being in a single directional pass while the fluid flow path in said secondary sub-banks being in opposed directional passes, and outlet connection means being provided on said first and second fluid tanks to permit connection of said main sub-bank and said secondary sub-banks to a cooling circuit of said engine, said first fluid tank (18) including a main compartment (24) and a plurality of secondary compartments (136, 138, 140, 142, 144), said at least one inlet neck being a main inlet neck (34) discharging into the main compartment (24) and arranged to supply the main sub-bank (FP) and one secondary sub-bank (FS1); and a secondary inlet neck (146) discharging into one of said secondary compartments (138) and arranged to supply another secondary sub-bank (FS2) directly.