Cooling system with air guide box for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle with such a cooling system

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling system (10) for a motor vehicle (200) having an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive, the cooling system (10) comprising: at least one heat exchanger (12) through which air flows, in particular a low-temperature cooler and / or a gas cooler and / or condenser; and at least one fan device (14) which, in an activated state, is configured to convey air through the at least one heat exchanger (12). Provision is made for the fan device (14) to be arranged outside a heat exchanger surface (WF) with respect to an inflow direction (ER) of air into the heat exchanger (12). Furthermore, a motor vehicle having such a cooling system (10) is described.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a cooling system according to the preamble of claim 1 for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive, wherein the cooling system comprises: at least one heat exchanger through which air flows, in particular a low-temperature cooler and / or a gas cooler and / or condenser; and at least one fan device which, in an activated state, is configured to convey air through the at least one heat exchanger.

[0002] Such a cooling system is known, for example, from DE 10 2008 020 310 A1.

[0003] Particularly in purely electric or battery-powered vehicles, cooling systems or cooling packages are currently being used, consisting of a low-temperature cooler and at least one gas cooler or condenser. These heat exchangers are arranged either as a package essentially centrally along the vehicle's width or separately, with a central low-temperature cooler, which is primarily used for engine cooling, and laterally arranged coolers or heat exchangers for the refrigeration circuit. Axial fans are used for these cooler packages or for the lateral heat exchangers.

[0004] For further information on the state of the art, reference is made to DE 10 2015 122 491 A1, DE 10 2015 112 379 A1, GB 1 223 897 A, US 2012 / 0 168 125 A1, DE 10 2009 028 522 A1, DE 10 2014 225 807 A1, AT 366 784 B and DE 102 23 386 A1.

[0005] In a central or centered cooling package, the air must flow through several heat exchangers or their cooling networks arranged one behind the other, resulting in a loss of efficiency due to the flow resistance. Depending on the refrigerant used in a refrigeration circuit (CO2 or conventional, such as R1234yf), the cooling air in a central cooling package is further heated from heat exchanger to heat exchanger, thereby further losing efficiency.

[0006] A centrally positioned cooler package minimizes the volume of the cargo space in the front of the vehicle. A conventional concept with side coolers and a central cooler requires multiple axial fans with corresponding weight and high power consumption.

[0007] The object underlying the invention is to provide a cooling system with which the above disadvantages can be avoided, in particular to enable an efficiently operating and compactly constructed cooling system.

[0008] This object is achieved by a cooling system and a motor vehicle having the features of the respective independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments with useful further developments are specified in the dependent patent claims.

[0009] Thus, a cooling system for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive is proposed, wherein the cooling system comprises: at least one heat exchanger through which air flows, in particular a low-temperature cooler and / or a gas cooler and / or condenser; and at least one fan device configured, in an activated state, to convey air through the at least one heat exchanger. Provision is made for the fan device to be arranged outside a heat exchanger surface with respect to an inflow direction of air into the heat exchanger.

[0010] In other words, the fan device is arranged in such a way that in a deactivated state, i.e. in particular when the heat exchanger is exposed to airstream, it does not hinder the flow of air through the heat exchanger and the subsequent escape of the air.

[0011] In the cooler system, an air guide box can be arranged in an air flow path between the heat exchanger and the fan device, which air-flow-connects the heat exchanger and the fan device.

[0012] This makes it possible for air to be sucked in by means of the fan device through the heat exchanger and the adjoining air guide box, even if the fan device is not located directly behind the heat exchanger or its heat exchanger surface.

[0013] The air guide box can have at least one air guide flap which is movable between an open position and a closed position.

[0014] Furthermore, the air guide flap in its open position can allow an air flow path bypassing the fan device.

[0015] By means of one or more such air deflectors, it is possible to allow air which enters the air deflector box due to airflow through the heat exchanger to escape directly from the air deflector box through the open air deflector(s) without air being blocked at the fan device.

[0016] In the cooling system, the air guide flap can be in its closed position when air is conveyed through the at least one heat exchanger by means of the activated fan device. In other words: if the air guide flaps are closed, air can be drawn in by means of the fan device, for example, when the motor vehicle is stationary or during an electrical charging process of the battery of an at least partially electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0017] In the cooler system, according to the invention, an air outlet side of the fan device is connected to at least one side heat exchanger, wherein a first shut-off device is arranged in an air transmission line between the air outlet side of the fan device and the side cooler, which first shut-off device is movable between an open position and a closed position.

[0018] In the cooler system, the at least one side heat exchanger may have an air inlet opening independent of the fan device with a second shut-off device which is movable between an open position and a closed position.

[0019] When the first shut-off device is closed, the second shut-off device can be open and when the first shut-off device is open, the second shut-off device can be closed.

[0020] This ensures that laterally arranged heat exchangers or side heat exchangers can also be directly flowed through by airflow when the first shut-off device is closed and the second shut-off device is open, or that air sucked in by the fan device can flow through when the first shut-off device is open and the second shut-off device is closed.

[0021] In the cooling system, the fan device can comprise at least one radial fan, which is arranged in particular above the at least one heat exchanger. In particular, the radial fan can have an air inlet connected to the air guide box and an air outlet that is free or connected to at least one side heat exchanger.

[0022] The proposed cooling system achieves a compact design with a fan device, which enables efficient operation, in particular because air flowing through the (side) heat exchangers is not unnecessarily obstructed or blocked.

[0023] Also proposed is a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive and with a cooling system according to one of the preceding claims. In particular, the motor vehicle can be a purely (battery-)electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0024] Further advantages and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the figures. Fig. 1 a simplified and schematic perspective view of a cooling system from the front; Fig. 2 a simplified and schematic perspective view of a cooling system from the rear; Fig. 3 a simplified and schematic perspective view of a cooling system from the front with lateral heat exchangers (open state Fig. 3A, closed state Fig. 3B).

[0025] In Fig. 1 is a simplified and schematic illustration of a cooling system 10 in a perspective view obliquely from the front.

[0026] The cooling system 10 has at least one heat exchanger 12 through which air flows, which is shown here in a simplified cuboid or block-shaped form. The heat exchanger 12 can be, for example, a low-temperature cooler or a gas cooler or condenser. The cooling system further has a fan device 14, which, in an activated state, is configured to convey air through the at least one heat exchanger 10.

[0027] The fan device 14 is arranged outside a heat exchanger surface WF (illustrated by dotted lines) relative to an inflow direction ER of air into the heat exchanger 12. In particular, the fan device 14 is arranged outside a projection of the heat exchanger surface WF along the inflow direction ER.

[0028] In this example, the fan device 14 is designed as a radial fan. It has, for example, two air inlets 14e or intake ports. Furthermore, the fan device 14 has two air outlets 14a, through which air conveyed by the fan device 14 can exit the cooling system 10.

[0029] Each air inlet 14e or intake port is assigned a respective radial fan, which is illustrated by the respective radial fan housing 14r.

[0030] It should be noted that the fan device can also be designed with only one air inlet 14e and one air outlet 14a.

[0031] In the cooler system 10, an air guide box 16 is arranged in an air flow path LW (curved, dashed arrow) between the heat exchanger 12 and the fan device 14, which air guide box 16 fluidically connects the heat exchanger 12 and the fan device 14.

[0032] Fig. 2 shows the cooling system 10 in a simplified and schematic perspective view from the rear. Fig. 2 are the same elements that have already been mentioned in relation to the Fig. 1 are marked with the same reference numerals, so that they will not be described again.

[0033] From the Fig. 2 shows that the air guide box 16 has a plurality of air guide flaps 18 on its side facing away from the heat exchanger 12. These air guide flaps 18 are movable between an open position and a closed position.

[0034] If the cooling system is operated in a motor vehicle that is in operation or moving, air enters as airstream FW along the inlet direction ER without the fan device 14 being activated or put into operation. In such a state, the air guide flaps 18 of the air guide box 16 are open, so that the air flowing through the heat exchanger 12 can immediately escape from the cooling system. This is indicated in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrated by respective arrows with double heads.

[0035] If the cooling system 10 is operated when the motor vehicle is stationary, for example, during an electrical charging process for a battery, the fan device 14 is activated or in operation. In such a state, the air guide flaps 18 are closed, so that the air AL sucked in by the heat exchanger 12 can escape from the cooling system 10 again by means of the fan device 14 through the outlet openings 14a of the fan device 14. This is Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illustrated by thicker arrows with simple (concave) tips.

[0036] From the above description of the air flow, which is illustrated by the double arrows, it can be seen that the air guide flaps 18 in their open position allow an air flow path bypassing the fan device 14.

[0037] From the above description of the air flow, which is illustrated by means of the thicker arrows with concave arrowheads, it can be seen that the air guide flaps 18 are in their closed position when (sucked-in) air AL is conveyed or sucked in by means of the activated fan device 14 through the at least one heat exchanger 12.

[0038] In Fig. 3 shows a simplified and schematic perspective view of a cooling system 10 which essentially corresponds to that of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The perspective is roughly the same as that of the Fig. 1, i.e. from the front.

[0039] From this view it can be seen that the heat exchanger 12 can be arranged centrally or substantially centrally with respect to a vehicle width direction FB.

[0040] The cooling system 10 of the Fig. 3 has, in addition to the heat exchanger 12, two laterally arranged side heat exchangers 20.

[0041] One in Fig. 1 still visible air outlet 14a is in the example of the Fig. 3 as the air outlet side of the fan device 14 is connected to a respective side heat exchanger 20. For this purpose, the cooler system 10 has at least one air transfer line 22 extending between the air outlet side of the fan device 14 and the side heat exchanger 20.

[0042] A first shut-off device 24 is arranged in the air transmission line 22 and is movable between an open position and a closed position. The closed state is Fig. 3A and the open state is shown in Fig. 3B shown.

[0043] In the cooling system 10 of the Fig. 3, the at least one side heat exchanger 20 has an air inlet opening 26 independent of the fan device 14 with a second shut-off device 28, which is movable between an open position and a closed position. The open state is shown in Fig. 3A and the closed state is shown in Fig. 3B shown.

[0044] The air inlet opening 26 with the second shut-off device 28 is shown here in a simplified circular shape. It should be noted that these can also have a different shape, for example, rectangular. The dimensions shown here are also not to scale, and the positioning is also only schematically illustrated. This also applies to the first shut-off device 24 of the air transmission lines 22.

[0045] In the cooling system 10 of the Fig. 3, the following mode of operation is possible: when the first shut-off device 24 is closed, the second shut-off device 28 is open ( Fig. 3A), and when the first shut-off device 24 is open, the second shut-off device 28 is closed ( Fig. 3B).

[0046] With regard to the flow through the central heat exchanger 12, the air enters in the case of Fig. 3A through the opened air guide flaps 18 of the air guide box 16 (see Fig. 2). In the case of Fig. 3B the air enters through the Fig. 1 visible outlet openings 14a into the air transfer line 22, so that it is directed laterally to the side heat exchangers 20.

[0047] In the Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B is a purely schematic illustration of a motor vehicle 200 as a dot-dash rectangle, which is provided with a cooling system 10 according to one of the examples of Fig. 1, Fig. 2 or Fig. 3 can be equipped.

[0048] It should be noted that the cooling system 10 is provided with a Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B, which is configured to control, in particular, the shut-off devices 24, 28 and the fan device 14. The shut-off devices 24, 28 can be designed, for example, as pivotable flaps.

Claims

[1] Cooling system (10) for a motor vehicle (200) with an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive, wherein the cooling system (10) comprises: at least one heat exchanger (12) through which air flows, designed as a low-temperature cooler and / or gas cooler and / or condenser; at least one fan device (14) which, in an activated state, is designed to convey air through the at least one heat exchanger (12), wherein the fan device (14) is arranged outside a heat exchanger surface (WF) with respect to an inflow direction (ER) of air into the heat exchanger (12), characterized bythat an air outlet side (14a) of the fan device (14) is connected to at least one side heat exchanger (20), wherein a first shut-off device (24) is arranged in an air transmission line (22) between the air outlet side (14a) of the fan device (14) and the side heat exchanger (20), which is movable between an open position and a closed position. [2] Cooling system (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that an air guide box (16) is arranged in an air flow path (LW) between the heat exchanger (12) and the fan device (14), which air guide box (16) fluidically connects the heat exchanger (12) and the fan device (14). [3] Cooling system (10) according to claim 2, characterized by that the air guide box (16) has at least one air guide flap (18) which is movable between an open position and a closed position. [4] Cooling system (10) according to claim 3, characterized bythat the air guide flap (18) in its open position enables an air flow path (FW) bypassing the fan device (14). [5] Cooling system (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by that the air guide flap (18) is in its closed position when air (AL) is conveyed through the at least one heat exchanger (12) by means of the activated fan device (14). [6] Cooling system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one side heat exchanger (20) has an air inlet opening (26) independent of the fan device (14) with a second shut-off device (28) which is movable between an open position and a closed position. [7] Cooling system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat when the first shut-off device (24) is closed, the second shut-off device (28) is open and that when the first shut-off device (24) is open, the second shut-off device (28) is closed. [8] Cooling system (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the fan device (14) has at least one radial fan (14r) which is arranged above the at least one heat exchanger (12). [9] Motor vehicle (200) with an internal combustion engine and / or at least partially electric drive and with a cooling system (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

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