Improved internal heat exchanger element
The thermal regulation device with blade-disturbed flow channels enhances heat transfer efficiency and reduces pressure losses, addressing mechanical strength issues in thermal regulation systems.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- FR2023009110
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-17
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-08-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing thermal regulation devices for components sensitive to temperature, such as electronic power modules and battery cells, face challenges in achieving efficient heat exchange while minimizing mechanical strength reduction and pressure losses.
A thermal regulation device with internal elements featuring blades that disturb the flow of heat transfer fluid, characterized by symmetrical and rectilinear free edges, enhances heat transfer efficiency while limiting pressure losses.
The device improves heat transfer coefficients while maintaining mechanical integrity and reducing pressure losses, thus optimizing thermal regulation.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Improved internal heat exchanger element Technical field
[0001] The present invention relates to a thermal regulation device for cooling and / or heating at least one component whose operation is sensitive to temperature, this component being in particular an electronic power module of an inverter or a battery cell. This device being suitable in particular for vehicles. More specifically, the present invention relates to the fluid disturbance devices used for this type of thermal regulation device. Prior art
[0002] It is known, in the context of cooling an electronic power card, such as that used in a DCDC converter (this converter being intended to transform a voltage of a direct current from a first voltage value to a second voltage value), to use a cooling liquid circulating in a plate which is in contact with the electronic card. Such a system involves a significant fluid flow rate and is energy-intensive. In addition, the architecture of the electronic card can complicate access, in terms of cooling, to the hottest components.
[0003] It is also known nowadays to equip electric, thermal or hybrid vehicles with electrical energy storage components allowing an electrical supply to the various elements of the vehicle. These electrical energy storage components are generally composed of electrical energy storage cells positioned in a battery pack.
[0004] The present invention aims in particular to further improve the thermal regulation of components, in particular for cooling them, by proposing thermally efficient solutions. The efficiency of thermal regulation devices is mainly determined by the heat exchanges between the refrigerant fluid and the component(s) to be cooled or the cooling fluid. In order to allow the mixing of this fluid to increase the heat exchanges, these devices are equipped with devices for disturbing the flow of the fluid. However, the disturbance devices can have the following drawbacks, namely leading to a reduction in the mechanical strength of the plates, and therefore of the thermal regulation device, as well as an increase in pressure losses within the system. Statement of the invention
[0005] The invention thus relates to a thermal regulation device, adapted in particular to a vehicle, and configured to thermally regulate a component whose operation is sensitive to temperature, said device comprising: • at least one heat transfer fluid flow channel, • an internal element arranged in the at least one flow channel and comprising disturbance means configured to disturb the flow of the heat transfer fluid as it passes through the flow channel, characterized in that the disturbance means comprise at least one blade, said blade being connected by two attachment edges to the internal element, the two attachment edges form a plane, said blade comprises a first free edge and a second free edge respectively joining the two attachment edges, the first free edge extending outside a first face of the plane and the second free edge extending outside a second face of the plane, opposite the first face.
[0006] Thanks to the first and second free edges which extend on either side of the plane, the heat transfer fluid which flows in the at least one flow channel is advantageously disturbed, thus increasing the heat transfer coefficient of the heat transfer fluid with the component to be thermally regulated while limiting the pressure losses of the heat transfer fluid.
[0007] According to one aspect of the invention, the disturbance means are integral with the internal element.
[0008] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges are symmetrical with respect to the plane.
[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges are symmetrical with respect to an axis positioned at an equal distance and parallel to the first and second free edges, said axis of symmetry extending in the plane.
[0010] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges are rectilinear. It is thus understood that the free edges are formed of at least two straight sections. Thus the free edges do not have curved sections.
[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges comprise a first angle. It is thus understood that the free edges are formed in particular of two straight sections and that the first angle is that formed by these two straight sections.
[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the first angle has a value between 132° and 160°.
[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges comprise a second angle. It is thus understood that the free edges are formed in particular of three sections of straight lines and that the second angle is that formed by two of the three straight sections, pair of straight sections different from the pair of straight sections forming the first angle.
[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the second angle has a value between 155° and 177°.
[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges are curved. In this variant, the first and second free edges are, for example, a succession of curved sections. The curved sections may have no inflection point between them or, alternatively, the first and second free edges may have one or more inflection points.
[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the internal element comprises a plurality of blades such as the blade described above.
[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the internal element is a corrugated sheet.
[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the internal element has, in one direction transverse to the flow of the heat transfer fluid, a sinusoidal, triangular, notched, trapezoidal or dovetail profile.
[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the internal element is for example obtained at least by a first cold profiling step in order to obtain the desired transverse profile, followed by a cutting step for producing the blade or the plurality of blades.
[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel comprises two opposite transverse walls each extending in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the internal element is formed from a succession of lateral partitions and vertices oriented transversely to the channel, said lateral partitions extending in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid and said vertices being in contact with the opposite transverse walls of the channel. These lateral partitions and these vertices form the profile of the internal element.
[0022] According to one aspect of the invention, the plurality of blades is positioned on at least one lateral partition of the internal element.
[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the blades are placed on the side partition one behind the other in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
[0024] According to one aspect of the invention, the plurality of blades comprises groups of blades, each group of which is positioned on a different side partition.
[0025] According to one aspect of the invention, each group of blades share the same plane through which the first and second free edges of the blades of the group extend outwardly in opposite directions.
[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges of the same group of blades are identical. It is thus understood that in the same group of blades, the different blades of the group have the same shape and the same dimensions.
[0027] According to one aspect of the invention, the first and second free edges of the same group of blades have a first angle, and optionally a second angle, of different values.
[0028] According to one aspect of the invention, the blades of the same group of blades of a side partition have an axial symmetry of 180° with the blades of another group of blades of a neighboring side partition, axial symmetry along an axis extending in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
[0029] According to one aspect of the invention, the first free edges of a group of blades extend in a direction opposite to the first free edges of a group of blades of a neighboring side partition. In other words, the first face of the plane of a side partition faces another first face of the plane of a neighboring side partition. The same applies to the second free edges of a group of blades with another group of blades of a neighboring side partition.
[0030] According to one aspect of the invention, the two opposite transverse walls are each formed by a plate, these two plates are arranged against each other by side walls arranged on either side of the transverse walls.
[0031] According to one aspect of the invention, the channel comprises at least one planar face configured to be in contact with the component.
[0032] Other characteristics, details and advantages of the invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description given below for information purposes in relation to drawings in which: • [Fig.l] is an overall schematic view of a thermal regulation device according to one embodiment of the invention; • [Fig.2] is a schematic view of details of the internal element of the thermal regulation device of [Fig.l]; • [Fig. 3] is a schematic view of details of the internal element of the thermal regulation device according to another embodiment of the invention; • [Fig.4] is a schematic view of different possible profiles of the internal element according to the invention; • [Fig.5] is a schematic sectional view of the internal element of [Fig.l].
[0033] It should first be noted that if the figures set out the invention in detail for its implementation, these figures can of course be used to better define the invention where applicable. It should also be noted that these figures only show a few examples of embodiments of the invention.
[0034] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a thermal regulation device 100, adapted in particular to a vehicle, and configured to thermally regulate a component, not illustrated, the operation of which is sensitive to temperature, said device 100 comprising: • at least one flow channel 1 of heat transfer fluid, • an internal element 2 arranged in the at least one flow channel 1 and comprising disturbance means 3 configured to disturb the flow of the heat transfer fluid during its passage within the flow channel 1.
[0035] As can be seen in particular in Figures 2 and 3, the disturbance means 3 comprise at least one blade 30, said blade 30 being connected by two attachment edges 4 to the internal element 2, the two attachment edges 4 form a plane AA, said blade 30 comprises a first free edge 31 and a second free edge 32 respectively joining the two attachment edges 4, the first free edge 31 extending outside a first face of the plane AA and the second free edge 32 extending outside a second face of the plane AA, opposite the first face.
[0036] In the present invention, the heat transfer fluid circulating in the at least one flow channel may be air, glycolated water or a refrigerant fluid, for example chosen from a fluid R 134a, R1234yf, R744 or R290.
[0037] The disturbance means 3 are integral with the internal element 2.
[0038] The first and second free edges 31, 32 are symmetrical with respect to the plane AA.
[0039] The first and second free edges 31, 32 are symmetrical with respect to an axis BB positioned at equal distance and parallel to the first and second free edges 31, 32, said axis of symmetry BB extending in the plane AA.
[0040] The first and second free edges 31, 32 are rectilinear. It is thus understood that the free edges 31, 32 are formed of at least two straight sections. Thus the free edges do not have curved sections.
[0041] As can be seen in [Fig.2] and 3, the first and second free edges 31, 32 comprise a first angle 33. It is thus understood that the free edges 31, 32 are formed in particular of two straight sections and that the first angle 33 is that formed by these two straight sections.
[0042] The first angle 33 has a value between 132° and 160°.
[0043] It should be noted that the lower the value of the first angle 33, the more the first and second free edges 31, 32 extend beyond the plane AA.
[0044] As illustrated in [Fig. 3] only, the first and second free edges 31, 32 comprise a second angle 34. It is thus understood that the free edges 31, 32 are formed in particular of three straight sections and that the second angle 34 is that formed by two of the three straight sections, a pair of straight sections different from the pair of straight sections forming the first angle 33. In the case of the presence of a second angle 34 and as illustrated in [Fig. 3], the first and second free edges 31, 32 also comprise a first angle 33.
[0045] The second angle 34 has a value between 155° and 177°. In the same way as for the first angle 33, the smaller the value of the second angle 34, the more the first and second free edges extend away from the plane AA.
[0046] According to an alternative not illustrated to the presence of a first and second angle, the first and second free edges 31, 32 are curved. In this variant the first and second free edges 31, 32 are for example a succession of sections of curves. The sections of curves may be devoid of inflection points between them or alternatively, the first and second free edges 31, 32 may have one or more points of inflection.
[0047] As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, the internal element 2 comprises a plurality of blades 30 such as the blade 30 described previously.
[0048] The internal element 2 is a corrugated sheet.
[0049] The internal element 2 has, in a direction transverse to the flow of the heat transfer fluid, a sinusoidal, triangular, notched, trapezoidal or dovetail profile, as these examples are illustrated in [Fig. 4]. Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 illustrate the case of a dovetail profile, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Indeed, the combination of this dovetail profile with a plurality of blades 30 as defined in the present invention provides a better ratio between the disturbance of the heat transfer fluid and limited pressure losses. By dovetail it can also be understood that the shape of the profile is of the omega type.
[0050] The internal element 2 is for example obtained at least by a first cold profiling step in order to obtain the desired transverse profile, followed by a cutting step for producing the blade 30 or the plurality of blades 30.
[0051] As schematically illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5, more particularly in Figures 1 and 5, the channel 1 comprises two opposite transverse walls 10 each extending in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
[0052] The internal element 2 may be formed from a succession of lateral partitions 21 and vertices 22 oriented transversely to the channel 1, said lateral partitions 21 extending in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid and said vertices 22 being in contact with the opposite transverse walls 10 of the channel 1. These partitions lateral 21 and these vertices 22 form the profile of the internal element 2 and are particularly visible in [Fig.5].
[0053] The plurality of blades 30 is positioned on at least one lateral partition 21 of the internal element 2.
[0054] The blades 30 are placed on the side partition 21 one behind the other in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
[0055] The plurality of blades 30 comprises groups of blades 30, each group of which is positioned on a different side partition 21.
[0056] Each group of blades 30 share the same plane AA by which the first and second free edges 31, 32 of the blades 30 of the group extend outwards in opposite directions.
[0057] The first and second free edges 31, 32 of the same group of blades 30 are identical. It is thus understood that in the same group of blades 30, the different blades 30 of the group have the same shape and the same dimensions.
[0058] The first and second free edges 31, 32 of the same group of blades 30 have a first angle 33, and optionally a second angle 34, of different values. It is thus possible to have the first angles 33 of a group of blades 30 having a decreasing value in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid in the channel 1, or conversely to have the first angles 33 of a group of blades 30 having an increasing value in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid in the channel 1.
[0059] The blades 30 of the same group of blades 30 of a lateral partition 21 have an axial symmetry of 180° with the blades 30 of another group of blades 30 of a neighboring lateral partition 21, axial symmetry along an axis CC extending in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid, as illustrated in [Fig.5].
[0060] The first free edges 31 of a group of blades 30 extend in a direction opposite to the first free edges 31 of a group of blades 30 of a neighboring lateral partition 21. In other words, the first face of the plane AA of a lateral partition 21 faces another first face of the plane AA of a neighboring lateral partition 21. The same applies to the second free edges 32 of a group of blades 30 with another group of blades 30 of a neighboring lateral partition 21.
[0061] The thermal regulation device 100 of the invention may comprise a bundle of tubes (not shown) in which at least one heat transfer fluid flow channel 1 extends between two tubes. Such a device may be, for example, an evaporator. The heat transfer fluid flow channel 1 may then be air and then the internal element 2 may be a system of fins arranged between the tubes of the bundle in which a refrigerant fluid circulates. In such an example, the component whose operation is sensitive to temperature is cooled indirectly.
[0062] It is also possible to have a thermal regulation device 100 of which at least one flow channel 1 is formed by the two opposite transverse walls 10 which are each formed by a plate, these two plates being arranged against each other by side walls arranged on either side of at least one of the transverse walls. In this example, the component whose operation is sensitive to temperature can either be thermally regulated by being arranged on one of the plates defining the side walls, or thermally regulated indirectly by the thermal regulation device 100 then comprising a bundle of flow channels 1 of heat transfer fluid, the bundle comprising second channels configured to circulate a second heat transfer fluid, preferably different from the first heat transfer fluid, which will thermally exchange calories with the first heat transfer fluid.The second channels are, in such an example, arranged alternately with the flow channels 1. In the case of the component arranged on a plate, the channel 1 comprises at least one flat face configured to be in contact with the component.
Claims
Claims
1. Thermal regulation device (100), adapted in particular to a vehicle, and configured to thermally regulate a component whose operation is sensitive to temperature, said device (100) comprising: - at least one flow channel (1) for heat transfer fluid, - an internal element (2) arranged in the at least one flow channel (1) and comprising disturbance means (3) configured to disturb the flow of the heat transfer fluid during its passage within the flow channel (1), characterized in that the disturbance means (3) comprise at least one blade (30), said blade (30) being connected by two attachment edges (4) to the internal element (2), the two attachment edges (4) form a plane (AA), said blade (30) comprises a first free edge (31) and a second free edge (32) respectively joining the two attachment edges (4),the first free edge (31) extending outside a first face of the plane AA and the second free edge (32) extending outside a second face of the plane AA, opposite the first face, the first and second free edges (31, 32) being rectilinear, the first and second free edges (31, 32) comprising a first angle (33) and the first and second free edges (31, 32) comprising a second angle (34).,
2. A thermal regulation device (100) wherein the internal element (2) comprises a plurality of blades (30) such as the blade (30) according to any one of the preceding claims.
3. Thermal regulation device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the channel (1) comprises two opposite transverse walls (10) each extending in a plane perpendicular to the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.
4. Thermal regulation device (100) according to the preceding claim, in which the internal element (2) is formed of a succession of lateral partitions (21) and vertices (22) oriented transversely to the channel (1), said lateral partitions (21) extending in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid and said vertices (22) being in contact with the opposite transverse walls (10) of the channel (1).
5. Thermal regulation device (100) according to claims 6 and 8, wherein the plurality of blades (30) is positioned on at least one lateral partition (21) of the internal element (2).
6. Thermal regulation device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the blades (30) are placed on the side partition (21) one behind the other in the direction of flow of the heat transfer fluid.