Modine Manufacturing Company

Michael Ehlers

Werner Zobel

Frank Vetter

J&ouml;rg Soldner

Wolfgang Knecht

Roland Str&auml;hle

Mark G Voss

Daniela Fischer

Andreas Willman

Jörg Soldner

Bernhard Stephan

A compact cooling system includes a mounting panel adapted to receive a plurality of at least three cooling units, a cooling fan, and a fan drive mechanism. The mounting panel supports the fan and drive mechanism in a manner allowing rotation of the fan about the axis of rotation. A front side of the mounting panel is adapted for receiving and supporting the cooling units in a pattern defining a cantilevered, tubular polygonal solid disposed about the fan. The mounting panel includes a convex central region extending into the tubular polygonal solid and receiving the drive mechanism in operative connection to the fan. By virtue of this arrangement, a very compact cooling system is provided. The tubular polygonal shape of the cooling units, when mounted on the mounting panel, forms an air duct for directing a flow of cooling air induced by the fan through the cooling units. Positioning the drive mechanism inside the convex central region of the mounting panel significantly reduces the length of the cooling system along the axis of rotation.

Compact cooling system

Optimization of the efficiency of a compact cooling system for air cooling of at least two different heat exchange fluids is obtained in a construction including three heat exchangers ( ), ( ), ( ) arranged in a housing-like shape with an open center. A radial fan ( ) is located within the housing and is rotatable about an axis ( ). A front panel ( ) having an air inlet ( ) on the axis ( ) abuts a corresponding one of the opposed sides ( ), ( ) of each of the heat exchangers while a rear panel abuts the other of the opposed sides ( ) of each of the heat exchangers ( ), ( ), ( ) and journals the fan ( ) for rotation about the axis ( ). The assembly is characterized by the fact that the core width &ldquo;W &rdquo; of one of the heat exchangers ( ) is greater than that of another of the heat exchangers ( ) such that one or both of the opposed sides ( ), ( ) of the one heat exchanger projects forwardly and/or rearwardly of a corresponding one or both of the opposed sides ( ), ( ) of the heat exchanger ( ).

Cooling system, especially for a vehicle

A heat exchanger including a first header having an inlet therein, a second header, an outlet in one of the first and second headers, and a plurality of flat tubes extending between the first and second headers for carrying a fluid between the first and second headers. A first connector is also provided for connecting a first exterior line to one of the first and second headers, the first connector being proximate and substantially parallel to an end of one of the flat tubes. In a compact cooling system, such heat exchangers may be disposed about a radial fan directing air flow outwardly away from the fan axis. One of a system inlet and a system outlet are connected via the first exterior lines to the first connectors of at least two of the heat exchangers.

Compact heat exchanger for a compact cooling system

A compact cooling system including a radial fan directing air flow outwardly and a plurality of heat exchangers disposed around the radial fan. Each heat exchanger has a plurality of tubes extending between an inlet header and an outlet header, with the headers extending generally in the same direction as the fan axis. A system inlet is connected to the inlet headers and a system outlet is connected to the outlet headers, whereby the length of the connection between each heat exchanger and the system outlet and system inlet is generally the same for each heat exchanger.

Compact cooling system with similar flow paths for multiple heat exchangers

A transmission drives a radial fan about a fan axis in a vehicle cooling unit including a plurality of heat exchangers arranged to surround the radial fan to receive a radial air flow therefrom. A driving pulley, a driven pulley, and a idler pulley of the heat exchangers.

Transmission for driving a radial fan of a vehicle cooling unit

A compact cooling system for a vehicle includes an assembly of heat exchangers ( ), ( ), ( ) and ( ) connected to each other to provide a box-like configuration. Each heat exchanger ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) includes a core with headers ( ), ( ) at each end in fluid communication with spaced, flattened tubes ( ) with fins (24) extending between the tubes in each of the cores. One of the cores ( ) is generally horizontal and located at the upper side of the box-like configuration. A radial discharge fan ( ) is located within the box-like configuration and receives cooling air and directs the same radially outwardly through the cores to cool fluid passing through the tubes ( ) of the cores. An equalization tank ( ), ( ) is mounted on the box-like configuration in overlying, spaced relation to a substantial portion of the surface of the heat exchanger ( ) so as to be in the path of cooling air merging from the heat exchanger ( ) to divert the same.

Equalization vessel for vehicular compact cooling systems

Fan efficiency problems are substantially reduced in a cooling system having a plurality of heat exchangers ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) positioned with respect to each other to define a housing in the form of a polygonal solid with certain of the heat exchangers being employed in heat exchange fluid while others may be utilized to cool one or more other heat exchange fluids different from the first. A radial fan ( ) is disposed within a space ( ) within the housing and provided with blades ( ) for flowing air generally radially outward through the heat exchangers ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ). The ratio of the location of the center line (d) of the fan blade outer edges ( ) with respect to the front ( ) of the heat exchanger to the diameter (D) of the fan ( ) at the outer edges ( ) is in the range of about 0.20 to about 0.36.

Growing community of inventors

Nagold, Germany

Michael Ehlers