Advanced vehicle heat exchanger
A heat exchanger includes a housing. A first cooling block is defined within the housing. The first cooling block includes a coolant inlet, a refrigerant inlet, and a first gyroid structure that defines a first set of coolant channels and a first set of refrigerant channels. A second cooling block is defined within the housing. The second cooling block includes a coolant outlet, a refrigerant outlet, and a second gyroid structure that defines a second set of coolant channels and a second set of refrigerant channels. A perforated barrier plate is interposed between the first cooling block and the second cooling block. The first set of coolant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of coolant channels via perforations in the barrier plate. The first set of refrigerant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of refrigerant channels via perforations in the barrier plate.
1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a housing;
a first cooling block defined within the housing, the first cooling block comprising a coolant inlet, a refrigerant inlet opposing the coolant inlet, and a first gyroid structure defining a first set of coolant channels and a first set of refrigerant channels;
a second cooling block defined within the housing, the second cooling block comprising a coolant outlet, a refrigerant outlet opposing the coolant outlet, and a second gyroid structure defining a second set of coolant channels and a second set of refrigerant channels; and
a perforated barrier plate interposed between the first cooling block and the second cooling block, wherein the first set of coolant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of coolant channels via perforations in the barrier plate, and wherein the first set of refrigerant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of refrigerant channels via perforations in the barrier plate.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the coolant inlet further comprises coolant introduction channels that direct fluid flow into the first set of coolant channels, and wherein the refrigerant inlet further comprises refrigerant introduction channels that direct fluid flow into the first set of refrigerant channels.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein the coolant outlet further comprises coolant removal channels that direct fluid flow out of the second set of coolant channels, and wherein the refrigerant outlet further comprises refrigerant removal channels that direct fluid flow out of the second set of refrigerant channels.
4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein at least one of the coolant introduction channels and the refrigerant introduction channels are defined by the first gyroid structure, and wherein at least one of the coolant removal channels, and refrigerant removal channels are defined by the second gyroid structure.
5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the housing, the first gyroid structure, the second gyroid structure, and the barrier plate are integrally coupled.
6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first gyroid structure defines a first conical recess proximate the coolant inlet and a second conical recess proximate the refrigerant inlet, wherein the second conical recess extends towards the first conical recess.
7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the second gyroid structure defines a third conical recess proximate the coolant outlet and a fourth conical recess proximate the refrigerant outlet, wherein the fourth conical recess extends towards the third conical recess.
8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the coolant inlet and coolant outlet are arranged on a front panel of the housing, and wherein the refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet are arranged on a rear panel of the housing.
9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein coolant fluid is directed along a coolant path and refrigerant fluid is directed along a refrigerant path, the refrigerant path being in a counter-flow configuration relative to the coolant path.
10. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a housing;
a first cooling block defined within the housing, the first cooling block comprising a coolant inlet and a refrigerant outlet opposing the coolant inlet;
a second cooling block defined within the housing, the second cooling block comprising a coolant outlet and a refrigerant inlet opposing the coolant outlet;
a first set of cooling channels and a first set of refrigerant channels defined in at least one of the first cooling block and the second cooling block;
a second set of cooling channels and a second set of refrigerant channels defined in at least one of the first cooling block and the second cooling block; and
a perforated barrier plate interposed between the first cooling block and the second cooling block, wherein the first set of coolant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of coolant channels via perforations in the barrier plate, and wherein the first set of refrigerant channels is in fluid communication with the second set of refrigerant channels via perforations in the barrier plate.
11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein a gyroid structure defines at least one of the first set of coolant channels, the second set of coolant channels, the first set of refrigerant channels, and the second set of refrigerant channels.
12. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein a first plurality of tubes are disposed in the first cooling block and a second plurality of tubes are disposed in the second cooling block, and wherein the first plurality of tubes defines at least one of the first set of coolant channels and the second set of refrigerant channels, and wherein the second plurality of tubes defines at least one of the second set of coolant channels and the first set of refrigerant channels.
13. The heat exchanger of claim 12 , wherein the first set of coolant channels extend through the first plurality of tubes and the second set of refrigerant channels are defined by a space between each tube of the first plurality of tubes, and wherein the first set of refrigerant channels extend through the second plurality of tubes and the second set of coolant channels are defined by a space between each tube of the second plurality of tubes.
14. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , further comprising a coolant path that directs coolant fluid through the first cooling block, across the barrier plate, and through the second cooling block, and a refrigerant path that directs refrigerant fluid through the first cooling block, across the barrier plate, and through the second cooling block, wherein the refrigerant path directs refrigerant fluid in a counter-flow to the coolant fluid in the coolant path.
15. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein the coolant inlet and coolant outlet are arranged on the same side of the heat exchanger, and wherein the refrigerant inlet and refrigerant outlet are arranged on the same side of the heat exchanger.
16. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a housing;
a first cooling block defined within the housing, the first cooling block comprising a coolant inlet and a refrigerant outlet opposing the coolant inlet;
a second cooling block defined within the housing, the second cooling block comprising a coolant outlet and a refrigerant inlet opposing the coolant outlet;
a perforated barrier plate interposed between the first cooling block and the second cooling block, the perforated barrier plate defining a plurality of perforations on opposing ends of the barrier plate;
a first plurality of tubes disposed in the first cooling block, the first plurality of tubes directing coolant fluid from the coolant inlet to the plurality of perforations; and
a second plurality of tubes disposed in the second cooling block, the second plurality of tubes directing refrigerant fluid from the refrigerant inlet to the plurality of perforations.
17. The heat exchanger of claim 16 , wherein the first plurality of tubes defines at least one of the first set of coolant channels and the second set of refrigerant channels, and wherein the second plurality of tubes defines at least one of the second set of coolant channels and the first set of refrigerant channels.
18. The heat exchanger of claim 17 , wherein the first set of coolant channels extend through the first plurality of tubes and the second set of refrigerant channels are defined by a space between each tube of the first plurality of tubes, and wherein the first set of refrigerant channels extend through the second plurality of tubes and the second set of coolant channels are defined by a space between each tube of the second plurality of tubes.
19. The heat exchanger of claim 16 , further comprising:
a coolant introduction plate disposed in the first cooling block, the coolant introduction plate being obliquely oriented and extending from a front panel of the housing to a rear panel of the housing; and
a refrigerant introduction plate disposed in the second cooling block, the refrigerant introduction plate being obliquely orientated and extending from the rear panel and towards the front panel.
20. The heat exchanger of claim 19 , wherein the first plurality of tubes are coupled to the coolant introduction plate, and wherein the first plurality of tubes each include an inlet, each inlet being flush with the coolant introduction plate, and wherein the second plurality of tubes are coupled to the refrigerant introduction plate, and wherein the second plurality of tubes each include an inlet, each inlet being flush with the refrigerant introduction plate.