Integrated thermal bypass valve
View Patent ↗A heat exchanger including an inlet port, an outlet port, a header, a plurality of cooling tubes, and a thermal bypass valve integrated therein. The thermal bypass valve is located in the header and is configured to restrict the flow of fluid through the cooling tubes of the heat exchanger below a target fluid temperature. The thermal bypass valve includes a valve body that is movable between first and second operational modes to restrict and not restrict the flow of fluid.
1. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, the heat exchanger comprising:
an inlet and an outlet port for receiving a fluid flow;
a manifold in fluid communication with the inlet port;
a plurality of cooling tubes in fluid communication with the manifold;
a thermal bypass valve located in the manifold and including a valve body and a sleeve, the sleeve being separately formed from the manifold, the inlet port has a wall extending into the sleeve, the valve body being moveable between first and second positions, the valve body being configured in the first position to divert at least a portion of the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port through the sleeve without passing the at least a portion of the fluid flow through the cooling tubes, and in the second position the valve body being moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the cooling tubes such that a surface of the valve body cooperates with the sleeve to restrict flow through the sleeve between the inlet and outlet ports and the fluid flow is directed from the inlet port to the outlet port through the cooling tubes.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is attached to the manifold.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , further comprising a removable retainer that retains the valve body such that removing the retainer allows the valve body to be freely removed from the sleeve.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , further comprising a return tube in fluid communication between the cooling tubes and the manifold.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4 , further comprising a baffle located in the manifold between the cooling tubes and the return tube.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve extends from the inlet port to the outlet port.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is mechanically bonded to the manifold.
8. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, the heat exchanger comprising:
an inlet and an outlet port for receiving a fluid flow;
a manifold in fluid communication with the inlet port;
a plurality of cooling tubes in fluid communication with the manifold;
a thermal bypass valve located in the manifold and including a valve body and a sleeve, the sleeve being separately formed from the manifold, the inlet port has a wall extending into the sleeve, the valve body being moveable between first and second positions, the valve body being configured in the first position to divert at least a portion of the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port through the sleeve without passing the at least a portion of the fluid flow through the cooling tubes, and in the second position the valve body being moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the cooling tubes such that the fluid flow is directed from the inlet port to the outlet port through the cooling tubes.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is attached to the manifold.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9 , further comprising a removable retainer that retains the valve body such that removing the retainer allows the valve body to be freely removed from the sleeve.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , further comprising a return tube in fluid communication between the cooling tubes and the manifold.
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 11 , further comprising a baffle located in the manifold between the cooling tubes and the return tube.
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the sleeve extends from the inlet port to the outlet port.
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is mechanically bonded to the manifold.
15. A heat exchanger for a vehicle, the heat exchanger comprising:
an inlet and an outlet port for receiving a fluid flow;
a manifold being fluid communication with the inlet port and outlet ports;
a plurality of cooling tubes in fluid communication with the manifold;
a thermal bypass valve located in the manifold and including a valve body and a sleeve, the sleeve being separately formed from the manifold, each of the inlet port and the outlet port has a wall extending into the sleeve, the sleeve being connected to and in fluid communication with the inlet port and outlet ports, where the sleeve extends from the inlet port to the outlet port, the inlet and outlet ports being generally perpendicular to the valve body; the valve body being located within the sleeve and moveable between first and second positions, the valve body being configured in the first position to divert at least a portion of the fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port through the sleeve without passing the at least a portion of the fluid flow through the cooling tubes, and in the second position the valve body being moved in a direction generally perpendicular to the cooling tubes such that a surface of the valve body cooperates with the sleeve to restrict flow through the sleeve between the inlet and outlet ports and the fluid flow is directed from the inlet port to the outlet port through the cooling tubes.
16. The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , further comprising a removable retainer that retains the valve body within the sleeve such that removing the retainer allows the valve body to be freely removed from the sleeve.
17. The heat exchanger according to claim 16 , wherein the retainer is a spring clip.
18. The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , further comprising a return tubs in fluid communication between the cooling tubes and the manifold.
19. The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , wherein the valve body operates in the first position below a target fluid temperature and operates in the second position above the target fluid temperature.
20. The heat exchanger according to claim 15 , wherein the sleeve is mechanically bonded to the manifold.