Cooling device for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A cooling device is proposed that can be produced by the diecasting process, and which has a heat-transfer unit surrounded by an outer shell, wherein a jacket through which coolant flows is formed between the heat-transfer unit and the outer shell, said jacket is subdivided by webs in such a way that a passage through which coolant flows is formed between the outer shell and the outer casing of the heat-transfer unit. To this end, the webs are arranged in such a way that this circulating flow is effected in a meander shape. Compared with a spiral flow, this results in degrees of freedom with regard to the arrangement of the coolant inlets and coolant outlets. Furthermore, such cooling devices can be produced and assembled in a cost-effective manner and have a high efficiency.

1 . A cooling device, comprising:
 a first outer shell in which at least one heat transfer unit is arranged that has an outer housing separating a jacket through which coolant flows and the jacket is formed between the first outer shell and the heat transfer unit from a passage formed in the heat transfer unit and through which fluid to be cooled flows; and   webs arranged between the first outer shell and the outer housing of the heat transfer unit that define a passage in the jacket, through which coolant flows, wherein the heat transfer unit is made in a diecasting process and comprises an upper part and a cover-shaped lower part, wherein the upper part and the lower part are connected by welding, and said webs are arranged so that the heat transfer unit is passed by a meandering positive flow of coolant.   
     
     
         2 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein a first axial web is arranged between the first outer shell and the heat transfer unit, and circumferential webs alternately extend from both sides of said axial web and around the heat transfer unit, and said circumferential webs end a distance shy of the axial web. 
     
     
         3 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein two opposing axial webs are arranged between the first outer shell and the outer housing of the heat transfer unit, a first axial web of the two opposing axial webs ending shy of a last axial section of the cooling device, and circumferential webs extend around said heat transfer unit alternately from the first axial web and from a second axial web of the two opposing axial webs and each of the circumferential webs extends from both sides of a respective one of the opposing axial webs, and said circumferential webs end a distance shy of the respective other one of the two opposing axial webs, said distance corresponding to the distance between the circumferential webs. 
     
     
         4 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein two heat transfer units are arranged in a second outer shell, and third axial webs and fourth circumferential webs are formed therebetween so that, in cross section, each of the heat transfer units are passed on all sides by a positive circulating flow of coolant. 
     
     
         5 . The cooling device of  claim 4 , wherein, in cross section, the circulating flow of coolant around the two heat transfer units is substantially in the shape of an eight. 
     
     
         6 . The cooling device of  claim 4 , wherein between the second outer shell and each of the two heat transfer units is arranged a respective third axial web, and these respective two third axial webs are provided at opposite circumferential sides of said passage, and fourth circumferential webs comprising fifth circumferential webs and sixth circumferential webs alternately extend around the heat transfer units from both sides of the third axial webs, wherein each fifth circumferential web ends a distance shy of one of the third axial webs and each sixth circumferential web ends a distance shy of the other one of the third axial webs. 
     
     
         7 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the webs are at least partly formed on the outer housing of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         8 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the first outer shell is at least bipartite and made by diecasting, and seventh webs are formed at least partly on an inner wall of the first outer shell. 
     
     
         9 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein two opposing axial webs and two circumferential webs are formed substantially at the outer housing of the heat transfer unit and have discontinuities in a junction area between the upper part and the lower part, and which, in the assembled state, the discontinuities are filled by corresponding seventh webs of the first outer shell. 
     
     
         10 . The cooling device of  claim 7 , wherein, in cross section, two circumferential webs are continuous in a junction area between the upper part and the lower part of the heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         11 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling device is an exhaust gas cooling device for an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         12 . The cooling device of  claim 1 , wherein the upper part and the lower part are connected by friction stir welding. 
     
     
         13 . The cooling device of  claim 2 , wherein the axial web corresponds to the distance between said circumferential webs. 
     
     
         14 . The cooling device of  claim 5 , wherein between the second outer shell and each of the two heat transfer units is arranged a respective third axial web, and these respective two third axial webs are provided at opposite circumferential sides of said passage, and fourth circumferential webs comprising fifth circumferential webs and sixth circumferential webs alternately extend around the heat transfer units from both sides of the third axial webs, wherein each fifth circumferential web ends a distance shy of one of the third axial webs and each sixth circumferential web ends a distance shy of the other one of the third axial webs.