Composite Heater Core for Vehicles

Abstract

A composite heater apparatus for vehicles uses integrated tube which is partitioned from a coolant heater core tube part, in which coolant circulates, and an oil cooler tube part, in which engine oil circulates, and includes heat exchanging fin which is in contact with both the coolant heater core tube part and the oil cooler tube part to perform a heat exchanging process. Each header, which is coupled to each of opposite ends of the core tube, is partitioned from coolant circulation space and oil circulation space, via a partition walls. The partition wall includes a surface enlarging member to increase heat exchanging performance using heat conduction. When a vehicle is started in winter, in the initial operation stage of an engine, the vehicle is quickly heated, using the heat of engine oil which is heated prior to engine coolant.

1 . A composite heater core for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first header partitioned into a coolant inlet space and an oil inlet space by a longitudinal partition wall, with a coolant inlet pipe and an oil inlet pipe connected to the coolant inlet space and the oil inlet space respectively, and comprising a plurality of inlet through-slots which are provided in a sidewall of the first header in a longitudinal direction thereof;   a second header partitioned into a coolant outlet space and an oil outlet space by a longitudinal partition wall, with a coolant outlet pipe and an oil outlet pipe connected to the coolant outlet space and the oil outlet space respectively, and comprising a plurality of outlet through-slots which are provided in a sidewall of the second header in a longitudinal direction thereof;   a plurality of fluid tubes, each of the fluid tubes being connected at a first end thereof to an associated inlet through-slot and being connected at a second end thereof to an associated outlet through-slot such that the first and second headers communicate with each other, each of the fluid tubes being partitioned by one partition wall to form a coolant path and an oil path so that the coolant inlet space of the first header communicates with the coolant outlet space of the second header through the coolant path, and the oil inlet space of the first header communicates with the oil outlet space of the second header through the oil path respectively; and   a heat exchanging member arranged between outer circumferences of the fluid tubes.   
   
   
       2 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal partition wall provided in the first header, further comprises a surface enlarging member to enlarge a surface area of the longitudinal partition wall. 
   
   
       3 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the surface enlarging member includes a plurality of fins formed in a longitudinal direction thereof and extending toward the coolant inlet space. 
   
   
       4 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the surface enlarging member includes a plurality of fins formed in a longitudinal direction thereof and extending toward the oil inlet space. 
   
   
       5 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal partition wall provided in the second header, further comprises a surface enlarging member to enlarge a surface area of the longitudinal partition wall. 
   
   
       6 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the surface enlarging member includes a plurality of fins formed in a longitudinal direction thereof and extending toward the coolant outlet space. 
   
   
       7 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the surface enlarging member includes a plurality of fins formed in a longitudinal direction thereof and extending toward the oil outlet space. 
   
   
       8 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging member comprises a plurality of fins and is fixed to the outer circumferences of the fluid tubes therebetween. 
   
   
       9 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanging member is corrugated in a traverse direction of the fluid tube so as to guide air between the fluid tubes. 
   
   
       10 . The composite heater core as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the coolant path and the oil path are monolithically provided in the fluid tube in the longitudinal direction thereof. 
   
   
       11 . A composite heater apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:
 a first header partitioned into a coolant inlet space and an oil inlet space by a longitudinal partition wall, with a coolant inlet pipe and an oil inlet pipe connected to the coolant inlet space and the oil inlet space respectively, and comprising a plurality of inlet through-slots which are provided in a sidewall of the first header in a longitudinal direction thereof;   a second header partitioned into a coolant outlet space and an oil outlet space by a longitudinal partition wall, with a coolant outlet pipe and an oil outlet pipe connected to the coolant outlet space and the oil outlet space respectively, and comprising a plurality of outlet through-slots which are provided in a sidewall of the second header in a longitudinal direction thereof,   a plurality of fluid tubes, each of the fluid tubes being connected at a first end thereof to an associated inlet through-slot and being connected at a second end thereof to an associated outlet through-slot such that the first and second headers communicate with each other, each of the fluid tubes being partitioned by one partition wall to form a coolant path and an oil path so that the coolant inlet space of the first header communicates with the coolant outlet space of the second header through the coolant path, and the oil inlet space of the first header communicates with the oil outlet space of the second header through the oil path respectively; and   a heat exchanging member arranged between outer circumferences of the fluid tubes.