Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided and includes a housing disposed proximate to a heat source, the housing having sidewalls forming an enclosure, a baffle defining in the enclosure a ventilation circuit thermally communicative with the heat source, and central walls defining a main channel bisecting the ventilation circuit along which cooling media flows and a tube extending through a bisected portion of the ventilation circuit and fluidly coupled to the main channel and a housing exterior to direct the cooling media from the main channel, through the bisected portion of the ventilation circuit and to the housing exterior.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing disposed proximate to a heat source, the housing having:
 sidewalls forming an enclosure, 
 a baffle defining in the enclosure a ventilation circuit thermally communicative with the heat source, and 
 central walls defining a main channel bisecting the ventilation circuit along which cooling media flows; and 
   a tube extending through a bisected portion of the ventilation circuit and fluidly coupled to the main channel and a housing exterior to direct the cooling media from the main channel, through the bisected portion of the ventilation circuit and to the housing exterior.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is plural in number and comprises:
 at least one first tube extending through a first bisected portion of the ventilation circuit; and   at least one second tube extending through a second bisected portion of the ventilation circuit.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one first and second tubes each extend in substantially opposite directions. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the ventilation circuit comprises:
 at least one first section along which heated air flows away from the heat source; and   at least one second section along which cooled air flows toward the heat source.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one first and second sections are each bisected by the main channel. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the tube is plural in number and comprises:
 at least one first tube extending through a first bisected portion of the at least one first section of the ventilation circuit;   at least one second tube extending through a second bisected portion of the at least one first section of the ventilation circuit;   at least one third tube extending through a first bisected portion of the at least one second section of the ventilation circuit; and   at least one fourth tube extending through a second bisected portion of the at least one second section of the ventilation circuit.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first, second, third and fourth tubes are substantially similar. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the at least one first, second, third and fourth tube has a substantially uniform geometry. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the at least one first, second, third and fourth tube comprises a tube bundle. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one first tube and the at least one second tube each extend in substantially opposite directions and are substantially parallel, and
 wherein the at least one third tube and the at least one fourth tube each extend in substantially opposite directions and are substantially parallel.   
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing disposed proximate to a heat source, the housing having:
 sidewalls forming an enclosure, 
 at least one baffle defining in the enclosure a ventilation circuit having at least one first section along which heated air flows away from the heat source and at least one second section along which cooled air flows toward the heat source, and 
 central walls defining a main channel bisecting each of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit along which cooling media flows; and 
   a plurality of tubes respectively extending through bisected portions of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit, each of the plurality of tubes being fluidly coupled to the main channel and a housing exterior to direct the cooling media from the main channel through the bisected portions of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit and to the housing exterior.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes is substantially similar to one another. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a substantially uniform geometry. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes respectively associated with the bisected portions of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit comprises a tube bundle. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 an electrical machine;   a heat exchanger having a housing disposed proximate to the electrical machine and having:
 sidewalls forming an enclosure, 
 at least one baffle defining in the enclosure a ventilation circuit having at least one first section along which heated air flows away from the electrical machine and at least one second section along which cooled air flows toward the electrical machine, and 
 central walls defining a main channel bisecting each of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit along which cooling media flows; and 
   a plurality of tubes respectively extending through bisected portions of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit, each of the plurality of tubes being fluidly coupled to the main channel and a housing exterior to direct the cooling media from the main channel through the bisected portions of the at least one first and second sections of the ventilation circuit and to the housing exterior.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the electrical machine comprises a ventilation system to pump heated air into the ventilation circuit and to drive cooled air from the ventilation circuit. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the main channel is substantially parallel with a rotor of the electrical machine, each of the plurality of tubes being orthogonal to the main channel and the rotor. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes is substantially similar to one another. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes has a substantially uniform geometry. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of tubes respectively associated with the bisected portions of the first and second sections of the ventilation circuit comprises a tube bundle.