In-line heat exchanger assembly and method of using

Abstract

An heat exchanger assembly and a method of use thereof adapted for transferring heat to or from a fluid to a surrounding environment within an apparatus, such as motor vehicle engines, as it enters and leaves a fluid-handling device. The heat exchanger assembly includes first and second manifolds, multiple cooling tubes and a return tube. The first manifold has inlet holes therein and the second manifold has outlet holes therein. The multiple cooling tubes fluidically interconnect the first and second manifolds and the inlet and outlet holes thereof. The return tube passes through the first and second manifolds to fluidically interconnect opposite ends of the heat exchanger assembly. The return tube has a first end adapted to mount the heat exchanger assembly to the apparatus and an oppositely-disposed second end that protrudes from the second manifold and is adapted to secure the fluid-handling device thereto.

1 . A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
 first and second manifolds, the first manifold having inlet holes therein and the second manifold having outlet holes therein;   multiple cooling tubes fluidically interconnecting the first and second manifolds and the inlet and outlet holes thereof; and   a return tube passing through the first and second manifolds to fluidically interconnect opposite ends of the heat exchanger assembly, the return tube having a first end adapted to mount the heat exchanger assembly to an apparatus, the return tube having an oppositely-disposed second end that protrudes from the second manifold and is adapted to secure a fluid-handling device thereto.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising cooling fins (24) mounted to exteriors of the cooling tubes. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling fins have a corrugated cross-sectional shape and a continuous circular-shaped outer perimeter. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling fins are secured to the cooling tubes by diametrically expanding the cooling tubes. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the cooling tubes comprises at least one cooling fin mounted thereon. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cooling tubes are enclosed between the first and second manifolds to yield a cavity for a coolant to flow therein. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the cooling tubes and cooling fins are enclosed between the first and second manifolds to yield a cavity for a coolant to flow therein. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-handling device is an oil filter. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid-handling device is an additional heat exchanger assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an engine of a motor vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a compressor. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a hydraulic unit. 
     
     
         13 . A method of transferring heat to or from a fluid to a surrounding environment using the heat exchanger assembly of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 mounting the first end of the return tube of the heat exchanger assembly to the apparatus;   mounting at least a first fluid-handling device of the apparatus to the second end of the return tube of the heat exchanger; and then   operating the apparatus causing the fluid to flow from the apparatus, through the inlet holes and the cooling tubes of the heat exchanger assembly where the fluid is cooled therein, through the outlet holes into the fluid-handling device, through the return tube and back into the apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising removing the fluid-handling device from the apparatus prior to mounting the first end of the return tube of the heat exchanger assembly to the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising cooling the heat exchanger assembly with a coolant. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first fluid-handling device is an additional heat exchanger assembly, the method further comprising mounting a second fluid-handling device to the second end of the return tube of the additional heat exchanger assembly prior to operating the apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . A method of transferring heat to or from a fluid to a surrounding environment using a exchanger assembly comprising first and second manifolds, the first manifold having inlet holes therein and the second manifold having outlet holes therein, multiple cooling tubes fluidically interconnecting the first and second manifolds and the inlet and outlet holes thereof, and a return tube passing through the first and second manifolds to fluidically interconnect opposite ends of the heat exchanger assembly, the return tube having a first end adapted to mount the heat exchanger assembly to an apparatus, the return tube having an oppositely-disposed second end that protrudes from the second manifold and is adapted to secure a fluid-handling device thereto, the method comprising:
 mounting the first end of the return tube of the heat exchanger assembly to the apparatus;   mounting at least a first fluid-handling device to the second end of the return tube of the heat exchanger; and then   operating the apparatus causing the fluid to flow from the apparatus, through the inlet holes and the cooling tubes of the heat exchanger assembly where the fluid is cooled therein, through the outlet holes into the fluid-handling device, through the return tube and back into the apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising removing the fluid-handling device from the apparatus prior to mounting the first end of the return tube of the first heat exchanger assembly to the apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising cooling the heat exchanger assembly with a coolant. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the fluid-handling device is an oil filter. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is an engine of a motor vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is a compressor. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the apparatus is a hydraulic unit. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first fluid-handling device is an additional heat exchanger assembly, the method further comprising mounting a second fluid-handling device to the second end of the return tube of the additional heat exchanger assembly prior to operating the apparatus. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein the second fluid-handling device is an oil filter.