Oil cooler

Abstract

An apparatus for transferring heat between a first fluid and second fluid in a motor vehicle includes a housing, a first header, a second header, and a plurality of heat exchange tubes. The housing defines a chamber and includes a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. The first and second headers separate a central portion of the chamber from a first and second header portion of the chamber, respectively. The first inlet and the first outlet are in fluid communication with the central portion. The second inlet is in communication with the first header portion. The second outlet is in fluid communication with the second header portion. Each of the plurality of heat exchange tubes passes through the central portion of the chamber and has a first end in fluid communication with the first header portion and a second end in fluid communication with the second header portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for transferring heat between a first fluid and second fluid in a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;   a first header separating a central portion of the chamber from a first header portion of the chamber, the first inlet and the first outlet in fluid communication with the central portion, the second inlet in communication with the first header portion;   a second header separating the central portion of the chamber from a second header portion of the chamber, the second outlet in fluid communication with the second header portion; and   a plurality of heat exchange tubes passing through the central portion of the chamber, each of the tubes having a first end in fluid communication with the first header portion, a second end in fluid communication with the second header portion;   wherein the tubes are oriented parallel to one another and have a wavy configuration extending through the central portion.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes is generally rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each tube of the plurality of rubes includes a plurality of internal webs interconnecting first and second sidewalls of the respective tube. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the tubes are integrally extended to include the plurality of webs. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes has a height significantly greater than a width and each tube includes a plurality of internal webs extending across the width. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of each tube is brazed to the first header and the second end of each tube is brazed to the second header. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes defines a closed vessel for the transfer of fluid between the first and second header portions. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is coolant and the second fluid is oil. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes includes a plurality of dimples, each dimple formed directly over one of the webs. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for transferring heat between a first fluid and second fluid in a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;   a first header separating a central portion of the chamber from a first header portion of the chamber, the first inlet and the first outlet in fluid communication with the central portion, the second inlet in communication with the first header portion;   a second header separating the central portion of the chamber from a second header portion of the chamber, the second outlet in fluid communication with the second header portion; and   a plurality of heat exchange tubes passing through the central portion of the chamber, each of the tubes having a first end in fluid communication with the first header portion, a second end in fluid communication with the second header portion;   wherein each tube is defined in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls and further wherein each tube includes a plurality of internal webs extending between the respective spaced apart sidewalls.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes is generally rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the tubes are integrally extended to include the plurality of webs. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first end of each tube is brazed to the first header and the second end of each tube is brazed to the second header. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes defines a closed vessel for the transfer of fluid between the first and second header portions. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes includes a plurality of dimples, each dimple formed directly over one of the webs. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for transferring heat between a first fluid and second fluid in a motor vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a chamber, the housing having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet;   a first header separating a central portion of the chamber from a first header portion of the chamber, the first inlet and the first outlet in fluid communication with the central portion, the second inlet in communication with the first header portion;   a second header separating the central portion of the chamber from a second header portion of the chamber, the second outlet in fluid communication with the second header portion; and   a plurality of heat exchange tubes passing through the central portion of the chamber, each of the tubes having a first end in fluid communication with the first header portion, a second end in fluid communication with the second header portion;   wherein each tube is defined in part by a pair of spaced apart sidewalls and further wherein each tube includes a plurality of internal webs extending between the respective spaced apart sidewalls; and   wherein each tube further includes a plurality of dimples, each dimple formed directly over one of the webs.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each dimple extends substantially between an adjacent web on either side of the one web. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each dimple is a spherical depression stamped into one of the sidewalls. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein fluid in each of the tubes flows through triangular sections defined by the sidewalls, the dimples, and the webs.