Device for heat exchange

Abstract

The present invention is a device for heat exchange particularly suitable for cooling recirculated gas in EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) systems, with a constructive configuration incorporating the heat exchanger together with a bypass conduit and a bypass valve, where most of the parts forming said device allow manufacturing same in stamped sheet metal, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchange device for heat exchange between a first fluid circulating through a first conduit; and a second fluid circulating through a second conduit, where said device is intended for being intercalated between both conduits and comprises:
 a sheet metal shell having a tubular configuration,   a first sheet metal baffle and a second sheet metal baffle assembled in the sheet metal shell and spaced from one another,   a bundle of conduits extending along a longitudinal direction at least from the first baffle to the second baffle,   a bypass conduit extending at least from the first baffle to the second baffle and it is parallel to the bundle of conduits,   a fluid communication inlet and a fluid communication outlet for the second fluid, both arranged in the sheet metal shell and giving access to the space located between the first baffle and the second baffle for cooling the bundle of conduits,   a first fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at one of the ends of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, and a second fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at the opposite end of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, both the fluid communication inlet/outlet giving access to the first fluid through the bundle of conduits, through the bypass conduit or through both,   where the tubular sheet metal shell extends longitudinally beyond the second baffle giving rise to a chamber such that said chamber comprises a valve that can be actuated from outside the chamber and is adapted to at least close the bypass conduit, and where said valve comprises a shaft attached to the sheet metal shell and capable of rotating with respect to said shell, prolonging into the chamber where said shaft comprises a sheet metal flap adapted to sit on the perimetric edge of the end of the bypass conduit for closing same.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the shaft is attached to the sheet metal shell by means of the interposition of a support with the shaft going through same, such that said support is integral with the sheet metal shell, and where the support allows rotation of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , where the sheet metal shell comprises a perforation for the passage of the rotating shaft, and where the support of the shaft and said shaft are adapted to allow mutual coupling by inserting the shaft from inside the chamber through the perforation. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , where the sheet metal shell comprises an open groove for the passage of the rotating shaft extending to the end where the chamber is located, and where said groove is configured such that the assembly formed by the support of the shaft and said shaft as well as the base allows inserting the shaft through the open groove to the final position of the base on the sheet metal shell. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 2 , where the support is integral with the sheet metal shell by means of the interposition of a base such that the base is attached to the sheet metal shell and the support of the shaft is arranged on the base. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 5 , where the sheet metal shell comprises an open groove for the passage of the rotating shaft extending to the end where the chamber is located, and where said groove is configured such that the assembly formed by the support of the shaft and said shaft as well as the base allows inserting the shaft through the open groove to the final position of the base on the sheet metal shell. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 5 , where an extension of the base is the support of an actuator for operating the shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the sheet metal shell having a tubular configuration shows an expansion step intended for housing the second sheet metal baffle. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the bypass conduit comprises a first outer tube and a second inner tube forming between them a thermal insulation chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the chamber is closed by means of a sheet metal cover. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the chamber comprises a stamped sheet metal part dividing the chamber into an inner sub-chamber in communication with the inside of the tubes of the bundle of conduits and an outer sub-chamber, and where said stamped sheet metal part comprises a first opening and a second opening such that:
 the stamped sheet metal part establishes a perimetric closure with the shell,   the first opening establishes fluid communication between the inner sub-chamber and the outer sub-chamber,   the second opening perimetrically surrounds the bypass conduit; and   the second fluid communication inlet/outlet is in direct communication with the outer sub-chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , where the first opening and the second opening of the stamped sheet metal part comprise a valve seat. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , where the shaft of the valve comprises a second flap such that:
 the first flap is adapted to close on the seat of the second opening,   the second flap is adapted to close on the seat of the first opening of the stamped sheet metal part; and   where the first flap and the second flap are configured for adopting at least two end positions, a first end position where the first flap establishes the closure of the bypass conduit in a first angular position of the shaft; and a second end position where the second flap establishes the closure of the second opening in a second angular position of the same shaft.   
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 11 , where the seat of the second opening is either:
 in a tube end-shaped termination of said second opening;   or on the perimetric edge of the end of the bypass conduit where this bypass conduit axially goes beyond the position of said second opening.   
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 11 , where the shaft of the valve comprises a second flap such that:
 the first flap is adapted to close on the seat of the second opening,   the second flap is adapted to close on the seat of the first opening of the stamped sheet metal part; and   where the first flap and the second flap are configured for adopting at least two end positions, a first end position where the first flap establishes the closure of the bypass conduit in a first angular position of the shaft; and a second end position where the second flap establishes the closure of the second opening in a second angular position of the same shaft.   
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 1 , where the flap or flaps have a concave protuberance adapted to enter the cavity on which the seat of said flap is located for making it stiff in the event of temperature changes. 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchange device for heat exchange between a first fluid circulating through a first conduit; and a second fluid circulating through a second conduit, where said device is intended for being intercalated between both conduits and comprises:
 a sheet metal shell having a tubular configuration,   a first sheet metal baffle and a second sheet metal baffle assembled in the sheet metal shell and spaced from one another,   a bundle of conduits extending along a longitudinal direction at least from the first baffle to the second baffle,   a bypass conduit extending at least from the first baffle to the second baffle and it is parallel to the bundle of conduits,   a fluid communication inlet and a fluid communication outlet for the second fluid, both arranged in the sheet metal shell and giving access to the space located between the first baffle and the second baffle for cooling the bundle of conduits,   a first fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at one of the ends of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, and a second fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at the opposite end of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, both the fluid communication inlet/outlet giving access to the first fluid through the bundle of conduits, through the bypass conduit or through both,   where the tubular sheet metal shell extends longitudinally beyond the second baffle giving rise to a chamber such that said chamber comprises a valve that can be actuated from outside the chamber and is adapted to at least close the bypass conduit, and where said valve comprises a shaft attached to the sheet metal shell and capable of rotating with respect to said shell, prolonging into the chamber where said shaft comprises a sheet metal flap adapted to sit on the perimetric edge of the end of the bypass conduit for closing same, and   where the support is integral with the sheet metal shell by means of the interposition of a base such that the base is attached to the sheet metal shell and the support of the shaft is arranged on the base and where the sheet metal shell comprises an open groove for the passage of the rotating shaft extending to the end where the chamber is located, and   where said groove is configured such that the assembly formed by the support of the shaft and said shaft as well as the base allows inserting the shaft through the open groove to the final position of the base on the sheet metal shell, and   where the shaft of the valve comprises a second flap such that:   the first flap is adapted to close on the seat of the second opening,   the second flap is adapted to close on the seat of the first opening of the stamped sheet metal part; and   where the first flap and the second flap are configured for adopting at least two end positions, a first end position where the first flap establishes the closure of the bypass conduit in a first angular position of the shaft; and a second end position where the second flap establishes the closure of the second opening in a second angular position of the same shaft.   
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17  where the flap or flaps have a concave protuberance adapted to enter the cavity on which the seat of said flap is located for making it stiff in the event of temperature changes. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchange device for heat exchange between a first fluid circulating through a first conduit; and a second fluid circulating through a second conduit, where said device is intended for being intercalated between both conduits and comprises:
 a sheet metal shell having a tubular configuration,   a first sheet metal baffle and a second sheet metal baffle assembled in the sheet metal shell and spaced from one another,   a bundle of conduits extending along a longitudinal direction at least from the first baffle to the second baffle,   a bypass conduit extending at least from the first baffle to the second baffle and it is parallel to the bundle of conduits,   a fluid communication inlet and a fluid communication outlet for the second fluid, both arranged in the sheet metal shell and giving access to the space located between the first baffle and the second baffle for cooling the bundle of conduits,   a first fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at one of the ends of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, and a second fluid communication inlet/outlet arranged at the opposite end of the bundle of conduits and of the bypass conduit, both the fluid communication inlet/outlet giving access to the first fluid through the bundle of conduits, through the bypass conduit or through both,   where the tubular sheet metal shell extends longitudinally beyond the second baffle giving rise to a chamber such that said chamber comprises a valve that can be actuated from outside the chamber and is adapted to at least close the bypass conduit, and where said valve comprises a shaft attached to the sheet metal shell and capable of rotating with respect to said shell, prolonging into the chamber where said shaft comprises a sheet metal flap adapted to sit on the perimetric edge of the end of the bypass conduit for closing same, and   where the support is integral with the sheet metal shell by means of the interposition of a base such that the base is attached to the sheet metal shell and the support of the shaft is arranged on the base and where the sheet metal shell comprises an open groove for the passage of the rotating shaft extending to the end where the chamber is located, and   where said groove is configured such that the assembly formed by the support of the shaft and said shaft as well as the base allows inserting the shaft through the open groove to the final position of the base on the sheet metal shell,   where the shaft of the valve comprises a second flap such that:   the first flap is adapted to close on the seat of the second opening,   the second flap is adapted to close on the seat of the first opening of the stamped sheet metal part;   where the first flap and the second flap are configured for adopting at least two end positions, a first end position where the first flap establishes the closure of the bypass conduit in a first angular position of the shaft; and a second end position where the second flap establishes the closure of the second opening in a second angular position of the same shaft, and   where the flap or flaps have a concave protuberance adapted to enter the cavity on which the seat of said flap is located for making it stiff in the event of temperature changes, and   where the chamber comprises a stamped sheet metal part dividing the chamber into an inner sub-chamber in communication with the inside of the tubes of the bundle of conduits and an outer sub-chamber, and where said stamped sheet metal part comprises a first opening and a second opening such that:   the stamped sheet metal part establishes a perimetric closure with the shell,   the first opening establishes fluid communication between the inner sub-chamber and the outer sub-chamber,   the second opening perimetrically surrounds the bypass conduit; and   the second fluid communication inlet/outlet is in direct communication with the outer sub-chamber.