Heat exchanger module

Abstract

A heat exchanger module for a motor vehicle may include a heat exchanger core and a housing. The heat exchanger core may include a plurality of plates disposed in a stacked arrangement to define a plate stack. The housing may include an internal space, a plurality of coolant ports via which coolant is flowable into and out of the housing, and a plurality of fluid ports via which fluid is flowable into and out of the housing. The heat exchanger core may be arranged in the internal space and enclosed by the housing. The housing may be composed of a corrosion-resistant plastic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger module for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a heat exchanger core including a plurality of plates disposed in a stacked arrangement to define a plate stack;   a housing including:
 an internal space; 
 a plurality of coolant ports via which a coolant is flowable into and out of the housing; and 
 a plurality of fluid ports via which a fluid is flowable into and out of the housing; 
   wherein the heat exchanger core is arranged in the internal space and enclosed by the housing; and   wherein the housing is composed of a corrosion-resistant plastic.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a plurality of coolant connectors configured to engage at least one component that at least one of supplies the coolant to and receives the coolant from the heat exchanger module. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of coolant connectors are composed of plastic. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further includes a first housing shell and a second housing shell connected to one another to define the internal space. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first housing shell includes a plurality of coolant connectors configured to engage at least one component that at least one of supplies the coolant to and receives the coolant from the heat exchanger module; and   the first housing shell and the plurality of coolant connectors are structured as a monolithic body.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first housing shell further includes a coolant inlet opening and a coolant outlet opening;   the plurality of coolant connectors includes i) a coolant inlet connector configured to engage a coolant supplying component and ii) a coolant outlet connector configured to engage a coolant receiving component;   the coolant inlet connector is a tube member projecting from the first housing shell and extending around a perimeter of the of the coolant inlet opening; and   the coolant outlet connector is a tube member projecting from the first housing shell and extending around a perimeter of the coolant outlet opening.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , wherein the second housing shell includes a plurality of fluid connectors configured to engage at least one component that at least one of supplies the fluid to and receives the fluid from the heat exchanger module. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of fluid connectors is a ring seal. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the housing further includes at least one mounting flange via which the housing is mountable on a structure; and   the at least one mounting flange and one of the first housing shell and the second housing shell are structured as a monolithic body.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger core is free of a base plate and a cover plate that are thicker than the plurality of plates. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , wherein the housing further includes a plurality of snap-fit fasteners releasably connecting the first housing shell and the second housing shell to one another. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , further comprising a coolant inlet seal and a coolant outlet seal, wherein:
 the first housing shell includes a coolant inlet opening and a coolant outlet opening;   the coolant inlet seal extends around a perimeter of the coolant inlet opening and sealingly contacts the heat exchanger core; and   the coolant outlet seal extends around a perimeter of the coolant outlet opening and sealingly contacts the heat exchanger core.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first housing shell further includes:
 an annular inlet collar projecting into the internal space and extending around a perimeter of the coolant inlet opening; and 
 an annular outlet collar projecting into the internal space and extending around a perimeter of the coolant outlet opening; 
   the coolant inlet seal is disposed in an annular groove of the inlet collar; and   the coolant outlet seal is disposed in an annular groove of the outlet collar.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , wherein the first housing shell and the second housing shell are welded to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 4 , further comprising a fluid inlet seal and a fluid outlet seal, wherein:
 the second housing shell includes a fluid inlet opening and a fluid outlet opening;   the fluid inlet seal extends around a perimeter of the fluid inlet opening and sealingly contacts the heat exchanger core; and   the fluid outlet seal extends around a perimeter of the fluid outlet opening and sealingly contacts the heat exchanger core.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the second housing shell further includes:
 an annular inlet collar projecting into the internal space, extending around a perimeter of the fluid inlet opening, and disposed radially spaced apart from the fluid inlet opening; and 
 an annular outlet collar projecting into the internal space, extending around a perimeter of the fluid outlet opening, and disposed radially spaced apart from the fluid outlet opening; 
   the fluid inlet seal is disposed radially inside of the inlet collar and radially outside of an annular extension of the heat exchanger core; and   the fluid outlet seal is disposed radially inside of the outlet collar and radially outside of another annular extension of the heat exchanger core.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 1 , wherein the coolant inlet port is in fluid communication with a coolant distribution region of the internal space of the housing and the coolant outlet port is in fluid communication with a coolant collection region of the internal space of the housing such that the coolant is conveyed directly into and discharged directly from the internal space of the housing and flows externally around the heat exchanger core. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger module of  claim 17 , wherein the housing includes at least one flow guiding rib projecting into the internal space, and wherein the at least one flow guiding rib is structured and arranged to at least one of guide and restrict coolant flow through the internal space. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger module for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a heat exchanger core including a plurality of plates disposed in a stacked arrangement to define a plate stack;   a housing composed of a corrosion-resistant plastic, the housing including:
 a first housing shell and a second housing shell connected to one another; 
 an internal space defined by and between the first housing shell and the second housing shell; 
 a plurality of coolant ports via which a coolant is flowable into and out of the housing; 
 a plurality of coolant connectors configured to engage at least one component that at least one of supplies the coolant to and receives the coolant from the heat exchanger module; and 
 a plurality of fluid ports via which a fluid is flowable into and out of the housing; 
   wherein the heat exchanger core is arranged in the internal space, is enclosed by the housing, and is in fluid communication with the plurality of coolant ports and the plurality of fluid ports; and   wherein the first housing shell and the plurality of coolant connectors are structured as a monolithic body.   
     
     
         20 . A heat exchanger module for a motor vehicle, comprising:
 a heat exchanger core including a plurality of plates disposed in a stacked arrangement to define a plate stack;   a housing composed of a corrosion-resistant plastic, the housing including:
 a first housing shell and a second housing shell connected to one another; 
 an internal space defined by and between the first housing shell and the second housing shell; 
 a plurality of coolant ports via which a coolant is flowable into and out of the housing; 
 a plurality of coolant connectors configured to engage at least one component that at least one of supplies the coolant to and receives the coolant from the heat exchanger module; and 
 a plurality of fluid ports via which a fluid is flowable into and out of the housing; 
   wherein the heat exchanger core is arranged in the internal space and is enclosed by the housing;   wherein the plurality of coolant ports are in direct fluid communication with the internal space such that the coolant flows through the internal space and externally around the heat exchanger core; and   wherein the first housing shell and the plurality of coolant connectors are structured as a monolithic body.