Heat exchanger package

A heat exchanger apparatus using air to cool fluids for a motor vehicle comprising:

• a first heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces through which air flows;
• a second heat exchanger for cooling a second fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces through which air flows;
• each of the first and second heat exchangers including an overlapping fluid-cooling portion at one end of the heat exchanger wherein the rear face at one portion of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face at one portion of the second heat exchanger, such that the air flows sequentially in series through the overlapping portions of each of the first and second heat exchangers,
• each of the first and second heat exchangers having a non-overlapping fluid-cooling portion at the end opposite the overlapping portion end wherein the rear face at another portion of the first heat exchanger extends outward of the second heat exchanger and the front face at another portion of the second heat exchanger extends outward of the first heat exchanger, such that the air flows singularly and in parallel through each of the non-overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers,
• tanks attached at opposite ends of the length of each of the first and second heat exchangers for holding the respective fluids of the first and second heat exchangers, wherein a first tank attached to one end of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face of the second heat exchanger in the region between the second heat exchanger overlapping and non-overlapping portions and a first tank attached to one end of the second heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the rear face of the first heat exchanger in the region between the first heat exchanger overlapping and non-overlapping portions;
• and
• a fan disposed adjacent the overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers to provide air flow in series therethrough, the fan being rotatable about an axis and having at least two blades normally adapted to create a higher air flow across an area aligned with the blades and a lower air flow across an area not aligned with the blades, the blades being substantially aligned with the first tanks of each of the heat exchangers when viewed in a direction normal to both the fan axis and heat exchanger length, whereby the first tanks of each of the heat exchangers block at least a portion of the fan higher air flow and divert at least a portion of such air through the area not aligned with the fan blades.

A highway truck having an engine positioned within an engine compartment at the front portion thereof, a hood covering the engine compartment and sloping downwardly towards the front portion, and a heat exchanger apparatus disposed in the engine compartment of the truck adjacent the engine for cooling engine fluids comprising:

• a first heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces through which air flows;
• a second heat exchanger for cooling a second fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces through which air flows;
• each of the first and second heat exchangers including an overlapping fluid-cooling portion at one end of the heat exchanger wherein the rear face at one end of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face at one end of the second heat exchanger, such that the air flows sequentially in series through the overlapping portions of each of the first and second heat exchangers;
• each of the first and second heat exchangers each having a non-overlapping fluid-cooling portion at the end opposite the overlapping portion end wherein the rear face at the opposite end of the first heat exchanger extends outward of the second heat exchanger and the front face at the opposite end of the second heat exchanger extends outward of the first heat exchanger, the lengths of each of the heat exchangers being parallel to each other and the non-overlapping portions being on opposite sides of the overlapping portions, such that the air flows singularly and in parallel through each of the non-overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers;
• tanks attached at opposite ends of the length of each of the first and second heat exchangers for holding the respective fluids of the first and second heat exchangers, wherein a first tank attached to one end of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face of the second heat exchanger in the region between the second heat exchanger overlapping and non-overlapping portions and a first tank attached to one end the second heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the rear face of the first heat exchanger in the region between the first heat exchanger overlapping and non-overlapping portions;
• and
• a fan disposed adjacent the overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers to provide air flow in series therethrough, the fan rotating about an axis and having at least two blades normally adapted to create a higher air flow across an area aligned with the blades and a lower air flow across an area not aligned with the blades, the blades being substantially aligned with the first tanks of each of the heat exchangers when viewed in a direction normal to both the fan axis and heat exchanger length, whereby the first tanks of each of the heat exchangers block at least a portion of the fan higher air flow and divert at least a portion of such air through the area not aligned with the fan blades.

A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger apparatus for cooling fluids used in an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• providing a first heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces;
• providing a second heat exchanger for cooling a second fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces through which air flows;
• and
• positioning the first and second heat exchangers to provide:
• i) an overlapping fluid-cooling portion at one end of each of the heat exchangers wherein the rear face at one end of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face at one end of the second heat exchanger, such that the air flows sequentially in series through the overlapping portions of each of the first and second heat exchangers, and
• ii) a non-overlapping fluid-cooling portion at the end opposite the overlapping portion end wherein the rear face at the opposite end of the first heat exchanger extends outward of the second heat exchanger and the front face at the opposite end of the second heat exchanger extends outward of the first heat exchanger, such that the air flows singularly and in parallel through each of the non-overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers;
• determining the cooling efficiencies of the first and second heat exchangers;
• and
• positioning the first and second heat exchangers to increase or decrease the overlapping and non-overlapping fluid-cooling portions to optimize the heat exchanger cooling efficiencies.

A method for cooling fluids used in an engine of a motor vehicle, comprising:

• providing a heat exchanger assembly comprising:
• a first heat exchanger for cooling a first fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces;
• a second heat exchanger for cooling a second fluid having a length between opposite ends and including front and rear opposite faces;
• each of the first and second heat exchangers including an overlapping fluid-cooling portion at one end of the heat exchanger wherein the rear face at one end of the first heat exchanger is disposed adjacent the front face at one end of the second heat exchanger, such that the air flows sequentially in series through the overlapping portions of each of the first and second heat exchangers;
• and
• each of the first and second heat exchangers each having a non-overlapping fluid-cooling portion at the end opposite the overlapping portion end wherein the rear face at the opposite end of the first heat exchanger extends outward of the second heat exchanger and the front face at the opposite end of the second heat exchanger extends outward of the first heat exchanger, such that the air flows singularly and in parallel through each of the non-overlapping portions of the first and second heat exchangers;
• and
• flowing ambient air through the heat exchanger assembly such that the ambient air flows sequentially in series through the overlapped portions of each of the first and second heat exchangers and the ambient air flows singularly in parallel through each of the non-overlapped portions of the first and second heat exchangers.