Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger for use in a vehicle engine compartment, wherein the engine compartment provides an irregular finite space through which air flows and in which the heat exchanger is received, the heat exchanger comprising:

• a pair of header pipes extending generally parallel to one another and defining a space therebetween;
• a plurality of first heat transfer tubes each extending completely across the space defined between said header pipes and being fluidly connected with each of said header pipes, said first heat transfer tubes being positioned within the air flow to generate an effective heat transfer between the air and a heat medium flowing through the heat exchanger, and said first heat transfer tubes each further defining a first cross-sectional area;
• a plurality of radiation fins attached to the first heat transfer tubes;
• a second heat transfer tube extending only partially across the space between said header pipes in order to maximize the use of the finite irregular space in said engine compartment, said second heat transfer tube being positioned in said air flow to facilitate effective heat transfer between the air and the heat medium, said second heat transfer tube defining a second cross-sectional area which is larger than the first cross-sectional area of said first heat transfer tubes, and said second heat transfer tube having only one end fluidly coupled to a header pipe, an opposite end thereof being fluidly coupled to other equipment;
• and
• a second radiation fin provided on at least one side of said second heat transfer tube.

In an engine compartment for a vehicle, wherein the engine compartment provides a finite irregular space for receiving a heat exchanger and through which a satisfactory air flow passes, the improvement including a heat exchanger comprising:

• a pair of header pipes extending across the space defined in the engine compartment, said header pipes being spaced apart to define a space therebetween;
• a plurality of first heat transfer tubes defining a first cross-sectional area, each first heat transfer tube extending completely across the space defined between said header pipes and being fluidly connected with each of said header pipes, and said first heat transfer tubes being positioned within the air flow to generate an effective heat transfer between the air flow and a heat medium flowing through the heat exchanger;
• a plurality of radiation fins attached to said first heat transfer tubes;
• a second heat transfer tube defining a second cross-sectional area which is larger than the first cross-sectional area of each of said first heat transfer tubes, said second heat transfer tube being positioned to extend only partially across the space defined between said header pipes to thereby maximize use of the finite irregular space provided in said engine compartment, said second heat transfer tube being further positioned in said air flow to facilitate effective heat transfer between the air flow and the heat medium, and said second heat transfer tube having only one end fluidly coupled to a header pipe, an opposite end thereof being fluidly coupled to other equipment;
• and
• a second radiation fin provided on at least one side of said second heat transfer tube.