US 7,069,977 B2 · Heat exchanger

Abstract

Heat transfer members (H4, H3, H2, H1) are sequentially disposed within an exhaust port (18), within a pre-catalytic device (34), and on the downstream of a main catalytic device (35); the exhaust port (18), the pre-catalytic device (34), and the main catalytic device (35) being provided in an exhaust passage (33) of an internal combustion engine. The heat transfer surface density (heat transfer area/volume) of the heat transfer members (H4) on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) is the lowest, and that of the heat transfer members (H1) on the downstream side is the highest. Thus, even though the temperature of the exhaust gas is higher on the upstream side of the exhaust passage (33) than it is on the downstream side of the exhaust passage (33), a uniform heat transfer performance across all of the heat exchangers (H4, H3, H2, H1) may be maintained.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A heat exchanger that recovers thermal energy of a high temperature fluid from a heat source, comprising:

heat transfer members (H1 to H4), a heat transfer medium flowing through the interior of the heat transfer members (H1 to H4),
wherein the heat transfer members (H1 to H4) are disposed along a flow path (33) of the high temperature fluid, and constructed to have a heat transfer surface density defined as the heat transfer area of the heat transfer members divided by the volume of the heat transfer members which is determined such that the heat transfer surface density of the heat transfer members (H1 to H4) becomes higher on a more downstream side of the flow path (33) of the high temperature fluid, and
wherein the heat transfer members (H1 to H4) are disposed in radial layers such that radially inner layers of the heat transfer members are positioned on an upstream side of the flow path of the high temperature fluid, and radially outer layers of the heat transfer members are positioned on a downstream side of the flow path of the high temperature fluid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13