US2009288811A1PendingUtilityA1

Aluminum plate-fin heat exchanger utilizing titanium separator plates

52
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: May 20, 2008Filed: May 20, 2008Published: Nov 26, 2009
Est. expiryMay 20, 2028(~1.8 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:James D. BollaMatthew Pohlman
F28F 21/086F28F 3/025F28D 9/0062
52
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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Claims

Abstract

A plate fin heat transfer device utilizes titanium plate members and aluminum dividers. The solid bar may be titanium, aluminum or an alloy of either. The titanium plate members may have a thermal conductivity of approximately 50 or 100 BTU/Hr/ft/F/in and dramatically reduce matrix conduction of heat within the plate members. The plate members may be as thin as approximately 0.002 inches while providing the necessary strength to avoid leakage during or after the manufacturing process. The advantageous thinness satisfies weight and volume parameters critical to an aircraft.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A plate fin heat transfer device, comprising:
 a first titanium plate member and a second titanium plate member, the first and second titanium plate members each having a thickness of between approximately 0.002 inches and approximately 0.125 inches and having a top edge;   a solid bar joining the top edges of the first and second titanium plate members;   a set of aluminum dividers joined between the first and second titanium plate members, the dividers defining a series of passageways; and   a series of alternate passageways alongside an outside surface of the first titanium plate member and alongside an outside surface of the second titanium plate member.   
   
   
       2 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein matrix conduction of heat within the plate members is less than with an aluminum plate member. 
   
   
       3 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the sold bar is made of aluminum. 
   
   
       4 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the plate members contain an aluminum braze alloy. 
   
   
       5 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the solid bar is made of an alloy of aluminum or titanium. 
   
   
       6 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 1 , wherein the plate members themselves do not leak or have leakage that meets the acceptance limit of leakage for the device. 
   
   
       7 . A method of exchanging heat using a plate fin heat transfer device, comprising:
 directing a heating fluid alongside a surface of a first titanium plate member so as to cause convection of heat energy from the heating fluid to the first titanium plate member, the first titanium plate member joined to a second titanium plate member by aluminum dividers that define a series of passageways between the first and second titanium plate members, a solid bar of aluminum joined to a top edge of the first and second titanium plate members;   directing a heating fluid alongside a surface of the second titanium plate member so as to cause convection of heat energy from the heating fluid that is alongside the surface of the second titanium plate member to the second titanium plate member; and   directing a cooling fluid through the series of passageways to cause a heat flux from the first and second titanium plate members to the cooling fluid with matrix conduction that is reduced compared to a plate member made of aluminum such that overall heat transfer conductance of the heat transfer device is improved by approximately 5% to 50% compared to a heat transfer device with plate members made of aluminum.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , including directing a heating fluid alongside a surface of the second titanium plate member so as to cause convection of heat energy from the heating fluid that is alongside the surface of the second titanium plate member to the second titanium plate member. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 40% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 30% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 20% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 10% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 5% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat transfer conductance is improved by 50% or more compared to a device with aluminum plate members. 
   
   
       15 . A plate fin heat transfer device, comprising:
 a plurality of titanium plate members having a thermal conductivity of no more than approximately 120 BTU/Hr/ft/F/in, each of the plate members also being thinner than 0.012 inches, the plate members having a top edge;   a set of aluminum fins brazed between two of the plurality of titanium plate members, the fins defining a series of passageways for a first fluid to pass through;   solid bars joining top edges of any two of the plate members, the solid bars made of aluminum, titanium, an alloy of aluminum or an alloy of titanium; and   a second fluid having a different temperature than the first fluid, the second fluid directed alongside an outside surface of a first titanium plate member and directed alongside an outside surface of a second titanium plate member.   
   
   
       16 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the heating and cooling fluids passing through the plate fin heat transfer device are in a counterflow configuration. 
   
   
       17 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the titanium plate members have a thermal conductivity less than half that of the aluminum fins. 
   
   
       18 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the titanium plate members have a thermal conductivity of less than 60 BTU/Hr/ft/F/in. 
   
   
       19 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the first fluid is a heating fluid and the second fluid is a cooling fluid. 
   
   
       20 . The plate fin heat transfer device of  claim 15 , wherein the first fluid is a cooling fluid and the second fluid is a heating fluid.

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