Heat exchanger with accessible core

Abstract

A heat exchanger may include a core control assembly movable between compressed and uncompressed positions, and a core. The core may have a plurality of layers with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery of the layers. The core control assembly may be operably coupled to the core to compress the core when the core control assembly is in its compressed position and to permit the core to expand from its compressed state when the core control assembly is moved away from its compressed position. The expansion of the core increases a cross-sectional area of the passages at the periphery of the core.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a core control assembly movable between compressed and uncompressed positions, and   a core having a plurality of layers with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery of the layers, wherein the core control assembly is operably coupled to the core to compress the core when the core control assembly is in its compressed position and to permit the core to expand from its compressed state when the core control assembly is moved away from its compressed position, and expansion of the core increases a cross-sectional area of the passages at the periphery of the core.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing having a shell and at least one cover mounted to the shell, and wherein the core and the core control assembly are disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive releasably carried by the core control assembly to move the ram between the compressed and uncompressed positions. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the core control assembly includes at least one ram movable relative to the core to compress the core and permit the core to be expanded from its compressed state. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4  which also includes a base positioned adjacent to the core opposite the ram, and wherein the core control assembly includes one or more intermediate members that interconnect the ram and the base to control movement between the ram and the base. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein the intermediate members include one or more first connectors carried by the ram, one or more second connectors carried by the base and one or more third connectors, with each third connector interconnecting one first connector with one second connectors. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4  wherein the core control assembly includes a drive system coupled to the ram to move the ram in one direction to compress the core and in another direction to reduce the compression force on the core. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4  which also includes a base positioned adjacent to the core opposite the ram, and the core control assembly includes one or more intermediate members that interconnect the ram and the base to control movement between the ram and the base, and wherein the intermediate members include one or more first connectors carried by the ram, one or more second connectors carried by the base and one or more third connectors, with each third connector interconnecting one first connector with one second connectors, and further comprising a drive system coupled to at least one third connector to move the third connector and thereby move the ram toward or away from the base. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8  wherein, when the ram is driven by the drive system, the base may likewise be driven relative to the ram. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein one or both of the ram and the base are fixed to the core. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein one or both of the ram and the base are removable from and not fixed to the core. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8  wherein a plurality of intermediate members are provided and the drive system is coupled to multiple intermediate members to simultaneously drive said multiple intermediate members. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12  wherein the drive system includes a chain or belt engaged with said multiple intermediate members and wherein one intermediate member is a driving member directly driven by a drive and the other intermediate members are driven members driven by the driving member through the chain or belt. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5  wherein the intermediate members include a biasing member. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  wherein the biasing member facilitates expansion of the core. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the core control assembly is disposed outboard of the core. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the core control assembly extends through the core. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the core control assembly limits the extent to which the core can be expanded. 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a core having a longitudinal axis and an periphery disposed about the longitudinal axis, the core including a plurality of resilient corrugated layers stacked along the longitudinal axis with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery;   a core control assembly having a pair of end plates disposed on opposed ends of the core and at least one intermediate member interconnecting the end plates to control movement of the core control assembly between a compressed position where the end plates are spaced apart by a first distance and an uncompressed position where the end plates are spaced apart by a second distance greater than the first distance, such that the core expands to increase a cross-sectional area of the passages at the periphery when the core control assembly is moved to the uncompressed position; and   a housing having a shell and at least one cover mounted to the shell to surround the core and the core control assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19  wherein the intermediate member includes a first connector that is carried by one of the end plates and has a threaded portion, a second connector carried by the other of the end plates and having a threaded portion, and a third connector that interconnects the first and second connectors. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 , wherein the first connector is threaded in a first direction, the second connector is threaded in a second direction opposite the first direction, and the third connector has one end threaded in the first direction to engage the first connector and another end threaded in the second direction to engage the second connector. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein each intermediate member includes a plurality of leg portions in serial connection between the end plates, with each leg portion having a pair of opposed ends threaded in opposite directions with respect to each other, such that rotation of one segment in one direction moves the core control assembly toward its uncompressed position and rotation of the leg in an opposite direction moves the core control assembly toward its compressed position. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 19 , further comprising at least one biasing member carried by at least one of the end plates and the intermediate member to facilitate moving the core control assembly toward the uncompressed position. 
     
     
         24 . A method of accessing a heat exchanger core, comprising:
 moving an intermediate member in a first direction;   moving a core control assembly that is associated with the intermediate member toward an uncompressed position with respect to a base;   expanding the core along a longitudinal axis between the ram and the base, with the core having an periphery and a plurality of resilient corrugated layers stacked along the longitudinal axis with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery and having a cross-sectional area at the periphery; and   increasing the cross-sectional area of the passages at the periphery.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising inserting a cleaner into at least one passage at the periphery of the core to clean the core. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the step of inserting a cleaner is accomplished by inserting a tool into a passage, injecting a cleaning solvent into a passage, or injecting a fluid under pressure into a passage.