Plate fin heat exchangers and methods for manufacturing same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a plate fin heat exchanger subassembly. The subassembly includes three plates in intimate contact with each other. The first plate is sandwiched between the second and third plates. Each of the plates has a first at least one fluid opening and a second at least one fluid opening located at the ends of each plate. The first plate has at least one elongate fluid channel extending between the first and second fluid openings. One fluid passageway for a first heat exchanger fluid extends through the first and second fluid openings in each plate and along the elongate channel in the first plate. At least one fin has two thermal transfer surfaces. The first thermal transfer surface is in intimate contact with the second plate. The other fluid passageways for a second heat exchanger fluid are located on each side of the fin.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A plate fin heat exchanger subassembly comprising:
 first, second and third plates in intimate contact with each other, the first plate being sandwiched between the second and third plates, each of the plates having a first at least one fluid opening and a second at least one fluid opening located at the ends of each plate, the first plate having at least one elongate fluid channel extending between the first and second fluid openings;   a first fluid passageway for a first heat exchanger fluid extending through the first and second fluid openings in each plate and along the elongate channel in the first plate; and   at least one fin having first and second thermal transfer surfaces, the first thermal transfer surface being in intimate contact with the second plate, second fluid passageways for a second heat exchanger fluid being located on each side of the fin.   
     
     
         2 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the first, second and third plates each include a first set of a plurality of fluid openings and a second set of a plurality of fluid openings located at the ends of each plate. 
     
     
         3 . The subassembly, according to  claim 2 , in which the first plate includes a plurality of elongate fluid channels extending between the first and second set of fluid openings, the channels being disposed substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , includes a plurality of interconnected fins having first and second heat transfer surfaces, the first heat transfer surface of each fin being in intimate contact with the second plate so as to create a plurality of second fluid passageways for the second heat exchanger fluid to flow therealong. 
     
     
         5 . The subassembly, according to  claim 4 , in which first and second manifold spacers are located at either end of the plurality of interconnected fins, the first and second manifold spacers having respectively first and second set of fluid openings therein, the fluid openings of the manifold spacers being in fluid communication with the fluid openings in the first, second and third plates. 
     
     
         6 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which:
 the first plate includes first and second set of fluid openings, the channels being disposed substantially parallel to each other and located at each end of the first plate, and a plurality of elongate fluid channels connecting the first and second set of openings for the first heat exchanger fluid;   a plurality of interconnected fins having first and second heat transfer surfaces, the first heat transfer surface of each fin being in intimate contact with the second plate so as to create a plurality of second fluid passageways for the second heat exchanger fluid to flow therealong; and   the first heat exchanger fluid flowing along the elongate channels in the first plate flowing substantially orthogonal to the second heat exchanger fluid flowing along the second fluid passageways.   
     
     
         7 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the first heat exchanger fluid is a corrosive coolant fluid 
     
     
         8 . The subassembly, according to  claim 7 , in which the corrosive coolant fluid is de-ionized water. 
     
     
         9 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the second heat exchanger fluid is air. 
     
     
         10 . The subassembly, according to  claim 4 , in which the interconnected fins include first and second extensions at each end, the extensions having therein a plurality of fluid openings therein, the openings being in fluid communication with the fluid openings in the first, second and third plates. 
     
     
         11 . The subassembly, according to  claim 3 , in which the fluid flow channels are disposed in a serpentine flow field pattern. 
     
     
         12 . The subassembly, according to  claim 11 , in which embossed tabs are located between the serpentine channels to maintain channel spacing. 
     
     
         13 . The subassembly, according to  claim 11 , in which the first plate includes first and second serpentine manifold openings, each opening located in a tab extending away from the first plate. 
     
     
         14 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , the fin is made of rectangular or square corrugated aluminum. 
     
     
         15 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , the fin is made of semicircular corrugated aluminum. 
     
     
         16 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , the fin is made of triangulated corrugated aluminum. 
     
     
         17 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the aluminum fin is anodized. 
     
     
         18 . The subassembly, according to  claim 1 , in which the second and third plates are separator plates. 
     
     
         19 . A plate fin heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a lower compression end plate having a first heat exchanger fluid inlet connected thereto;   an upper compression end plate, a first heat exchanger fluid outlet connected thereto; and   two stacked heat exchanger subassemblies located between the lower and upper compression end plates, each subassembly having:
 i) first, second and third plates in intimate contact with each other, the first plate being sandwiched between the second and third plates, each of the plates having a first at least one fluid opening and a second at least one fluid opening located at the ends of each plate, the first plate having at least one elongate fluid channel extending between the first and second fluid openings; 
 ii) a first fluid passageway for a first heat exchanger fluid extending through the first and second fluid openings in each plate and along the elongate channel in the first plate; 
 iii) a plurality of interconnected fins having first and second heat transfer surfaces, the first heat transfer surface of each fin being in intimate contact with the second plate so as to create a plurality of second fluid passageways for the second heat exchanger fluid to flow therealong; and 
   between the two subassemblies, at least one manifold spacer body is located at each end of the interconnected fins, the manifold spacer body being located to permit a two-pass heat exchanger configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger, according to  claim 19 , in which the manifold spacer body is located in a central portion of a stacked heat exchanger. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger, according to  claim 19 , in which each subassembly includes first and second manifold spacers located at either end of the plurality of interconnected fins, the first and second manifold spacers having respectively first and second set of fluid openings therein, the fluid openings of the manifold spacers being in fluid communication with the fluid openings in the first, second and third plates. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger, according to  claim 19 , includes a plurality of stacked heat exchanger subassemblies.