Heat exchanger device

Abstract

A multilayer heat exchanger device comprises: a stack of double sided plates arranged to provide multiple fluid flow paths separated by the plates; wherein the double sided plates each have an array of heat exchanger fins extending outward from both sides of a body of the plate into the fluid flow paths on either side of the plate; and wherein outer ends of the fins of the double sided plates are bonded on each side of the plates to the fins, or between the fins, of the adjacent plates. The double sided plates may be manufactured by etching.

1 . A multilayer heat exchanger device comprising:
 a stack of double sided plates arranged to provide multiple fluid flow paths separated by the plates;   wherein the double sided plates each have an array of heat exchanger fins extending outward from both sides of a body of the plate into the fluid flow paths on either side of the plate; and   wherein outer ends of the fins of the double sided plates are bonded on each side of the plates to the fins, or between the fins, of the adjacent plates.   
     
     
         2 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger device is arranged for forced flow of fluid through the fluid flow paths. 
     
     
         3 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fins are heat exchanger pins that extend from the body of the plates in a columnar fashion. 
     
     
         4 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the pins form an array with pins distributed across the body of the plate in a grid pattern. 
     
     
         5 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fin ends of some or all plates are bonded to fins of the adjacent plate such that there are abutting fin ends at the join between adjacent plates. 
     
     
         6 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed  claim 1 , wherein the fin ends of some or all plates are joined to the adjacent plate between the fins of the adjacent plate and bonded to the body of the adjacent plate such that the fins of adjacent plates are interleaved with fins of a first plate being either side of a fin of the second plate and vice versa. 
     
     
         7 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger device includes some pairs of adjacent plates where the fin ends are joined and other pairs of adjacent plates where the fins are interleaved. 
     
     
         8 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spacing between adjacent plates is in the range 2 to 10 mm, the fins have a minimum width in the range 0.5 to 2 mm, the spacing between centres of adjacent fins is in the range 1 to 10 mm and the fins extend from the body of the plate by 1 to 10 mm. 
     
     
         9 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the spacing between the centres of the fins is less than three times the minimum width of the fins. 
     
     
         10 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the double sided plates are formed in a single piece. 
     
     
         11 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the plates are formed by etching away material on both sides of a blank plate with a suitable mask that is arranged to leave the fins extending outward from the body of the etched plate. 
     
     
         12 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the double sided plates comprise aluminium. 
     
     
         13 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the fin ends are bonded to the adjacent plate by brazing. 
     
     
         14 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger device is a multilayer structure with at least 40 plates arranged in a repeating pattern in respect to the flow of fluids. 
     
     
         15 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger device includes end plates with fins extending from only one side of the body of the plate and with the other side of the body of the end plates forming an outside surface of the heat exchanger device and having no fins. 
     
     
         16 . A multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is for aerospace use. 
     
     
         17 . An aircraft including a multilayer heat exchanger device as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a multilayer heat exchanger device comprising:
 forming multiple double sided plates, each plate having an array of heat exchanger fins extending outward from both sides of a body of the plate; and   assembling the heat exchanger device by layering the double sided plates into a stack in order to provide multiple fluid flow paths separated by the plates;   wherein the fins extend outward from both sides of the body of the plates into the fluid flow paths on either side of the plates; and   wherein the assembly of the stack includes bonding outer ends of the fins on each side of the double sided plates to the fins, or between the fins, of the adjacent plates.   
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , comprising forming the double sided plates. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 18 , comprising etching away material on both sides of a blank plate using a suitable mask that is arranged to leave the required fins extending outward from the body of the etched plate.