Heat exchanger with removable core assembly

Abstract

A heat exchanger is having: a housing having a first housing inlet, a second housing inlet, a first housing outlet, and a second housing outlet; and a core assembly disposed within the housing and removably connected to the housing, the core assembly comprises: a first fluid passage fluidly connecting the first housing inlet to the first housing outlet and a second fluid passage fluidly connecting the second housing inlet to the second housing outlet. The first fluid passage is thermally connected to the second fluid passage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a housing having a first housing inlet, a second housing inlet, a first housing outlet, and a second housing outlet; and   a core assembly disposed within the housing and removably connected to the housing, the core assembly comprises: a first fluid passage fluidly connecting the first housing inlet to the first housing outlet and a second fluid passage fluidly connecting the second housing inlet to the second housing outlet,   wherein the first fluid passage is thermally connected to the second fluid passage.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a top portion having a mounting flange and an opposing bottom portion; and the core assembly further comprises a top side having a core flange and an opposing bottom side, the core flange mounts onto the opposing mounting flange and the bottom side of the core assembly abuts the bottom portion of the housing when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the core flange of the core assembly is removably connected to the mounting flange of the housing by a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising: a first seal interposed between the bottom side of the core assembly and the bottom portion of the housing, the first seal being configured to seal the fluid connection between the second housing inlet and the second fluid passage and seal the fluid connection between the second housing outlet and the second fluid passage when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the core assembly further comprises a knife edge located on the bottom part of the core assembly and configured to compress the first seal when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising: a second seal interposed between the core flange of the core assembly and the mounting flange of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising: corner seals at each corner of the core assembly, the corner seals being configured to seal the interface between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the core assembly when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a tapered pin; and the core assembly further comprises rings configured to fit around the tapered pin when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the core assembly is cuboid in shape having a top side, an opposing bottom side, and four sides interposed between the top side and the bottom side, the bottom side includes a second core inlet aligned with the second inlet and a second core outlet aligned with the second housing outlet when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the second fluid passage of the core assembly includes at least two passes across the flow direction of the first fluid passage. 
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 forming a housing having a first housing inlet, a second housing inlet, a first housing outlet, and a second housing outlet;   positioning a core assembly within the housing, the core assembly comprises: a first fluid passage fluidly connecting the first housing inlet to the first housing outlet and a second fluid passage fluidly connecting the second housing inlet to the second housing outlet, the first fluid passage is thermally connected to the second fluid passage; and   removably connecting the core assembly to the housing.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: forming a mounting flange on a top portion of the housing, the top portion being opposite a bottom portion; and wherein the core assembly further comprises a top side having a core flange and an opposing bottom side, the core flange mounts onto the opposing mounting flange and the bottom side of the core assembly abuts the bottom portion of the housing when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the core flange of the core assembly is removably connected to the mounting flange of the housing by a plurality of fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: positioning a first seal interposed between the bottom side of the core assembly and the bottom portion of the housing, the first seal being configured to seal the fluid connection between the second housing inlet and the second fluid passage and seal the fluid connection between the second housing outlet and the second fluid passage when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the core assembly further comprises a knife edge located on the bottom part of the core assembly and configured to compress the first seal when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: positioning a second seal interposed between the core flange of the core assembly and the mounting flange of the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: positioning corner seals at each corner of the core assembly, the corner seals being configured to seal the interface between an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the core assembly when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the housing further comprises a tapered pin; and the core assembly further comprises rings configured to fit around the tapered pin when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the core assembly is cuboid in shape having a top side, an opposing bottom side, and four sides interposed between the top side and the bottom side, the bottom side includes a second core inlet aligned with the second inlet and a second core outlet aligned with the second housing outlet when the core assembly is disposed within the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second fluid passage of the core assembly includes at least two passes across the flow direction of the first fluid passage.