High efficiency thermal transfer plate

Abstract

The present invention provides a high efficiency thermal transfer plate for providing thermal transfer to and from a fluid. More specifically the present invention provides a thermal transfer plate including a skived fin plate for improved thermal transfer between a fluid within the thermal transfer plate and the thermal transfer plate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal transfer plate for use with a thermal exchange unit, said thermal transfer plate comprising:
 a thermal transfer plate body comprising a thermoplastic fluid transport area and additionally comprising an upper thermal transfer plate formed via a skiving and a fluid transport area bounded by multiple thermal transfer plate body sides and an upper sealing surface and a lower sealing surface;   the upper thermal transfer plate bounding the upper sealing surface to form an upper fluidic seal and comprising an upper single contiguous piece of copper comprising an upper base and multiple upper skived fins with increased roughness on a surface of the respective multiple upper skived fins, wherein the upper skived fins are positioned so that at least a portion of the upper skived fins are within the fluid transport area;   a lower thermal transfer plate bounding the lower sealing surface to form a lower fluidic seal and comprising a thermal transfer area, wherein the thermal transfer area is positioned so that at least a portion of the thermal transfer area is in fluid communication with the fluid transport area; and   a fluid inlet in fluid communication with the fluid transport area and a fluid outlet also in fluid communication with the fluid transport area.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 1  wherein the thermal transfer plate body additionally comprises a tubing nozzle in the fluid inlet and a tubing nozzle in the fluid outlet for transporting a fluid into and out of the thermal transfer plate body, and said fluid inlet and said fluid outlet are located on a same side of the thermal transfer plate body. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 2 , additionally comprising a seal for sealing the skived fin plate to the thermal transfer plate body. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 3 , wherein seal is capable of containing a fluid within the fluid transport area other than the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 4  where the seal comprises a gasket material. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 4  wherein the seal comprises an O-Ring. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 4  additionally comprising fluid flow channels for guiding a fluid through the thermal transfer plate body. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 4  wherein thermal transfer occurs between a fluid in the fluid transport area and the skived fins included in the skived fin plate. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 7  wherein the fluid flow channels form a serpentine pattern. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 1  additionally comprising one or more fastening mechanisms to fixedly fastening the one or more thermal transfer plates to the thermal transfer plate's body. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 1  wherein the thermal transfer plate body comprising a thermoplastic fluid transport area comprises a material of lighter weight than the copper comprising the lower thermal transfer plate and the material of lighter weight comprises a thermal expansion coefficient closely matching the thermal coefficient of copper. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 1  wherein the thermal transfer plate body comprising a thermoplastic fluid transport area comprises a material of lighter weight than the copper comprising the lower thermal transfer plate and the material of lighter weight comprises a thermal expansion coefficient closely matching the thermal coefficient of copper. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 12  wherein the thermal transfer body plate is fashioned via injection molding. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 12  wherein the thermal transfer body plate additionally comprises a thermal transfer conductor. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 14  wherein the thermal transfer conductor comprises boron nitride. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 14  wherein the thermal transfer conductor comprises conductive ceramic. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 12  additionally comprising two or more fasteners positioned interior to the multiple sides of the body. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 17  wherein the fasteners comprise a threaded bolt. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 17  wherein the fasteners comprise a quick disconnect. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal transfer plate of  claim 17  wherein the fasteners comprise a rivet.