Heat exchangers with decongealing bypass and methods of decongealing the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprising a matrix with an interior and an exterior. The matrix has an input face and an output face and one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face. The primary media flows between the input face and the output face. The heat exchanger has a decongealing path that spans from an inlet across an entire length of the input face, spans the one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face, and spans an entire length of the exterior output face to the outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 an input header designed for intake of a fluid medium through an inlet, wherein the inlet is located at a first distal end of the input header;   an output header designed for expelling of the fluid medium through an outlet, wherein the outlet is located at a second distal end of the output header;   a matrix with an interior and an exterior wherein the exterior comprises an input face and an output face and one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face; and   a decongealing path that spans from an inlet across an entire length of the input face, spans at least one of the one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face, and spans an entire length of the output face to the outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass valve located at an opposite end of the input header from the inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the decongealing path spans all sides of the matrix but one. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the decongealing path flows through an entire length of the input header and an entire length of the output header. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass channel that runs between the input face and the output face along the matrix exterior. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the decongealing path has a bypass channel that runs between the input face and the output face along a perimeter of the matrix interior. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 an input header located at a first distal end;   an output header located at a second distal end;   a matrix with an interior and an exterior wherein the exterior comprises an input face and an output face and one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face;   a decongealing path that spans from an inlet across an entire length of the input face, spans at least one of the one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face, and spans an entire length of the output face to the outlet; and   a bypass valve located within the decongealing path.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the decongealing path spans all sides of the matrix but one. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the decongealing path flows through an entire length of the input header and an entire length of the output header. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass channel that runs between the input face and the output face along the matrix exterior. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass channel that runs between the input face and the output face along a perimeter of the matrix interior. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein the bypass valve is located on an opposite end of the input header from the inlet. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a matrix with a cross-section that comprises an input side and an output side and a perimeter that spans between the input side and the output side;   a decongealing path that spans an entire length of the input side and an entire length of the perimeter and an entire length of the output side.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an input header with an inlet located at a first distal end of the input header; and   an output header with an outlet located at a second distal end of the output header;   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass valve. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the decongealing path spans all sides of the matrix but one. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the decongealing path flows through an entire length of the input header and an entire length of the output header. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass channel that runs between the input side and the output side along the matrix exterior. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the decongealing path comprises a bypass channel that runs between the input side and the output side along the perimeter of an interior of the matrix. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein the bypass valve is located at an opposite end of the input header from the inlet.