A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a plurality of first heat exchanger plates and a plurality of second heat exchanger plates, each of the first and second heat exchanger plates having a base portion surrounded by a peripheral edge wall, the base portion of each of the first and second plates having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- wherein each of the first heat exchanger plates comprises:
- a first pair of fluid openings formed in the base portion such that the first pair of fluid openings are co-planar, or substantially, co-planar with the base portion, with one opening of the first pair of fluid openings being formed at opposite ends of the first heat exchanger plates, the fluid openings being spaced apart from each other and aligned with each other along a central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger;
- a second pair of fluid openings formed in corresponding boss portions that project out of the top surface of the base portion, each of the fluid openings in the second pair of fluid openings being surrounded by a sealing surface disposed in a first plate first sealing surface plane that is disposed above and parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the base portion, the corresponding boss portions being arranged at opposite ends of the first heat exchanger plates and aligned with each other along an axis that extends parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger and disposed to one side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger;
- and
- a third pair of fluid openings formed in corresponding boss portions that project out of the bottom surface of the base portion in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the fluid openings in the third pair of fluid openings being surrounded by a sealing surface disposed in a first plate second sealing surface plane that is disposed below and parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the base portion, the corresponding boss portions being arranged at opposite ends of the first heat exchanger plates and aligned with each other along an axis that extends parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger and disposed to one side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger such that the pair of third fluid openings is disposed to an opposite side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger as the second pair of fluid openings;
- and
- wherein each of the second heat exchanger plates comprises:
- a first pair of fluid openings formed in corresponding boss portions that project out of the top surface of the base portion of the second heat exchanger plates in a first direction, each of the fluid openings in the first pair of fluid openings being surrounded by a sealing surface disposed in a second plate first sealing surface plane that is disposed above and parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the base portion, the corresponding boss portions being arranged at opposite ends of the second heat exchanger plates and aligned with each other along the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger;
- a second pair of fluid openings formed in the base portion of each of the second heat exchanger plates such that the second pair of fluid openings are co-planar, or substantially, co-planar with the base portion of the second heat exchanger plates, with one opening of the second pair of fluid openings being formed at opposite ends of the second heat exchanger plates, the fluid openings being spaced apart from each other and aligned with each other along an axis that extends parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger and disposed to one side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger;
- a third pair of fluid openings formed in corresponding boss portions that project out of the bottom surface of the base portion of each of the second heat exchanger plates in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, each of the fluid openings in the third pair of fluid openings being surrounded by a sealing surface disposed in a second plate second sealing surface plane that is disposed below and parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the base portion, the corresponding boss portions being arranged at opposite ends of the first heat exchanger plates and aligned with each other along an axis that extends parallel to, or substantially parallel to, the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger and disposed to one side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger such that the pair of third fluid openings is disposed to an opposite side of the central longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger as the second pair of fluid openings;
- wherein:
- the first heat exchanger plates and the second heat exchanger plates are disposed in an alternating, stacked relationship such that the peripheral edge wall of each first heat exchanger plate is disposed in sealing contact with the peripheral edge wall of an adjacent second heat exchanger plate in a fluid tight manner, the first heat exchanger plates and the second heat exchanger plates each having a first orientation and a second orientation wherein the second orientation of either the first or second heat exchanger plates is such that the first or second heat exchanger plate is rotated 180 degrees about an axis that extends normal to the base portion of either the first or second heat exchanger plate relative to a previous first or second heat exchanger plate disposed in its first orientation, the first and second heat exchanger plates being alternatingly stacked together such that each subsequent first or second heat exchanger is disposed in its second orientation relative to the previous first or second heat exchanger plate in the stack;
- a plurality of first fluid flow passages formed between adjacent first and second heat exchanger plates when both the first heat exchanger plate and the adjacent second heat exchanger plate are disposed in their first orientation or are both disposed in their second orientation;
- a plurality of second fluid flow passages formed between adjacent second heat exchanger plates disposed in their first orientation and first heat exchanger plates in their second orientation;
- a plurality of third fluid flow passages formed between adjacent second heat exchanger plates in their second orientation and first heat exchanger plates in their first orientation;
- a first pair of inlet and outlet manifolds in fluid communication with the plurality of first fluid flow passages for inletting and discharging a first heat exchange fluid to and from the heat exchanger;
- a second pair of inlet and outlet manifolds in fluid communication with the plurality of second fluid flow passages for inletting and discharging a second heat exchange fluid to and from the heat exchanger;
- a third pair of inlet and outlet manifolds in fluid communication with the plurality of third fluid flow passages for inletting and discharging a third heat exchange fluid to and from the heat exchanger;
- wherein the plurality of first, second and third fluid flow passages are arranged in an alternating pattern through the heat exchanger core such that the plurality of first fluid flow passages are disposed in heat transfer relationship with both the plurality of second fluid flow passages and the plurality of third fluid flow passages.