# US 10,866,030 B2 · Heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,866,030 B2 - Document ID: US10866030B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/246,607 - Filed: 2019-01-14 - Published: 2019-08-01 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-01 - Assignees: Hamilton Sunstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Piotr Sobolak; Pawel Banach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10866030B2 ## CPC - F28D 9/0093: {Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids} - F28D 7/103: {consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits} - F28D 9/0012: {the apparatus having an annular form} - F28D 9/0018: {without any annular circulation of the heat exchange media} - F28D 9/0037: {the conduits for the other heat-exchange medium also being formed by paired plates touching each other (F28D9/0043 takes precedence)} - F28F 3/086: {having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages} - F28D 2021/0021: {for aircrafts or cosmonautics} - F28D 2021/0026: {for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines} - F28F 2215/10: Secondary fins, e.g. projections or recesses on main fins - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A plate for use in a heat exchanger is includes: a first surface; a second surface; first, second and third discrete flow passages passing through the plate from the first surface to the second surface, the second flow passage extending around the first flow passage and the third flow passage extending around the second flow passage. A plurality of fins extend parallel to the first surface across the third flow passage and have a first surface extending parallel to the first surface of the plate and a second surface extending parallel to and spaced from the first surface of the fin; and one or more pins protruding from the first surface of at least some of the fins. The pins extend away from the second surface of the fins. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A plate for use in a heat exchanger, the plate comprising: a first surface; a second surface extending parallel to and spaced from the first surface; first, second and third discrete flow passages passing through the plate from the first surface to the second surface, the second flow passage extending around the first flow passage and the third flow passage extending around the second flow passage; a plurality of fins extending parallel to the first surface across the third flow passage and having a first fin surface extending parallel to the first surface of the plate and a second fin surface extending parallel to and spaced from the first fin surface; and one or more pins protruding from the first fin surface of at least some of the fins, the pins extending away from the second fin surfaces, wherein a first distance from the second fin surfaces to an end of the pins removed from the first fin surfaces is less than or equal to a second distance from the second surface of the plate to the first surface thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A plate as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a solid central portion extending from the first surface to the second surface, wherein the first flow passage extends around the solid central portion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A plate as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a plurality of second fins extending across the first flow passage from the solid central portion towards the second flow passage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A plate as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second fins have an undulating form. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pins are twisted in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the flow of fluid through the third flow passage in use. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A plate as claimed in claim 1, the third flow passage comprising a gap formed by a wall extending outwardly of and around the second flow passage, and first and second outer portions formed by walls extending outwardly from the wall and re-joining therewith on either side thereof, wherein the sections of the wall which are internal of the first and second outer portions extend over a third distance which is less than the second distance from the first surface to the second surface of the plate, and the other sections of the wall and the walls extending outwardly from the wall on either side thereof extend from the first surface to the second surface of the plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A plate as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate is formed by etching, additive manufacturing, 3D printing or powder metallurgy. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A heat exchanger body comprising a plurality of plates as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plates are arranged adjacent to one another along a longitudinal axis (A-A) of the heat exchanger body such that the first surface of a first plate is in contact with the second surface of an adjacent plate, and the first, second and third flow passages of adjacent plates are joined together to form continuous first, second and third flow passages extending through the heat exchanger body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A heat exchanger body as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: a first inlet to the first flow passage provided at a first longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body and a first outlet from the first flow passage provided at a second longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body; and a second inlet to the second flow passage provided at the second longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body and a second outlet from the second flow passage provided at the first longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body such that in use, fluid will flow through the second flow passage in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of fluid through the first flow passage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A heat exchanger body as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: a third inlet to the third flow passage provided at the first longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body and a third outlet from the third flow passage provided at the first longitudinal end of the heat exchanger body. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A heat exchanger body as claimed in claim 10, wherein the third inlet is provided on a first side of the heat exchanger body and the third outlet is provided on a second opposite side of the heat exchanger body such that in use, fluid will flow through the third flow passage in the first longitudinal direction on the first side of the heat exchanger body, flow around the second passage in a direction perpendicular to the first longitudinal direction and then flow to the third outlet in the second longitudinal direction on the second side of the heat exchanger body. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) A method of exchanging heat between fluid flows, the method comprising: passing a first fluid flow in a first direction through the first continuous flow passage extending through the plurality of plates in the heat exchanger body as recited in claim 8; passing a second fluid flow in a second direction opposite to the first direction through the second continuous flow passage, the second continuous flow passage extending around the first continuous flow passage and through the plurality of plates in the heat exchanger body; and passing a third fluid flow through the third continuous flow passage, the third continuous flow passage extending around the second continuous flow passage and through the plurality of plates in the heat exchanger body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, the method comprising: forming a plurality of plates as claimed in claim 1; and stacking the plurality of plates one above the other in a desired configuration so as to align the first, second and third flow passages in the plurality of plates. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger as claimed in claim 13, further comprising: joining the plates together by brazing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the plurality of plates vary in shape and are stacked so as to form a heat exchanger body having an irregular shape.