# US 11,112,185 B2 · Profiled joint for heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,185 B2 - Document ID: US11112185B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/837,091 - Filed: 2017-12-11 - Published: 2018-06-21 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-16 - Assignees: Hs Marston Aerospace Limited - Applicants: HS Marston Aerospace Limited - Inventors: Stephen Whalley; Rafal Lewandowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11112185B2 ## CPC - F28D 9/0068: {with means for changing flow direction of one heat exchange medium, e.g. using deflecting zones} - F28F 3/025: {the means being corrugated, plate-like elements} - F28F 13/06: by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media {(F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026)} - 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 secondary heat exchange surface channel portion for a heat exchanger 7 comprises multiple joints between adjacent channel portions 2a, 2b, 101, for redirecting flow of fluid along a tortuous path. One of the channel portions at each joint has a concave profiled edge face 120, thereby providing a gap 110 between adjacent channel portions. The primary use of this arrangement is in heat exchangers which have corrugated secondary heat exchange surfaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A joint configuration for a fluid channel of a heat exchanger, comprising a joint between first and second channel portions where fluid flow is to change direction, wherein the first channel portion is configured to direct fluid flow in a first direction and comprises a first edge at an angle divergent from the first direction, the first edge having a first edge face; and the second channel portion is configured to direct fluid flow in a second direction which is at an angle of less than 180° relative to the first direction, the second channel portion comprising a second edge at an angle divergent from the second direction, the second edge having a second edge face; wherein the first edge face and the second edge face each have a depth between a respective top of the edge face and a respective bottom of the edge face and a length extending from one end of the respective edge face to the other; wherein the joint is a first joint between the first edge face of the first channel portion and the second edge face of the second channel portion; wherein at least one of the first edge face and the second edge face is concave in shape along the length of the edge face, so as to provide a gap between the first and second edge faces of the first and second channel portions; and wherein the gap between the first and second edge faces narrows towards the ends of the edge faces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein a dimension of the gap is larger nearer to the centre of the gap than further from the centre of the gap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein the second channel portion further comprises a third edge face at an angle divergent from the second direction and which is spaced from the second edge face in a longitudinal direction of the second channel portion; wherein the joint configuration further comprises a third channel portion for directing fluid flow in a third direction which is at an angle of less than 180° relative to the second direction, the third channel portion comprising a fourth edge at an angle divergent from the third direction, the fourth edge having a fourth edge face; wherein the first edge face and the second edge face each have a depth between a respective top of the edge face and a respective bottom of the edge face and a length extending from one end of the respective edge face to the other; wherein the joint further comprises a second joint between the third edge face of the second channel portion and the fourth edge face of the third channel portion; and wherein at least one of the third edge face and the fourth edge face is concave in shape along the length of the edge face, so as to provide a gap between the third and fourth edge faces of the second and third channel portions. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein the angle between the flow directions of channel portions to be joined at a joint is in the range of 60° to 120°. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A heat exchanger comprising the joint configuration of claim 1. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein the at least one concave edge face is curved. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein the at least one concave edge face comprises at least two planar portions having at least one excluded obtuse angle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second channel portions comprises a corrugated structure having plain, serrated or herringbone corrugations arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the corrugations is parallel to the direction of fluid flow past the channel portion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first edge face and the second edge face diverges from the respective direction of fluid flow by an angle of between 30° to 60°. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second channel portions has a further edge which is at an angle divergent to the respective direction of fluid flow provided by the channel portion, and wherein the further edge has a further edge face, the further edge face being concave in shape along its length from one end to the other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The joint configuration of claim 10, wherein the concave further edge face is curved or comprises at least two planar portions having at least one excluded obtuse angle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The joint configuration of claim 7, wherein the at least one excluded obtuse angle is between 160° and 180°. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The joint configuration of claim 1, wherein the gap between the first and second edge faces narrows towards the ends of the edge faces such that a width of the gap is larger nearer the centre of the gap than at the ends of the edge faces. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing the joint configuration of claim 1, comprising: providing a first channel portion for directing fluid flow in a first direction and having a first edge at an angle divergent from the first direction, the first edge having a first edge face with a depth between a top of the first edge face and a bottom of the first edge face and a length extending from one end of the first edge face to the other; providing a second channel portion for directing fluid flow in a second direction and having a second edge at an angle divergent from the second direction, wherein the second direction is at an angle of less than 180° relative to the first direction, the second edge having a second edge face with a depth between a top of the second edge face and a bottom of the second edge face and a length extending from one end of the second edge face to the other; profiling at least one of the first edge face and the second edge face such that at least one of the first edge face and the second edge face is concave in shape along the length of the edge face; and arranging the first channel portion and the second channel portion such that the joint is a first joint between the first edge face of the first channel portion and the second edge face of the second channel portion, comprising a gap between the first and second channel portions provided by the at least one profiled edge face, the gap narrowing towards the ends of the edge faces. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing the second channel portion with a third edge face at an angle divergent from the second direction and which is spaced from the second edge face in a longitudinal direction of the second channel portion, providing a third channel portion for directing fluid flow in a third direction with a fourth edge face which is not parallel to the third direction, wherein the third direction is at an angle of less than 180° relative to the second direction, profiling at least one of the third edge face and the fourth edge face in a concave shape; and arranging the second channel portion and the third channel portion such that the joint is a first joint between the third edge face of the second channel portion and the fourth edge face of the third channel portion, comprising a gap between the first and second channel portions provided by the at least one profiled edge face. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of profiling comprises: providing the respective edge face with a curve; and/or providing the respective edge face with at least two planar portions having at least one excluded obtuse angle between the planar portions; wherein the angle is between 160° and 180°. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the angle is between 170° and 180°. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the channel portions comprise corrugated sheeting, arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the corrugations is parallel to the flow direction in the respective channel portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the channel portions comprise corrugated sheeting, arranged such that the longitudinal direction of the corrugations is parallel to the flow direction in the respective channel portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein the heat exchanger is a plate and fin heat exchanger, and wherein a fin of the heat exchanger comprises the joint configuration.