Aircraft heat exchanger panel attachment

A heat exchanger plate for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plate comprising:

• a first face and a second face opposite the first face;
• a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;
• a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath;
• and
• at least one passageway along the first flowpath,
• wherein:
• the proximal edge extends from a first end to a second end;
• and
• at the second end, the plate has an apertured mounting ear.

A heat exchanger plate for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plate comprising:

• a first face and a second face opposite the first face;
• a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;
• a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath;
• and
• at least one passageway along the first flowpath,
• wherein:
• the proximal edge is along a mounting rail;
• and
• the mounting rail is a dovetail having tapering shoulders and a base.

A method for using a plurality of heat exchanger plates for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plates each comprising:

• a first face and a second face opposite the first face;
• a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;
• a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath;
• and
• at least one passageway along the first flowpath,
• wherein:
• the proximal edge is along a mounting rail;
• the method comprising:
• sliding the mounting rail of each plate along the proximal edge thereof into a respective slot of a manifold,
• wherein:
• each slot has a base;
• each slot base has a first groove and a second groove;
• a first seal in the first groove seals the associated plate inlet port to a respective said inlet plenum outlet port;
• and
• a second seal in the second groove seals the associated plate outlet port to a respective said outlet plenum inlet port.

A heat exchanger for providing thermal energy transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger comprising:

• at least one plate bank comprising a plurality of plates, each plate comprising
• a first face and a second face opposite the first face;
• a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;
• a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath;
• and
• at least one passageway along the first flowpath;
• and
• a manifold having:
• a first face to which the plurality of plates are mounted along their respective proximal edges;
• an inlet plenum having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port;
• and
• an outlet plenum having at least one outlet port and at least one inlet port, the first flowpath passing from the at least one inlet port of the inlet plenum, through the at least one passageway of each of the plurality of plates, and through the at least one outlet port of the outlet plenum,
• wherein for each plate:
• the proximal edge is along a mounting rail;
• the manifold first face has a respective associated slot capturing the mounting rail of the associated plate to prevent extraction of the plate normal to the manifold first face;
• the slot has a closed first end and an open second end;
• and
• a respective fastener proximate the second end secures the plate against extraction from the slot.