Heat Exchange Device and Method for Manufacture

A method of manufacturing a heat exchange device of a type for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, said method comprising:

• assembling a plurality of heat exchange cells, each heat exchange cell including:
• an upper cell plate having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface opposite the exterior facing surface;
• said upper cell plate having an inlet aperture, an outlet aperture, a central upper cell plate portion extending between the inlet aperture and the outlet aperture, and an upper peripheral edge bounding said inlet aperture, outlet aperture, and said central upper cell plate portion;
• a lower cell plate having an exterior facing surface and an interior facing surface opposite the exterior facing surface;
• said lower cell plate having an inlet aperture, an outlet aperture, a central lower cell plate portion, and a peripheral edge bounding said inlet aperture, outlet aperture, and said central lower cell plate portion;
• said lower cell plate juxtaposed with said upper cell plate so that the inlet aperture of the lower cell plate is aligned with the inlet aperture of the upper cell plate, the outlet aperture of the lower cell plate is aligned with the outlet aperture of the upper cell plate, and the central lower cell plate portion is aligned with the central upper cell plate portion;
• the upper peripheral edge joined to the lower peripheral edge to define a cell peripheral edge;
• the interior facing surface of the upper cell plate facing and spaced apart from the interior facing surface of the lower cell plate to define an interior volume therebetween;
• said interior volume having a cell inlet and a cell outlet and defining a fluid passageway for the second fluid between the cell inlet and the cell outlet, wherein said cell inlet is adjacent the inlet aperture of the upper cell plate and the inlet aperture of the lower cell plate, and said cell outlet is adjacent the outlet aperture of the upper cell plate and the outlet aperture of the lower cell plate;
• a first heat transfer matrix positioned within said interior volume, a second heat transfer matrix attached to the exterior surface of said upper cell plate, and a third heat transfer matrix attached to the exterior surface of the lower cell plate;
• an upper inlet manifold ring attached to the exterior surface of the upper plate and circumscribing the inlet aperture of said upper cell plate;
• an upper outlet manifold ring attached to the exterior surface of the upper plate and circumscribing the outlet aperture of said upper cell plate;
• an lower inlet manifold ring attached to the exterior surface of the lower plate and circumscribing the inlet aperture of said lower cell plate;
• and
• an lower outlet manifold ring attached to the exterior surface of the lower plate and circumscribing the outlet aperture of said lower cell plate;
• stacking said plurality of heat exchange cells such that a contacting surface of the lower inlet manifold ring of one of said plurality of said heat exchange cells contacts a contacting surface of the upper inlet manifold ring of an adjacent one of said plurality of heat exchange cells and a contacting surface of the lower outlet manifold ring of said one of said plurality of said heat exchange cells contacts a contacting surface of the upper outlet manifold ring of said adjacent one of said plurality of heat exchange cells;
• and
• metallurgically joining the plurality of heat exchange cells at the contacting surfaces of the upper and lower inlet manifold rings and the contacting surfaces of the upper and lower outlet manifold rings.