Recuperative Heat Exchanger, Fuel Cell System Including Recuperative Heat Exchanger, and Method of Operating Same
AssigneeModine Manufacturing Company
InventorsMichael J. Reinke, Jeroen Valensa, Michael N. McGregor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger, such as a cathode recuperator for a high temperature fuel cell system, has a corrugated separator, a barrier and a plurality of flow channels. The corrugated separator has a surface positioned along a heat exchange fluid flow path, opposite ends of the separator having flattened corrugations. The barrier is positioned adjacent the surface. The plurality of flow channels are in the heat exchange fluid flow path and are at least partially defined by the surface and the barrier. The flattened corrugations are positioned adjacent crests in the corrugated separator and secured to the barrier.
Claims29
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a corrugated metal separator having a surface positioned along a heat exchange fluid flow path, opposite ends of the separator having flattened corrugations;
- a barrier positioned adjacent the surface;
- and
- a plurality of flow channels in the heat exchange fluid flow path at least partially defined by the surface and the barrier;
- wherein the flattened corrugations are secured to the barrier.
A method of making a heat exchanger, the method comprising the acts of:
- providing a corrugated metal separator sheet having metal corrugations extending in a longitudinal direction;
- flattening the metal corrugations into flattened portions positioned at first and second longitudinal ends of the corrugated separator sheet;
- positioning the corrugated separator sheet adjacent a non-corrugated barrier to create a heat exchange flow path between the corrugated separator sheet and the non-corrugated barrier;
- and
- securing the flattened portions to a surface of the non-corrugated barrier.
A corrugated separator sheet for a heat exchanger, the corrugated separator sheet comprising:
- a plurality of metal corrugations extending parallel to one another in a longitudinal direction, the corrugations having a plurality of peaks and a plurality of troughs opposite the plurality of peaks;
- and
- a flattened region proximate a longitudinal end of the separator sheet;
- wherein the flattened region is adjacent the plurality of peaks.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.