# US 2013/0152392 A1 · Methods for forming a heat exchanger and portions thereof

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- Number: US 2013/0152392 A1
- Document ID: US20130152392A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/331,179
- Filed: 2011-12-20
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-20
- Assignees: Unison Industries, LLC
- Inventors: Mark Douglas Swinford
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152392A1

## CPC

- B23P 15/26: heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)}
- B23H 7/02: Wire-cutting
- B23H 9/00: Machining specially adapted for treating particular metal objects or for obtaining special effects or results on metal objects (heat treatment by cathodic discharge C21D1/38)
- F02K 3/115: by means of indirect heat exchange
- F28D 1/0246: {heat-exchange elements having several adjacent conduits forming a whole, e.g. blocks}
- F28F 3/048: {in the form of ribs integral with the element or local variations in thickness of the element, e.g. grooves, microchannels}
- B23H 9/14: Making holes
- B23P 2700/10: Heat sinks
- Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft
- Y10T 29/4935: Heat exchanger or boiler making
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B23H: WORKING OF METAL BY THE ACTION OF A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF ELECTRIC CURRENT ON A WORKPIECE USING AN ELECTRODE WHICH TAKES THE PLACE OF A TOOL; SUCH WORKING COMBINED WITH OTHER FORMS OF WORKING OF METAL (processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings, electroforming, or apparatus therefor C25D; processes for the electrolytic removal of material from objects C25F; manufacturing printed circuits using precipitation techniques to apply the conductive material to form the desired conductive pattern H05K3/18)
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- 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)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Methods of forming a heat exchanger from a metal body made from a material having a melting temperature greater than 660° C. with the metal body having opposing first and second surfaces and at least one fluid passageway formed in the metal body so that fluid may be passed through the fluid passageway and heat from the fluid may be dissipated through a plurality of fins.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a fluid passage in a heat exchanger having a metal body made from a material having a melting temperature greater than 660° C., with the metal body having a first surface, the method comprising:
cutting an access opening into the metal body, with the access opening spanning a dimension of the metal body;
removing material from the metal body along the access opening to form a passageway in the metal body that extends along the access opening and is accessible through the access opening; and
closing the access opening to form the fluid passage.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the removing material comprises removing sufficient material such that the passageway has a cross section greater than the access opening.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the cross section is substantially circular.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the closing the access opening comprises attaching a metal closing element to the first surface.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein attaching the metal closing element to the first surface comprises brazing the metal closing element to the first surface.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the removing material from the body comprises cutting the material from the body by passing a cutting tool through the access opening.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the passing the cutting tool through the access opening comprises passing an EDM wire through the access opening and cutting the material with the EDM wire.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein cutting the access opening comprises cutting the access opening with the EDM wire.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein cutting the material with the EDM wire comprises moving the EDM wire to a middle area of the passageway and moving the EDM wire in a path that increases in distance from the middle area.

### Claim 10

A method of forming a heat exchanger from a metal body made from a material having a melting temperature greater than 660° C., with the metal body having opposing first and second surfaces, the method comprising:
forming at least one fluid passageway in the metal body by:
cutting an access opening into the first surface of the metal body, with the access opening spanning a dimension of the first surface;
removing material from the metal body along the access opening to form a fluid passageway in the metal body that extends along the access opening and is accessible through the access opening; and
closing the access opening to form the fluid passageway; and
forming at least one fin projecting from the second surface;
wherein fluid may be passed through the fluid passageway and heat from the fluid may be dissipated through the fin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein removing the material comprises passing an EDM wire through the access opening and cutting the material with the EDM wire.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein cutting the access opening comprises cutting the access opening with the EDM wire.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein cutting the material with the EDM wire comprises moving the EDM wire to a middle area of the fluid passageway and moving the EDM wire in a path that increases in distance from the middle area.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13 wherein forming the at least one fin includes introducing a skiving blade to the second surface and advancing the skiving blade into the material to form a fin that remains attached to the metal body.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the removing material comprises removing sufficient material such that the fluid passageway has a cross section greater than the access opening.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein the cross section is substantially circular.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein closing the access opening comprises attaching a metal closing element to the first surface.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 wherein attaching the metal closing element to the first surface comprises brazing the metal closing element to the first surface.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein forming the at least one fin includes introducing a skiving blade to the second surface and advancing the skiving blade into the material to form a fin that remains attached to the metal body.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 wherein forming the at least one fin includes forming a plurality of fins.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20 wherein forming the plurality of fins comprises forming a row of fins on multiple projections extending from the metal body.