Manufacturing heat exchanger from porous medium and conduits

A heat exchanger, comprising:

• a plurality of heat conducting conduits configured to permit passage of a first medium, including at least one heat conducting conduit, and
• at least one block of an open-cell porous medium of open-cell metal foam configured to permit passage of a second medium,
• wherein a first plurality of grooves are provided in said porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, the first plurality of grooves being disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other,
• wherein said grooved porous medium is bendable in a first direction such that at least a plurality of said grooves are opened, and said plurality of heat conducting conduits are arranged in said at least a plurality of opened grooves, and
• wherein the grooved porous medium is bendable in a second direction opposite to the first direction such that said plurality of heat conducting conduits is locked in said open-cell porous medium.

A heat exchanger prepared by a process comprising:

• providing a plurality of heat conducting conduits configured to permit passage of a first medium, including at least one heat conducting conduit comprising a metal tube;
• providing at least one block of an open-cell porous medium comprising metal foam or a three-dimensional textile configured to permit passage of a second medium;
• providing a first plurality of grooves in said porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, and such that the first plurality of grooves are disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other;
• bending said grooved porous medium in a direction, such that at least a plurality of said grooves are opened;
• applying said plurality of heat conducting conduits in said at least a plurality of opened grooves;
• and
• bending said grooved porous medium in an opposite direction such that said plurality of heat conducting conduits get locked in said open-cell porous medium.

A heat exchanger produced by a process comprising:

• providing a plurality of heat conducting conduits in an array, the conduits being configured to permit passage of a first medium and comprising at least one metal tube;
• providing at least one block of an open-cell porous medium of open-cell metal foam configured to permit passage of a second medium;
• providing a first plurality of grooves in the porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, and such that the first plurality of grooves are disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other;
• bending said grooved porous medium in a direction, thereby opening the first plurality of grooves;
• applying said array in the opened first plurality of grooves;
• and
• bending the grooved porous medium in an opposite direction such that the array gets locked in said open-cell porous medium.