Aerodynamically active stiffening feature for gas turbine recuperator

A method for manufacturing a recuperator for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

• forming at least one recuperator plate, the recuperator plate extending in a longitudinal direction between an upstream and a downstream end spaced apart along a longitudinal axis, the recuperator plate extending in a transverse direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge thereof, each of the leading edge and the trailing edge extending longitudinally between the upstream and the downstream edges, the transverse direction being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction defined by the longitudinal axis, forming the recuperator plate including:
• providing first and second thermally conductive sheets, respectively having a first sheet leading edge and a first sheet trailing edge, and a second sheet leading edge and a second sheet trailing edge;
• forming a first leading recess adjacent the first sheet leading edge of the first thermally conductive sheet, and forming a second leading recess adjacent the second sheet leading edge of the second thermally conductive sheet;
• mating the first leading recess of the first thermally conductive sheet with the second leading recess of the second thermally conductive sheet;
• and
• following the step of mating, joining the first and second thermally conductive sheets together to form the recuperator plate with at least one fluid channel therein, the mated first and second leading recesses forming a trough extending along a leading edge of the recuperator plate in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the recuperator plate.