# US 2019/0170445 A1 · High temperature plate fin heat exchanger > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170445 A1 - Document ID: US20190170445A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/185,094 - Filed: 2018-11-09 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170445A1 ## CPC - F28D 9/0093: {Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids} - B22C 9/22: Moulds for peculiarly-shaped castings - B22C 9/26: for ribbed tubes; for radiators - F28D 1/05366: {Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators} - F28F 1/025: {with variable shape, e.g. with modified tube ends, with different geometrical features (F28F1/06, F28F1/08, F28F9/16, F28F9/18 take precedence)} - F28F 1/26: the means being integral with the element (F28F1/32 takes precedence) - F28F 3/025: {the means being corrugated, plate-like elements} - F28F 9/02: Header boxes; End plates - F28F 9/0221: {Header boxes or end plates formed by stacked elements} - F28F 9/0224: {Header boxes formed by sealing end plates into covers (F28F9/0221 takes precedence)} - B23P 15/26: heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} - F28F 2255/14: molded - 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) - B22C: FOUNDRY MOULDING (moulding refractory materials in general B28B) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) ## Abstract A heat exchanger includes at least one plate including a first end portion. A second end portion is spaced apart from the first end portion. A cavity is disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion. The cavity defines a first flow path. An outer surface portion defines a second flow path. The at least one plate includes a single unitary part without a joint between any two portions. A first end cap defines an inlet disposed at the first end portion. A second end cap defines an outlet at the second end portion. A plate for a heat exchanger and a method are also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger comprising: at least one plate comprising, a first end portion, a second end portion spaced apart from said first end portion, a cavity disposed between said first end portion and said second end portion, the cavity defining a first flow path, an outer surface portion defining a second flow path, wherein the at least one plate comprises a single unitary part without a joint between any two portions; a first end cap defining an inlet disposed at the first end portion; and a second end cap defining an outlet at the second end portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion include an upper support surface portion within a common upper plane and a lower support surface portion within a common lower plane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, including fin portions extending outward from the outer surface portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 3, wherein the outer surface portion comprises a first side and a second side and the fin portions extend from both the first side and the second side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 3, wherein the fin portions include a tip portion that extends past either of the upper common plane and the lower common plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the cavity includes at least one tabulator extending into the first flow path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one plate comprises a first plate, stacked on a second plate such that the lower support surface portion of the first plate abuts the upper support surface portion of the second plate and the second flow path is defined within a space between the first plate and the second plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 7, including additional plates stacked against one of the first plate and the second plate and aligned such that a lower support surface portion of one plate abuts an upper support surface portion of another plate, wherein each of the plates defines a first flow path through the plate and the second flow path is defined in spaced between the stacked plates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is an air to air heat exchanger and the first flow path through the at least one plate is configured for an airflow that is to be cooled and the second flow path is for a cooling airflow. ### Claim 10 A plate for a heat exchanger, the plate comprising: a first end portion spaced apart from a second end portion; a cavity defining a first flow path between the first end portion and the second end portion; and an outer surface portion defining a second flow path, wherein the plate comprises a single unitary part without a joint between any two portions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The plate as recited in claim 10, wherein the first end portion and the second end portion include an upper support surface portion within a common upper plane and a lower support surface portion within a common lower plane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The plate as recited in claim 11, wherein the outer surface portion comprises a first side and a second side and the fin portions extend from both the first side and the second side. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The plate as recited in claim 12, wherein the fin portions include a top portion that extends past either of the upper common plane and the lower common plane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The plate as recited in claim 10, wherein the cavity includes a means for disrupting flow. ### Claim 15 A method of building a heat exchanger comprising: creating a core defining internal features including an inner cavity of a completed plate; inserting the core within a mold cavity that defines outer surfaces of a completed plate; molding the plate to include the outer surfaces defined by the mold cavity an inner surfaces defined by the core, wherein the completed plate defines a first flow path through the inner cavity and an outer surface defining a second flow path; and assembling at least one completed plate to a first end cap at a first end portion of a completed plate and a second end cap to a second end portion of the completed plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the mold cavity includes features for defining fin portions that extend outward from an outer surface of a completed plate. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the core includes portion for defining flow disrupting features within the inner cavity of the completed plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method as recited in claim 15, wherein each plate comprises a single unitary part without a joint between any two portions.