Heat exchanger

A heat exchanger comprising a core formed from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage of a pair of fluids in heat transfer relation;

• manifold means for directing a relatively hot fluid for passage through said first flow path and for directing a relatively cold fluid for passage through said second flow path;
• and temperature control means comprising a hollow tube communicating between the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path and extending transversely across the inlet end of said second flow path for passing a portion of the hot fluid thereacross for maintaining the temperature level of said second flow path inlet end sufficiently to prevent ice formation.

A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer elements arranged in an alternating stack with a plurality of relatively thin plates to form a plate-fin heat exchanger core with said heat transfer elements forming a plurality of relatively small passages defining first and second flow paths for passage of a pair of fluids in heat exchange relation;

• manifold means for directing a relatively hot fluid for passage through said first flow path and for directing a relatively cold fluid for passage through said second flow path;
• first header bars at the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path, and at the outlet end of said second flow path for preventing intermixing between the hot and cold fluids;
• and hollow header bars at the inlet end of said second flow path for preventing intermixing between the hot and cold fluids, and for communicating between the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path for passing a portion of the hot fluid transversely across the inlet end of said second flow path for sufficiently maintaining the temperature level at said second flow path inlet end to prevent excessive ice formation.

In a heat exchanger having a core formed from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage respectively of a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid, means for preventing excessive ice formation at the inlet end of said second flow path comprising a hollow tube extending transversely across said second flow path inlet end and communicating between the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path for passing a portion of the hot fluid across said second flow path inlet end to maintain the temperature level thereat sufficiently to prevent excess ice formation.

A method of forming a heat exchanger comprising the steps of forming a heat exchanger core from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second fluid flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage respectively of a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid;

• and mounting a hollow tube transversely across the inlet end of the second flow path and in communication with the inlet and outlet ends of the first flow path for passing a portion of the hot fluid across the second flow path inlet end to prevent excessive ice formation at said second low path inlet end.

A method of forming a heat exchanger comprising the steps of forming a heat exchanger core from a plurality of heat transfer elements arranged in an alternating stack with a plurality of relatively thin plates defining a plurality of relatively small passages forming first and second flow paths for passage respectively of a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid;

• mounting first header bars at the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path, and at the outlet end of said second flow path for preventing intermixing between the hot and cold fluids;
• and mounting hollow header bars at the inlet end of said second flow path for preventing intermixing between the hot and cold fluids, and for communication between the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path for passing a portion of the hot fluid transversely across the inlet end of the second flow path for sufficiently maintaining the temperature level thereat to prevent excessive ice formation.

In a heat exchanger having a core formed from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage respectively of a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid, a method of preventing excessive ice formation at the inlet end of the second flow path comprising the steps of mounting a hollow tube to extend transversely across the inlet end of the second flow path, and to communicate between the inlet and outlet ends of said first flow path, and passing a portion of the hot fluid through said tube to maintain the temperature level at the second flow path inlet end sufficiently to prevent excessive ice formation.

In a heat exchanger having a core formed from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage respectively of a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid, and a hollow tube extending transversely across the inlet end of the second flow path, a method of preventing excessive ice formation at the inlet end of the second flow path comprising passing a portion of the hot fluid through said tube to maintain the temperature level at the second flow path inlet end sufficiently to prevent excessive ice formation.

A method of transferring heat energy between a relatively hot fluid and a relatively cold fluid including entrained water, comprising the steps of forming a heat exchanger core from a plurality of heat transfer elements defining first and second flow paths with inlet and outlet ends for passage respectively of the hot fluid and the cold fluid;

• mounting a hollow tube transversely across the inlet end of the second flow path in communication with the inlet and outlet ends of the first flow path;
• and passing a portion of the hot fluid through the hollow tube to prevent excessive ice formation at the second flow path inlet end.