Circumferential flow heat exchanger
AssigneeLong Manufacturing Ltd.
InventorsPaul K. Beatenbough, Kris J. Meekins, Clark E. Stohl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to an improved energy exchange structure, comprising generally parallel plates, joined to define a hollow passageway for the generally circular flow of fluid between an inlet and an outlet, said plates undulating in cross-structure to define obliquely disposed crossing opposing valleys, and comprising multiple sets of generally parallel valleys and an involute disposition of said valleys.
Claims23
An improved energy exchange structure, comprising first and second generally parallel opposing plates joined to define a hollow passageway and further defining a generally overall circular flow path of fluid from an inlet to an outlet, each of said opposing plates undulating in cross-section to define a plurality of opposing valleys extending into the hollow passageway, at least some of the valleys of each said plate being disposed at an oblique angle to the circular flow path, the oblique angle being higher near the center of the circular flow path than at the outer periphery thereof, with apexes of valleys of the first plate arranged to cross apexes of valleys of the second plate such that the area between opposing valleys defines crossing passages.
The structure of claim 7 comprising valleys of generally equal width.
An automotive oil cooler, comprising a plurality of stacked, hollow energy exchange structures having inlet and outlet means, said hollow structures comprising first and second generally parallel opposing plates, connected centrally and along outer peripheral edges to define a hollow passage extending in a generally circular direction between said plates from said inlet to said outlet means, each of said opposing plates undulating in cross-section to define a plurality of opposing valleys extending into the hollow passageway, valleys of each said plate extending less than one circumscription of said plate and being arranged at an oblique angle to said generally circular direction, the oblique angle being higher centrally than at the outer peripheral edges, with apexes of valleys of the first plate arranged to cross apexes of valleys of the second plate such that the area between opposing valleys defines crossing passages.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.