Clip on manifold heat exchanger
AssigneeLong Manufacturing Ltd.
InventorsS. Donald Jamison, Carl C. J. Decaire, Jeffrey D. Peeler, Chad A. Kreutzweiser
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plate and fin type heat exchanger is disclosed which can be made in any convenient size with minimum tooling required. The heat exchanger is made from a plurality of stacked plate pairs having raised peripheral edge portions to define flow channels inside the plate pairs. The plates of the plate pairs are formed with offset, diverging end flanges that space the plate pairs apart. A U-shaped channel envelops the plate end flanges to form part of a manifold at each end of the plate pairs. End caps or plates close the open ends of the U-shaped channels to complete the manifolds, and inlet and outlet openings are formed in the manifolds as desired to complete the heat exchanger.
Claims22
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of stacked plate pairs formed of mating plates having central planar portions and raised peripheral edge portions, said edge portions being joined together in mating plates to define a flow channel between the plates;
- the plates having offset end flanges, the respective flanges at each end of each plate pair diverging, the flanges having lateral edge portions extending from root areas located at the joined peripheral edge portions, the end flanges also having transverse distal edge portions joined together in back-to-back stacked plate pairs to space the plate pairs apart and form transverse flow passages between the plate pairs;
- opposed U-shaped channels enclosing the respective end flanges of the plate pairs, the channels having rear walls spaced from the plate end flanges and side walls joined to the flange lateral edge portions and extending inwardly beyond and covering said root areas, the U-shaped channels having open ends;
- end plates closing the U-shaped channel open ends to form manifolds;
- and the manifolds defining inlet and outlet openings therein for the flow of fluid through the plate pairs.
A method of making a heat exchanger comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate strip of plate material having a planar central portion and raised peripheral edge portions;
- cutting the plate material into predetermined lengths;
- forming the plate lengths with offset end flanges extending in a direction away from the raised peripheral edge portions;
- arranging the plate lengths into plate pairs with the offset end flanges diverging and the plate peripheral edge portions in contact so as to define root areas at the joined peripheral edge portions;
- stacking said plate pairs so that the end flanges engage to space the plate pairs apart;
- providing U-shaped channels enclosing the plate offset end flanges, the channels having open ends and side walls joined to the flange lateral edge portions and extending inwardly beyond and covering the root areas;
- closing the open ends of the channels to form manifolds;
- forming inlet and outlet openings in the manifolds;
- and joining the plates and manifolds together to form a sealed heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.