Finned heat exchanger and system

Claim 1

In combination with a water buoyant marine vessel incorporating an engine and cooling jacket capable of holding a supply of cooling medium, a heat exchanger mounted to the external surface of the hull of the vessel below its water line, a pair of fluid flow means connecting the proximate ends of said heat exchanger to the cooling jacket of the engine for use in transfer of the cooling medium to and from said jacket, said heat exchanger including a longitudinal member of a length to provide for its connection in a direction approximately along the length of the hull, said longitudinal member having at least one passage formed therethrough, said longitudinal member being approximately semicircular in cross section and formed having a conic-like side and a flat surface, a series of radially disposed longitudinal fins integrally formed from the conic-like side of the longitudinal member and extending into the ambient environment to enhance heat dissipation from the cooling medium, said radial fins being formed having a tapered design and narrowing from their connection with and extension from the conic-like side of the longitudinal member of the heat exchanger, flanges integrally connecting to and extending diametrically from either edge of the flat surface of said heat exchanger along the length of its longitudinal member, fastening means cooperating with said flanges to secure said heat exchanger to the vessel hull, said flanges being provided with slots along their length to facilitate the positioning of said fastening means, the combined flat surface of the heat exchanger and the underside of said flanges being formed having a recess therein to provide clearance for flush mounting of said heat exchanger to the vessel hull, said heat exchanger including a pair of fittings at the ends of its longitudinal member for hermetically sealing the exchanger at the location where it connects interiorly of the hull for communicating with the fluid flow means of said cooling jacket, connectors provided for securement of said fittings to each end of the longitudinal member, each connector inserting into the end of said longitudinal member and also into the proximate fitting, a sealing ring provided between said fitting and its connector to hermetically seal the same together, both of said connectors and the fittings have passages formed therethrough communicating with the passage of the longitudinal member for accommodating the flow of the cooling medium of the engine therethrough, additional connectors attaching with the fittings and disposed for extending through the hull of the vessel, a fastening ring cooperating with each said additional connectors for hermetically sealing said heat exchanger to the vessel hull to prevent interior leakage of the ambient water.