Internally manifolded unibody plate for a plate/fin-type heat exchanger

Claim 2

An annular structure for a plate/fin-type heat exchanger, comprising: at least one open-faced inlet plate wherein said plate comprises: an inlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery, for channeling a fluid; at least one side port adjacent to the outer periphery of said plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced inlet plate; one pair of integral external side manifolds for each side port, wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding, wherein said means are contiguous with said side port and adjacent to the outer periphery of said inlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said inlet plate; a plurality of contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and radially extending from said means for internally manifolding; an open end port contiguous with said contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed outlet plate; one open-faced outlet plate for each inlet plate, wherein said outlet plate comprises: an outlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery for channeling a fluid; at least one outlet plate side port adjacent to the inner periphery of said outlet plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced outlet plate; at least one pair of integral external side manifolds wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said outlet plate side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding said outlet plate, wherein said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate are contiguous with said outlet plate side port and adjacent to the inner periphery of said outlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said outlet plate; a plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and transverse to said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate; an open end port contiguous with said outlet plate contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed inlet plate; and means for sealably connecting said inlet and said outlet plates through their respective integral external side manifolds so as to form said annular structure.

Claim 3

The annular structure of claim 1 wherein said inlet and outlet plates are unibody plates.

Claim 4

The annular structure of claim 1 wherein each inlet and outlet plate has two sides and wherein each side has one side port.

Claim 5

The annular structure of claim of claim 1 wherein there are two pairs of said integral external side manifolds for each inlet plate and two pairs of integral external side manifolds for each outlet plate.

Claim 6

A heat exchanger comprising an externally and internally manifolded annular stack, wherein said annular stack comprises: a cover plate; and a plurality of externally and internally manifolded annular structures stacked out of phase and in alternating sequence, and wherein each annular structure comprises: at least one open-faced inlet plate, wherein said plate comprises: an inlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery, for channeling a fluid; at least one side port adjacent to the outer periphery of said plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced inlet plate; one pair of integral external side manifolds for each side post, wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding, wherein said means are contiguous with said side port and adjacent to the outer periphery of said inlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said inlet plate; a plurality of contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and radially extending from said means for internally manifolding; an open end port contiguous with said contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed outlet plate; one open-faced outlet plate for each inlet plate, wherein said outlet plate comprises: an outlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery for channeling a fluid; at least one outlet plate side port adjacent to the inner periphery of said outlet plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced outlet plate; at least one pair of integral external side manifolds wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said outlet plate side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding said outlet plate, wherein said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate are contiguous with said outlet plate side port and adjacent to the inner pheriphery of said outlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said outlet plate; a plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and transverse to said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate; an open end port contiguous with said outlet plate contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed inlet plate; and means for sealably connecting said inlet and said outlet plates through their respective integral external side manifolds.

Claim 7

A heat exchanger comprising an externally and internally manifolded annular stack, wherein said annular stack comprises: a cover plate; and a plurality of externally and internally manifolded annular structures stacked out of phase and in alternating sequence, and wherein each annular structure comprises: at least one open-faced inlet plate, wherein said plate comprises: an inlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery, for channeling a fluid; at least one side port adjacent to the outer periphery of said plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced inlet plate; one pair of integral external side manifolds for each side post, wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding, wherein said means are contiguous with said side port and adjacent to the outer periphery of said inlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said inlet plate; a plurality of contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and radially extending from said means for internally manifolding; an open end port contiguous with said contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed outlet plate; one open-faced outlet plate for each inlet plate, wherein said outlet plate comprises: an outlet plate having an inner and an outer periphery for channeling a fluid; at least one outlet plate side port adjacent to the inner periphery of said outlet plate and transversely oriented through the top edge of said open-faced outlet plate; at least one pair of integral external side manifolds wherein one external side manifold is positioned at said outlet plate side port and the second integral external side closed manifold is diagonally positioned on the opposite side wall; means for internally manifolding said outlet plate, wherein said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate are contiguous with said outlet plate side port and adjacent to the inner pheriphery of said outlet plate; a closed end coincidental with said outer periphery of said outlet plate; a plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels for directing fluid flow and for enhancing heat transfer, and wherein each of said plurality of outlet plate contact fins and channels are contiguous with, in the plane of, and transverse to said means for internally manifolding said outlet plate; an open end port contiguous with said outlet plate contact fins and channels; and a bottom for mating with an open face of a superposed inlet plate; and means for sealably connecting said inlet and said outlet plates through their respective integral external side manifolds.

Claim 8

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein said inlet and outlet plates are unibody plates.

Claim 9

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein each inlet and outlet plate has two sides and wherein each side has one side port.

Claim 10

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein there are two pairs of integral external side manifolds for each inlet plate and two pairs of external side manifolds for each outlet plate.