Fluid jet impingement heat exchanger for operation in zero gravity conditions

Claim 1

An impingement and convection heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of spaced tube sections in side-by-side relation, said tube sections having generally rectangular cross sections and being adapted to receive a first fluid in a heat exchange operation; and baffle means surrounding said tube sections including a first barrier adjacent to and extending about three sides of each of said tube sections including generally U-shaped channels disposed between adjacent ones of said tube sections, said first barrier having a plurality of rows of apertures, at least one row for each of said three sides of each of said tube sections, the apertures opening toward the adjacent side of the associated tube sections and adapted to cause a second fluid in a heat exchange operation and passing through the apertures to impinge on said adjacent side along the length of said rows, and a second barrier opposite of said first barrier and adjacent the remaining side of each of said tube sections and cooperating with said first barrier to substantially enclose said tube sections, said second barrier having a plurality of rows of second fluid exit ports, one row for each of said tube sections and opening away from said remaining sides; whereby the second fluid will be placed in heat exchange relation with said tube section by impingement on said three sides thereof and by convection on said remaining side thereof.