Patent ID: 8376035
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: F25J,F28D,F28F

Abstract:
1. A plate-fin heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of layers including a first layer and a second layer for indirectly exchanging heat between a first fluid flowing through the first layer and a second fluid flowing through the second layer, each of the first and the second layer having fins; the plurality of layers stacked one on the other to form a stack, thereby to define a height, a length and a width for the plate-fin heat exchanger, the length being longer than the width; each of the first layer and the second layer having two sections extending along the length of the plate-fin heat exchanger with a central location of the plate-fin heat exchanger situated between the two sections; each of the two sections having an inlet and an outlet for introduction and discharge of the first fluid and the second fluid into and from the two sections of the first layer and the second layer, respectively; the inlet of one of the two sections connected to the inlet of the other of the two sections and the outlet of the one of the two sections connected to the outlet of the other of the two sections so that the first fluid and the second fluid divide into two subsidiary streams upon the introduction into the two sections of the first layer and the second layer, respectively, and combine upon the discharge from the two sections; and the inlet and the outlet of the one of the two sections and the inlet and the outlet of the other of the two sections positioned so that the two subsidiary streams flow parallel to the length of the plate-fin heat exchanger; wherein the central location is situated equidistantly from the ends of the plate-fin heat exchanger; wherein the plate-fin heat exchanger has opposite sides formed by the length of the plate-fin heat exchanger, the inlet and the outlet include headers in an orientation parallel to the height of the plate-fin heat exchanger and situated at locations at least along one of the opposite sides of the plate-fin heat exchanger at or adjacent to the ends of the plate-fin heat exchanger.