Patent ID: 9080818
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: F28F

Abstract:
1. A plate-fin heat exchanger, comprising: a housing; a first metal facesheet within the housing and sealed to the housing, at least one opening extending through the first metal facesheet from a first side to a second side thereof; a second metal facesheet within the housing and sealed to the housing, at least one opening extending through the second metal facesheet from a first side to a second side thereof, the second metal facesheet is spaced from the first metal facesheet in a longitudinal direction defining a chamber between the second side of the first metal facesheet and the second side of the second metal facesheet; a first inlet to the chamber and a first outlet from the chamber for a first fluid; a second inlet and a second outlet for a second fluid, the second inlet is in fluid communication with the first side of the first metal facesheet that faces away from the chamber and the second outlet is in fluid communication with the first side of the second metal facesheet that faces away from the chamber; and a plate-fin tube bundle disposed within the chamber, the plate-fin tube bundle includes a plurality of plate-fin heat exchange units, each plate-fin heat exchange unit includes: an extruded metal plate that includes first and opposing major surfaces and first and second opposing ends, at least one enclosed fluid flow channel extending through the extruded metal plate from the first end to the second end thereof, the enclosed fluid flow channel does not extend through the first and second opposing major surfaces, the first end is friction stir welded to the first metal facesheet with the at least one enclosed fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the second inlet via the at least one opening in the first metal facesheet, and the second end is friction stir welded to the second metal facesheet with the at least one enclosed fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the second outlet via the at least one opening in the second metal facesheet; and the plurality of the plate-fin heat exchange units are stacked together inside the chamber in direct contact with one another with the second ends of the fins of each plate-fin heat exchange unit joined to the second major surface of the extruded metal plate of an adjacent plate-fin heat exchange unit.