Patent Publication Number: US-2013248162-A1

Title: Cooling Apparatus Using Stackable Extruded Plates

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Coolers of various types are used to cool a medium, often a liquid, by transferring a medium through pipes or vessels that have fins or extensions. The fins have a larger surface area to transfer the heat away from the pipe or vessel. In addition, the cooler may spread the medium over a larger surface area and the larger surface area is subject to cooling forces such as a cooling airflow. 
     However, creating the fins in an economical way out of corrosion resistant materials has proven to be a challenge. In addition, past coolers have had a limited life span and high weight. Further, attempting to fix the coolers was difficult and costly. 
     SUMMARY 
     A cooler with an inner core created from a plurality of extruded aluminum plates is disclosed. The plates have a first side with rigid fins and an opposite side that is substantially flat. The extruded plates are stacked on top of each other to create cooling channels. The plates are then held within a container which has an input, an output and can be sealed to prevent leaks. Further, the container itself may be extruded and have fins to further dissipate heat. 
     Advantageously, if the core is damaged or clogged, one or more of the plates that make up the core may be easily removed and replaced. Further, as the plates are aluminum, they will not rust or degrade. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of the cooler with the side open 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of a first extruded plate and an additional extruded plate; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of a plurality of extruded plates stacked to create an inner core; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of the openings inside the core created by the stacked extruded plates; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of the inner core inside the container; and 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of the inner core inside the container. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a cooling apparatus  100 . The cooling apparatus  100  may have a container  110  and an inner core  120 . The inner core  120  may be a plurality of extruded plates  130  that are stacked on top of each other inside the container  110 . The container may have an input  140  and an output  150  and a plurality of cooling fins  160 . 
     The container  110  may be virtually any shape as long as it can hold the inner core  120  and fit in the desired location. Further, to be effective, the container  110  may have cooling fins  160  which may affect the shape. The shape of the container  110  also may be affected by the use of the cooling apparatus  100 . For example, if the cooling apparatus  100  is for a passenger car where airflow is plentiful and heat is not extreme, a smaller cooling apparatus  100  with less cooling fins  160  may be necessary. If the cooling apparatus  100  is for a large earth mover where airflow may be low and temperatures may be high, a larger cooling apparatus  100  with additional cooling fins  160  may be required. 
     The shape of the container  110  also may be designed for specific materials to be cooled. For example, cooling a thick fluid may require a larger cooling apparatus  100  with larger openings in the inner core  110 . Similarly, cooling a thin liquid that flows easily may require a smaller container  110  and smaller openings in the inner core  120 . 
     In one embodiment, the container  110  is made from aluminum. Advantageously, aluminum is light weight and is corrosion resistant. In addition, container  100  may be extruded and machined into the desired shape, making manufacturing simple and cost effective. The fins  160  may be aluminum, and as can be seen in  FIG. 6 , may be extruded and may be part of the container  110  extrusion or may be extruded and attached separately. 
     As mentioned previously, the container  110  may have an input  140  and an output  150 . In  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , a first side  170  and an opposite side  180  are illustrated as being open, and the first side  170  could be considered an input  140  and the opposite side  180  could be considered an output  150 . Of course, the size, location and type of input  140  and output  150  may vary based on the use, the material to be cooled, the placement of the cooling apparatus  100 , etc. For example, in one embodiment, the first side  170  and opposite side  180  may be sealed shut using plates or seals, and orifices, such as hose connections, may be used as inputs  170  and outputs  180 . In this embodiment, the first side  170  may be opened, the inner core  120  may be placed inside the container  110 , and then the container  110  may be sealed shut. In this way, the inner core  120  may be easily serviced. The placement of the input  140  and output  150  may be adjusted based on the orientation of the inner core  120  with the purpose being to spread the material to be cooled over a larger surface area to allow the heat to be extracted from the material. 
     Inside the container  110 , an inner core  120  may be used to assist in cooling the material. The inner core  120  may be made up of a series of plates  130 . Two sample plates  130   135  are illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The plates  130   135  may be made from any appropriate material that can withstand the heat and stress of the intended use of the cooling apparatus  100 . In one embodiment, the plates  130   135  is made of extruded aluminum such as  6061  T6 aluminum. 
     In shape, the plates  130   135  may have a first side  220  that has a plurality of plate cooling fins  200 . The plate cooling fins  200  may be perpendicular to the surface of the plate. Of course, the fins  200  may have a variety of orientations, including a variety of orientations on the same plate  130   135 , as long as the fins provide the desire cooling and strength. 
     The length of the plate cooling fins  200  may be appropriate to create a desired cavity  210  size. For example, a material to be cooled that is thick or especially viscous may require a cavity  210  that is larger than a material that is thin or less viscous. Thus, the plate cooling fins  200  may be longer and the width between the plate cooling fins  200  may be more spread out. 
     The thickness of the plate cooling fins  200  may be such that the fins may support a plurality of plates  130  being stacked on top of the fins  200 . Further, the plate cooling fins  200  may be sized such that the force of the material being forced through the cavities  210  and plate cooling fins  200  will not distort the fins. 
     The shape of the fins  200  also may vary. In some embodiments, the fins  200  may be substantially rectangular. In other embodiments, the fins  200  the fins may have a “T” shape such that additional support may be provide to additional plates  135  stacked on top of the plate  130 . In addition, the “T” shape may provide additional surface area to cool the material. Of course additional shapes are possible and are contemplated, including non-linear and rounded shapes. 
     On the opposite side  230  of the first side  220  of the cooling plates  130   135 , the surface may be flat. The flat surface of the opposite side  230  may be adapted to allow the plates to be stacked stack and rest on a first side  220  of an additional extruded plate  135 . In some embodiments, the opposite side  230  may have notches, ridges or fingers (not shown) that assist in aligning the stacked plates  130   135  and ensure the plates  130   135  stay as desired. In some embodiments, there may be pin holes or screw holes in the plates  130   135  to assist in arranging the plates and holding the plates in the position. In yet another embodiment, there may be interlocking projections on the first side  220  and the fins  200  such that the plate cooling fins  200  and plates  130   135  interlock to hold themselves together. 
     Of course, in some embodiments, the plates  130   135  may have some fins  200  on the first side  220  and some fins  200  on the opposite side  230  and the fins  200  from the first side  220  of a first plate  130  may be oriented to not interfere with the fins  200  on the opposite side  230  of the addition plate  135 . As an example, every other fin  200  may be on different sides of the first plate  130  and the fins  200  from the additional plate  135  may interface with the fins  200  from the first plate  130  to create a desired core  120  with desired openings  210 . 
     In yet another embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the interior of the container  110  may have holders  500  which may be feet or wedges to lock the cooling plates  130  into position. The holders  500  may be integral to the container  110  or may be attached to the container  110  using fasteners such as screws. In addition, the seals of the sides  170   180  may assist in holding the cooling plates  130   135  in the desired position. Of course, other methods of holding the plates  130  together are possible and are contemplated. 
     As mentioned previously and as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , if the first extruded plate  130  is stacked on the plate cooling fins  200  of an addition extruded plate  135 , cooling openings  210  may be created under the first extruded plate  130  and above the additional extruded plate  135 . The cooling openings  210  may be of a desired height, length and width by varying the height, length and separation of the plate cooling fins  200 . The inner cooling core  120  may be made as large as desired by simply adding more cooling plates  130   135 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , any damage or clogging of the core  110  or cooling plates  130   135  may be corrected by removing one plate  130   135  and replacing it with another cooling plate  130   135 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the first extruded plate  130  and the additional cooling plates  135  may be the same width, height and depth. In other embodiments, the plates  130   135  may have different widths, heights and depths depending on the desired flow within the core  120 . For example, the cooling openings  210  may be larger in the center of the core  120  and smaller on the perimeter of the core  120 . 
     To create a core  120 , a first plate  130  may be stacked on top of an additional cooling plate  135 . Additional cooling plates  135  may be stacked or added until the core  120  is of a desired size based on the use of the cooling apparatus  100 , the material to be cooled, the conditions in which the cooling apparatus  100  will operate, etc. The cooling plates  130   135  may be extruded and cut to a desired size, making them easy to make and easy to replace if they are damaged, worm, clogged, dirty, etc. Further, the plates  130   135  may be very cost effective to make. The plates  130   135 , which are now a formed core  120 , may then be fastened in place inside the container  110  using holders  500 . In some embodiments, the plates  130   135  may be also be held together using fastener such as bolts or screws. The cooling apparatus  100  may then be brought into communication with an input source  140  and an output source  150 . At a desired rate, the material to be cooled may be introduced into the cooling apparatus  100  through an input  140  and may leave through an output  150  once the material has been cooled as desired. 
     In operation, a material may be communicated to the cooling apparatus  100  through the input  140 . The material, such as a fluid like oil, transmission fluid or heated exhaust air, may be introduced to the cooling core  120  through the input  140 . The material may expand to fill the space in the core  120 . By covering additional surface area with the material, the material is easier to cool. Thus, the material will flow through the cooling openings  210  which will assist in removing the heat from the material as the material will have extensive surface area to flow through and transfer heat. The heat inside the core may flow to the container  110  where the fins  160  may assist in further dissipating the heat from the material. At a desired time, the material will flow out of the core  120 , out the output  150  and return to its source. 
     By using extruded plates that are cut and stacked, a heat exchanger core  120  may be produced quickly and cost effectively out of aluminum that could not otherwise be extruded or machined. It is not possible to extrude the core  120  created by the stacked the plates  130   135  as the detail is not possible in a single extrusion. The cooler  100  may be used in anything that is transferring heat from one fluid to another. The design is unique in the fact that it is so easy to achieve the common core  120  design and optimize it for thermal transfer in any length. In addition, if sufficient cooling is not present, a core  120  with different openings  210  may easily be tested and used The practice will lend itself to filling any cooler  100  cavity. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of many different embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.