Patent ID: 6935411

Claim:
A heat exchanger for transferring heat to or from a fluid, comprising: a) a heat transfer surface adapted to transfer heat to or from said heat exchanger; b) a manifold region substantially coextensive with, and spaced from, said heat transfer surface; c) a heat transfer region substantially coextensive with said heat transfer surface and located between said manifold region and said heat transfer surface; d) a plurality of internal walls defining a plurality of alternating inlet and outlet passages in said manifold region, said internal walls extending into said heat transfer region in a direction substantially normal to said heat transfer surface to a location proximate said heat transfer surface so as to divide said heat transfer region into a plurality of alternating inflow and outflow portions; and e) a heat transfer structure located in each of said plurality of inflow portions, said heat transfer structure in good thermal communication with said heat transfer surface and containing a plurality of channels each having a primary flow axis substantially normal to said heat transfer surface; wherein: i) said plurality of inflow portions are in fluid communication with corresponding ones of said plurality of inlet passages; ii) said plurality of outflow portions are in fluid communication with corresponding ones of said plurality of outlet passages; and iii) adjacent ones of said plurality of inflow portions and said plurality of outflow portions are in fluid communication with each other through a space between corresponding ones of said plurality of internal walls and said heat transfer surface.