Patent ID: 7249628

Claim:
An apparatus for conditioning the temperature of a first fluid, said apparatus adapted to be connected in-line with a first fluid flow circuit, said apparatus comprising: a plurality of thermoplastic hollow tubes, each of said hollow tubes having a first surface, a second surface, and a wall having a thickness from 0.001 inches to 0.1 inches between said first surface and said second surface, said hollow tubes having two end portions and hollows passing therebetween; end portions of said hollow tubes fluid tightly bonded together in a fused fashion with a thermoplastic resin to an end of a housing to form a unified terminal end block; said hollow tubes being un-bonded at portions other than the end portions; said unified terminal end block having through hole communication with the hollows of unbonded portions of said hollow tubes, said hollow tubes have a packing density of from 3 to 99 percent by volume in said housing; said housing having a first fluid inlet whereby the first fluid contacts the first surface of the hollow tubes, said first fluid flows to a first fluid outlet; said housing including a second fluid inlet whereby a second fluid contacts the second surface of the hollow tubes, said second fluid flows to a second fluid outlet; said first fluid and said second fluid exchange energy through the walls of the hollow tubes, the first fluid and the second fluid separated by the housing, the walls of the hollow tubes, and said unified terminal end block; means for controlling a flow of the second fluid, said means for controlling the flow of the second fluid being in fluid communication with said second fluid outlet of said housing; a temperature sensor in fluid communication with said first fluid outlet, said temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the first fluid; and a controller; said controller determining the temperature of the first fluid, said controller comparing said measured temperature of the first fluid to a setpoint temperature for said first fluid, said controller generating an electrical output signal proportional to a difference between the first fluid setpoint temperature and the temperature of the first fluid.