Integral fin passage heat exchanger

Abstract

A plate-fin heat exchanger includes a plurality of integral fin passages and a plurality of fins. Each fin is located between and bonded to outer surfaces of adjacent integral fin passages. Each integral fin passage has integrally formed plates and extended surfaces. The integral fin passages may be formed by extrusion.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 first and second integral fin passages, each integral fin passage having integrally formed plates and extended surfaces; and    a fin located between and bonded to outer surfaces of the first and second integral fin passages.    
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein extended surfaces at edges of the plates provide closure bars for the integral fin passages.  
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein at least one integral fin passage further includes a closure bar for the fin.  
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , further comprising closure bars for the fin, each closure bar being located between and bonded to the outer surfaces of the first and second integral fin passages.  
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second header plates, first ends of the integral fin passages fitting into slots in the first header plate, second ends of the integral fin passages fitting into slots in the second header plate, the header plates providing closure for the fin.  
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein the header plates are made of a braze clad material.  
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin has an offset geometry.  
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fin is made of a braze clad material.  
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each integral fin passage provides a plurality of straight fluid flow passageways.  
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the integral fin passages and the fin have a counter-flow or co-current flow arrangement.  
     
     
         11 . A core of a plate-fin heat exchanger, the core comprising: 
 a plurality of integral fin passages, each integral fin passage having first and second plates and a plurality of extended surfaces extending between the first and second plates, the plates and the extended surfaces being integral, the plates and extended surfaces defining first passageways; and    a plurality of fins, each fin being located between and bonded to plates of adjacent integral fin passages, the plates and the fins defining second passageways.    
     
     
         12 . The core of  claim 11 , wherein at least one integral fin passage further includes a closure bar for an adjacent fin.  
     
     
         13 . The core of  claim 11 , further comprising closure bars for the fins, each closure bar being located between and bonded to plates of adjacent integral fin passages.  
     
     
         14 . The core of  claim 11 , further comprising first and second header plates, first ends of the integral fin passages fitting into slots in the first header plate, second ends of the integral fin passages fitting into slots in the second header plate, the header plates providing closure for the fins.  
     
     
         15 . The core of  claim 14 , wherein the header plates are made of a braze clad material.  
     
     
         16 . The core of  claim 11 , wherein the integral fin passages provide straight fluid flow passageways.  
     
     
         17 . The core of  claim 11 , wherein the fins are made of a braze clad material.  
     
     
         18 . A method of constructing a heat exchanger, the method comprising: 
 providing a plurality of integral fin passages, each integral fin passage having been extruded to form plates and extended surfaces; and    locating fins between outer surfaces of adjacent integral fin passages; and    bonding the fins to the outer surfaces of the integral fin passages.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the steps of mounting header plates to opposite ends of the integral fin passages; and bonding the header plates to the integral fin passages.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of securing manifolds to the header plates and integral passages.