High performance fan tail heat exchanger

Abstract

A novel plate fin heat exchanger adapted for high and low velocity fluid flows for dissipating heat. The heat exchanger comprises an array of fins being affixed to and in thermal communication with a thermally conductive base, wherein the fins are arranged in a fan tail configuration for minimizing flow bypass, and further providing reduced thermal resistance for fluid passing through the fin field. The fins are affixed to and in thermal communication with the base at an acute angle, such that the effective width of the array of fins exceeds the width of the base. The enlarged effective width of the fin array in comparison to conventional heat exchanger provides an increased volume for fluid flow, thereby allowing a greater volume of fluid to enter the fin field and a greater surface area of plate fins for cooling the fluid passing through the heat exchanger.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger having a primary fin field that increases the flow rate of fluid passing through said field and reduces thermal resistance for fluid passing through a heat exchange field, 
 said heat exchanger dissipating heat from a heat generating component and having a thermally conductive primary base in thermal communication with said component,    said primary base defining a substantial planar region, a plurality of thermally conductive plate fins affixed to said primary base in a spaced relationship along said substantially planar region, said bottom of said fins is affixed to said base at a straight angle, said plate fins defining a primary fin field of channels, a top region, an intake region and an exhaust region, and said plate fins having a uniform cross-sectional area extending from the base to the top region;;    said plate fins forming a fan tail for providing a large control volume of fluid passing through the heat exchanger and minimizing fluid by-pass, wherein the width of the primary fin field adjacent to the top region is greater than the width of the primary fin field adjacent to the base; and    said top region of said primary fin field defining a flat planar surface area parallel to the planar region of said base such that each fin in said primary fin field extends from said base to said top region and each fin in said primary fin field provides a uniform effective length for improving convection.    
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said fin field has a density range from about 10 fins per inch to about 60 fins per inch.  
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the fin field has a range from about 45 mm to about 64 mm.  
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the length of the fins range from about 15 mm to about 19.3 mm.  
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the fins to the base range from about 51 degrees to about 90 degrees.  
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein said fins have an aperture along a common portion such that the aperture forms a secondary channel perpendicular to the channels of the fin field.  
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a set of end fins have a thickness between 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm.  
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive planar base;    plate fins affixed to said base and form a fin field;    said fins having generally uniform spacing between adjacent fins;    a top region of said fin field having a width greater than a width of a bottom of said fin field adjacent to said base; and    said top region forms a planar surface area parallel to the base.    
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein said fin field has a density range from about 10 fins per inch to about 60 fins per inch.  
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the width of the fin field has a range from about 45 mm to about 64 mm.  
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the length of the fins range from about 15 mm to about 19.3 mm.  
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the angle of the fins to the base range from about 51 degrees to about 90 degrees.  
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , further comprising an aperture along a common portion of said fins and to form a secondary channel perpendicular to the channels of the fin field.  
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein a set of end fins have a thickness between 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm.  
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a thermally conductive planar base;    plate fins affixed to said base and form a fin field;    said fins having generally equal spacing between adjacent fins;    a top region of said fin field having a width greater than a width of a bottom of said fin field adjacent to said base;    said plate fins having a uniform cross-sectional area extending from the base to the top region; and    said top region forms a planar surface area parallel to the base.    
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein said fin field has a density range from about 10 fins per inch to about 60 fins per inch.  
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the fin field has a range from about 45 mm to about 64 mm.  
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein the length of the fins range from about 15 mm to about 19.3 mm.  
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein the angle of the fins to the base range from about 51 degrees to about 90 degrees.  
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , further comprising an aperture along a common portion of said fins and to form a secondary channel perpendicular to the channels of the fin field.  
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein a set of end fins have a thickness between 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm.