Heat exchanger core

Abstract

A heat exchanger core is fabricated from plastic sheets with a flat side and a corrugated side. The plastic sheets are stacked so that the corrugated sheets define two flow paths. The plastic sheets is held in a stacked position by a retaining member.

1 . A heat exchanger core comprising a plurality of synthetic resin layers, each layer having a liner member presenting a liner member thickness, and a fluting member, the liner member and the fluting member of each layer cooperatively defining a plurality of fluid receiving channels presenting a fluid flow path along a fluid flow path direction, at least some of said synthetic resin layers oriented with each other such that said heat exchanger core presents first and second fluid flow paths in different fluid flow path directions, and at least some of said oriented layers positioned adjacent each other with said first and second flow paths being separated by a thickness of less than twice said liner member thickness  
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein some of the layers are rectangular.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of synthetic resin layers are stacked in a frame.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fluid flow path directions are generally transverse.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more layers include notches for receiving a retaining member.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a top member and a bottom member including channels sized to receive a retaining member.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the retaining member comprises a strap.  
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger comprising: 
 a plurality of synthetic resin layers, each layer having a liner member presenting a liner member thickness, and a fluting member, the liner member and the fluting member of each layer cooperatively defining a plurality of fluid receiving channels presenting a fluid flow paths along a fluid flow path direction, at least some of said synthetic resin layers oriented with each other such that said heat exchanger core presents first and second fluid flow paths in different fluid flow path directions, and at least some of said layers positioned adjacent each other with said first and second flow paths being separated by a thickness of less than twice said liner member thickness    a retaining member for retaining the plurality of layers in a stacked configuration; and    a housing comprising a first aperture and second aperture in communication with the first fluid flow path and a first aperture and a second aperture in communication with the second flow path.    
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein some of the layers are rectangular.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising a top member and a bottom member having exterior surfaces with channels for receiving the retaining member.  
   
   
       11 . A method of making a heat exchanger core comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of synthetic resin layers, each layer having a liner member presenting a liner member thickness, and a fluting member, the liner member and the fluting member of each layer cooperatively defining a plurality of fluid receiving channels presenting a fluid flow paths along a fluid flow path direction,    layering the plastic sheets so that at least some of said synthetic resin layers are oriented with each other such that said heat exchanger core presents first and second fluid flow paths in different fluid flow path directions, and at least some of said oriented layers positioned adjacent each other with said first and second flow paths being separated by a thickness of less than twice said liner member thickness; and    retaining the plastic sheets in a stacked configuration with at least one retaining member.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein some of the layers are rectangular.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing a top member and a bottom member, wherein the step of retaining the plastic sheets in a stacked configuration comprises securing the plurality of plastic sheets between the top member and the bottom member.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the top member and bottom member comprise exterior surfaces having channels for receiving the retaining member.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the retaining member comprises a strap.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining member comprises a rectangular frame.