Heat Exchangers

Abstract

A heat exchanger 11 for use as a cross flow radiator for an engine cooling system has a heat exchanger matrix 12 , header tanks 13, 14 and a side plate 16 arranged at the upper of a pair of opposite side edges 16, 17 of the matrix 12 . The matrix 12 has tubes 18 which extend between tanks 13, 14 and cooling fins 19 . A restrictor plate 21 arranged on side plate 16 restricts air flow past fin 19 A. Restrictor plate 21 may have cut out gaps or castellations 22 . This reduces heat transfer through the fins above the uppermost tube 18 A allowing for a more even temperature distribution, which reduces stress from thermal expansion.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a generally rectangular heat exchanger matrix;   an inlet header tank at one edge of said matrix;   an outlet header tank at a second edge of said matrix, said second edge being opposite from said first edge;   first and second side plates on third and fourth edges of the matrix;   a plurality of tubes extending in a parallel array between said inlet and outlet header tanks to provide a path for liquid to flow between said tanks;   a plurality of interior cooling fins arranged between adjacent pairs of tubes;   an edge cooling fin arranged between said first side plate and said first side plate's adjacent tube; and   a restrictor placed in adjacent said edge cooling fin.   
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second edge cooling fin arranged between said second side plate and said second side plate's adjacent tube; and   a second restrictor placed adjacent said second edge cooling fin.   
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor is a plate with cut-outs. 
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor is a plate which occludes a portion of said edge fin. 
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3  wherein said restrictor is of nearly constant width. 
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor occludes an upstream side of said edge fin. 
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor occludes a downstream side of said edge fin. 
   
   
       8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor occludes an upstream side of said edge fin, said heat exchanger further comprising:
 a second restrictor occluding a downstream side of said edge fin.   
   
   
       9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the restrictor is part of a cooling fan cowl. 
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein said restrictor is attached to said first plate. 
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10  wherein said restrictor is attached to said first plate by at least one of: welding, gluing, crimping, and riveting. 
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10  wherein the heat exchanger is a cross-flow radiator. 
   
   
       13 . A cross-flow radiator, comprising:
 a generally rectangular heat exchanger matrix;   an inlet header tank at one edge of said matrix;   an outlet header tank at a second edge of said matrix, said second edge being opposite from said first edge;   first and second side plates on third and fourth edges of the matrix;   a plurality of tubes extending between said inlet and outlet header tanks to provide a path for liquid to flow between said tanks;   a cooling fin arranged between said first side plate and said first side plate's adjacent tube; and   a restrictor plate placed adjacent said cooling fin.   
   
   
       14 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said restrictor plate is attached to said first side plate occluding an upstream side of said cooling fin. 
   
   
       15 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said restrictor plate is attached to said first side plate occluding a downstream side of said cooling fin. 
   
   
       16 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said restrictor plate is part of a cooling fan cowl. 
   
   
       17 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said restrictor plate has perforations so that only a portion of the cross-sectional area of said cooling fin is occluded. 
   
   
       18 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said restrictor plate is narrower than the cooling fin width so that a portion of said cooling fin cross-sectional area is occluded. 
   
   
       19 . The radiator of  claim 13  wherein said cooling fin is an edge cooling fin and along its length has a first number of waves, the radiator further comprising: a plurality of interior fins having a second number of waves along their length, wherein said second number of waves is greater than said first number of waves.