Heat exchanger bell mouth inlet

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes at least one passage defining a flow path for airflow. A manifold includes a transition region including at least two rib portions defining a smoothly curved transition surface into the at least one passage. A method is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 at least one passage defining a flow path for airflow; and   a manifold including a transition region including at least two rib portions defining a smoothly curved transition surface into the at least one passage.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the manifold includes a housing with an inlet opening and the transition region is adjacent the at least one passage. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least two rib portions extend across the transition region of the manifold. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the at least two rib portions include a support portion supporting the at least one passage. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 4 , including a plate defining the at least one passage, the plate abutted against the support portion of the at least two rib portions so as to continue the smoothly curved transition surface through the at least one passage. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 5 , including a seal disposed between the plate and the at least two rib portions. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the plate comprises a unitary part without joints. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the smoothly curved transition surface comprises a bell mouth shape. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , including a plurality of passages for airflow and the manifold comprises an inlet manifold at one end of the plurality of passages and an outlet manifold at an opposite end of the plurality of passages. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 at least two plates defining an first flow passage, the at least two plates including an inlet region, wherein the inlet region comprises a smoothly curved transition region; and   a manifold including an inlet opening and a transition region supporting the at least two plates.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the plate comprises a first end portion spaced apart from a second end portion, a cavity defining a first flow path between the first end portion and the second end portion, and an outer surface portion defining a second flow path, wherein the plate comprises a single unitary part without a joint between any two portions. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of the first end portion and the second end portion include the smoothly curved transition region. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the at least two plates comprises a plurality of plates stacked atop each other and supported within the transition region of the manifold. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the manifold comprises a first manifold at an inlet end of the at least two plates and a second manifold at the outlet end of the at least two plates. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the smoothly curved transition surface comprises a bell mouth shape. 
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling a heat exchanger comprising:
 defining a manifold to include a plurality of ribs extending across a transition region, each of the plurality of ribs including a smoothly curved transition surface; and   inserting a plate defining an airflow passage between two of the plurality of ribs to hold the plates within the transition region and define a smoothly curved transition surface into the airflow passage.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , including inserting a seal between an end of the plate and at least two ribs. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the manifold comprises an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold and the method includes inserting the plate into both the inlet manifold to define an inlet transition surface into the airflow passage and the outlet manifold to define an outlet transition surface for airflow exiting the airflow passage.