High temperature plate fin heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a plate portion including a top surface, bottom surface, a leading edge, a trailing edge and a plurality of internal passages extending between an inlet and an outlet. A fin portion extends outward from one of the top surface and the bottom surface. The fin portion and the leading edge of the plate portion define a leading edge contour. A cast plate for a heat exchanger and a method are also disclosed.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plate portion including a top surface, bottom surface, a leading edge forming a continuous curvilinear surface between the top surface and the bottom surface, a trailing edge and a plurality of internal passages extending between an inlet and an outlet, the continuous curvilinear surface extending along a width of the plate portion transverse to the plurality of internal passages;   a fin portion extending outward from one of the top surface and the bottom surface, wherein the fin portion includes a leading edge that merges into the continuous curvilinear surface formed by the leading edge of the plate portion to define a continuous curvilinear leading edge contour.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fin portion and trailing edge of the plate portion define a trailing edge contour. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the leading edge contour and the trailing edge contour are disposed within a plane transverse to the plurality of internal passages. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of internal passages comprise one of an elliptical shape and a rectilinear shape in cross-section. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fin portion includes a fin thickness in cross-section that varies between the leading edge and the trailing edge. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the fin thickness is largest at the leading edge. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the fin portion comprises a plurality of bottom fin portions extending outward from the bottom surface and a plurality of top fin portions extending outward from the top surface, wherein each of the plurality of top fin portions are offset from the plurality of bottom fin portions. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , including an inlet manifold in fluid communication with the inlet and an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plate portion and the fin portion comprise a single unitary cast item. 
     
     
         10 . A cast plate for a heat exchanger comprising:
 a plate portion including a top surface, bottom surface, a curvilinear leading edge, a trailing edge and a plurality of internal passages extending between an inlet and an outlet; and   a plurality of bottom fin portions extending outward from the bottom surface and a plurality of top fin portions extending outward from the top surface, wherein each of the plurality of top fin portions are offset from the plurality of bottom fin portions, wherein at least one of the plurality of top fin portions and the bottom fin portions merge with the curvilinear leading edge to define a continuous curvilinear leading edge contour of the plate portion.   
     
     
         11 . The cast plate as recited in  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of top fin portions and the bottom fin portions define a continuous curvilinear trailing edge contour common with the trailing edge of the plate portion. 
     
     
         12 . The cast plate as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the leading edge contour and the trailing edge contour are disposed within respective planes transverse to the plurality of internal passages. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of internal passages comprise one of an elliptical shape and a rectilinear shape in cross-section. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger as recited in  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of top fin portions and bottom fin portions includes a fin thickness that is largest at the leading edge. 
     
     
         15 - 18 . (canceled)