Heat exchanger fabricated from polymer compositions

• US 4,955,435 A
• Filed: 04/06/1988
• Issued: 09/11/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Du Pont Taiwan Limited (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Du Pont Taiwan Limited (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cesaroni, Anthony J., Shuster, Jerry P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US07/178,387
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 165/170-175, 165/166, 165/133, 165/905, 126/426, 126/444, 126/445, 126/448, 126/450, 126/901, 126/449
• US Class Current: 165/170
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 1/035 with U-flow or serpentine-flow inside the conduits F28D1/0341 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/065 the heat-exchange apparatus employing plate-like or laminated conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 165/905 Materials of manufacture

Abstract

A panel heat exchanger is disclosed. The heat exchanger comprises a generally planar panel having a pair of relatively thin unitary outer walls formed from a composition of a thermoplastic polymer, expecially a polyamide. The walls, which have a thickness of less than 0.7 mm, are bonded together to form a labryinth of fluid passages between the walls. The passages extend between inlet and outlet means and occupy a substantial proportion of the area of the panel. The heat exchangers are relatively economical to manufacture and may be used in a variety of end uses, depending on the properties of the polymer composition, including in some instances as heat exchangers in automobiles.

Claims

1. A panel heat exchanger comprising a generally planar panel having a pair of unitary outer walls of a thickness in the range of 0.12-0.50 mm and formed from a composition of aliphatic polyamide, said unitary outer walls being circumferentially bonded together and further said unitary outer walls being bonded together to define inlet and outlet header areas and a labyrinth of fluid passages extending between the inlet and outlet header areas, said fluid passages occupying a substantial proportion of the area of the panel.

2. The panel heat exchanger of claim 1 in which said outer walls are moulded with channels defining said labyrinth of fluid passages prior to bonding to the other outer wall.

3. The panel heat exchanger of claim 1 in which the outer walls have a thickness of 0.15 to 0.4 mm.