Stackable core system for producing cast plate heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022412671-A1
Application number	US-202217902352-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2022
Priority date	Mar 23, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of forming a cast heat exchanger plate includes forming at least one hot core plate defining internal features of a one piece heat exchanger plate and at least one first set of interlocking features. At least one cold core plate is formed defining external features of the heat exchanger plate and at least one second set of interlocking features. A core assembly is assembled wherein each hot core plate is directly interlocked to the at least one cold core plate. A wax pattern is formed with the core assembly. An external shell is formed over the wax pattern. The wax pattern is removed to form a space between the core assembly and the external shell. The space is filled with a molten material and cures the molten material. The external shell is removed. The core assembly is removed. A core assembly for a cast heat exchanger is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming a cast heat exchanger plate comprising:
forming at least one hot core plate defining internal features of a one piece heat exchanger plate and at least one first set of interlocking features; forming at least one cold core plate defining external features of the heat exchanger plate and at least one second set of interlocking features; assembling a core assembly wherein each hot core plate is directly interlocked to the at least one cold core plate; and forming a wax pattern with the core assembly; forming an external shell over the wax pattern; removing the wax pattern to form a space between the core assembly and the external shell; filling the space with a molten material and curing the molten material; removing the external shell; and removing the core assembly.

2 . The method as recited in claim 1 , including forming a top half cold plate defining top surface external features of the one piece heat exchanger plate and forming a bottom half core plate defining bottom surface external features of the one piece heat exchanger plate and assembling the core assembly including assembling the top half cold plate and the bottom half core plate to corresponding one of the at least one hot core plates to define top and bottom external features of a completed one piece heat exchanger plate.

3 . The method as recited in claim 1 , including forming structures defining top surface external features and bottom surface external features with wax as part of the wax pattern.

4 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the external features defined by the cold core plate comprise fin portions extending from top and bottom surfaces of a plate portion of a completed one piece heat exchanger.

5 . The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the external features defined by the cold core plate comprise thermal transfer augmentation features.

6 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the external features defined by the cold core plate include an open cooling channel disposed between at least two plate portions of the completed one piece heat exchanger.

7 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the cold core plate includes a top, a bottom, a lock side and a slip side, and forming the cold plate includes forming the at least one second set of interlocking features to include at least two pedestals on the top of the slip side and two pedestals on the bottom of the lock side and forming at two indentations on a bottom of the slip side and two indentations on the top of the lock side.

8 . The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the internal features defined by the hot core plate comprise internal passages extending through a plate portion of a completed one piece heat exchanger plate.

9 . The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein each of the hot core plates includes a top, a bottom, a lock side and a slip side, and forming the hot core plate includes forming the at least one first set of interlocking features as at least two tabs on the bottom of both the lock side and the slip side and forming at least two slots on both the lock side and the slip side.

10 . The method as recited in claim 9 , wherein forming each of the hot core plates includes defining an inlet face and a plurality of inlets corresponding to the internal passages and the slip side defines an outlet face and a plurality of outlets corresponding to the internal passages.

11 . The method as recited in claim 1 , including placing the hot core plates relative to the cold core plates such that the external features defined by the cold core plates are transverse to the internal features defined by the hot core plates.

12 . The method as recited in claim 1 , including interlocking one of the at least one first interlocking features and at least one of the second interlocking features with a portion of the wax pattern to secure an orientation between the two hot core plates and the cold core plate.

13 . The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the cold core plates are spaced apart from the hot core plates and held in a spaced apart orientation by the wax pattern.

14 . A method of forming a cast heat exchanger plate comprising:
forming at least one hot core plate defining internal features of a one piece heat exchanger plate and at least one first set of interlocking features, wherein the first set of interlocking features include rectilinear slots on one side of the at least one hot core plate and a correspondingly shaped rectilinear tab on an opposite side of the at least one hot core plate; forming at least two cold core plates defining external features of the heat exchanger plate and a second set of interlocking features, wherein the second set of interlocking features are formed to include a curvilinear slot on one side of the each of the at least two cold plates and a curvilinear tab on an opposite side of each of the at least two cold plates, the at least two cold core plates are configured to interlock together utilizing the second set of interlocking features to define a spacing therebetween; assembling a core assembly wherein the at least two cold core plates are interlocked together and define a spacing therebetween and the hot core plate is disposed within the spacing between the at least two cold plates with the first set of interlocking features disposed outside of the spacing; forming a wax pattern with the core assembly; forming an external shell over the wax pattern; removing the wax pattern to form a space between the core assembly and the external shell; filling the space with a molten material and curing the molten material; removing the external shell; and removing the core assembly.

15 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the second set of interlocking features are defined as part of a side wall of each of the at least two cold core plates, the side wall including an interior surface defining one of an inlet face and an outlet face of a completed cast heat exchanger.

16 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first set of interlocking features is configured to assemble the at least one hot core plate to another hot core plate.

17 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the first set of interlocking features are disposed transversely relative to the second set of interlocking features and the at least one hot core plate is disposed within the spacing separate from and spaced apart from the at least two cold core plates with the first set of interlocking features outside of the spacing between the at least two cold core plates.

18 . The method as recited in claim 17 , including assembling a top half cold core plate that defines top surface external features of the heat exchanger plate and a bottom half cold core plate that defines bottom surface external features of the heat exchanger plate to interlocking the top half cold core plate and the bottom half cold core plate to a corresponding one of the at least two cold core plates to define top and bottom external features of a completed one piece heat exchanger.

19 . The method as recited in claim 18 , wherein the external features defined by each of the at least two cold core plate comprise at least one of fin portions and augmentation structures disposed on top and bottom surfaces of a completed heat exchanger.

20 . The method as recited in claim 19 , wherein the internal features defined by the at least one hot core plate comprises internal passages extending through a plate

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Disori Michael A
• Verner Carl R
• Bullied Steven J
• Chapdelaine David Donald

Classifications

• F28F1/022

  with multiple channels · CPC title

• F28F1/045

  with assemblies of stacked elements · CPC title

• F28F1/26

  the means being integral with the element (F28F1/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F1/025

  with variable shape, e.g. with modified tube ends, with different geometrical features (F28F1/06, F28F1/08, F28F9/16, F28F9/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F7/02

  Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} · CPC title