US 11,940,232 B2
Heat exchangers including partial height fins having at least partially free terminal edges
Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Evendale, OH (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 6, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/223,290.
Prior Publication US 2022/0316813 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. F28F 1/26 (2006.01); F28D 1/053 (2006.01); F28F 1/32 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 1/26 (2013.01) [F28F 1/32 (2013.01); F28D 1/05383 (2013.01); F28F 2225/06 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a monolithic body comprising:
a first substrate;
a second substrate arranged parallel to and spaced from the first substrate, thereby defining a first fluid flow path;
a third substrate arranged parallel to and spaced from the second substrate opposite the first substrate, thereby defining a second fluid flow path;
a plurality of partial height fins extending from one of the second substrate and the third substrate toward the other of the second substrate or the third substrate, wherein a terminal edge of each partial height fin is at least partially spaced from the other of the second substrate or the third substrate, wherein the plurality of partial height fins is connected to an opposite substrate from which the plurality of partial height fins extends via a plurality of breakable connecting feet, wherein the plurality of breakable connecting feet break away from the opposite substrate in response to operation of the heat exchanger, wherein the plurality of partial height fins are in continuous contact with the substrate from which the plurality of partial height fins extend along a first end and in intermittent contact via the plurality of breakable connecting feet at the opposite substrate; and
a rib extending along the opposite substrate and connecting one or more breakable connecting feet to the opposite substrate.
 
8. A heat exchanger comprising:
a monolithic body comprising:
a plurality of substantially parallel substrates layered one over the over; and
a plurality of partial height fins extending from one of the plurality of substrates toward an adjacent one of the plurality of substrates, wherein a terminal edge of each fin is spaced from the adjacent one of the plurality of substrates to define a plurality of breakable connecting feet that are connected to the adjacent one of the plurality of substrates, wherein the plurality of breakable connecting feet break away from the adjacent substrate in response to operation of the heat exchanger, wherein the plurality of partial height fins are in continuous contact with a substrate from which the plurality of partial height fins extend along a first end and in intermittent contact via the plurality of breakable connecting feet at an opposite substrate; and
a rib extending along the opposite substrate and connecting one or more breakable connecting feet to the opposite substrate.