US 12,447,793 B2
Shell and tube heat exchanger with flexible diaphragm
Adam C. Felton, Grove City, PA (US); Kevin Bailey, Mercer, PA (US); and Manuel Licon Flores, Erie, PA (US)
Assigned to Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by Transportation IP Holdings, LLC, Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/507,103.
Application 16/899,331 is a division of application No. 15/821,729, filed on Nov. 22, 2017, abandoned.
Application 17/507,103 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/899,331, filed on Jun. 11, 2020, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/176,987, filed on Apr. 20, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0041035 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. F28D 1/00 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B60H 1/00 (2006.01); F28D 1/03 (2006.01); F28F 7/02 (2006.01); B23P 15/26 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC B60H 1/00342 (2013.01) [B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); F28D 1/0341 (2013.01); F28F 7/02 (2013.01); B23P 15/26 (2013.01); F28D 2021/0089 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat transfer apparatus comprising:
an outer shell, an internal heat transfer core body, and a flexible diaphragm coupling and extending from the core body to an interior surface of the outer shell,
the shell including a first inlet configured to receive a first fluid, a second inlet configured to receive a second fluid, a first outlet through which the first fluid is directed out of the shell, and a second outlet through which the second fluid is directed out of the shell, the core body forming first interior passageways and second interior passageways that are separate from each other, the first interior passageways fluidly coupling the first inlet with the first outlet, the second interior passageways fluidly coupling the second inlet with the second outlet,
the flexible diaphragm forming a flexible transition between each of the first inlet and the second inlet of the shell and the core body, the flexible diaphragm also forming a seal that prevents the first fluid flowing through the first interior passageways from flowing into the second interior passageways of the core body, wherein the shell, the core body, and the flexible diaphragm are a single, monolithic body, wherein the flexible diaphragm interfaces with the interior surface of the shell and includes an inner fillet and an outer fillet on opposite sides of an interface between the flexible diaphragm and the shell, and wherein the flexible diaphragm has a curved conical shape from the shell to the core body.