Claims
- 1. A heat exchanger assembly for exchanging heat between different temperature fluids in first and second flow paths comprising:
- (a) at least one ceramic member having first fluid passages defining a heat exchange portion of said first flow path and second fluid passages defining a heat exchange portion of said second flow path,
- said ceramic member having a hexagonal cross-section such that the top and bottom of the ceramic member each have a pair of adjoining oblique faces which terminate in a squared-off portion forming a ridge therebetween, and each of said first and second fluid passages including inlet and exit flow ports disposed on said oblique faces;
- (b) sealing material surrounding each inlet and exit port, and
- (c) mounting and sealing means for mounting said ceramic member in said first and second flow paths and sealing said first and second fluid passages in said first and second flow paths respectively whereby said mounting and sealing means is operative to adjust for different coefficients of thermal expansion between said ceramic member and said mounting means,
- said mounting and sealing means including:
- (i) top and bottom compression members each having a portion adapted to define a channel of cross-section substantially the same as the pair of oblique faces of said ceramic member, said channel having a plurality of apertures therein ech disposed adjacent one of the inlet and exit flow ports with the sealing material therebetween whereby each flow port is sealed in flow communication with one of the apertures; and
- (ii) means for resiliently holding the channel portion of said compression member in compression against said pair of adjoining oblique faces of said ceramic member and the sealing material of each inlet and exit port thereof wherein said squared-off portion forming a ridge provides a clearance space between said ceramic member and said channel portion of said compression member during thermal expansion.
- 2. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1, wherein said at least one ceramic member comprises a plurality of adjacent ceramic members disposed in a polygonal array and wherein said compression members comprise a top and bottom ring-shaped member and wherein said means for holding the channel portion of said compression member in compression includes a plurality of top and bottom clip assemblies, each clip assembly having a ring segment adapted to fit between adjacent ceramic members in the polygonal array and two attached wall portions adapted to abut the adjacent ceramic members and means for attaching the clip assembly to the channel portion of the compression member and a plurality of pre-loaded spring assemblies disposed outside each pair of top and bottom clip assemblies to hold the pair of clip assemblies in compression.
- 3. An annular heat exchanger assembly for a first fluid stream and a second fluid stream comprising:
- a plurality of ceramic members each having substantially a hexagonal prism shape including two top and two bottom oblique faces and disposed in a near annular array
- a plurality of first fluid heat exchange passages in each ceramic member, each passage in flow communication between flow ports formed in two diagonally opposite oblique faces of the hexagonal prism;
- a plurality of second fluid heat exchange passages in each ceramic member, each passage in flow communication between flow ports formed in the other two diagonally opposite oblique faces of the hexagonal prism;
- top and bottom annular clamping plates, each plate including a central channel portion having a V-shaped cross-section configured to abut two adjoining oblique faces of the ceramic members;
- a plurality of apertures disposed in the channel portion of the clamping plates, each aperture in flow communication with the flow ports of the adjacent oblique face;
- a plurality of continuous gaskets, each positioned between the oblique faces of said ceramic member and the channel portion of said clamping plates and each completely surrounding an aperture in the channel portion;
- means for resiliently holding the channel portion of said clamping plates against said gaskets and oblique faces to provide sealed flow communication for said first and second fluid streams and operative to compensate for the differential thermal expansion of said clamping plates and said ceramic members; and
- means for supporting said annular clamping plates such that said supporting means forms four annular manifolds, each manifold in sealed flow communication with the apertures and flow ports associated with one adjacent oblique face.
Government Interests
The Government of the United States of America has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract DEN3-32 awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
US Referenced Citations (12)
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2301222 |
Jul 1974 |
DEX |
2288287 |
May 1976 |
FRX |
1078868 |
Aug 1967 |
GBX |