IP Library Granted Patent US 12704330
Granted Patent B2
US 12704330 · App. 18/141,697 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Aircraft heat exchangers and plates

Inventors: Russell J. Bergman (South Windsor, CT); William D. Blickenstaff (Port Saint Lucie, FL); James F. Wiedenhoefer (Windsor, CT); Scott D. Virkler (Ellington, CT); Jason D. Liles (Palmyra, VA)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
F28F3/12F28D9/0081F28F9/0202F28D9/0018F28F9/0263F28F2009/029F28F13/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12704330
App. No.
18/141,697
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat exchanger plate for provides heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath. The heat exchanger plate comprised a body having: a first face and a second face opposite the first face; a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath; a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath; and at least one passageway along the first flowpath. Along a proximal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a first angle. Along a distal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a second angle less than the first angle.

Claims (77)

1 . A heat exchanger plate for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plate comprising a body having:

a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;

a first face along the second flowpath and a second face opposite the first face along the second flowpath, the leading edge and the trailing edge joining the first face and second face;

a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath; and

at least one passageway along the first flowpath,

wherein:

the body comprises a cast substrate;

along at least one of the first face and the second face the plate has sheetmetal fins secured to the body;

along at least 8.0% of a height between the proximal edge and the distal edge, the first face and the second face converge at a first angle of at least 0.25°.

2 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein:

said at least 8.0% of a height between the proximal edge and the distal edge is a continuous zone and the first angle is uniform along said continuous zone.

3 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein:

the plate has a plurality of interior walls separating legs of the at least one passageway at a progressively increasing spacing from proximal to distal.

4 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein:

along at least 50% of a height between the proximal edge and the distal edge, the first face and the second face converge at a first angle of between 0.25° and 5.0°.

5 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein the passageway comprises:

an inlet plenum extending from the at least one inlet port of the plate;

an outlet plenum extending to the at least one outlet port of the plate; and

a plurality of legs in parallel between the inlet plenum and the outlet plenum.

6 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 5 wherein:

the inlet plenum is adjacent the trailing edge; and

the outlet plenum is adjacent the leading edge.

7 . A heat exchanger plate for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plate comprising a body having:

a first face and a second face opposite the first face;

a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;

a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath; and

at least one passageway along the first flowpath,

wherein:

along a proximal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a first angle;

along a distal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a second angle less than the first angle;

along the proximal portion, the body has integral fins; and

along the distal portion, the plate has sheetmetal fins secured to the body.

8 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

the first angle is at least 0.25° greater than the second angle.

9 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

the second angle is 0.0°.

10 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

the proximal portion extends for a height of at least 8% of a height from the proximal edge.

11 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

along the proximal portion, the plate has a plurality of walls at a progressively increasing spacing from proximal to distal.

12 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 11 wherein:

along the distal portion, the plate has a plurality of walls at a constant spacing.

13 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein the body comprises a cast substrate.

14 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

along the distal portion, the plate has sheetmetal fins secured to the body.

15 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

the at least one inlet port along the first flowpath is a single inlet port;

the at least one outlet port along the first flowpath is a single outlet port; and

the single inlet port and single outlet port are on respective plugs.

16 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 7 wherein:

the at least one inlet port along the first flowpath is a single inlet port;

the at least one outlet port along the first flowpath is a single outlet port; and

the single inlet port and single outlet port are on respective plugs protruding from a flat main portion of the proximal edge.

17 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one inlet port along the first flowpath is a single inlet port;

the at least one outlet port along the first flowpath is a single outlet port; and

the single inlet port and single outlet port are on respective plugs.

18 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 1 wherein:

the at least one inlet port along the first flowpath is a single inlet port;

the at least one outlet port along the first flowpath is a single outlet port; and

the single inlet port and single outlet port are on respective plugs protruding from a flat main portion of the proximal edge.

19 . A heat exchanger plate for providing heat transfer between a first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along a second flowpath, the heat exchanger plate comprising a body having:

a first face and a second face opposite the first face;

a leading edge along the second flowpath and a trailing edge along the second flowpath;

a proximal edge having at least one inlet port along the first flowpath and at least one outlet port along the first flowpath; and

at least one passageway along the first flowpath,

wherein:

along a proximal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a first angle;

along a distal portion, the first face and the second face converge at a second angle less than the first angle;

along the proximal portion, the plate has a plurality of walls at a progressively increasing spacing from proximal to distal; and

along the distal portion, the plate has a plurality of walls at a constant spacing.

20 . The heat exchanger plate of claim 19 wherein:

the body comprises a cast substrate;

along the distal portion, the plate has sheetmetal fins secured to the body,

the at least one inlet port along the first flowpath is a single inlet port;

the at least one outlet port along the first flowpath is a single outlet port; and

the single inlet port and single outlet port are on respective plugs protruding from a flat main portion of the proximal edge.