Manifold fluid communication plate
View Patent ↗A communication plate extends along and is sandwiched between cylindrical communication manifolds of a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly. The communication plate includes a saddling surface arcuate in one direction and a saddling surface arcuate in the opposite direction for engaging in saddle-like fashion the cylindrical shape of the manifolds. The communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed along the communication plate and aligned co-axial with a plurality of communication orifices disposed along the manifolds to seal the communication orifices of the manifolds and establish distributed and sealed fluid communication between the heat exchanger assemblies.
1. A multi-sectional heat exchanger assembly comprising;
a first heat exchanger assembly and a second heat exchanger assembly, each of said heat exchanger assemblies includes a communication manifold;
said communication manifold of said first heat exchanger assembly is disposed parallel and adjacent to said communication manifold of said second heat exchanger assembly;
each of said communication manifolds defines a plurality of communication orifices disposed linearly along respective said communication manifolds, wherein said communication orifices of said communication manifold of said first heat exchanger assembly is co-axially located with said communication orifices of communication manifold of said second heat exchanger assembly; and
a communication plate having a length extending continuously along and sandwiched between said communication manifolds, said communication plate defines a plurality of communication plate orifices disposed linearly along said communication plate, said communication plate orifices are co-axially located with said communication orifices of said communication manifolds to establish fluid communication between said first and second heat exchanger assemblies;
wherein said communication plate is segmented into a plurality of plate segments each having a rectangular cross-section and spaced from one another and interconnected by a center strip; and
wherein each of said plate segments includes a set of second and third arcuate saddling surfaces extending radially in opposite directions from said center strip.
2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plate segments present said second and third saddling surfaces arcuate in one direction disposed on alternating ones of said plate segments and said second and third saddling surfaces arcuate in the opposite direction disposed on interleaved ones of said plate segments interleaved with said alternating ones of said plate segments.
3. An assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said plate segments includes serpentine plate segments presenting said third set of arcuate saddling surfaces extending in first and second oppositely curved arcs in said opposite radial directions from said second center strip with said first curved arcs presenting said third saddling surfaces arcuate in one direction and said second curved arcs presenting said third saddling surfaces arcuate in the opposite direction to define a serpentine cross-section in each of said serpentine plate segments to engage said communication manifold of said first heat exchanger assembly with said first curved arcs and said communication manifold of said second heat exchanger assembly with said second curved arcs.
4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said alternating serpentine plate segments present a serpentine cross-section opposite to said serpentine cross section of said interleaved serpentine plate segments.
5. An assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein a plurality of tabs extend from the ends of said center strips for engaging the ends of said communication manifolds to align said orifices and stabilize said communication plate during the assembly process.