1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to heat exchangers and, more particularly, to special reinforcing structure for thin plate-and-fin heat exchangers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different approaches are known in the prior art to dealing with the problem of pressure containment and structural reinforcement in thin plate heat exchangers. External framework such as the heat exchanger strongback described above is disclosed in the Flurschutz et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,997,279. Internal spacing and reinforcing structure is also well known, as exemplified by the disclosures of the Ladd U.S. Pat. No. 2,952,445 and Rosenbald U.S. Pat. No. 3,229,763. The use of side bars as reinforcing and spacing members for a thin plate-and-fin heat exchanger structure is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,776 of Pfouts et al. The Flower U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,800 discloses separate bands extending about a heat exchanger core in planes perpendicular to the direction of gas flow which permit the core to expand without thermal restraint. The Jacobsen et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,894,581 discloses self reinforcement in a formed plate heat exchanger wherein overlapping manifold sections are provided to develop reinforcement of the abutting juncture lines and flange portions of the manifold sections. Finally, the aforementioned Ladd patent discloses special leading edge fins in a plate type heat exchanger which are of specially strengthened material and are positioned at the entrance end of a duct for resisting damage from entrained particles in a high velocity ambient air stream.
None of the known arrangements disclosed in the prior art relates to the provision of reinforcing members of the type involved in the present invention for the formed plate heat exchangers to which it is applied.