Abstract: A connecting/disconnecting element (6a; 6b) for retaining a component (1) on a PCB (3), said connecting/disconnecting element (6a; 6b) comprising at least one longitudinal arm (61a, 62a; 61b) with a first end (63a; 63b) adapted to engage through a hole (30) in said PCB (3), and a second opposite end (64a; 64b), said element being adapted to clip onto said PCB (3) whilst bridging component (1) with said longitudinal arm extending in a retaining position parallel to the plane of the PCB and to a top surface of said component. According to the invention, said element is made of electrical conductive material, said longitudinal arm is (61a, 62a; 61b) adapted to be in contact, in said retaining position, with an electrical conductive part of said top surface, and said hole (30) is a plated through hole with which said first end (63a; 63b) is adapted to be in contact with in said retaining position, thus achieving both mechanical holding of component and electrical connection to ground.

Abstract: A cross-flow heat exchanger comprising according to a preferred embodiment a shell formed of two concentric cylinders providing an annular space. A number of tubes and baffles are arranged in the annular space such that one fluid flows through the tubes in a helical fashion in the annular space and the second heat exchange fluid flows in a counter helical path in such annular space across the tubes, constrained by the baffles in such annular space. In another embodiment cross-flow is also achieved using spirally shaped tubes and spirally shaped baffles.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger system wherein a primary conditioning fluid is reactive with a fluid to be conditioned, a leak safe arrangement of concentric tubes disposed across the conditioned fluid flow path having the reactive primary fluid in a central duct surrounded by inert fluid in an outer duct so that single failure leak of primary conditioning fluid or inert fluid presents no risk of harmful reaction with conditioned fluid. The heat exchanger system is used in an air collection and enrichment system in a hypersmic vehicle propulsion system.

Abstract: A multipass heat exchanger comprising an arrangement of a plurality of heat exchanger modules, each module having a plurality of passes for passage of a first heat exchange fluid and a plurality of tubes across such passes for passage of a second heat exchange fluid. The heat exchanger modules are disposed in side-by-side relation, with each successive module adjoining the previous module in a stepped relation, the second exchanger module being positioned relative to the first module so that the first heat exchanger fluid leaving the first pass of the first heat exchanger module enters directly the second pass of the second module, and so on, in a straight through fashion, for as many passes as desired. The result is a highly efficient multipass heat exchanger of minimum weight and pressure loss in the flow path on the shell side of the exchanger, comprised of multiple heat exchanger units, with no reversal of flow in each pass in each exchanger unit.