Abstract: A condenser (44) of a heated fluid which is condensed within a core of the condenser in response to heat exchange between the heated fluid and a coolant fluid flowing through the core in accordance with the invention includes a plurality of heat conductive laminates (70 and 72) having at least one first channel (12) through which the fluid being condensed flows and at least one second channel (14) through which the coolant flows. The cross-sectional area of at least one of the at least one first channel in the condenser decreases in a direction of fluid flow through the condenser producing increased velocity of the heated fluid flowing in the direction of fluid flow causing a shear force between a vapor phase of the heated fluid and liquid phase condensed on a perimeter of at least one first channel which causes the fluid phase to flow through the at least one channel.

Abstract: A vapor cycle cooling system (10) in accordance with the invention includes a compressor (12) for compressing refrigerant vapor; a condenser (14) receiving compressed refrigerant vapor from the compressor; a fan (18) having at least two controllable speeds for blowing a fluid (16) in contact with the condenser to remove heat from the compressed refrigerant at the condenser to cause the refrigerant to liquify, the speeds of the fan being controllable by a control signal; an expansion valve (22) receiving liquid refrigerant from the condenser which expands the liquid refrigerant; an evaporator (24) receiving the expanded refrigerant which exchanges heat with a fluid stream (26) coupled to a heat load (28); and a controller (20) for generating the control signal, responsive to a sensed evaporator temperature, a sensed ambient temperature and a sensed altitude which controls two speeds of the fan as a function of the sensed temperatures and altitude by generating the control signal.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between at least a first fluid and a second fluid, with the heat exchanger including an intake and outlet manifold (10, 11, 12, 13) for a first fluid, at least one fluid impingement plate and finned heat exchanger plate (14) for the second fluid, and an end plate manifold, with the plates being stacked so as to form a laminated heat exchanger core. At least one or more spacer plates (15) may be interposed between the respective plates of the heat exchanger core and/or the inlet and outlet manifold (10, 11, 12, 13) and end manifold (18). The first fluid is fed into the inlet and outlet manifold (10, 11, 12, 13) and flows in a first direction through the impingement and finned heat exchanger plates (14) and is redirected by the end manifold (18) toward the inlet and outlet manifold (10, 11, 12, 13).

Abstract: The problem of providing a lightweight, efficient and compact impingement plate type heat exchanger for exchanging heat between at least two fluids is solved by providing a stack of generally parallel plates (36) which include end plates (38, 48), intermediate impingement orifice plates (98, 99) and intermediate manifold plates (96). Inlets (40, 54) and outlets (50, 42) for the two fluids are provided in the end plates. The impingement orifice plates have orifice areas (110) defining two tortious flow paths (68, 86) generally parallel to each other and generally perpendicularly through the plates for the two fluids. The manifold plates and portions of the impingement orifice plates have slots (102, 106) and openings (112, 114, 118) for distributing the two fluids parallel and perpendicularly through the stack of plates to their respective tortious flow paths. Therefore, all extraneous headers, manifolds and housing components are completely obviated.