Abstract: A method for making a plate-tube heat exchanger 10 is disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a generally planar plate blank 36 from a deformable sheet of material, forming an aperture 38 at one end of the plate blank and forming a plurality of generally elongate bead preforms 40 in a predetermined configuration by drawing the material from the bottom surface of the plate blank towards the top surface. Next, a plurality of individual beads 34 are formed from each of the plurality of bead preforms by reverse drawing the bead preforms in a direction from the top surface of the plate towards the bottom surface of the plate. The method of the present invention concludes by forming the finish edges 46 of the plate.

Abstract: A tab for joining together a plurality of adjacent, contiguous plate menders of a plate tube heat exchanger is disclosed. The tab comprises a generally planar web interconnecting adjacent plates. The web includes a first edge having a plurality of recesses disposed at predetermined locations therealong and a second edge having a plurality of recesses disposed opposite the plurality of recesses along the first edge. The plurality of recesses define first and second bend zones which provide proper plate-to-plate contact when forming the plate tubes as well as proper fin height spacing between adjacent pairs of plate tubes.

Abstract: A plate-fin heat exchanger 10 is disclosed including a plurality of flat pipes 14 interleaved with a plurality of fin members 16. The flat pipes 14 are formed from a plurality of plate members 12. The heat exchanger 10 also includes a plurality of fin members 16 and a pair of fluid manifolds 22, 24. The manifolds 22, 24 engage the heat exchanger 10 along either of two axes which are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tank 20 of the heat exchanger 10.

Abstract: A plate is disclosed for use in a plate-fin heat exchanger, comprising a generally planar elongated member having a longitudinal rib disposed along the longitudinal length of the member. The plate further includes a first plurality of beads having a height greater than the height of the rib as well as a second plurality of beads having a height approximately equal to the height of the longitudinal rib. The beads are arranged generally in rows having a planar space of predetermined longitudinal length therebetween into which an adjoining row of beads is placed when a pair of identical plates are laminated together in a face-to-face relationship and forming a heat exchanger. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of stacked plates generally as described above is also disclosed.