Heat exchanger assembly.

摘要

In order to eliminate components and fixtures, facilitate assembly, avoid leaks, and reduce cost in a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between two fluids such as a coolant and oil, the heat exchanger includes a header plate (24) having a central opening defined by a column integrally formed with the header plate (24) together with a radial opening (30). A plurality of heat exchange units (32) are stacked on the header plate. The heat exchange units (32) each comprise a pair of plates (34, 36) joined together at inner and outer peripheral edges to thereby sealingly define a plurality of first chambers (42) for the flow of one of the fluids wherein a column-receiving opening (44) is provided radially inwardly of the first chambers (42) thereof. The heat exchange units (42) further include aligned first openings (46) and aligned second openings (48) on opposite sides of the column-receiving openings for joining the first chambers in a first fluid flow path, and the radial opening in the header plate comprises a first fluid inlet for directing the first fluid through one of the first openings into the first fluid flow path where it flows until it reaches a first fluid outlet therefor. The heat exchange units are stacked on the header plate about the column where they are arranged in a spaced series by spacers which serve to define a plurality of second chambers (54) for the flow of the second fluid between each pair of the spaced series of heat exchange units. A tank (56) covers the heat exchange units stacked on the header plate. With this arrangement, the tank (56) is integrally secured to the header plate and to the column to sealingly confine the second chambers (54), and it has an inlet (62) for directing the second fluid into the second chambers (54) and an outlet (64) for receiving the second fluid from the second chambers after it has flowed through a second fluid flow path.