New developments in compact plate-fin heat exchangers

The extension of compact plate-fin heat exchanger capabilities in order to accommodate the performance requirements of regeneratively cooled hypersonic ramjet engines, laser weapons, aircraft engine infrared suppressors, and large high-efficiency gas turbine cycles is described. Attention is given to cooling fluid flow path geometry and heat exchanger fabrication techniques, such novel materials as alumina and silicon carbide, and space and weight constraints imposed on designs by airborne application. It is shown that operating temperatures, pressures and area densities have been significantly increased