Modular thermal truss plates carry heat in multiple directions. Framing around an array of flat heat pipes provides mechanical and thermal connections to other truss plates, and a base, such as a satellite, thereby supporting thermally active equipment. Walls sandwich banks of flat heat pipes and may bond to a honey comb, metal core conducting heat between multiple walls. Each bank of flat heat pipes passes heat best in one direction, and may be formed of corrugated copper sheets spaced apart by a metal mesh, such as an expanded metal or screen, also stamped or otherwise formed into a corrugated configuration. Joining methods (e.g., brazing, soldering, etc.) increase stiffness, pressure containment, and strength, by binding the two layers of metal sheet to one another.

A method of constructing discrete tubular components (10) for a heat exchanger (50) includes providing a tube portion (12) having substantially flat sides (14). Additionally, a metal strip is provided which includes a substrate material (32) and a second material (34) different than the substrate material forming a layer in the strip. The second material (34) is provided on only one side of the metal strip. The strip is configured in repeated folds of peaks and troughs to form fin portions (16). The tube and fin portions are assembled to form an array (37) of multiple bundles of one of the tube portions with the fin portions (16) arranged on the substantially flat sides (14) of the tube portion (12) and the second material (34) of the strip facing the tube portion (12), and one or more spacers (38) disposed between adjacent bundles. The array (37) is heated to bond the second material (34) to the tube portion (12) in the region of the troughs of the fin portions (16). The array (37) is separated into the discrete tubular components with, in each case, fin portions (16) bonded to the substantially flat sides (14) of each tube portion (12) with the peaks of the fin portions being exposed.

A method of constructing discrete tubular components (10) for a heat exchanger (50) includes providing a tube portion (12) having substantially flat sides (14). Additionally, a metal strip is provided which includes a substrate material (32) and a second material (34) different than the substrate material forming a layer in the strip. The second material (34) is provided on only one side of the metal strip. The strip is configured in repeated folds of peaks and troughs to form fin portions (16). The tube and fin portions are assembled to form an array (37) of multiple bundles of one of the tube portions with the fin portions (16) arranged on the substantially flat sides (14) of the tube portion (12) and the second material (34) of the strip facing the tube portion (12), and one or more spacers (38) disposed between adjacent bundles. The array (37) is heated to bond the second material (34) to the tube portion (12) in the region of the troughs of the fin portions (16). The array (37) is separated into the discrete tubular components with, in each case, fin portions (16) bonded to the substantially flat sides (14) of each tube portion (12) with the peaks of the fin portions being exposed.

Various methods and systems are provided for an exhaust gas recirculation cooler including a plurality of cooling tubes. In one example, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler includes a plurality of cooling tubes positioned within a housing of the EGR cooler, each cooling tube of the plurality of cooling tubes extending between and directly coupled to tube sheets of the EGR cooler at ends of each cooling tube, where at least one end of one or more cooling tubes of a first portion of the plurality of cooling tubes, inward of a tube sheet coupled to the at least one end, includes a compliant region, where the first portion is positioned proximate to an exhaust inlet of the EGR cooler.

A tube-to-tubesheet joint for steam condensers having a plurality of holes drilled in condenser tubesheets, a plurality of 8 mil triangular cut serrations in the wall surface of each hole, locating the serrations in a set positioned centrally of the wall surface, inserting a tube end into each hole, and forming a mechanical interference fit between tube wall and hole wall surface. In modified embodiment for thick tubesheets, plural sets of serrations with sets spaced apart may be formed in tubesheet holes.

Hairpin-shaped heat exchanger tubes are guided with respect to a fin stack in which through-holes are formed in three or more lines. A guide apparatus includes: a first guide portion provided with a plurality of first guide pins that extend in an inclined direction; a second guide portion provided with a plurality of second guide pins that extend in an inclined direction in an opposite direction; a first guide pin axial direction moving apparatus that moves the first guide portion along an axial direction; a second guide pin axial direction moving apparatus that moves the second guide portion along an axial direction; a first guide pin row direction moving apparatus that moves the first guide portion along the row direction; and a second guide pin row direction moving apparatus that moves the second guide portion along the row direction. The hairpin-shaped heat exchanger tubes are held in gaps between the first guide pins and the second guide pins.

Hairpin-shaped heat exchanger tubes are guided with respect to a fin stack in which through-holes are formed in three or more lines. A guide apparatus includes: a first guide portion provided with a plurality of first guide pins that extend in an inclined direction; a second guide portion provided with a plurality of second guide pins that extend in an inclined direction in an opposite direction; a first guide pin axial direction moving apparatus that moves the first guide portion along an axial direction; a second guide pin axial direction moving apparatus that moves the second guide portion along an axial direction; a first guide pin row direction moving apparatus that moves the first guide portion along the row direction; and a second guide pin row direction moving apparatus that moves the second guide portion along the row direction. The hairpin-shaped heat exchanger tubes are held in gaps between the first guide pins and the second guide pins.

A heat exchanger may be manufactured using an apparatus which includes a rotating body configured to be disposed at one side of heat exchange fins having an insertion groove having one side formed to be depressed and placed to be downwardly directed to be rotatable. An inner side of the insertion groove of transferred heat exchange fins are seated on the rotating body. The apparatus also include a rotating blade configured to be connected to the rotating body to be rotatable together with the rotating body. The rotating blade supports the other side of the heat exchange fins to prevent the heat exchange fins from being deviated from the rotating body.

A method for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid includes providing a tubeless heat exchanger having a tubeless heat exchanger core, the tubeless heat exchanger core having an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core having a core inlet arranged to receive the first fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the first fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing, wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the first fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the second fluid, and providing the first fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings. In some embodiments, the first fluid may be a thermal transfer fluid, the second fluid may be a production fluid, and the production fluid may be held in a vessel, such as a pressure vessel.

A method for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid includes providing a tubeless heat exchanger having a tubeless heat exchanger core, the tubeless heat exchanger core having an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core having a core inlet arranged to receive the first fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the first fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing, wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the first fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the second fluid, and providing the first fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings. In some embodiments, the first fluid may be a thermal transfer fluid, the second fluid may be a production fluid, and the production fluid may be held in a vessel, such as a pressure vessel.