Stackable Aftercooler System

Abstract

A stackable aftercooler system that can be removably attached to a compressor is described herein. The stackable aftercooler system may include one or more stackable aftercooler modules removably attached to the compressor, each including a base plate and an aftercooling member abutting the base plate. The base plate may include a cool air outlet in fluidic communication with the compressor, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port, and the aftercooling member may comprise hot air plate(s) and coolant plate(s) arranged in an alternating pattern. Hot air exiting the compressor passes through the hot air plate(s) while being cooled by coolant passing through the coolant plate(s) before exiting the at least one aftercooler module via the cool air outlet of the base plate.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 779,262, filed Mar. 27, 2025, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to an aftercooler system and, more particularly, to a stackable, modular aftercooler system for attaching to an existing compressor.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Aftercoolers are an essential component used in association with a pump or other device or component using compressed air. When air is compressed, the air heats up, which causes compression of the air to require more energy. Hot air can also cause damage to components that will use the compressed air. Air-to-liquid aftercoolers are typically used to dramatically cool the air both during and after its compression. This increases the efficiency of the compressor while also reducing the likelihood that the components that use the compressed air will overheat.

[0004] One of the common issues associated with existing aftercoolers is the space and / or size requirements. For example, aftercoolers may be limited in the space available for them or in the size requirements placed on them by the size of the compressor with which they are used. Conventional aftercoolers may also be integrated into the air compressor. As such, if more (or less) cooling is needed for a given application or in a given situation, the entire compressor will need to be redesigned. Moreover, conventional aftercoolers are also typically limited in that all of the coolant is forced through a single path, resulting in significant resistance to coolant flow.

[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved aftercooler system to cool down the air from the compressor that addresses the foregoing drawbacks of existing products and solutions.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Aspects of this disclosure relate to a stackable aftercooler system that can be removably attached to a compressor to dissipate thermal energy (or transfer heat) from hot air inside the compressor to a coolant fluid to aid the compressor in working efficiently while minimizing the risk of overheating to other components. In various embodiments, the stackable aftercooler system may include one or more stackable aftercooler modules removably attached to a compressor. The one or more stackable aftercooler modules may each include a base plate and an aftercooling member abutting the base plate. The base plate may include a cool air outlet in fluidic communication with the compressor, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port. The aftercooling member may comprise a set of stackable plates arranged in an alternating pattern. In various embodiments, the set of stackable plates may include one or more hot air plates each defining an air path and one or more coolant plates each defining a fluid path. In various embodiments, hot air exiting the compressor passes through the one or more hot air plates before exiting the at least one aftercooler module via the cool air outlet of the base plate. In various embodiments, hot air passing through the one or more hot air plates is cooled via coolant entering the at least one aftercooler module via the coolant inlet port, passing through the one or more coolant plates, and exiting the at least one aftercooler module via the coolant outlet port.

[0007] In various embodiments, the set of stackable plates may comprise any number of hot air plates and coolant plates. For example, in some embodiments, the set of stackable plates may comprise only a single hot air plate and / or only a single coolant plate. In other embodiments, the set of stackable plates may include multiple hot air plates and / or multiple coolant plates. In embodiments in which the one or more hot air plates includes at least two hot air plates, hot air exiting the compressor may pass through the at least two hot air plates in series. In embodiments in which the one or more coolant plates includes at least two coolant plates, coolant entering the at least one aftercooler module may pass through the coolant plates in parallel. In various embodiments, at least one of the one or more coolant plates may include an aperture on a side of the coolant plate defining a first channel through which hot air passes from the compressor to at least one of the one or more hot air plates. In embodiments with multiple hot air plates and multiple coolant plates, a second coolant plate may include an aperture on a side of the second coolant plate defining a second channel through which hot air passes from a first hot air plate to a second hot air plate, wherein the first channel is offset horizontally with respect to the first channel. In various embodiments, at least one of the one or more hot air plates includes a pair of apertures. In some embodiments, one such aperture may define a first channel through which coolant entering the coolant inlet port passes to at least one of the one or more coolant plates, and the other aperture may define a second channel through which coolant exiting the at least one of the one or more coolant plates travels before reaching the coolant outlet port.

[0008] In various embodiments, the at least one aftercooler module may be externally mounted to a compressor. In some embodiments, the at least one aftercooler module may be mounted to the compressor without requiring modification to the compressor. In various embodiments, the base plate and each of the set of stackable plates may be a uniform height and / or a uniform width. In some embodiments, one or more of the stackable plates may include gasket seal(s) to seal one or more gaps between the plates (e.g., between a plate and the base plate or between a plate and another adjacent plate).

[0009] These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the systems and / or methods disclosed herein, as well as the methods of operation and functions of the related elements of structure and the combination thereof, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawing, all of which form a part of this specification. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in the claims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:

[0011] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an example stackable aftercooler system installed on a compressor, according to one or more aspects described herein;

[0012] FIGS. 2A-2B depict perspective views of an example aftercooler module of a stackable aftercooler system, according to one or more aspects described herein;

[0013] FIGS. 3A-3B depict example flow paths (or configurations) of a stackable aftercooler system, according to one or more aspects described herein;

[0014] FIGS. 4A-4B depict perspective views of example hot air paths through stackable aftercooler system, according to one or more aspects described herein;

[0015] FIGS. 5A-5B depict perspective views of an example coolant paths through stackable aftercooler system, according to one or more aspects described herein; and

[0016] FIG. 6 depicts a superimposed view of alternating plates of an example aftercooler module according to one or more aspects described herein.

[0017] These drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict typical or example embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding and shall not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the disclosure. For clarity and ease of illustration, these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In the following description of various examples of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example structures, systems, and steps in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, structures, example devices, systems, and steps may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,”“bottom,”“front,”“back,”“side,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three-dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention.

[0019] The invention described herein relates to a stackable aftercooler system that can be installed on a compressor. In various embodiments, the stackable aftercooler system described herein is configured to be installed on and selectively removed from a compressor already in use. In some embodiments, the stackable aftercooler system described herein may be installed on an existing compressor with minimal or no modification required to the existing compressor infrastructure. For example, FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an example aftercooler module 105 of stackable aftercooler system 100 installed directly (or otherwise in close proximity) to a compressor 70, according to one or more aspects described herein. In various embodiments, aftercooler module 105 may be placed “vertically” (i.e., on the x-z plane) such that aftercooler module 105 may be mounted to the compressor 70 generally perpendicular to a surface of the compressor. The stackable aftercooler system described herein is described as installed on a compressor. However, it will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art that the stackable aftercooler system described herein may be installed on (or attached to) a compressor, a pump, or other structure with need or use for an air to liquid aftercooler for compressed air.

[0020] In various embodiments, the stackable aftercooler system 100 described herein may be removably attached to a compressor 70 to dissipate thermal energy (or transfer heat) from hot air inside the compressor to a coolant fluid to ensure the compressor works as efficiently as possible without risking any overheating of the components. In various embodiments, an aftercooler module 105 (or one or more stackable aftercooler modules) of stackable aftercooler system 100 may comprise a base plate and an aftercooling member. The base plate may include a port in fluidic communication with the compressor, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port. The aftercooling member abutting the base plate may include an alternating pattern of hot air plate(s) and coolant plates. For example, the aftercooling member may include first and second hot air plates that comprise two or more hot air paths and first and second coolant plates that comprise two or more coolant paths. In various embodiments, the two or more hot air paths are arranged in series and the two or more coolant paths are arranged in parallel to allow maximized heat transfer from air in the first and second hot air plates to a coolant in the first and second coolant plates.

[0021] As will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art, the set of stackable plates in the aftercooling member may include any number of hot plates and / or coolant plates without departing from the scope of the invention described herein. For example, in some embodiments, the set of stackable plates may include a single hot air plate and / or a single coolant plate. In other embodiments, the set of stackable plates may include two or more hot air plates and / or two or more coolant plates. As an example, in various embodiments, the set of stackable plates may include a 3-plate or a 5-plate configuration. In a 3-plate configuration, aftercooler module 105 may include a base plate and a set of stackable plates comprising only a single hot air plate and a single coolant plate. In a 5-plate configuration, aftercooler module 105 may include a base plate and a set of stackable plates comprising two hot air plates and two coolant plates arranged in an alternating manner. In various embodiments with two or more hot air plates and / or two or more coolant plates, hot air exiting the compressor may pass through the at least two hot air plates in series and / or coolant may travel through the at least two coolant plates in parallel.

[0022] FIGS. 2A-2B depict perspective views of an aftercooler module 105 of stackable aftercooler system 100, according to one or more aspects described herein. In various embodiments, stackable aftercooler system 100 may comprise an aftercooler module 105 configured to be installed directly (or otherwise in close proximity) to a compressor 70. For example, stackable aftercooler system 100 may comprise an externally mounted aftercooler module 105 that includes a base plate P1004 (which may also be interchangeably referred to herein as interfacing plate P1004) abutting an alternating aftercooling member P1009, wherein the base plate P1004 fluidly communicates with (or is otherwise connected to) compressor 70 (or ports of compressor 70) via alternating aftercooling member P1009. In various embodiments, alternating aftercooling member P1009 may comprise a series of plates (e.g., plates P1000, P1001, P1002, P1003, . . . , P100N) stacked atop each other that help maximize contact area between air and coolant, thereby facilitating a better heat transfer. For example, as depicted in FIG. 2B, hot air (to be cooled) may take two or more vertically elongated paths (e.g., via P1001, P1003), and coolant may take two or more vertically elongated paths (e.g., via P1000, P1002). The hot air may come in from a compressor 70 (or ports located at the back of the view), pass through plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 (e.g., plates P1001, P1003) while being cooled by other plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 (e.g., plates P1000, P1002), and exit via an outlet of base plate P1004.

[0023] In various embodiments, aftercooler module 105 (or plates of alternating aftercooler member P1009) may be stacked to increase a cooling performance (or heat transfer / exchange) of stackable aftercooler system 100. As depicted in FIG. 2A, aftercooler module 105 may extend (and stack) along an aftercooler-extending axis (i.e., y axis) perpendicular to a compressor plane (i.e., x-z plane).

[0024] In various embodiments, aftercooler module 105 may be interchangeable, modular, and / or stackable. For example, aftercooler modules 105 may themselves be selectively stacked together or individual plates of alternating aftercooler member P1009 may be selectively stacked together to adjust a cooling capability of stackable aftercooler system 100. With such a design, when there is an aftercooler application that needs extra cooling, for example, plates may be added to aftercooler module based on the cooling requirement. Furthermore, if plates of aftercooler module 105 are stackable, the design of stackable aftercooler system 100 may save space while improving cooling performance / efficiency without requiring any additional design work. As disclosed herein, a stackable aftercooler system 100 (with a modular aftercooler architecture) may include essentially a set of one or more aftercooler modules 105 or an adjustable array of plates making up aftercooler module 105 that are stacked one after the other on an end of compressor 70. In various embodiments, additional plates may be added to alternating aftercooler member P1009 by placing additional plates between alternating aftercooler member P1009 and base plate P1004 and / or by appending additional plates to an end of alternating aftercooler member P1009 opposite base plate P1004, for example, between plate P1000 and compressor 70.

[0025] In various embodiments, base plate P1004 of aftercooler module 105 may comprise one or more connecting ports. For example, in various embodiments, the one or more connecting ports of base plate P1004 may include a cool air outlet 190, a coolant inlet port 210, a coolant outlet port 290, and / or one or more other connecting ports. In various embodiments, the connecting ports may be disposed on a side of base plate P1004, which defines an interfacing side of aftercooler module 105, and may be connected via a selectively detachable connection. In various embodiments, coolant inlet port 210 may be configured to connect aftercooler module 105 to compressor 70 by any appropriate detachable connection means. In various embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 2A, coolant fluid may enter into coolant inlet port 210 located in base plate P1004, flow through a coolant inlet passage (defined by a plurality of openings and / or channels) and exit (or exhaust) out of a coolant outlet port 290 located on the same side of base plate P1004 as coolant inlet port 210.

[0026] FIGS. 3A-3B depict example flow paths (or configurations) of stackable aftercooler system 100, according to one or more aspects described herein. As depicted in FIG. 2B, in some embodiments, alternating aftercooling member P1009 may include at least first coolant plate P1000 and a second coolant plate P1002 that alternate with (such that they form dual layer or are sandwiched between) a first hot air plate P1001 and a second hot air plate P1003. As depicted in FIG. 3A, in some embodiments, the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 may comprise two or more air paths 112 / 114, 122 / 124 defining a generally parallel flow configuration through the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003. In some embodiments, the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 may be connected such that air paths 112 / 114, 122 / 124 are in series within aftercooling member P1009. In some embodiments, one or more of such paths are fluidly connected, within and / or between the plates. As depicted in FIG. 3B, in some embodiments, the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may comprise two or more fluid paths 212 / 214, 222 / 224 defining a generally parallel flow configuration through the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002. In some embodiments, the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may be connected such that fluid paths 212 / 214, 222 / 224 are in parallel within aftercooling member P1009. In some embodiments, one or more of such fluid paths are fluidly connected, within and / or between the plates. In some embodiments, the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may be connected such that coolant passes, in series, between fluid paths 212 / 214 and fluid paths 222 / 224 within aftercooling member P1009.

[0027] In various embodiments, the design of the stackable aftercooler system 100 may allow a plurality of identical (or infinitely many) aftercooler modules 105 (or plates forming aftercooler module(s) 105) to be stacked together. The aftercooler module 105 may allow basically the same aftercooler to be used in different applications. Also, aftercooler module 105 may be configured (or designed) to provide two separate paths through the aftercooler module 105, thereby helping to increase surface area and reduce head loss. As described herein, in some embodiments, first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may be configured such that fluid passes through the plates in parallel, whereas first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 (or air plates) may be configured such that air passes through the plates in series. In various embodiments, the aftercooler module 105 may be configured to maximize surface area with minimal pressure drop. For example, some respective paths of the coolant and air may be configured as shown in FIGS. 2A-2B.

[0028] In various embodiments, the geometry of the stackable aftercooler system 100 may allow the plates to be manufactured by several methods. In some embodiments, plates P1000-P1004 may be machined by CNC. However, in other embodiments, plates P1000-P1004 may be forged, 3D printed, cast, or otherwise produced using other techniques now known or future developed.

[0029] In various embodiments, aftercooler module 105 may be designed (or configured) to be attached directly to an existing compressor. In such embodiments, any mounting holes and / or shape may be such that it fits directly on one end of a pump (or compressor) and does not increase overall height and / or width. Put differently, while appending aftercooler module 105 to an end of a compressor may add to the length of the system, the dimensions of aftercooler module 105 may not otherwise increase the height or width of the system. In some embodiments, the base plate P1004 and each of the set of stackable plates may be a uniform height and / or a uniform width.

[0030] As more clearly shown in FIG. 2B, the alternating aftercooling member P1009 and base plate P1004 may be secured together along their abutting surfaces in tight relation to provide fluid communication between the plates of alternating aftercooling member (e.g., plates P1000-P100N) and base plate P1004. The inlet and outlet ports 210, 290 of the base plate P1004 may be connected to fluid conduits (not shown) through any appropriate inlet / outlet fittings.

[0031] As depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B (and as also depicted in FIG. 3A), in various embodiments, the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 may comprise two or more air paths 112 / 114, 122 / 124 defining a generally parallel flow configuration, the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 fluidly connected in series therebetween. For example, hot air may enter into a hot air inlet 110 (e.g., from a compressor 70) located in a first hot plate P1001. Then, because the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 are fluidly connected in series therebetween, hot air may flow through air paths as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B. For example, in some embodiments, hot air may flow through fluid paths (e.g., indicated as arrows A and B in FIG. 4A) of first hot air plate P1001, exiting an outlet 116 of first hot plate P1001 and entering an inlet 121 of second hot plate P1003, flow through fluid paths (e.g., indicated as arrows C, D, and E as depicted in FIG. 4B) of second hot plate P1003, and then exit an outlet 126 of second hot plate P1003. Subsequently, because the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 comprise two or more air paths 112 / 114, 122 / 124 defining a generally parallel flow configuration, hot air may flow through one of air paths as depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B. For example, in some embodiments, hot air may flow through air paths 112 / 114 as depicted in FIG. 4A. More specifically, hot air may flow through a horizontally elongated air path 111, two or more vertically elongated air paths 112 / 114, and interconnecting air paths (e.g., perpendicularly extending air channel between the first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003). In some embodiments, two or more vertically elongated air paths 112 / 114 may include an adapting air path portion 115 to accommodate structural arrangements within the plates. In particular embodiments, two or more vertically elongated air paths 112 / 114 may further include air turbulence structures such as fins and / or turbulators. In other embodiments, hot air may flow through air path 122 / 124 as depicted in FIG. 4B.

[0032] The hot air from the compressor to be cooled down may flow along the paths provided in first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 formed of various linear (or straight), winding, and / or interrupting paths of hot air flow. As such, first and second hot air plates P1001, P1003 may ensure the compressor works as efficiently as possible without risking any overheating of the components. Then, hot air may flow through a hot air outlet passage 130 (defined by openings and / or channels) and exit (or exhaust) out via a cool air outlet 190 located in the base plate P1004 of aftercooler module 105.

[0033] As depicted in FIGS. 5A-5B (as also depicted in FIG. 3B), in various embodiments, the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may comprise two or more fluid paths 212 / 214, 222 / 224 defining a generally parallel flow configuration, the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 fluidly connected in parallel therebetween. For example, coolant fluid may enter into a coolant inlet port 210 located in base plate P1004. Then, because first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 are fluidly connected in parallel therebetween, coolant fluid may flow through one of coolant fluid paths 211 or 221 as depicted in FIGS. 5A-5B. For example, in some embodiments, coolant fluid may flow through coolant fluid path 211 as depicted in FIG. 5A. In other embodiments, coolant fluid may flow through coolant fluid path 221 as depicted in FIG. 5B.

[0034] Subsequently, because the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 comprise two or more fluid paths 212 / 214, 222 / 224 defining a generally parallel flow configuration, coolant fluid may flow through one of fluid paths as depicted in FIGS. 5A-5B. For example, in some embodiments, coolant fluid may flow through fluid path 212 / 214 as depicted in FIG. 5A. More specifically, coolant fluid may flow through two or more vertically elongated coolant paths 212 / 214, and interconnecting coolant paths (e.g., perpendicularly extending coolant channel between the first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002). In some embodiments, two or more vertically elongated coolant path 212 / 214 may include an adapting coolant path portion 215 / 225 to accommodate structural arrangements within the plates. In other embodiments, coolant fluid may flow through fluid path 222 / 224 as depicted in FIG. 5B.

[0035] The coolant fluid may flow to cool down the air from the compressor along the paths provided in first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 formed of various linear (or straight), winding, and / or interrupting paths of coolant fluid flow. As such, first and second coolant plates P1000, P1002 may ensure the compressor works as efficiently as possible without risking any overheating of the components. Then, coolant fluid may flow through coolant outlet passages 271, 281 (defined by openings and / or channels) and exit (or exhaust) out of coolant outlet port 290 located in the base plate P1004 of aftercooler module 105.

[0036] As explained herein, hot air plates (e.g., plates P1001, P1003) and coolant plates (e.g., plates P1000, P10002) of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may be configured such that air from a compressor passes through each of the hot air plates and out of stackable aftercooler system 100 and such that coolant flows through each of the coolant plates despite entering stackable aftercooler system 100 from one end. In various embodiments, channels within hot air plates may enable coolant to flow to and between the coolant plates, and channels within coolant plates may enable air to flow to and between the hot air plates. For example, in various embodiments, and as depicted in at least FIGS. 5A-5B, coolant plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may each include an aperture 250 or an aperture 260 defining a channel through which air may pass through coolant plate to, from, and / or between hot air plates. For example, in such embodiments, an aperture 250 of a coolant plate of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may align with a hot air outlet of compressor 70 and hot air inlet 110 (e.g., from a compressor 70) located in a first hot plate P1001 such that hot air leaving compressor 70 may pass through coolant plate P1000 via the channel formed by aperture 250, and an aperture 252 of a coolant plate of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may align with outlet 116 of first hot plate P1001 and inlet 121 of second hot plate P1003 such that hot air leaving first hot plate P1001 may pass through coolant plate P1002 via the channel formed by aperture 252. In various embodiments, and as depicted in at least FIGS. 4A-4B, hot air plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may each include an aperture 150 and an aperture 152, each defining a channel through which coolant may pass through hot air plate to, from, and / or between coolant plates. For example, in such embodiments, an aperture 150 of the hot air plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may define a channel through which coolant passes from coolant inlet port 210 through one or more of the hot air plates until it reaches each of the coolant plates (and coolant fluid paths 211 or 221), and an aperture 152 of the hot air plates of alternating aftercooling member P1009 may define a channel through which coolant passes from coolant outlet passages 271, 281 (defined by openings and / or channels) through one or more of the hot air plates and exits via coolant outlet port 290.

[0037] Some conventional air compressors may have an aftercooler that is integrated into the air compressor, rather than removably added (or attached) as a series of plates external to the air compressor. This means that, in these conventional air compressors, if more cooling is needed, the entire compressor has to be re-designed. Many conventional air-to-liquid aftercoolers force all of the coolant through a single path. Unlike the design described herein, such a design may significantly increase resistance to coolant flow.

[0038] In various embodiments, the stackable design of aftercooler module 105 may allow stackable aftercooler system 100 to be sized for any application. For example, if a particular aftercooler application needs extra cooling, additional aftercooler modules 105 (or plates of aftercooler module 105) may be added to the particular aftercooler application, thereby improving cooling without requiring any additional design work.

[0039] In various embodiments, the plates of aftercooler module 105 (e.g., plates P1000-P1004) may include one or more portions with a vertically and / or horizontally varying profile, as described herein and depicted, for example, in FIGS. 4A-4B and FIGS. 5A-B. For example, the vertically and / or horizontally varying profile may be present in portion of plates P1000-P1004 extending along the x-and z-axes. In various embodiments, plates P1000-P1004 may be connected to and / or include ports for easy fluid connection. In some embodiments, the vertically and / or horizontally varying profile of plates P1000-P1004 may be determined to meet the regulatory standard / requirements for the compressor.

[0040] In various embodiments, one or more components of stackable aftercooler system 100, including aftercooler module 105, may be made of metal. For example, one or more of such components may be made of 6061-T6 aluminum and / or any appropriate type of heat-conducting metal. For example, in some embodiments, one or more of such components may be made of a harder (higher strength) alloy than 6061-T6 aluminum. It is to be understood that the one or more components may comprise (or be made of) one or more other types of metals, alloys, and / or any other type of material now known or future developed without departing from the scope of the invention described herein. In various embodiments, aftercooler module 105 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type, or configuration.

[0041] As depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B and FIGS. 5A-B, in various embodiments, the plates of aftercooler module 105 (e.g., plates P1000-P1004) may include gasket seals 300, 301, 302, 303 for use in the casing of the stackable aftercooler system 100. In some embodiments, gasket seals may be constructed of an elastomer material that can deform to fill surface imperfections in the groove of the plates of aftercooler module 105 (e.g., plates P1000-P1004), thereby enabling tighter sealing of stackable aftercooler system 100. In certain embodiments, gasket seals with better elastic properties may perform even at high temperatures, providing an excellent seal between the plates. When installed, the gasket seals may fill the air gap between plates, which typically transfers heat through convection and conduction.

[0042] FIG. 6 depicts a superimposed view of alternating plates of aftercooler module 105, according to one or more aspects described herein. More specifically, FIG. 6 depicts a first coolant plate P1000 and a first hot air plate P1001 superimposed thereupon. In various embodiments, two or more vertically elongated air paths may be aligned with two or more vertically elongated coolant paths in a generally parallel flow configuration to allow maximized heat transfer from air in hot air plates to a coolant in coolant plates. For example, in some embodiments, as depicted in FIG. 6, two or more vertically elongated paths 222 of first coolant plate P1000 may be aligned with two or more vertically elongated paths 112 of first hot air plate P1001, when viewed from base plate P1004, to allow maximized heat transfer from air in hot air plates to a coolant in coolant plates.

[0043] In various embodiments, stackable aftercooler system 100 may provide a high-performance, compact air-to-liquid heat exchanger optimized for maximum heat transfer. For example, short and parallel coolant passages may minimize pressure drop along short / parallel coolant fluid path, while a long hot air path extended in series may increase residence time and heat-exchanging surface area, thereby allowing hot air inside the compressor to transfer (or lose, dissipate) maximum heat or thermal energy to a coolant fluid to ensure the compressor works as efficiently as possible without risking any overheating of the components.

[0044] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth herein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Variations and modifications of the foregoing are within the scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the invention disclosed and defined herein extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text and / or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the present invention. The embodiments described herein explain the best modes known for practicing the invention and will enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention.

[0045] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by this description.

[0046] Reference in this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “some embodiments”, “various embodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “other embodiments”, “one series of embodiments”, or the like means that a particular feature, design, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of, for example, the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Moreover, whether or not there is express reference to an “embodiment” or the like, various features are described, which may be variously combined and included in some embodiments, but also variously omitted in other embodiments. Similarly, various features are described that may be preferences or requirements for some embodiments, but not other embodiments.

[0047] The language used herein has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Other embodiments, uses and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. The specification should be considered exemplary only, and the scope of the invention is accordingly intended to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A stackable aftercooler system comprising:an aftercooler module removably attached to a compressor, the aftercooler module comprising:a base plate including a cool air outlet in fluidic communication with the compressor, a coolant inlet port, and a coolant outlet port; andan aftercooling member abutting the base plate with a set of stackable plates arranged in an alternating pattern, the set of stackable plates including one or more hot air plates each defining an air path and one or more coolant plates each defining a fluid path,wherein hot air exiting the compressor passes through the one or more hot air plates before exiting the at least one aftercooler module via the cool air outlet of the base plate, andwherein the hot air passing through the one or more hot air plates is cooled via coolant entering the at least one aftercooler module via the coolant inlet port, passing through the one or more coolant plates, and exiting the at least one aftercooler module via the coolant outlet port.

2. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the at least one aftercooler module is externally mounted to the compressor.

3. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 2, wherein the at least one aftercooler module is mounted to the compressor without requiring modification to the compressor.

4. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the one or more hot air plates includes a first hot air plate and a second hot air plate, and wherein the hot air exiting the compressor passes through the first hot air plate and the second hot air plate in series.

5. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coolant plates includes a first coolant plate and a second coolant plate, and wherein coolant entering the at least one aftercooler module passes through the first coolant plate and the second coolant plate in parallel.

6. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 5, wherein the first coolant plate includes an aperture in a side of the first coolant plate defining a first channel through which hot air passes from the compressor to at least one of the one or more hot air plates.

7. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 6, wherein the one or more hot air plates includes a first hot air plate and a second hot air plate, and wherein the second coolant plate includes an aperture in a side of the second coolant plate defining a second channel through which hot air passes from the first hot air plate to the second hot air plate, wherein the first channel is offset horizontally with respect to the first channel.

8. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more hot air plates includes a first aperture and a second aperture, wherein the first aperture defines a first channel through which coolant entering the coolant inlet port passes to at least one of the one or more coolant plates, and wherein the second aperture defines a second channel through which coolant exiting the at least one of the one or more coolant plates travels before reaching the coolant outlet port.

9. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the base plate and each of the set of stackable plates is a uniform height.

10. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the base plate and each of the set of stackable plates is a uniform width.

11. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein at least one plate of the set of stackable plates includes a gasket seal to seal a gap between the at least one plate and the base plate or an adjacent plate of the set of stackable plates.

12. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more hot air plates includes air turbulence structures to alter the air path.

13. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the one or more hot air plates comprises a single hot air plate.

14. The stackable aftercooler system of claim 1, wherein the one or more coolant plates comprises a single coolant plate.

Images