US Patent 10006722 Structural support element in heat exchangers

A heat exchanger made up of a plate pair defining a flow passage. The flow passage fluidly coupled to a fluid inlet at a first end and a fluid outlet at a second end for flow of fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The heat exchanger further contains a structural support element sandwiched between the plate pair. The structural support element has a first structural support element aperture and one or more channels extending from the first structural support element aperture to a peripheral edge of the structural support element, and wherein the structural support element is positioned circumferentially around the fluid inlet with the first structural support element aperture aligned with the fluid inlet, with the channels permitting flow of the fluid from the fluid inlet to the flow passage.