The plastic heat exchanger (LHE)
Together with our project partners, in particular the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research (IAP), we have applied for a joint patent for the first automotive, plastic-based heat exchanger as a further development of the carbon heat exchanger and presented an initial demonstrator. The feedback so far has been positive. The core idea behind the patent is to exploit the high thermal conductivity of carbon fibers along the fiber direction. Basically, the physical principle of operation is based on the high thermal conductivity of carbon. Carbon has a crystalline structure and very strong covalent bonds. The heat energy introduced leads to vibrations in the crystal lattice, which are transferred very quickly and efficiently in a preferred direction.
