Heat exchanger with precision manufactured flow passages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378359-B2
Application number	US-201615156367-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 17, 2016
Priority date	May 17, 2016
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A heat exchanger has a first plurality of passages extending in a first direction and to receive a first fluid and a second plurality of passages extending in a second direction, and to receive a second fluid, and the first plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger, and there being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of the first plurality of passages in different locations across the cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger. A gas turbine engine and a method of forming a heat exchanger are also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a first plurality of passages extending in a first direction, with there being a first upstream end spaced from a first downstream end in the first direction and to receive a first fluid and a second plurality of passages extending in a second direction with there being a second upstream end spaced from a second downstream end in the second direction, and to receive a second fluid, and said first plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger, and there being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of said first plurality of passages in different locations across said cross-sectional face of said heat exchanger; and
said first plurality of passages having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area at locations adjacent said second upstream end than said first plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said second downstream end and said second plurality of passages having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first upstream end than said second plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first downstream end.

2. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

3. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a corner is defined at said first upstream end and said second upstream end, and said combined flow cross-sectional area of said first and second plurality of passages being less adjacent said corner than at locations spaced from said corner.

4. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 3 , wherein a shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent said corner are distinct from a shape of said first plurality of passages spaced from said corner.

5. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 4 , wherein a cross-sectional area of said shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent to said corner is less than a cross-sectional area of said shape of said first plurality of passages spaced further from said corner.

6. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said shape of said first plurality of passages spaced from said corner include a polygonal shape.

7. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 6 , wherein said shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent said corner have a cylindrical shape.

8. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 3 , wherein a cross-B sectional area of said shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent to said corner is less than a cross-sectional area of said shape of said first plurality of passages spaced further from said corner.

9. The heat exchanger as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said second plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger and there also being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of said second plurality of passages in different locations across said cross-sectional face of said heat exchanger.

10. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor and a turbine section; and
a heat exchanger to cool air being delivered to said turbine section for cooling components in said turbine section, the heat exchanger including a first plurality of passages extending in a first direction, with there being a first upstream end spaced from a first downstream end in the first direction and to receive a first fluid and a second plurality of passages extending in a second direction with there being a second upstream end spaced from a second downstream end in the second direction, and to receive a second fluid, and said first plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger, and there being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of said first plurality of passages in different locations across said cross-sectional face of said heat exchanger; and
said first plurality of passage having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area at locations adjacent said second upstream end than said first plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said second downstream end and said second plurality of passages having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first upstream end than said second plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first downstream end.

11. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said first and second directions are perpendicular to each other.

12. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 10 , wherein a B corner is defined at said first upstream end and said second upstream end, and said combined flow cross-sectional area of said first and second plurality of passages being less adjacent said corner than at locations spaced from said corner.

13. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12 , wherein a shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent said corner are distinct from a shape of said first plurality of passages spaced from said corner.

14. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 12 , wherein a cross-sectional area of said shape of said first set of passages adjacent to said corner is less than a cross-sectional area of said shape of said first set of passages spaced further from said corner.

15. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 14 , wherein said shape of said first plurality of passages spaced from said corner include a polygonal shape.

16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15 , wherein said shape of said first plurality of passages adjacent said corner have a cylindrical shape.

17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 10 , wherein said second plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger and there being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of said second plurality of passages in different locations across said cross-sectional face of said heat exchanger.

18. A method of forming a heat exchanger comprising:
forming a first plurality of passages extending in a first direction, with there being a first upstream end spaced from a first downstream end in the first direction and to receive a first fluid and forming a second plurality of passages extending in a second direction with there being a second upstream end spaced from a second downstream end in the second direction, and to receive a second fluid, and said first plurality of passages being formed across a cross-sectional face of the heat exchanger, and there being distinct combined flow cross-sectional areas of said first cooling passages in different locations across said cross-sectional face of said heat exchanger, and
said first plurality of passages having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area at locations adjacent said second upstream end than said first plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said second downstream end and said second plurality of passages having a lesser combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first upstream end than said second plurality of passages combined flow cross-sectional area adjacent said first downstream end.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said first and second plurality of passages are formed utilizing refractory metal cores.

20. The method as set forth in claim 18 , wherein said heat exchanger is formed using an additive manufacturing process.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Golan John W
• Schwarz Frederick M

Classifications

• F05D2250/231

  cylindrical · CPC title

• F28F7/02

  Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y02T50/675

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• F28D2021/0026

  for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines · CPC title

• F28F13/08

  by varying the cross-section of the flow channels · CPC title