Fluid flow management assembly for heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10816282-B2
Application number	US-201816128903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2018
Priority date	Sep 12, 2018
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a core section defining a plurality of first fluid channels and a plurality of second fluid channels. The heat exchanger also includes a header section defining a plurality of first fluid layers and a plurality of second fluid layers. The heat exchanger further includes a transition region located between the header section and the core section, the transition region fluidly coupling the plurality of first fluid layers to the first fluid channels, each of the first fluid layers routing a first fluid to a respective group of first fluid channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a core section defining a plurality of first fluid channels and a plurality of second fluid channels;
a header section defining a plurality of first fluid layers and a plurality of second fluid layers; and
a transition region located between the header section and the core section,
the transition region fluidly coupling the plurality of first fluid layers to the first fluid channels,
each of the first fluid layers routing a first fluid to a respective group of first fluid channels,
wherein at least one of the first fluid layers is centrally aligned with a first row of first fluid channels to route the first fluid to all of the channels of the first row and to route the first fluid to a portion of a first adjacent row of first fluid channels and to a portion of a second adjacent row of first fluid channels, and the portion of the first adjacent row and the second adjacent row is half of the channels of the first and second adjacent row.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid layers and the second fluid layers are slots.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the first fluid channels or the second fluid channels have a circular cross-sectional geometry.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the first fluid channels or the second fluid channels have a rectangular cross-sectional geometry.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first fluid layers gradually increase the cross-sectional area of fluid flow provided to the first fluid channels.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is formed with an additive manufacturing process.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a counter flow heat exchanger.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a parallel flow heat exchanger.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the transition region includes at least one wall isolating the first fluid from the second fluid.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising an outlet side transition region fluidly coupling the respective group of fluid flow channels to a first fluid layer.

11. A method of managing fluid flow in a heat exchanger comprising:
routing a first fluid from a pipe inlet of a core of the heat exchanger to a plurality of first fluid layer; and
routing the first fluid from each first fluid layer to a respective plurality of first fluid flow channels,
wherein routing the first fluid from each first fluid layer to the respective group of first fluid flow channels comprises:
routing the first fluid from one of the first fluid layers to an entire row of first fluid channels and to a portion of channels of a first adjacent row and to a portion of a second adjacent tow of channels, and
wherein the portion of the first adjacent row and the second adjacent row is half of the channels of the first and second adjacent row.

12. A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger comprising,
additively manufacturing a core section, a header section and a transition region,
the core section defining a plurality of first fluid channels and a plurality of second fluid channels,
the header section defining a plurality of first fluid layers and a plurality of second fluid layers, and
the transition region located between the header section and the core section,
the transition region fluidly coupling the plurality of first fluid layers to the first fluid channels,
each of the first fluid layers routing a first fluid to a respective group of first fluid channels,
wherein at least one of the first fluid layers is centrally aligned with a first row of first fluid channels to route the first fluid to all of the channels of the first row and to route the first fluid to a portion of a first adjacent row of first fluid channels and to a portion of a second adjacent row of first fluid channels, and the portion of the first adjacent row and the second adjacent row is half of the channels of the first and second adjacent row.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp
• Hamilton Sunstrand Corp

Inventors

• Turney Joseph
• Whiton John H
• Streeter James

Classifications

• F28F9/026

  with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits · CPC title

• F28F9/027 Primary

  in the form of distribution pipes · CPC title

• B23P15/26

  heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} · CPC title

• F28F2009/222

  Particular guide plates, baffles or deflectors, e.g. having particular orientation relative to an elongated casing or conduit · CPC title

• F28F9/0265

  by using guiding means or impingement means inside the header box · CPC title