Additively manufactured heat exchangers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10843267-B2
Application number	US-201815910459-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Heat exchangers are manufactured by three-dimensional (3D) printers by printing subsequent layers of a material in a print direction. The heat exchangers include one or more tubes. The one or more tubes are configured to transport a fluid to be heated or cooled. Each of the one or more tubes defines a slope that is within a threshold angle of the print direction. The heat exchangers include a plurality of fins that are each configured to intersect with the one or more tubes while allowing fluid flow between the plurality of fins to heat or cool the fluid. Each fin of the plurality of fins defines a slope that is within a threshold angle of the print direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger manufactured by a three-dimensional (3D) printer by printing subsequent layers of a material in a print direction, the heat exchanger comprising:
one or more tubes that are configured to transport a fluid to be heated or cooled, wherein each of the one or more tubes defines a first set of slopes that is within a threshold angle of the print direction, the one or more tubes comprising internal features that define an instantiating slope that is within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
a plurality of fins that are each configured to intersect with the one or more tubes while allowing fluid flow between the plurality of fins to heat or cool the fluid, wherein each fin of the plurality of fins defines a second set of slopes that is within the threshold angle of the print direction.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the one or more tubes includes a first plurality of layers, each of the layers of the first plurality of layers being substantially perpendicular or orthogonal to the print direction, wherein an orientation of each layer of the first plurality of layers relative to adjacent layers of the first plurality of layers defines the first set of slopes as within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
the plurality of fins includes a second plurality of layers, each of the layers of the second plurality of layers being substantially perpendicular or orthogonal to the print direction, wherein an orientation of each layer of the second plurality of layers relative to adjacent layers of the second plurality of layers defines the second set of slopes as within the threshold angle of the print direction.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising:
an intake manifold configured to receive the fluid and route the fluid to the one or more tubes to be heated or cooled, wherein the intake manifold is configured to define instantiating slopes that are within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
an output manifold configured to receive the fluid from the one or more tubes and route the fluid to an output port, wherein the output manifold is configured to define instantiating slopes that are within the threshold angle of the print direction.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tubes define respective longitudinal axes generally parallel with the print direction and fins of the plurality of fins extend generally diagonal relative to the print direction.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein fins of the plurality of fins extend generally parallel with the print direction and the one or more tubes define respective longitudinal axes generally diagonal relative to the print direction.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the one or more tubes have a lenticular cross section in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the one or more tubes.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein a major axis of the lenticular cross section is generally parallel with the print direction.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a top surface of each of the internal features defines a terminating slope that is beyond the threshold angle of the print direction.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the internal features include one or more offset strip fins.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a support wall that is generally parallel with the print direction, wherein the support wall is configured to provide a printable support layer for the instantiation of one or more fins of the plurality of fins that extend out from the support wall toward the one or more tubes in a generally diagonal direction relative to the print direction.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the material is metallic and comprises a relatively high thermal conductivity.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the threshold angle is generally 45° from the print direction.

13. A method of forming a heat exchanger using a three-dimensional (3D) printer that prints subsequent layers of a material in a print direction, the method comprising:
controlling the 3D printer to form, with an additive manufacturing process:
one or more tubes that are configured to transport a fluid to be heated or cooled, wherein each of the one or more tubes is configured to have one or more slopes that are within a threshold angle of the print direction, the one or more tubes comprising internal features that define an instantiating slope that is within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
a plurality of fins that are each configured to intersect with the one or more tubes while allowing fluid flow between the plurality of fins to heat or cool the fluid, wherein each fin of the plurality of fins is configured to have slopes that are within the threshold angle of the print direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
each of the one or more tubes includes a first plurality of layers, each of the layers of the first plurality of layers being substantially perpendicular or orthogonal to the print direction, wherein an orientation of each layer of the first plurality of layers relative to adjacent layers of the first plurality of layers defines the first set of slopes as within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
the plurality of fins includes a second plurality of layers, each of the layers of the second plurality of layers being substantially perpendicular or orthogonal to the print direction, wherein an orientation of each layer of the second plurality of layers relative to adjacent layers of the second plurality of layers defines the second set of slopes as within the threshold angle of the print direction.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
printing, by the 3D printer, an intake manifold configured to receive the fluid and route the fluid to the one or more tubes to be heated or cooled such that instantiating slopes of the intake manifold defines are within the threshold angle of the print direction; and
printing, by the 3D printer, an output manifold configured to receive the fluid from the one or more tubes and route the fluid to an output port such that instantiating slopes of the output manifold are within the threshold angle of the print direction.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
printing, by the 3D printer, the one or more tubes in a generally parallel direction relative to the print direction; and
printing, the 3D printer, fins of the plurality of fins in a generally diagonal direction relative to the print direction.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
printing, by the 3D printer, fins of the plurality of fins in a generally parallel direction relative to the print direction; and
printing, by the 3D printer, the one or more tubes in a generally diagonal direction relative to the print direction.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising printing, by the 3D printer, the one or more tubes to define a lenticular cross section in a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the one or more tubes.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising printing, by the 3D printer, a long axis of the lenticular cross section in a generally parallel direction relative to the print direction.

20. The method of claim 13 , further comprising printing, by the 3D printer, the internal features such that a top surface of each of the internal features defines a terminating slope that is beyond the threshold angle of the print direct

Assignees

• Univ Minnesota

Inventors

• Davidson Jane H
• Mantell Susan C
• Hathaway Brandon J
• Garde Kunal Sudam

Classifications

• F28F1/40 Primary

  the means being only inside the tubular element · CPC title

• B22F10/385

  Overhang structures · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B22F2999/00

  Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy · CPC title

• B22F2005/004

  Article comprising helical form elements (B22F5/085 takes precedence) · CPC title