Dual pass heat exchanger with drain system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962294-B2
Application number	US-201816213217-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2018
Priority date	Dec 7, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft with an environmental control system includes first and second heat exchangers, a closure bar, and a drain manifold. The first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a source of bleed air from the aircraft. The second heat exchanger has a second hot air circuit passing through the second heat exchanger and is disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger. The closure bar is disposed between the first and second heat exchangers such that the closure bar prevents fluid communication across the closure bar between the first and second heat exchangers. The drain manifold is mounted to a sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly. A channel of the drain manifold is in fluid communication with a surface of the closure bar.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger assembly for an aircraft with an environmental control system, the heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a source of bleed air from the aircraft;
a second heat exchanger with a second hot air circuit passing therethrough, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger;
a closure bar disposed between the first and second heat exchangers, such that the closure bar prevents fluid communication across the closure bar between the first and second heat exchangers; and
a drain manifold mounted to a sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein a channel in the drain manifold is in fluid communication with a surface of the closure bar.

2. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises:
a first hot air circuit passing through the first heat exchanger; and
a plurality of hot layers, wherein each hot layer of the plurality of hot layers comprises:
a first vertical fin section;
a tent fin section disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the first vertical fin section, wherein fins of the tent fin section are positioned perpendicular to fins of the first vertical fin section; and
a second vertical fin section disposed downstream of and in fluid communication with the tent fin section, wherein fins of the second vertical fin section are positioned perpendicular to fins of the tent fin section.

3. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a drain slot formed at an interface between the tent fin section and the second vertical fin section, wherein the drain slot is connected to an opening of the sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly at a location of the drain manifold such that the drain slot is in fluid communication with the channel of the drain manifold.

4. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:
a drain slot disposed in a portion of tent fin section of one of the hot layers, wherein the drain slot extends to and is in fluid communication with a surface of the closure bar.

5. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 2 , wherein the drain manifold is mounted to the sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly at a downstream end of the tent fin section.

6. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a bleed air heat exchanger and wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a fresh air heat exchanger.

7. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a cold air circuit passing through each of the first and second heat exchangers, wherein the first and second heat exchangers are in cross-flow communication with the cold air circuit, wherein the cold air circuit is fluidly connected to a source of ram air from the aircraft.

8. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a spray nozzle mounted to the drain manifold and in fluid communication with the channel of the drain manifold.

9. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 8 , wherein the spray nozzle is positioned to emit moisture from the channel of the drain manifold, out of the drain manifold, and into a fluid flow entering into the heat exchanger assembly such that the moisture emitted from the spray nozzle promotes evaporative cooling from the fluid flow entering into the heat exchanger assembly.

10. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is positioned above the second heat exchanger relative to a direction of gravity.

11. The heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second heat exchangers are fluidly connected in parallel.

12. A method of managing water in a heat exchanger assembly of an aircraft, the method comprising:
passing hot air of a first hot air circuit through hot layers of a first heat exchanger of a heat exchanger assembly, wherein the heat exchanger assembly comprises:
the first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a source of bleed air from the aircraft;
a second heat exchanger with a second hot air circuit passing therethrough, wherein the second heat exchanger is disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger;
a closure bar disposed between the first and second heat exchangers, such that the closure bar prevents fluid communication across the closure bar between the first and second heat exchangers;
a drain manifold mounted to a sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly, wherein a channel of the drain manifold is in fluid communication with a surface of the closure bar; and
a spray nozzle mounted to the drain manifold and in fluid communication with the channel of the drain manifold; and

draining moisture deposited onto the closure bar through an opening in the sidewall of the heat exchanger assembly and into the channel of the drain manifold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising emitting moisture from the channel of the drain manifold out of the drain manifold through the spray nozzle.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein emitting moisture from the spray nozzle further comprises emitting the moisture into a fluid flow entering into the heat exchanger assembly to promote evaporative cooling from the fluid flow in the heat exchanger assembly.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Army Donald E
• Peacos Iii Frederick

Classifications

• F28D7/1653 Primary

  the conduit assemblies having a square or rectangular shape · CPC title

• F28D9/0093

  Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids · CPC title

• F28F17/005

  Means for draining condensates from heat exchangers, e.g. from evaporators (F28B9/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F3/02

  Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations (F28F3/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28F9/26

  Arrangements for connecting different sections of heat-exchange elements, e.g. of radiators (connecting different sections in water heaters F24H9/14 {, connecting headers with inlet or outlet fittings F28F9/0246}) · CPC title