Radially layered helical core geometry for heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11280550-B2
Application number	US-201916711107-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2019
Priority date	Mar 8, 2019
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a first fluid manifold extending along a first fluid axis from a first fluid inlet to a first fluid outlet. The first fluid manifold includes a first fluid inlet header, a first fluid outlet header, and a nested helical core section. The first fluid inlet header is disposed to fork the first fluid inlet into a plurality of first fluid branches distributed circumferentially and radially about the first fluid axis. The first fluid outlet header is disposed to combine the plurality of first fluid branches into the first fluid outlet. The nested helical core section fluidly connects the first fluid inlet header to the first fluid outlet header via a plurality of nested helical tubes, and includes radially inner and outer groups of circumferentially distributed helical tubes.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a first fluid manifold extending along a first fluid axis defining an axial direction from a first fluid inlet to a first fluid outlet, the first fluid manifold comprising:
a first fluid inlet header disposed to fork the first fluid inlet fractally into a plurality of helical tubes distributed circumferentially and radially about the first fluid axis, the first fluid inlet header comprising:
a plurality of inlet header branches split directly from the first fluid inlet at a shared inlet intersection and extending at least partially in the axial direction therefrom; and
a plurality of secondary inlet branch intersections each separating one of the inlet header branches into multiple branches selected from among the plurality of helical tubes;

a first fluid outlet header disposed to recombine the plurality of helical tubes into the first fluid outlet, the first fluid outlet comprising:
a plurality of secondary outlet header intersections each combining multiple branches selected from among the plurality of helical tubes;
a plurality of outlet header branches each extending from one of the plurality of secondary outlet header intersections and all combining at a shared outlet intersection, the outlet header branches extending at least partially in the axial direction from the plurality of secondary outlet header intersections to a shared outlet intersection; and

a nested helical core section fluidly connecting the first fluid inlet header to the first fluid outlet header via the plurality of nested helical tubes, the nested helical core section comprising:
a radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes comprising a first subset of the plurality of helical tubes; and
a radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes, comprising a second subset of the plurality of helical tubes separate from the first subset of the plurality of helical tubes, and disposed radially outward of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes, with respect to the fluid axis,

wherein each of the pluralities of inlet header branches, outlet header branches, secondary inlet branch intersections, and secondary outlet header intersections, is spaced apart from and structurally independent from all other inlet header branches, outlet header branches, secondary inlet branch intersections, and secondary outlet header intersections, respectively, such that all inlet and outlet header branches are structurally connected to other inlet and outlet header branches, respectively, only at the shared inlet intersection or shared outlet intersection, respectively, and such that no secondary inlet or outlet header intersections are directly attached to any other secondary inlet or outlet header intersections, respectively.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of helical tubes is structurally independent from all others of the plurality of helical tubes, such that the plurality of helical tubes are mechanically connected to each other only at the first fluid inlet header and the first fluid outlet header.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of helical tubes extends axially along and circumferentially about the first fluid axis.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid axis extends linearly from the first fluid inlet to the first fluid outlet, and wherein the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet are themselves oriented along the first fluid axis.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein all of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes have first identical geometries, and wherein all of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes have second identical geometries, that differ from the first identical geometries.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first and second identical geometries are defined at least in part by helix angle, tube wall thickness, and tube flow diameter, such that all of the helical tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes have identical helix angle, tube wall thickness, and tube flow diameter, all of the helical tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes have identical helix angle, tube wall thickness, and tube flow diameter, and all of the helical tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes differ from all of the helical tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes in at least one of the group consisting of helix angle, tube wall thickness, and tube flow diameter.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the helix angle all of the helical tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes is greater than the helix angle of all of the helical tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the tube wall thickness all of the helical tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes is less than the tube wall thickness of all of the helical tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the flow diameter all of the helical tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes is less than the flow diameter of all of the helical tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the tubes of the radially outer group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes are more numerous than the tubes of the radially inner group of circumferentially distributed helical tubes.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of helical tubes is mechanically separated from circumferentially adjacent of the plurality of helical tubes by a circumferential and axial gap.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of helical tubes has a total passage length at least double its extent along the first fluid axis.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the nested helical core section forms a nested double spring shape extending between the first fluid inlet header and the first fluid outlet header, wherein the nested double spring shape is principally compliant along the first fluid axis.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid flow structure disposed to direct a second fluid to impinge on the first fluid manifold, wherein the second fluid flow structure is configured to direct the second fluid generally along a direction from the first fluid outlet to the first fluid inlet.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the entirety of the first fluid manifold is formed monolithically as a single structure.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein all of the plurality of helical tubes have substantially identical flow path length.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein all of the plurality of helical tubes have a circular cross-section.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Becene Ahmet T
• Ruiz Gabriel
• Feng Feng
• Maynard Michael
• Doe Michael
• Hu Michele
• Joseph Ephraim

Classifications

• F28D1/0472 Primary

  the conduits being helically or spirally coiled · CPC title

• F28D1/05333

  with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits (F28D1/05341 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02C7/14

  of fluids in the plant {, e.g. lubricant or fuel (F02C7/185 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F28F2265/26

  for allowing differential expansion between elements · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title