Heat exchanger and an additive manufacturing method for manufacturing a heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11788801-B2
Application number	US-201716753604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 13, 2017
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A heat exchanger body includes at least a first channel wall portion, a second channel wall portion, and a third channel wall portion. A first channel for a first fluid, and a second channel for a second fluid are provided such that heat is allowed to be transferred between the first channel and the second channel via the second channel wall portion. A plurality of first support structures are arranged in the first channel and extend from the first channel wall portion to the second channel wall portion. A plurality of second support structures are arranged in the second channel and extending from the second channel wall portion to the third channel wall portion. The support structures are configured to support the second and third channel wall portions during manufacturing of the heat exchanger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a heat exchanger body comprising at least a first channel wall portion, a second channel wall portion, and a third channel wall portion, a first channel defining a first fluid path for a first fluid, said first channel having a first channel height extending from said first channel wall portion to said second channel wall portion;
a second channel defining a second fluid path for a second fluid, said second channel having a second channel height extending from said second channel wall portion to said third channel wall portion such that heat is allowed to be transferred between the first channel and the second channel via said second channel wall portion;
a plurality of first support structures arranged in said first channel and extending from said first channel wall portion to said second channel wall portion, and a plurality of second support structures arranged in said second channel and extending from said second channel wall portion to said third channel wall portion,
wherein said plurality of first support structures are configured to support said second channel wall portion in said first channel, and that said plurality of second support structures are configured to support said third channel wall portion in said second channel, during manufacturing of the heat exchanger and in that said first channel and said second channel are helically shaped and spiral around a center axis of the heat exchanger, the plurality of support structures being arranged in the first channel in a curved spiral pattern configured to direct the first fluid in the first channel towards the center axis, the curved spiral pattern of the first support structures being such that there is a higher density of first support structures closer to the central axis of heat exchanger, and the plurality of the second support structures being arranged in the second channel in a curved spiral pattern configured to direct the second fluid in the second channel towards the center axis, the curved spiral pattern of the second support structures being such that there is a higher density of second support structures closer to the central axis of heat exchanger.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first channel wall portion, the second channel wall portion, the third channel wall portion, the plurality of first support structures and the plurality of second support structures are produced by additive manufacturing.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein at least one support structure in said plurality of first and second support structures has a length extending along a longitudinal support structure axis (LSA), and has a width extending along a transversal support structure axis (TSA) being perpendicular to said longitudinal support structure axis, wherein the width of said at least one support structure is smaller compared to the length of said at least one support structure.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein said at least one support structure is symmetrically shaped along at least said longitudinal support structure axis.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein the length of said at least one support structure is between 3 to 7 times the width of said at least one support structure.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 3 , wherein said longitudinal support structure axis intersects with said transversal support structure axis to define an axis intersection point (AIP), and wherein the length of said at least one support structure is divided into a first length extending along the longitudinal support structure axis from said axis intersection point to a first longitudinal end of said at least one support structure, and divided into a second length extending along the longitudinal support structure axis from said axis intersection point to a second longitudinal end of said at least one support structure, wherein the first length is equal to, or smaller than the second length.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 6 , wherein said first length is between 1 to 2 times the width of said at least one support structure, and/or wherein said second length is between 3 to 4 times the width of said at least one support structure.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein at least one support structures in said plurality of first and second support structures has a cross section which is lens-shaped or is elliptically shaped.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein said first channel is arranged such that said first fluid path has a main first fluid flow direction, and said second channel is arranged such that said second fluid path has a main second fluid flow direction, and wherein at least one support structure in said plurality of first and second support structures is arranged inside the first channel or the second channel such that a longitudinal support structure axis coincides with said main first fluid flow direction or said main second fluid flow direction, respectively.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first support structures in said plurality of first support structures is sized and dimensioned differently compared to the second support structures in said plurality of second support structures.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is manufactured as a single unit.

12. An additive manufacturing method for manufacturing a heat exchanger according to claim 1 , the method comprising: forming the first channel wall portion; forming a plurality of first support structures extending from said first channel wall portion; forming the second channel wall portion distant from said first channel wall portion, and supported by said plurality of first support structures, such that the first channel defining the first fluid path for the first fluid is defined by said first and second channel wall portion; forming a plurality of second support structures extending from said second channel wall portion; forming the third channel wall portion distant from said second channel wall portion, and supported by said plurality of second support structures, such that the second channel defining the second fluid path for the second fluid is defined by said second and third channel wall portion.

13. An additive manufacturing method according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one support structure is formed in said first channel or second channel, such that the longitudinal support structure axis coincides with the main extension of the first channel or second channel, respectively.

14. An additive manufacturing method according to claim 12 , comprising the step of forming the second support structures in said plurality of second support structures differently compared to the first support structures in said plurality of first support structures.

15. An additive manufacturing method according to claim 12 , wherein said heat exchanger is manufactured as a single unit.

16. A vehicle comprising a heat exchanger according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Volvo Truck Corp

Inventors

• Sailler Yannick

Classifications

• F28F9/0075 Primary

  Supports for plates or plate assemblies · CPC title

• F28D9/0062

  the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by spaced plates with inserted elements (F28D9/0012, F28D9/0025, F28D9/0081, F28D9/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28D9/04

  the conduits being formed by spirally-wound plates or laminae · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F28D2021/0082

  Charged air coolers · CPC title