Metal foam heat exchangers for air and gas cooling and heating applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11828501-B2
Application number	US-202016942853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

Improved heat exchangers according to several embodiments are provided. The heat exchangers provide improved heat transfer for air flow in wet and dry operating conditions, while minimizing pressure drop across the heat exchanger in some applications. According to one embodiment, an improved heat exchanger includes a plurality of metal foam fins between adjacent heat exchange conduits, the heat exchange conduits being arranged parallel to each other to define parallel flow paths between an inlet header and an outlet header. The metal foam fins occupy a cross-flow region between adjacent conduits, the fins having a fixed angular orientation or being rotatable in unison to vary the thermal capacitance of the heat exchanger.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of flow conduits in fluid communication with an inlet header and an outlet header, the plurality of flow conduits including first and second flow conduits extending parallel to each other and defining a first cross-flow region therebetween, the plurality of flow conduits extending orthogonal to a lengthwise axis of the inlet header and a lengthwise axis of the outlet header; and
a first plurality of fins disposed in the first cross-flow region between the first flow conduit and the second flow conduit, wherein each of the plurality of fins are rectangular and include an upper edge in direct physical contact with the first flow conduit and a lower edge in direct physical contact with the second flow conduit, the first plurality of fins being formed from metal foam wherein adjacent ones of the first plurality of fins are spaced apart from each other and having a common angular orientation, wherein the common angular orientation of each of the first plurality of fins is a non-zero angle of between 30 and 60 degrees as defined between a flow direction of an incoming fluid flow and an axis connecting a leading edge and a trailing edge of each of the plurality of fins, the leading edge and the trailing edge interconnecting the upper edge and the lower edge of the corresponding fin.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the angular orientation of each of the first plurality of fins is adjustable.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the plurality of flow conduits includes a third conduit extending parallel to the second conduit to define a second cross-flow region therebetween, the heat exchanger further including a second plurality of fins disposed in the second cross-flow region, wherein each of the second plurality of fins are formed from metal foam and are spaced apart from each other and have the common angular orientation.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the inlet header includes an inlet and is in fluid communication with each of the plurality of flow conduits, and wherein the outlet header includes an outlet and is in fluid communication with each of the plurality of flow conduits.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second flow conduits define a rectangular cross-section, the first plurality of fins extending between and contacting a major surface of the first flow conduit and a major surface of the second flow conduit.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of fins comprises a monolithic metal foam body.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of fins is formed from metal foam comprising aluminum, copper, nickel, silver, gold, or alloys thereof.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of fins is formed from metal foam defining a pore density of not more than 100 pores per inch.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc
• Board Of Trustees Of The Univ Of Illinois

Inventors

• Nawaz Kashif
• Jacobi Anthony M

Classifications

• F25B39/028 Primary

  having distributing means · CPC title

• F28D1/05391

  with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators · CPC title

• F28F1/128

  Fins with openings, e.g. louvered fins · CPC title

• F28D2021/0071

  Evaporators · CPC title

• F28F13/003 Primary

  by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials (F28F13/18 takes precedence) · CPC title