Heat exchanger tube support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11859910-B2
Application number	US-202117320853-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2021
Priority date	May 14, 2021
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

A heat exchanger for heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid has a plurality of tube sections, each having; an interior for passing the first fluid; an exterior for exposure to the second fluid; a first leg; a second leg; and a turn joining the first leg to the second leg. A has: fiber members passing between legs of the tube sections; and an end plate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger for heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid and comprising:
a plurality of tube sections, each comprising:
an interior for passing the first fluid;
an exterior for exposure to the second fluid;
a first leg;
a second leg; and
a turn joining the first leg to the second leg;

a manifold, wherein the first leg and second leg of each of the tube sections are mounted to the manifold and in communication therewith; and
a support comprising:
fiber members interwoven with legs of the tube sections;
a first end plate; and
a second end plate sandwiching the fiber members and plurality of tube sections between the first end plate and the second end plate.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the fiber members comprise:
glass fibers.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the fiber members comprise:
woven fiber tape.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein for each stage of a plurality of stages of the tube sections, the fiber members comprise:
a first fiber member between alternate legs of the tube sections; and
a second fiber member between alternate legs of the tube sections and out of phase with the first fiber member.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4 wherein the first fiber member and second fiber member comprise:
woven fiber tape.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the support further comprises:
a further fiber member between the fiber members and the end plate.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the support further comprises:
fasteners axially holding the support together.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the support is a first support and the heat exchanger comprises a second support spaced from the first support and comprising:
fiber members passing between legs of the tube sections; and
an end plate.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8 further comprising means for maintaining a spacing between the first support and the second support.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the end plate of the support comprises a metallic body.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of tube sections have flattened intermediate portions along their first legs and second legs.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the heat exchanger is an annular heat exchanger.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the manifold comprises a plate stack.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of tube sections are positioned in a plurality of stages from upstream to downstream along a flowpath of the second fluid.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the manifold has a convex outer surface from which the plurality of tube sections extend and the support is spaced from the manifold.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of tube sections are positioned in a plurality of stages from upstream to downstream along a flowpath of the second fluid.

17. A turbine engine including the heat exchanger of claim 1 and further comprising:
a gas path passing gas across exteriors of the plurality of tube sections.

18. The turbine engine of claim 17 further comprising:
a recuperator including the heat exchanger.

19. A method for using the heat exchanger of claim 1 , the method comprising:
passing a first fluid flow through interiors of the tube sections; and
passing a second fluid flow along a second flowpath across exteriors of the tube sections, wherein:
the passing of the first flow and the second flow thermally expands the length of the tube sections to cause a sliding interaction between the tube sections and the fiber members.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:
the passing the second flow is passing of combustion gases in a gas turbine engine.

Assignees

• Raytheon Tech Corp
• Rtx Corp

Inventors

• Staubach Joseph B
• Muldoon Marc J
• Wiedenhoefer James F

Classifications

• F28D1/0475 Primary

  the conduits having a single U-bend · CPC title

• F02C1/04

  the working fluid being heated indirectly {(in a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205)} · CPC title

• F28F1/025

  with variable shape, e.g. with modified tube ends, with different geometrical features (F28F1/06, F28F1/08, F28F9/16, F28F9/18 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F9/013

  for tubes or tube-assemblies · CPC title

• F28F9/0131

  formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence) · CPC title