Minimal surface core heat exchangers with three-dimensional parametric control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11988458-B2
Application number	US-202217705826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2022
Priority date	Mar 28, 2022
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

A monolithic core for a heat exchanger comprises a plurality of three-dimensional unit cells arranged along three orthogonal axes of the core, the three orthogonal axes comprising a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis. Each of the plurality of unit cells has a first dimension comprising an axial extent along the first axis, a second dimension comprising an axial extent along the second axis, and a third dimension comprising an axial extent along the third axis. For at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the second dimension.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A monolithic core for a heat exchanger, the core comprising:
a plurality of three-dimensional unit cells arranged along three orthogonal axes of the core, the three orthogonal axes comprising a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis;
wherein each of the plurality of unit cells has a first dimension comprising an axial extent along the first axis, a second dimension comprising an axial extent along the second axis, and a third dimension comprising an axial extent along the third axis; and
wherein for a first unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the second dimension, and wherein for a second unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is equal to the second dimension.

2. The core of claim 1 , wherein for at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the third dimension.

3. The core of claim 1 , wherein for at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the second dimension is equal to the third dimension.

4. The core of claim 1 , wherein for at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the second dimension is not equal to the third dimension.

5. The core of claim 1 , wherein for at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the second dimension.

6. The core of claim 1 , wherein for the second unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the third dimension.

7. The core of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of unit cells is a periodic minimal surface selected from the group consisting of Schwarz P, gyroid, gyroid derivative, double gyroid, Neovius, K-Noid, Lidinoid, Fischer-Koch S, Fischer-Koch C(S), and combinations thereof.

8. The core of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of unit cells is formed from a metallic material.

9. The core of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of unit cells is formed from a polymer material.

10. The core of claim 1 , wherein a core geometry includes straight sides at joined at right angles.

11. The core of claim 10 , wherein the core geometry further includes straight sides joined at non-right angles.

12. The core of claim 10 , wherein the core geometry further includes curved sides.

13. The core of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of at least one of the plurality of unit cells varies across the at least one of the plurality of unit cells.

14. The core of claim 1 , wherein a wall thickness of a first subset of the plurality of unit cells is greater than a wall thickness of a second subset of the plurality of unit cells.

15. The core of claim 14 , wherein the first subset of the plurality of unit cells is located near a fluid inlet of the core.

16. A heat exchanger comprising:
the core of claim 1 ;
an inlet header at an inlet end of the core and in fluid communication with the core; and
an outlet header at an outlet end of the core and in fluid communication with the inlet header and the core.

17. A method of forming heat exchanger core, the method comprising:
forming, in a layer-by-layer fashion, a plurality of unit cells along three orthogonal axes; the three orthogonal axes comprising a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis;
wherein each of the plurality of unit cells has a first dimension comprising an axial extent along the first axis, a second dimension comprising an axial extent along the second axis, and a third dimension comprising an axial extent along the third axis; and
wherein for a first unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the second dimension, and wherein for a second unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is equal to the second dimension.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of unit cells are formed from a metallic material using a powder bed fusion process.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of unit cells are formed from a polymer material using a stereolithography process.

20. A monolithic core for a heat exchanger, the core comprising:
a plurality of three-dimensional unit cells arranged along three orthogonal axes of the core, the three orthogonal axes comprising a first axis, a second axis, and a third axis;
wherein each of the plurality of unit cells has a first dimension comprising an axial extent along the first axis, a second dimension comprising an axial extent along the second axis, and a third dimension comprising an axial extent along the third axis;
wherein for at least one unit cell of the plurality of unit cells, the first dimension is not equal to the second dimension; and
wherein a wall thickness of a first subset of the plurality of unit cells is greater than a wall thickness of a second subset of the plurality of unit cells.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Becene Ahmet T
• Ruiz Gabriel
• Feng Feng
• Streeter James

Classifications

• F28D7/16 Primary

  the conduits being arranged in parallel spaced relation ({F28D7/0008 - F28D7/0058 take precedence}; F28D7/02 - F28D7/10 take precedence) · CPC title

• B21D53/06

  of metal tubes · CPC title

• B33Y80/00 Primary

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F28F7/02

  Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F28F21/00

  Constructions of heat-exchange apparatus characterised by the selection of particular materials {(coatings for modifying heat-transfer F28F13/18; coatings for preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion F28F19/02)} · CPC title