Drawn polymer fibers for use in thermal applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12222168-B2
Application number	US-202117375182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2021
Priority date	Jul 14, 2021
Publication date	Feb 11, 2025
Grant date	Feb 11, 2025

Abstract

Drawn polymer fibers have internal channels running, at least partially, through the length of the fibers. These fibers may be configured to for use as thermal isolators that can thermally isolate material at the central core of the fiber from the outside environment. In such instances, the channels may be used as insulating channels and/or a heating or cooling fluid can be pumped through the channels to maintain the temperature of the material at the inner core. As another application, the fibers may be used as recuperative, regenerative, parallel-flow, counter-flow, cross-flow or condenser/evaporator heat exchangers. In this case, the channels may be used to direct fluid flow. The fiber may allow for the exchange of heat between fluids in the channels.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a polymer fiber having a first end and a second end, the polymer fiber comprising: one or more fluid delivery channels disposed along a length of the polymer fiber between the first and second ends, the one or more fluid delivery channels configured to carry a fluid having a first temperature from the first end to the second end, wherein the polymer fiber is a single, polymer fiber having an outer wall and having a uniform cross-section along the entire length of the single polymer fiber from the first end of the single, polymer fiber to the second end of the single polymer fiber; and
one or more fluid return channels disposed along the length of the polymer fiber with at least one or some of the fluid return channels extending between the first and second ends and configured to return a fluid from the second end of the polymer fiber, wherein the one or more fluid delivery channels have a first size and shape which define a first cross-sectional area and the one or more fluid return channels have a second size and shape which define a second cross-sectional area.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
each of the one or more fluid delivery channels and each of the one or more fluid return channels extend along the entire length of the polymer fiber from the first end of the polymer fiber to the second end of the polymer fiber; and
an outer wall with a uniform cross-section along the length of the fiber.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the one or more fluid delivery channels and the one or more fluid return channels are provided having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a static material disposed in at least one of the one or more fluid delivery channels to entirely fill the one or more fluid delivery channels wherein the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a gel;
a solid; and
a composite material.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a static material disposed in one or more fluid return channels wherein the static material fills the one or more fluid return channels and the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a material disposed in one or more of the one or more fluid delivery channels, wherein the material fills the one or more fluid delivery channels and the material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 further comprising a material disposed in one or more of the one or more fluid return channels, wherein the material fills the one or more fluid return channels and the material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

8. A heat exchanger comprising:
a polymer fiber having a first end and a second end, the polymer fiber comprising:
one or more fluid delivery channels disposed along a length of the polymer fiber between the first and second ends, the one or more fluid deliver channels configured to carry a fluid having a first temperature from the first end to the second end, wherein the polymer fiber is a single, polymer fiber having an outer wall and having a uniform cross-section and wherein the outer wall extends along the entire length of the single polymer fiber from the first end of the single polymer fiber to the second end of the single polymer fiber, and
one or more fluid return channels disposed along the length of the polymer fiber with at least one or some of the fluid return channels extending between the first and second ends and configured to return a fluid from the second end of the polymer fiber.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8 further comprising a material disposed in one or more of the one or more fluid return channels, wherein the material fills the one or more fluid return channels and the material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 8 wherein:
each of the one or more fluid delivery channels and each of the one or more fluid return channels extend along the entire length of the polymer fiber from the first end of the polymer fiber to the second end of the polymer fiber; and
an outer wall with a uniform cross-section along the length of the fiber.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 8 wherein the one or more fluid delivery channels and the one or more fluid return channels are provided having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 8 further comprising a static material disposed in at least one of the one or more fluid delivery channels to entirely fill the one or more fluid delivery channels wherein the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a gel;
a solid; and
a composite material.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 8 further comprising a static material disposed in one or more fluid return channels wherein the static material fills the one or more fluid return channels and the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

14. A heat exchanger comprising:
a polymer fiber having a first end and a second end, the polymer fiber comprising:
one or more fluid delivery channels disposed along a length of the polymer fiber between the first and second ends, the one or more fluid delivery channels configured to carry a fluid having a first temperature from the first end to the second end, with the polymer fiber having an outer wall and having a uniform cross-section along the entire length of the polymer fiber from the first end of the polymer fiber to the second end of the polymer fiber; and
one or more fluid return channels disposed along the length of the polymer fiber with at least one or some of the fluid return channels extending between the first and second ends and configured to return a fluid from the second end of the polymer fiber.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 14 wherein:
each of the one or more fluid delivery channels and each of the one or more fluid return channels extend along the entire length of the polymer fiber from the first end of the polymer fiber to the second end of the polymer fiber; and
an outer wall with a uniform cross-section along the length of the fiber.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 14 wherein the one or more fluid delivery channels and the one or more fluid return channels are provided having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.

17. The heat exchanger of claim 14 further comprising a static material disposed in at least one of the one or more fluid delivery channels to entirely fill the one or more fluid delivery channels wherein the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a gel;
a solid; and
a composite material.

18. The heat exchanger of claim 14 further comprising a static material disposed in one or more fluid return channels wherein the static material fills the one or more fluid return channels and the static material corresponds to one or more of:
a gas;
a granular material;
a gel; and
a composite material.

19. A heat exchanger comprising:
a single polymer fiber having a first end, a second end, an outer wall and having a uniform cross-section along the entire length of the single polymer fiber from the first end of the single polymer fib

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Brisson John G
• Thompson Kyle J
• Cummings John
• Adams Jacob Lazer
• Cantley Lauren

Classifications

• F28F2260/02

  having microchannels · CPC title

• F28F2255/06

  composite, e.g. polymers with fillers or fibres · CPC title

• F28F21/06

  of plastics material · CPC title

• F28F7/02

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

• B29L2031/18

  Heat-exchangers or parts thereof · CPC title