Heat transfer device with nested layers of helical fluid channels

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12281853-B2
Application number	US-202418601959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2024
Priority date	Jul 13, 2021
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods relating to heat transfer devices having nested layers of helical fluid channels. In some examples, a device for transferring heat includes a set of nested tubular walls and a plurality of helical walls intersecting each of the nested tubular walls to form one or more first channel layers nested with one or more second channel layers. Each of the first and second channel layers includes a plurality of helical fluid channels. A first intake and a first outtake are in fluid communication with one another via the plurality of helical fluid channels of each first channel layer, for flow of a first fluid through the device. A second intake and a second outtake are in fluid communication with one another via the plurality of helical fluid channels of each second channel layer, for flow of a second fluid through the device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerospace vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine connected to the vehicle body and configured to power the vehicle body in a flight mode; and
a heat transfer device connected to the vehicle body and/or the engine and including:
a set of nested tubular walls,
a plurality of helical walls intersecting each of the nested tubular walls to form at least two first channel layers nested with at least two second channel layers, each first channel layer and each second channel layer defining a plurality of helical fluid channels,
a first intake and a first outtake in fluid communication with one another via the helical fluid channels of each first channel layer, for flow of intake air for the engine through the heat transfer device from the first intake to the first outtake, and
a second intake and a second outtake in fluid communication with one another via the plurality of helical fluid channels of each second channel layer, for flow of a second fluid through the heat transfer device from the second intake to the second outtake;

wherein the heat transfer device is configured to cool the flow of intake air and heat the flow of the second fluid.

2. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device is configured to cool the intake air upstream of a fan or compressor stage of the engine.

3. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide.

4. The aerospace vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the heat transfer device is configured to heat the supercritical carbon dioxide for use as a working fluid in a thermodynamic cycle that converts heat to another form of energy.

5. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device is in fluid communication with a turbine.

6. A method of transferring heat between fluids using a heat transfer device including a set of nested tubular walls intersected by a plurality of helical walls to form one or more first channel layers nested with one or more second channel layers, the method comprising:
passing a first fluid through the heat transfer device between a first intake and a first outtake via a plurality of helical fluid channels of each of the one or more first channel layers of the heat transfer device; and
passing a second fluid through the heat transfer device between a second intake and a second outtake via a plurality of helical fluid channels of each of the one or more second channel layers of the heat transfer device;
wherein each first channel layer is located between an adjacent pair of the tubular walls, and wherein each second channel layer is located between an adjacent pair of the tubular walls.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein passing the first fluid includes passing the first fluid through a plurality of helical fluid channels defined by each of at least two first channel layers of the device, and wherein passing the second fluid includes passing the second fluid through a plurality of helical fluid channels defined by each of at least two second channel layers of the device.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein passing the first and second fluids through the heat transfer device includes cooling the first fluid and heating the second fluid.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first fluid is intake air for a vehicle engine.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including driving rotation of a turbine with the second fluid, after passing the second fluid through the heat transfer device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further including compressing the second fluid with a compressor powered by the turbine, and then passing the second fluid through the heat transfer device again.

13. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer device further includes a flange projecting from a helical wall of the plurality of helical walls, or from a nested tubular wall of the set of nested tubular walls, and into a lumen of a helical fluid channel of the plurality of helical fluid channels of a first channel layer or a second channel layer.

14. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of helical fluid channels of a first channel layer of the at least two first channel layers includes a pair of adjacent helical fluid channels having a pair of channel inlets and a pair of channel outlets, and wherein one of the helical walls defines an opening that provides fluid communication between the pair of adjacent helical fluid channels at a position intermediate the pair of channel inlets and the pair of channel outlets.

15. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each helical wall of at least a subset of the plurality of helical walls projects into a lumen of an innermost nested tubular wall of the set of nested tubular walls.

16. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the set of nested tubular walls defines a central axis, and wherein the first intake, the first outtake, the second intake, and the second outtake define respective axes that are coplanar with the central axis.

17. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each first channel layer is located between an adjacent pair of the tubular walls, and wherein each second channel layer is located between an adjacent pair of the tubular walls.

18. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each first channel layer is radially adjacent a second channel layer, and wherein each second channel layer is radially adjacent a first channel layer.

19. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the helical walls of the plurality of helical walls are rotationally offset from one another about a central axis defined by the set of nested tubular walls.

20. The aerospace vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the set of nested tubular walls defines a central axis, the first intake and the first outtake are on opposite sides of the device along the central axis, and the second intake and the second outtake are on opposite sides of the device along the central axis.

21. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine connected to the vehicle body and configured to power the vehicle body; and
a counterflow heat transfer device connected to the vehicle body and/or the engine and including:
a first helical flow path and a second helical flow path, each including a plurality of helical fluid channels,
wherein the helical fluid channels of both flow paths are formed by a plurality of helical walls intersecting a set of nested tubular walls, each of the plurality of helical walls extending radially outward, linearly, in a plane including a central axis of the device, and
wherein each helical wall of at least a subset of the plurality of helical walls projects into a lumen of an innermost nested tubular wall of the set of nested tubular walls.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Van Affelen Douglas H
• Muley Arun
• Stoia Michael F

Classifications

• F28F13/12

  by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation (F28F13/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28D2021/0021

  for aircrafts or cosmonautics · CPC title

• F05D2220/76

  an electrical generator · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F02C7/141

  of working fluid · CPC title