High Flow High Efficiency EGR Cooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025035074-A1
Application number	US-202318225429-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2023
Priority date	Jul 24, 2023
Publication date	Jan 30, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a heat exchanger apparatus that includes a first fluid conduit defining a first fluid flow path for a first fluid and comprising a fluid diode that is at least partly fluidically diodic and formed of a thermally conductive material, the fluid diode having a first fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet, a first sub-conduit extending from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, and a second sub-conduit extending from the first sub-conduit proximal the fluid inlet to the first sub-conduit proximal the fluid outlet as a partial loop defining a cavity extending through the partial loop, and a second fluid conduit in thermal communication with the first fluid conduit and defining a second fluid flow path through the partial loop, fluidically isolated from the first fluid flow path, for a second fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
a first fluid conduit defining a first fluid flow path for a first fluid and comprising a fluid diode that is at least partly fluidically diodic and formed of a thermally conductive material, the fluid diode comprising:
a first fluid inlet;
a first fluid outlet;
a first sub-conduit extending from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet; and
a second sub-conduit extending from the first sub-conduit proximal the fluid inlet to the first sub-conduit proximal the fluid outlet as a partial loop defining a cavity extending through the partial loop; and
a second fluid conduit in thermal communication with the first fluid conduit and defining a second fluid flow path through the partial loop, fluidically isolated from the first fluid flow path, for a second fluid.

2 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid diode partly defines the second fluid conduit and the cavity partly defines the second fluid flow path.

3 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second fluid conduit is formed of another thermally conductive material and extends through the cavity.

4 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid diode comprises a Tesla valve.

5 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first sub-conduit defines the first fluid flow path as a substantially linear fluid flow path from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet.

6 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second sub-conduit defines the second fluid flow path as a substantially curved fluid flow path having a predetermined radius.

7 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid inlet comprises a third sub-conduit defining a first substantially linear fluid flow path; the first sub-conduit defines the first fluid flow path as a second substantially linear fluid flow path arranged at a first predetermined angle to the first substantially linear fluid flow path; the second sub-conduit comprises:
a curved section in fluid communication with the first sub-conduit, extending away from the first sub-conduit at a second predetermined angle to the first sub-conduit; and
a linear section configured to fluidically connect the third sub-conduit and the curved section, the linear section defining a third substantially linear fluid flow path arranged substantially aligned with the first substantially linear fluid flow path.

8 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:
the linear section has a predetermined length L; and the curved section has a minimum radius of about

L
⁢

tan
⁢

α
2

,

wherein α is the first predetermined angle.

9 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first predetermined angle is in a range of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees.

10 . The heat exchanger apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first inlet manifold in fluidic communication with the first fluid inlet and configured to supply a first fluid to the first fluid conduit; a second inlet manifold in fluidic communication with a second inlet of the second fluid conduit and configured to supply a second fluid to the second fluid conduit; a first outlet manifold in fluidic communication with the first fluid outlet; and a second outlet manifold in fluidic communication with a second fluid outlet of the second fluid conduit.

11 . A heat exchanger apparatus comprising:
a first fluid conduit defining a first fluid flow path and configured as a Tesla valve comprising at least one partial loop defining an annulus; and a second fluid conduit in thermal communication with the first fluid conduit and defining a second fluid flow path, different from the first fluid flow path, through the annulus.

12 . The heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein the Tesla valve comprises a plurality of the partial loops, fluidically interconnected and defining the first fluid flow path.

13 . The heat exchanger of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first inlet manifold configured to supply a first fluid to the first fluid conduit, wherein the first fluid conduit comprises another Tesla valve arranged fluidically parallel to the Tesla valve; a first outlet manifold configured to receive the first fluid from the first fluid conduit; a second inlet manifold configured to supply a second fluid to the second fluid conduit, wherein the second fluid conduit comprises a plurality of the second fluid flow paths through one or more of the plurality of partial loops; and a second outlet manifold configured to receive the second fluid from the second fluid conduit.

14 . The heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein the first fluid comprises combustion exhaust gases, and the second fluid comprises a coolant fluid configured to absorb heat energy transferred away from the combustion exhaust gases.

15 . A method of heat exchange comprising:
flowing a first fluid in a first direction through a first fluid conduit configured as a Tesla valve defining a first fluid flow path and comprising at least one partial loop defining an annulus; and flowing a second fluid, different from the first fluid, through a second fluid flow path, different from the first fluid flow path, at least partly defined by the annulus.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
receiving combustion exhaust gases from an exhaust manifold of a combustion engine; providing the combustion exhaust gases as the first fluid; cooling the combustion exhaust gases by transferring thermal energy from the combustion exhaust gases to the second fluid; and providing the cooled combustion exhaust gases to an intake manifold of the combustion engine.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein flowing the first fluid in the first direction through the first fluid conduit configured as the Tesla valve defining the first fluid flow path and comprising at least one partial loop defining the annulus comprises:
flowing the first fluid along a first substantially straight portion of the first fluid flow path past an intersection with the partial loop; redirecting, by the first fluid conduit, the first fluid at a predetermined angle of about 10 degrees to about 80 degrees; and flowing the first fluid along a second substantially straight portion of the first fluid flow path.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
flowing the first fluid through the first fluid flow path in a second direction opposite the first fluid flow direction; and resisting, by the fluid flow path, fluid flow in the second direction.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:
flowing the first fluid through the first fluid flow path in the second direction opposite the first fluid flow direction comprises:
flowing a first portion of the first fluid flow along a substantially straight portion of the first fluid flow path;
flowing a second portion of the first fluid flow along a curved portion of the first fluid flow path toward an intersection of the curved portion and the substantially straight portion; and
rejoining the a first portion of the first fluid flow and the second portion of the first fluid flow proximal the intersection; and
resisting, by the fluid flow path, fluid flo

Assignees

• Woodward Inc

Inventors

• Han Yi
• Deblois Jessica K
• Eggerling Phillip S
• Richards Dave O
• Baburaj Adithya

Classifications

• F02M26/40 Primary

  with timing means in the recirculation passage, e.g. cyclically operating valves or regenerators; with arrangements involving pressure pulsations · CPC title

• F28F13/06

  by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media {(F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026)} · CPC title

• F28D7/1607

  with particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. change of flow direction (F28D7/1623, F28D7/1638, F28D7/1661, F28D7/1676, F28D7/1692 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02M26/28

  with liquid-cooled heat exchangers · CPC title

• F28D2021/008

  for vehicles · CPC title