Unitary heat exchangers having integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes and heat exchange systems including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9752835-B2
Application number	US-201313911904-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2013
Priority date	Jun 6, 2013
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

Unitary heat exchangers having integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes and heat exchange systems including the same are provided. The unitary heat exchanger comprises an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum and a plurality of integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes. The plurality of integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tubes extend between and are integral with the inlet and outlet plenums to define a heat exchanger first flow passage. Each integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube comprises a tubular member and a plurality of integral heat transfer fins extend radially outwardly from at least one portion of the tubular member. The tubular member has a proximal tube end and a distal tube end and comprises a tubular wall having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary heat exchanger comprising:
an inlet plenum defining a plurality of tube inlets and an inlet port, the inlet port to receive a first fluid;
an outlet plenum to discharge the received first fluid; and
a plurality of one-piece compliant heat exchanger tubes extending between and integral with the inlet and outlet plenums to form a one-piece heat exchanger and define a heat exchanger first flow passage, each one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube comprising:
a tubular member having a proximal tube end, a distal tube end and comprising a tubular wall that extends from the proximal tube end to the distal tube end, the tubular wall having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, the inner wall surface having a first section that extends from the proximal tube end toward the distal tube end and a second section that extends from the distal tube end toward the proximal tube end, and the first section overlaps the second section;
a plurality of integral heat transfer fins extending radially outwardly from at least one portion of the tubular member; and
an integral bellows portion defined between the proximal tube end and the distal tube end such that the integral bellows portion is spaced apart from the proximal tube end and the distal tube end, the integral bellows portion comprising a bellows defined in the outer wall surface and a slip joint in the inner wall surface, the bellows having a first end that transitions into the outer wall surface and transitions into the first section of the inner wall surface, and a second end that transitions into the outer wall surface and transitions into the second section of the inner wall surface, the slip joint defined by the overlap of the first section and the second section of the inner wall surface, the overlap of the first section and the second section defined in the bellows between the first end and the second end of the bellows and the overlap of the first section over the second section defines a backward-facing step portion that is opposite a flow direction of the first fluid inside the one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube and the backward-facing step portion creates flow turbulence within an interior of the tubular member.

2. The unitary heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of one-piece compliant heat exchanger tubes comprise curved tubes.

3. The unitary heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the bellows comprises a plurality of convolutes extending radially outwardly from a portion of the tubular member and circumscribing the tubular member, the plurality of convolutes being spaced from one another in the axial direction of the one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube, the bellows being compressible and expandable to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube.

4. The unitary heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of one-piece compliant heat exchanger tubes comprises curved tubes, relatively straight tubes, and combinations thereof.

5. The unitary heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of one-piece heat exchanger tubes comprises relatively straight tubes that are closely packed to provide a compact unitary heat exchanger.

6. The unitary heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of one-piece compliant heat exchanger tubes comprises curved tubes, relatively straight tubes, and combinations thereof.

7. An integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube comprising:
a tubular member having a proximal tube end, a distal tube end and a tubular wall that extends from the proximal tube end to the distal tube end, the tubular wall having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, the inner wall surface having a first section that extends from the proximal tube end toward the distal tube end and a second section that extends from the distal tube end toward the proximal tube end, and the first section overlaps the second section;
a plurality of integral heat transfer fins extending radially outwardly from at least one portion of the tubular member and formed in the outer wall surface; and
an integral bellows portion formed in the outer wall surface of the tubular wall, the integral bellows portion defined between the proximal tube end and the distal tube end such that the integral bellows portion is spaced apart from the proximal tube end and the distal tube end, the integral bellows portion and the plurality of heat transfer fins formed in the tubular member to form a one-piece heat exchanger tube, the integral bellows portion comprising a bellows in the outer wall surface and a slip joint in the inner wall surface, the bellows having a first end that transitions into the outer wall surface and transitions into the first section of the inner wall surface, and a second end that transitions into the outer wall surface and transitions into the second section of the inner wall surface, the slip joint defined by the overlap of the first section and the second section of the inner wall surface, the overlap of the first section and the second section defined in the bellows between the first end and the second end of the bellows, the overlap of the first section over the second section defines a backward-facing step portion in an interior of the tubular member that is opposite a flow direction inside the one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube, the backward-facing step portion creates flow turbulence within the interior of the tubular member, the bellows surrounds the slip joint and prevents leakage from the integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube.

8. The integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube of claim 7 , wherein the bellows comprises a plurality of convolutes extending radially outwardly from a portion of the tubular member and circumscribing the tubular member, the plurality of convolutes being spaced from one another in the axial direction of the integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube, the bellows being compressible and expandable to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction of the integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube.

9. The integrally-formed compliant heat exchanger tube of claim 7 , wherein the tubular member comprises a relatively straight tubular member, the plurality of integral heat transfer fins arranged in a parallel relationship in a first fin group and a second fin group with the integral bellows portion defined between the first fin group and the second fin group.

10. A heat exchange system comprising:
a unitary heat exchanger including a heat exchanger first flow passage and a heat exchanger second flow passage, the heat exchanger first flow passage configured to receive a first fluid and the heat exchanger second flow passage configured to receive a second fluid, the unitary heat exchanger being configured to transfer heat between the first and second fluids;
the heat exchanger first flow passage comprises an inlet plenum defining a plurality of tube inlets and an inlet port that receives the first fluid and each of the plurality of tube inlets is countersunk relative to a surface of the inlet plenum, an outlet plenum that discharges the received first fluid and defines a flow direction for the first fluid from the inlet plenum to the outlet plenum, and a plurality of one-piece compliant heat exchanger tubes extending between and integral with the inlet and outlet plenums to form a one-piece heat exchanger, each one-piece compliant heat exchanger tube comprising:
a tubular member having a proximal tube end, a distal tube end and comprising a tubular wall that extends from the proximal tube end to the distal tube end, the tubular wall having an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface, the inner wall surfa

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Waldman David
• Morris Mark C
• Godfrey Donald G

Classifications

• F28F1/10 Primary

  Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses (crimped or corrugated elements F28F1/06, F28F1/08) · CPC title

• F28D1/05316 Primary

  Assemblies of conduits connected to common headers, e.g. core type radiators (F28D1/05366 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B22F10/66

  by mechanical means · CPC title

• B22F10/64

  by thermal means (control of energy beam parameters for post heating B22F10/364) · CPC title

• B22F10/62

  by chemical means · CPC title