Branched Heat Exchanger Core for Low Pressure Drop Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in aircraft environmental control systems suffer from high pressure drops and poor flow distribution, leading to reduced thermal energy transfer efficiency due to their design limitations in non-layer-by-layer additive manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design utilizing topological optimization combined with layer-by-layer additive manufacturing, featuring an array of branched channels with integrated headers and a hybrid cross-counter flow behavior, which reduces volume, pressure drop, and mass while enhancing thermal energy transfer and structural reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used with non-layer-by-layer additive manufacturing processes, then manufacturing compatibility is maintained, but pressure drop increases and flow distribution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing process parameter from conventional non-layer-by-layer additive manufacturing to layer-by-layer additive manufacturing. This enables the creation of complex branched channel geometries with optimized flow paths, reducing pressure drop and improving flow distribution while maintaining manufacturing compatibility through the specific layer-by-layer process parameters described in the patent.
2Loss of energy
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but thermal energy transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger core is segmented into multiple fluidly parallel branched channels with specific splits and junctures. This segmentation creates optimized flow paths that enhance thermal energy transfer efficiency by distributing flow more effectively across the heat exchange surfaces, while the modular branched structure allows for efficient manufacturing through layer-by-layer additive processes.
3Ease of operation
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used, then structural simplicity is maintained, but flow distribution into heat exchanger cores deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a three-dimensional branched channel structure with multiple splits and junctures that distributes fluid flow in multiple directions and planes. This dimensional complexity optimizes flow distribution into the heat exchanger cores by creating parallel flow paths that reduce dead zones and improve uniformity, while the layer-by-layer manufacturing process efficiently captures this complex geometry.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves improved thermal energy transfer efficiency, reduced pressure drop, and increased structural reliability by optimizing the shape and structure of the heat exchanger core, allowing for continuous transitions and minimizing support structures, thus addressing the inefficiencies of conventional designs.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchangers are utilized to exchange thermal energy from one fluid stream to another fluid stream
Implementation Method 2
thermal energy transfer often occurs between low pressure RAM air and high pressure bleed air
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat exchanger (10) includes an external casing (12) and a core (22). The external casing (12) includes a first inlet (14), a first outlet (16), a second inlet (18), and a second outlet (20). The core (22) includes an array (28) of branched channels (30) connecting the first inlet (14) and first outlet (16), an inlet header (24), and an outlet header (26). The inlet header (24) is integrally formed with and fluidly connected to the first inlet (14). The outlet header (26) is integrally formed with and fluidly connected to the first outlet (16). The branched channels and the external casing (12) define a fluidic passage. The array (28) of branched channels (30) includes a first split (34), a first juncture (36), a secondary split (234), a secondary juncture (236), and a subset of splits and junctures. The first split (34) and first juncture (36) are common to an entirety of the array (28) of branched channels (30). The subset of splits and junctures route fluid through interconnections (130) between fluidly parallel branched channels.