Cast Plate Heat Exchanger Fins With Integrated Flow Augmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engine heat exchangers face high thermal and mechanical stresses due to increased operational temperatures and pressures, which exceed material and assembly capabilities, necessitating improved thermal energy transfer and structural integrity.
Innovation Solution
A cast plate heat exchanger assembly with integrated augmentation structures such as trip strips, dimples, and pedestals on fins and channels to disrupt laminar flow and enhance thermal energy transfer, while being formed as a single unitary cast structure to manage thermal gradients and reduce mechanical stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If sheet metal plates and fins are brazed together to define flow paths, then heat transfer capability is improved, but thermal gradients create high stresses that exceed material and assembly capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the plate and fin structures into a single integrated cast component, eliminating the need for brazing multiple separate parts. This monolithic structure prevents thermal gradient-induced stresses from exceeding material capabilities, as the entire heat exchanger assembly is formed as one continuous piece with uniform thermal and mechanical properties throughout.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing parameter from assembly of discrete components to single-step casting, fundamentally altering how thermal and mechanical properties are distributed throughout the structure. This parameter change eliminates the interface between dissimilar materials and joining processes that create stress concentration points.
2Productivity
If operational temperatures and pressures are increased to improve engine efficiency, then engine performance is improved, but demands on heat exchanger components exceed material capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
By combining all heat exchanger components into a single cast structure, the invention creates a monolithic assembly that can withstand high operational temperatures and pressures without the stress concentration points that would exist at joints between separate components. This integrated structure reliably handles the increased thermal and mechanical demands required for improved engine efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The casting process enables the use of high-performance alloy materials with superior temperature and pressure resistance, creating a composite-like structure that integrates multiple material properties within a single component. This allows the heat exchanger to operate reliably under the extreme conditions necessary for enhanced engine performance.
3Use of energy by moving object
If augmentation structures are added to enhance thermal energy transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the augmentation structures directly into the cast plate and fin surfaces, creating integrated flow conditioning features such as trip strips, dimples, and pedestals that are formed during the casting process itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate augmentation components, reducing device complexity while maintaining enhanced heat transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The casting process parameter enables the direct formation of complex surface geometries and flow conditioning features within the base structure, transforming what would be separate complex components into integrated surface features. This parameter change allows augmentation structures to be created without adding assembly steps or structural complexity.
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 augmentation structures effectively enhance thermal energy transfer and manage thermal gradients, reducing mechanical stresses and improving the efficiency and durability of the heat exchanger under high temperature and pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
adjacent flow paths that transfer heat from a hot flow to a cooling flow
Implementation Method 2
first augmentation structures are disposed on surfaces of the fin portions for conditioning cooling airflow to enhance transfer of thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
Thermal gradients present in the sheet material create stresses that can be very high in certain locations
Implementation Method 4
Thermal gradients present in the sheet material create stresses that can be very high in certain locations
Data Source
AI summary
A featured embodiment of a cast plate heat exchanger assembly includes a cast plate including a plate portion defining a plurality of internal passages. A plurality of fin portions extend from the plate portion. First augmentation structures are disposed on surfaces of the fin portions for conditioning cooling airflow to enhance transfer of thermal energy. A method is also disclosed.