Circular Crossflow Heat Exchanger Additive Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers are complex and costly to manufacture, with numerous joints increasing the risk of fluid leaks and limiting the configuration and structural components that can be included, which hampers their thermal and structural performance.
Innovation Solution
A compact heat exchanger design utilizing additive manufacturing to create a stacked configuration of heat exchange modules with curved geometry and constant flow path and hydraulic diameter, reducing the number of joints and enabling the integration of complex features not possible with traditional methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat exchangers use multiple plates, bars, foils, fins, and support structures assembled via brazing or welding, then the heat exchanger can be manufactured with traditional manufacturing methods, but the manufacturing time and costs are very high and the likelihood of fluid leaks is increased due to the large number of joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (plates, bars, foils, fins, support structures, manifolds) into a single integrated heat exchanger body manufactured through additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for separate parts and joints, thereby reducing manufacturing time and cost while eliminating fluid leak risks associated with multiple joints.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical assembly methods (brazing, welding) with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution eliminates the need for joining operations that create leaks and reduces manufacturing complexity, directly addressing both the ease of manufacture and reliability concerns.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat exchangers use multiple plates, bars, foils, fins, and support structures, then the heat exchanger can be assembled with traditional manufacturing methods, but the number of joints formed increases the likelihood of fluid leaks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate components into a single integrated structure through additive manufacturing, eliminating the joints between components. This directly reduces fluid leak risk while simplifying the assembly process to a single manufacturing operation.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat exchangers use traditional manufacturing methods, then the manufacturing process is established and proven, but manufacturing restrictions limit the number, size, and configuration of heat exchanger features and structural components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes additive manufacturing to change the manufacturing approach from traditional subtractive or assembly-based methods. This enables flexible configuration of heat exchanger features including variable tube shapes, optimized fin geometries, and customized internal structures that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs modular design with standardized building blocks that can be configured in different arrangements. This segmentation approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while enabling versatile configuration of heat exchanger features and structural components.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional heat exchangers use a large number of fluid passageways formed with multiple parts, then the heat exchanger can handle complex thermal management requirements, but the assembly complexity and manufacturing time are very high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple fluid passageways, tubes, fins, and support structures into a single monolithic component manufactured through additive manufacturing. This eliminates the need for time-consuming assembly operations while maintaining the complex thermal management capabilities required for advanced applications.
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 enhances manufacturing efficiency, reduces assembly time and costs, and improves thermal and structural performance by minimizing leaks and optimizing heat transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The first and second passageways may be in thermal contact or close proximity, allowing heat from the first fluid to be passed to the second fluid
Implementation Method 2
selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material and form the heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchange module, a heat exchanger and a method for additively manufacturing the heat exchanger are provided. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of stacked heat exchange modules defining a flow passageway. Each heat exchange module defining a substantially curved closed geometry defining a central axis that extends along the axial direction. Each heat exchange module includes a first heat exchanging fluid inlet, a first heat exchanging fluid outlet and a plurality of heat exchange tubes fluidly coupling the first heat exchanging fluid inlet and the first heat exchanging fluid outlet. The plurality of heat exchange tubes defining a plurality of first heat exchanging fluid flow passages of equal length and a plurality of second heat exchanging fluid flow passages of equal hydraulic diameter.