Cold Corner Flow Baffle for Aircraft Heat Exchanger Thermal Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Inerting systems like OBIGGS require air input within a specific temperature range, and existing heat exchangers struggle to maintain optimal temperature differentials for efficient fluid routing and thermal separation in aircraft applications.
Innovation Solution
A dual heat exchange system with a header split into two cavities by a baffle, where the OBIGGS is connected to the cooler cavity and a primary outlet is connected to the warmer cavity, with a slot allowing fluid flow from the cooler cavity to the warmer cavity when needed, maintaining thermal separation and optimizing fluid routing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single cavity header is used in the heat exchanger, then the structure is simpler, but the temperature control precision for different fluid outputs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The header is divided into two separate cavities (first cavity and second cavity) by a baffle, creating distinct thermal zones. This segmentation allows independent temperature control for different fluid outputs, with the first cavity delivering cooler fluid to the OBIGGS and the second cavity delivering warmer fluid to other components, thereby resolving the temperature control precision issue while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
2Adaptability or versatility
If the OBIGGS requires variable air flow, then the system adaptability improves, but the temperature stability for the inerting system deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the header into two cavities with separate outlets, the system can independently manage the OBIGGS air supply from other fluid routing. The first cavity maintains stable cool fluid delivery to the OBIGGS even when the second cavity handles variable flow demands, thus preserving temperature stability while enabling system adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle acts as an intermediary element that separates the two fluid paths within the header. This intermediary structure prevents thermal mixing between the cavities and isolates the OBIGGS supply from flow variability in other system components, maintaining temperature stability despite adaptive flow changes
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
This configuration ensures that the fluid delivered to the OBIGGS is cooler than the fluid routed to other components, maintaining desired temperatures and enhancing the efficiency of the heat exchange process, even when the OBIGGS is shut off or requires less air.
Implementation Method 1
Heat exchangers may be used to transfer heat between fluids
Implementation Method 2
In a cross-flow heat exchanger, the fluids travel roughly perpendicular to one another through the exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchange system includes a cold fluid circuit and a hot fluid circuit. The cold fluid circuit routes a cold fluid to a ram air inlet. From the ram air inlet, the cold fluid is routed to a cold fluid inlet of a heat exchanger. The cold fluid is then routed to a cold fluid outlet of the heat exchanger. The hot fluid circuit is configured to route a hot fluid. The hot fluid is routed through a bleed air valve. From the bleed air valve, the hot fluid is routed to a hot fluid inlet of the heat exchanger. The hot fluid is then routed to a hot fluid outlet of the heat exchanger. The hot fluid is then routed to a header having a first cavity and a second cavity defined within a housing and separated by a baffle.