Heat Exchanger Matrix With Nested Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchanger designs, such as plate and fin constructions, face challenges in achieving efficient heat transfer due to geometric constraints, limited flow configurations, and increased heat loads in compact spaces, particularly in aircraft engine applications where space and weight are critical.
Innovation Solution
The development of heat exchangers with a novel matrix structure comprising smaller A channels forming larger B channels, allowing for a pure counter flow configuration and thermally active headers, which increases primary heat transfer surface area and efficiency, and can be manufactured using additive manufacturing for complex geometries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional plate and fin heat exchanger construction is used, then manufacturing and assembly are straightforward, but heat transfer efficiency is limited and device volume is large
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into modular units with standardized interfaces, allowing efficient packing and heat transfer while maintaining manufacturability. Each module contains optimized flow channels that can be independently manufactured and then assembled, achieving high heat transfer efficiency in compact volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple flow channels are nested within each other in a hierarchical structure, with smaller channels arranged around larger ones. This nested configuration maximizes heat transfer surface area within a minimal volume while maintaining straightforward manufacturing processes for each channel layer.
2Volume of stationary object
If heat exchanger size is reduced to fit core zone constraints, then space utilization improves, but heat dissipation capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the heat exchanger are designed with locally optimized properties - high-density flow channels in regions requiring maximum heat transfer, and streamlined passages in regions prioritizing low pressure drop. This local optimization maintains heat dissipation capability while reducing overall volume to fit core zone constraints.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer surface is extended into the third dimension through vertically stacked flow channels and three-dimensional heat transfer paths. This dimensional expansion allows the heat exchanger to achieve high heat dissipation capability within a compact footprint suitable for core zone installation.
3Volume of stationary object
If double heat load is managed in smaller volume, then heat exchanger compactness improves, but thermal efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple flow channels are merged into integrated thermal zones where hot and cold flows interact through shared heat transfer surfaces. This merging of flow paths within compact volumes achieves high heat transfer efficiency by maximizing thermal interaction between opposing flows while maintaining small overall dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger employs composite construction with high thermal conductivity materials for heat transfer surfaces combined with low-density structural materials. This composite approach enables high heat transfer efficiency in compact volumes by concentrating thermal pathways where needed while minimizing overall material volume.
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 design achieves significant improvements in heat transfer performance and structural strength, enabling efficient heat dissipation in compact spaces with increased yield strength and reduced weight, surpassing conventional heat exchangers by approximately 5 times in yield strength and enhancing heat transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The heat exchangers transfer heat from the hot fluid of the heat exchanger (depending on the application of the heat exchanger) to the metal surrounding the fluids
Implementation Method 2
The fins act as secondary heat transfer surface area and transfer the heat to the other fluid via conduction
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger that comprises a plurality of small channels that are arranged around a cross-sectional perimeter such that the sides of the small channels are touching to create bigger channels running parallel to the small channels. To this end, embodiments of the present invention have a heat exchanger matrix where the structure of the large channels is entirely comprised by the structure of the smaller channels resulting in a more compact, more efficient heat exchanger.