Heat Exchanger Layer Assembly With PCM and TEC Alignment Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers with planar arrays of thermo-electric coolers (TECs) occupy more space and are sensitive to misalignments during assembly, making them costly and time-consuming to manufacture.
Innovation Solution
A layer assembly for a heat exchanger comprising a heat pump module with a TEC attached to an island of flow-permissive material, a thermal storage layer with phase-change material, and an interstitial layer to minimize space and tolerate misalignments, using a thermally conductive adhesive or paste for attachment and metal foam for enhanced thermal transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a planar array of TECs is used in conventional heat exchangers, then thermal energy transfer is achieved, but the device occupies more space and is sensitive to misalignments during assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into discrete modular units, each comprising a TEC attached to an island of flow-permissive material. These modules are arranged in an array where each module is independently positioned, allowing for tolerance accommodation without requiring precise alignment across the entire planar array.
Solution Approach 2:
An interstitial layer is introduced between the thermal storage layer and the flow-permissive layer to accommodate misalignments. This intermediary layer acts as a buffer that absorbs positioning variations during assembly, enabling easier manufacturing and assembly while maintaining thermal effectiveness.
2Ease of manufacture
If a clearance is provided between the island and the flow-permissive layer, then assembly tolerance is improved, but thermal transfer efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flow-permissive material is concentrated in discrete islands rather than forming a continuous layer. This localized configuration allows clearance to be provided between islands and the flow-permissive layer for assembly tolerance, while maintaining effective thermal transfer paths through the metal foam islands themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
Metal foam is used as the flow-permissive material in the islands. The porous structure of the metal foam allows fluid to flow through while maintaining thermal contact, enabling the clearance design to accommodate misalignments without significantly compromising thermal transfer efficiency.
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 solution allows for a compact heat exchanger design with improved assembly tolerance, reduced manufacturing time and cost, while maintaining effective thermal energy transfer and structural rigidity, suitable for airborne platforms.
Implementation Method 1
a matrix material charged with phase-change material (PCM) suitable for storing thermal energy
Implementation Method 2
phase-change material (PCM) suitable for storing thermal energy
Implementation Method 3
an array of thermo-electric coolers (TECs) interposed therebetween
Implementation Method 4
The TEC may be attached to the recess using a thermally conductive adhesive, such as an epoxy that has been loaded with silver
Implementation Method 5
metal foam for enhanced thermal transfer
Data Source
AI summary
There is disclosed herein a layer assembly for a heat exchanger, the layer assembly comprising: at least one heat pump module, the module comprising a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) attached to an island formed from a flow-permissive material; a flow-permissive layer provided with an island-reciprocating recess for substantially corresponding to and accommodating the island; a thermal storage layer comprising a heat transfer matrix material charged with a phase-change material, and provided with a TEC-reciprocating recess for substantially corresponding to and accommodating the TEC, wherein the TEC is attached to the thermal storage layer at a surface of the TEC-reciprocating recess, and the flow-permissive layer and the thermal storage layer are arranged such that the island of flow-permissive material extends into the island-reciprocating recess and a separation exists between the island and the flow-permissive layer.