Spatially Varied Heat Exchanger Surfaces for Pressure Drop Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers with uniform geometries are inefficient in heat transfer due to spatial uniformity, which does not account for changing fluid properties, leading to suboptimal performance and increased weight and cost.
Innovation Solution
Additively manufactured heat exchangers with spatially varied heat transfer surfaces, allowing for non-constant spacing and varying characteristics such as height, thickness, and aspect ratio, optimized for specific sectors to accommodate changing fluid conditions and reduce thermal stresses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat exchangers use uniform internal and external geometries, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but heat transfer efficiency decreases due to inability to account for changing fluid properties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the geometry of heat transfer surfaces in different spatial locations. The additive manufacturing process enables different sections of the heat exchanger to have optimized geometries tailored to local fluid conditions, allowing each region to operate at optimal heat transfer efficiency while accounting for spatial variations in fluid properties
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying geometric parameters such as heat transfer surface area, spacing between surfaces, and channel dimensions along the flow path. These parameter variations are driven by local fluid conditions and are achieved through additive manufacturing, which can accommodate complex spatially varying geometries that would be impossible with conventional manufacturing methods
2Ease of manufacture
If heat transfer surfaces are sized for average conditions with uniform geometry, then manufacturing is simplified, but optimal heat transfer cannot be achieved as fluid properties change spatially
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer surfaces are designed with locally optimized geometries that vary along the flow path to match spatial variations in fluid properties. This local quality approach ensures that each section of the heat exchanger is sized and shaped for optimal performance under local conditions rather than relying on average conditions throughout
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adaptation by making the heat exchanger geometry responsive to changing fluid conditions along the flow path. The spatially varied geometry effectively allows the heat exchanger to adapt its characteristics to match the evolving fluid properties, achieving dynamic optimization without moving parts
3Strength
If material thicknesses and geometry are increased to accommodate stress concentrations and structural requirements, then structural strength is improved, but weight and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The additive manufacturing process enables local quality in structural design by placing material only where structurally necessary. Regions with stress concentrations receive enhanced material distribution and thicker sections, while low-stress areas use minimal material, achieving optimal strength-to-weight ratio through spatially varied geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is designed as a segmented structure with different geometric characteristics in different zones. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized independently for both structural requirements and heat transfer performance, avoiding the need to oversize the entire structure for the most demanding local conditions
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
Enhances heat transfer efficiency and mechanical strength while minimizing pressure drop and weight, allowing for consistent flow rates and reduced size, even under non-uniform flow distributions and temperature differences.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchanger system with spatially varied additively manufactured heat transfer surfaces... as the fluids exchange heat, the fluid properties change
Implementation Method 2
fluids exchange heat, the fluid properties change... optimized for specific sectors to accommodate changing fluid conditions
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat exchanger system includes a plurality of additively manufactured heat transfer surfaces 102, 106 in a plurality of sectors 110, 112, a first of the plurality of sectors including a first subset of the plurality of the additively manufactured heat transfer surfaces having a characteristic different than a characteristic in a second of the plurality of sectors.