Interleaved Heat Exchanger Passages for Low Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional heat exchangers with branching passages suffer from increased pressure drop and reduced effective heat transfer due to varying passage thickness and cross-sectional sizes, limiting their cooling efficiency and manufacturing feasibility.
Innovation Solution
The heat exchanger design features alternating core passages with uniform thickness and undivided flow paths from inlets to outlets, utilizing additive manufacturing to create complex geometries that enhance heat transfer without branching, thereby maintaining low pressure drop and increasing effective heat transfer length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If branching passages are used to divide flow downstream, then heat transfer surface area is increased, but pressure drop increases and effective heat transfer length is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into multiple alternating hot and cold passages arranged in parallel, allowing heat transfer surface area to be increased without branching the flow paths. Each passage remains undivided from inlet to outlet, avoiding the pressure drop penalties of branching while still providing extensive heat transfer area through the interleaved configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-directional flow arrangement to a three-dimensional interleaved configuration where hot and cold passages alternate in perpendicular directions. This dimensional arrangement increases the effective heat transfer surface area without requiring flow branching, as heat transfer occurs across multiple alternating planes rather than through divided flow paths.
2Productivity
If passage cross-sectional size decreases downstream through branching, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases and additive manufacturing feasibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains constant cross-sectional parameters throughout the passage length rather than varying them downstream. This parameter consistency simplifies the manufacturing process, particularly for additive manufacturing, while still achieving high heat transfer efficiency through the interleaved alternating passage configuration that maximizes heat transfer surface area without complex geometry changes.
3Ease of manufacture
If wall thickness between adjacent passages varies substantially, then manufacturing is simplified, but heat transfer effectiveness between hot and cold passages is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs walls of substantially uniform thickness between adjacent hot and cold passages, ensuring consistent thermal coupling and heat transfer effectiveness across all passage interfaces. This homogeneous wall thickness maintains manufacturing simplicity while guaranteeing uniform heat transfer performance, avoiding the precision issues that would arise from varying wall thicknesses.
4Stress or pressure
If passages are made undivided from inlet to outlet, then pressure drop is reduced and effective heat transfer length is increased, but heat transfer surface area is limited compared to branched designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested alternating arrangement where hot and cold passages are interlaced in a repeating sequence (hot-cold-hot-cold) extending through the heat exchanger length. This nested configuration allows undivided passages to achieve extended effective heat transfer length while the interleaved pattern maximizes the total heat transfer surface area without requiring flow branching or division.
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 achieves high heat transfer efficiency with a compact construction, reducing the importance of material conductivity and allowing for efficient heat transfer across a large surface area, even with less conductive materials.
Implementation Method 1
heat is exchanged between the fluids across a shared wall separating adjacent hot and cold passages
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger includes first fluid passages that each have a first inlet that communicates into a first core passage and then a first outlet. The first inlet has a first inlet cross-sectional perimeter. The first core passage has a first core cross-sectional perimeter. Second fluid passages are interleaved with the first fluid passages. Each of the second passages have a second inlet that communicates into a second core passage and then a second outlet. The second inlet has a second inlet cross-sectional perimeter. The second core passage has a second core cross-sectional perimeter. The first and second core cross-sectional perimeters are larger than their respective first and second inlet cross-sectional perimeters. The first and second core passages are undivided from their respective first and second inlets to their respective first and second outlets.