Monolithic Additive Heat Exchanger for Leak-Resistant Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers for gas turbines are costly and time-consuming to manufacture due to numerous joints and limited design flexibility, leading to increased risk of fluid leaks and restricted thermal and structural performance.
Innovation Solution
An additively manufactured heat exchanger with a housing defining a heat exchange plenum and multiple heat exchange banks, utilizing additive manufacturing techniques to create a monolithic component with integrated collector manifolds and complex features that enhance thermal and structural performance, reducing the number of sub-components and joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional heat exchangers are manufactured using multiple plates, bars, foils, fins, and manifolds assembled together, then the heat exchanger can provide sufficient heat transfer area and fluid passageways, but the manufacturing time and costs are very high due to the large number of individual parts that must be positioned, oriented, and connected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple discrete components (plates, bars, foils, fins, manifolds) into a single monolithic structure manufactured by additive manufacturing. This merging eliminates the need for assembly operations and reduces the number of joints, directly addressing the manufacturing complexity and cost issues while maintaining the functional requirements for heat transfer area and fluid passageways.
Solution Approach 2:
The monolithic heat exchanger structure performs multiple functions that were previously required separate components: it provides heat transfer surfaces, defines fluid passageways, offers structural support, and integrates manifold functions all within a single manufactured part. This multi-functionality reduces the total component count and simplifies manufacturing.
2Reliability
If conventional heat exchangers are assembled from multiple components connected via brazing or welding, then the structural integrity can be maintained, but the likelihood of fluid leaks between fluid passageways or from the heat exchanger is increased due to the number of joints formed
Solution Approach 1:
By merging all heat exchanger components into a single monolithic structure, the patent eliminates the joints that would otherwise be required for assembly. This eliminates the primary failure points where fluid leaks occur, directly improving reliability while reducing structural complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manufacturing restrictions are applied to conventional heat exchanger assembly methods, then the manufacturing process remains manageable, but the number, size, and configuration of heat exchanger features and structural components that may be included are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing method from conventional assembly-based processes to additive manufacturing, which fundamentally alters the design constraints. Additive manufacturing enables complex geometries, organic shapes, and optimized heat transfer surfaces that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional manufacturing and assembly methods, thereby increasing design flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Additive manufacturing introduces a new dimension of design freedom by enabling three-dimensional complex geometries and internal structures that cannot be achieved with conventional two-dimensional plate and fin assemblies. This allows for optimized fluid flow paths, heat transfer surfaces, and structural configurations.
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 significantly reduces manufacturing time and costs, improves heat transfer efficiency, and enhances structural rigidity, while allowing for more complex and efficient fluid passageways and mounting structures not possible with traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
depositing a layer of additive material on a bed of an additive manufacturing machine and selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material
Implementation Method 2
The first and second passageways may be in thermal contact or close proximity, allowing heat from the first fluid to be passed to the second fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat exchanger and a method for additively manufacturing the heat exchanger are provided. The heat exchanger includes a housing defining a heat exchange plenum having a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet separated along a transverse direction. A plurality of heat exchange banks pass through the heat exchange plenum between a top side and a bottom side of the housing substantially along a vertical direction, each of the heat exchange banks comprising a plurality of heat exchange tubes. A plurality of collector manifolds are positioned at the top side and the bottom side of the housing, each collector manifold defining one or more connecting ports providing fluid communication between adjacent heat exchange banks.