KR20190044090A - Structural heat exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

In some embodiments, a structural heat exchanger is provided that uses liquid fuel as the coolant when the liquid fuel travels around the high temperature engine chamber. The shape of the coolant channel, starting from the fuel converter and flowing through the heat exchanger passages, can be configured to change the angle to account for the region of the chamber that may require higher cooling characteristics as it moves to the upper portion of the hot engine chamber. In some embodiments, the fuel transducer that allows the initial passage of fuel through the coolant channel is fluid, such as a fluid that flows upward through the coolant channel at a uniform pressure, even as the fluid moves further away from the initial entry point as the volume of the fluid decreases. Lt; / RTI > In some embodiments, this can be implemented as a fuel injector formed in a loop having a gradually decreasing cross-section with radial echoes.

Description

Structural heat exchanger

The subject matter disclosed herein is generally directed to a refrigerant system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a structural heat exchanger having various industrial applications.

Typically, a refrigerant system for an industrial sector is manufactured using a removal manufacturing method, which means that a larger material is used to cut until the desired structure is created. This design is therefore limited by the manufacturing method used. It is also necessary that the coolant system is typically made of several parts and secured together by welding. Thus, for ease of manufacture and reproducibility, this design represents multiple points of failure or other high stress areas. Also, because of the use of more reliable removal manufacturing methods, the optimal geometry for heat transfer, cooling design is not used. Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new method of creating a heat exchange coolant system and its various components.

Aspects of the present invention represent a structural heat exchanger design with optimal heat transfer and cooling characteristics that can be made using laminate manufacturing.

In some embodiments, the heat exchanger includes a housing, the housing comprising: a wall at least partially surrounding an area containing a higher thermal capacity relative to ambient capacity; And a plurality of coolant channels, each defined by an empty channel space within the wall, wherein the coolant channels are configured to allow fluid to flow within the wall, and wherein the housing is fabricated using laminate manufacturing.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the form of a bean.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of a cross-sectional area in a trapezoidal shape having rounded corners.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the plurality of coolant channels have at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the form of parallel concave curves, and one of the concave curves is located closest to the inner wall surface closest to the high heat capacity area And the second concave curve is located closest to the outer wall surface farthest from the high heat capacity region.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of a cross-sectional area of a defined shape by meeting a plurality of boundary conditions defining one or more functional or structural characteristics of the wall.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the plurality of boundary conditions includes at least one thermal condition that the wall must meet; At least one structural condition that the wall must meet; At least one material characteristic on the wall the wall must meet; And at least one material characteristic of a coolant channel that a plurality of coolant channels must meet. In some embodiments, the plurality of boundary conditions is a first plurality of boundary conditions applied to the first location of the coolant channel and each of the plurality of coolant channels meets a second plurality of boundary conditions different from the first plurality of boundary conditions At least a portion of the cross-sectional area of the second type defined by the second cross-sectional area.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the plurality of coolant channels vary in pitch angle at different locations within the wall.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, at least one of the plurality of coolant channels includes a first cross-sectional area formed in a first configuration at a first location and a second cross-sectional area configured at a second location at a second location. In some embodiments, the first form is a soy form and the second form is an elliptical form.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the plurality of coolant channels vary in size of the cross-sectional area at different locations within the wall.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the wall is formed as a cylinder.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the wall includes a planar plate that holds at least a portion of the plurality of coolant channels.

In some embodiments of the heat exchanger, the housing is made monolithically using laminate manufacturing.

Are included in the scope of the present invention.

Some embodiments are shown by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 provides a description of a traditional coolant system that serves as a point of comparison for highlighting new and less obvious features of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a fuel converter with a uniform ring radius.
Figure 3 shows a fuel transducer having a shape of a decreasing radius ring, according to some embodiments.
Figure 4 shows an example of fluid delivered through each channel from a fluid diverter.
Figure 5 shows a diagram of a flow vector simulation of the direction and magnitude of liquid as it enters a branch passage from a fluid diverter, in accordance with some embodiments.
Figure 6 shows the translucency of the bottom of the engine using the heat exchanger of the present invention.
Figure 7 shows an enlarged view of the fuel transducer having a much smaller radius by its end when wrapping around the circumference of the bottom of the engine.
Figures 8A and 8B show cross sections of typical cooling channels and their heat transfer characteristics.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 illustrate a trapezoidal passage as a cross-sectional area of a cooling passage, according to some embodiments of the present invention.
Figure 12 illustrates the shape of the beans for the cross-sectional area of the cooling passages, in accordance with some embodiments.
Figure 13 illustrates how the top of the cooling passage can be formed more like a circular or elliptical shape.
Figure 14 shows a top-down view of the cooling passages in accordance with some embodiments.
Figures 15-16 illustrate different views of how the pitch, cross-sectional shape and size of the cooling passages can vary as the channel rises along the chamber walls of the structure, in accordance with some embodiments.
Figure 17 shows an example of the cross-sectional area of the bean form coolant channel.
Figure 18a shows how a cylinder wall with a rectangular coolant channel looks, whereas Figure 18b shows how a cylinder with a bean-shaped channel looks.
19 shows a thermal contour for the result of a rectangular cross-sectional channel.
Figure 20 shows a thermal contour for the result of a circular cross-sectional channel.
Figure 21 shows a thermal contour for the results of the bean-shaped cross-section channel.
Figure 22 shows an enlarged visual result of a rectangular cross-section that emphasizes temperature banding.
Figure 23 shows an enlarged visual result of a circular section emphasizing temperature banding.
Figure 24 shows an enlarged visual result of a bean-shaped section that emphasizes temperature banding.
Figures 25 and 26 illustrate examples from different angles of a plate with bean coolant channels, according to some embodiments.
27 and 28 illustrate a planar plate having a wavy surface at the bottom with a bean-shaped coolant channel at the top surface, but coinciding with the concave geometry of the bean-shaped geometry.
29 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for developing a structural heat exchanger having any of a variety of cross-sectional shapes designed to meet the varying needs of various industrial applications, having any number of coolant channels, according to some embodiments. / RTI >
30 is a block diagram illustrating components of a machine, in accordance with some example embodiments, capable of reading instructions from a machine-readable medium and performing any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

Refrigerant systems for a variety of industries rely on traditional removal manufacturing methods for production. As a result, their design reflects the limitations of the manufacturing process employed. High-performance industrial devices are generally made of one or more parts and welded together or fixed together using O-rings or other gaskets to seal the high pressure area. These designs represent multiple points of failure.

The creation of a coolant system through lamination (AM) offers many improvements that were not previously available. The ability to print a series of heat exchanger channels in a single part using AM technology reduces durability and usability while reducing gravity. The speed at which a laminate manufacturing method can produce components also outstrips the most agile traditional manufacturing process. Using traditional manufacturing methods, the ability to produce new geometric structures, previously unattainable, paved the way for infinite performance improvements.

In fact, the laminate manufacturing method makes it possible to produce even the most complicated geometric structures. This makes it possible for designers to create optimized structures without imposing the burden of designing traditional manufacturing techniques.

Aspects of the present invention are directed to a structural heat exchanger design with optimal heat exchanger and cooling characteristics that can be fabricated by allowing additional manufacturing techniques. Heat exchangers can be created as a single part that does not have joints, fasteners, or any other area that can provide a risk of damage. The design and principles that derive the design described herein can also reduce the weight of an industrial device by eliminating the need for fasteners and other external hardware. In general, the weight of the industrial device can be optimized to exclude inclusion of external material around the required structure. Industrial devices can also be designed to have high energy efficiency with optimal flow for fuel and other fluids while maintaining high pressure while minimizing head loss.

In some embodiments, a structural heat exchanger is provided that uses liquid fuel as the coolant when the liquid fuel travels around the high temperature engine chamber. The shape of the coolant channel, starting from the fuel converter and flowing through the heat exchanger passages, can be configured to change the angle to account for the region of the chamber that may require higher cooling characteristics as it moves to the upper portion of the hot engine chamber. In some embodiments, the fuel transducer that allows the initial passage of fuel through the coolant channel is fluid, such as a fluid that flows upward through the coolant channel at a uniform pressure, even as the fluid moves further away from the initial entry point as the volume of the fluid decreases. Lt; / RTI > In some embodiments, this can be implemented as a fuel injector formed in a loop having a gradually decreasing cross-section with radial echoes.

In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of the coolant channel may be specifically formed to meet a particular purpose or boundary condition. For example, the boundary condition may specify that the coolant channel should produce a constant heat flow rate to reduce thermal deformation along the thrust chamber wall and at any particular point within the wall of the industrial device. In some embodiments, this can be accomplished by creating a coolant channel to have a trapezoidal shape or otherwise have a bean-shaped cross-sectional area. In some embodiments, the trapezoidal or bean shape of the coolant channel can be gradually converted to an elliptical or circular shape along the path of the channel when the coolant channel approaches the fuel injector portion of the engine and the fluid is about to be dispensed.

In some embodiments, a method of deriving a design of a coolant channel based on meeting multiple boundary condition characteristics is presented. This property allows the walls to meet specific heat flow conditions, allows the walls containing the channels to meet specific heat capacities, allows certain portions of the channels to reach certain pressure conditions, And changing these properties at various different locations along the path of the channel.

In some embodiments, the structural heat exchanger includes a plurality of coolant channels having varying cross-sectional areas. Also, for any single coolant channel, the cross-sectional area can gradually change shape to meet the boundary conditions that vary at this location. In some embodiments, the structure of the coolant channel may be in the form of a cylinder, plate, corrugated plate or other arrangement conforming to the principles of the present invention.

The structural heat exchangers according to the various embodiments described in the present invention need to have high performance heat exchangers, such as gas generator turbo machines, power generation heat exchangers, automotive engines, HVAC units, server cooling modules and power plants, Which can be used in a wide variety of non-limiting industrial applications.

Figure 4 provides a description of a traditional engine design that serves as background for coolant channels in a heat exchanger and serves as a point of comparison for emphasizing the new and less obvious features of the present invention.

Here, a cross-sectional shape of a conventional regenerative cooling channel using a conventional manufacturing method is shown. Traditional multi-material fabrication tends to create rectangular regenerative cooling channels.

As noted above, aspects of the present invention provide structural heat with recycled coolant channels typically accommodated in engines designed and manufactured in a manner that addresses any and all of these problems found in conventional engine design and manufacture Exchange.

Referring to Figures 2-7, in accordance with some embodiments, an embodiment of a fuel converter for solving a number of problems described is discussed.

Referring to Figure 2, a fuel converter with a uniform ring radius is shown. The fuel transducer may be located at the bottom of the engine so that the fuel flows up the wall of the engine to act as a coolant before the fuel is injected at the top of the chamber. Grayscale gradients illustrate the turbulent simulation of regenerative cooling through a stacked engine. The nonuniform turbulence present in the diverging portion of this engine represents an inefficient switching design.

Referring to Figure 3, in accordance with some embodiments, there is provided a fuel converter in the form of a ring of reduced radius. In order to reduce turbulence and ensure fuel of the same mass flow for each of the regenerative cooling channels (for example, 48 total cooling channels) supplied by the fuel converter, a fuel converter of a ring-shaped shape with a decreasing radius can be used have. The loop begins with the same diameter as the diameter of the fuel inlet and decreases in proportion to the amount of fuel converted into each of the branch channels. This creates a constant pressure loop through which the same mass flow is delivered to each channel. This ensures equal cooling of the chamber walls by regenerative cooling and then ensures proper distribution of the fuel injected by the attached fuel injector passages. The standard switching passage does not cause pressure drop due to turbulence. This results in an unexpected distribution of uneven mass flow between the various directional transition channels. Non-uniform distribution of such fluids can potentially result in b destructive engine hot spots and injector-induced combustion instability.

Figure 4 shows an example of a fluid delivered through each channel from a fluid diverter. Grayscale gradients show that the pressure drop across each pass is the same, partly due to the decreasing radius of the rings.

Figure 5 illustrates a flow vector simulation of the direction and magnitude of a liquid as it enters a branch passage from a fluid diverter, in accordance with some embodiments. As shown, the direction of the fluid branch is generally uniform in that the turbulent flow is generally uniformly distributed as it enters the passageway. In addition, the magnitude of each flow vector is generally the same length, which generally represents a uniform pressure. This example may be typical in each passageway due to the decreasing radius of the fluid diverter.

Generally, the geometry of the diverter shown in Figs. 4 and 5 demonstrates how the decreasing annular diverter can supply the desired mass flow rate through any number of passages. This always maintains the directional flow of the fuel with the flow direction and the fluid path determined by the geometric region being maximally uniform. This design can supply many orifices with the desired mass flow rate. The branch orifices may be the same or different in size if a certain non-uniform distribution of mass flow between the orifices is required. The decreasing cyclic diverter can maintain the desired mass flow rate for a wide range of input conditions such as pressure or mass flow rate. It can also be used to deliver optimal flow rates over various fluids that are reactive or unsteady flows, taking into account such changes when producing a constant pressure loop.

The diverter design of the present invention may also be applied to other fluid passages, in accordance with some embodiments. For example, the annular design of the reducing radii of the diverter described in the present invention uses an injector orifice interface or generally one or a small number of fluid entry points and allows the fluid to flow into several or more fluid passages with a substantially uniform pressure drop And may be applied to any set of fluid passageways that communicate.

Referring to Figure 6, in accordance with some embodiments, in the context of another component, the translucency of the lower portion of the engine illustrating fuel transducer 610 is shown. These include the fuel inlet 605 of the thrust chamber and the nozzle 615. A plurality of cooling channels are also shown. As shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 7, the fuel converter 610 has a much smaller radius at its end, since it surrounds the lower portion of the engine. In some embodiments, the end of the fuel splitter may be connected to the start portion to form a closed loop while the end portion is otherwise split. Figure 7 also shows how the fuel inlet is coupled to the entry passage of the fuel converter.

Referring to Figures 8A-16, in accordance with some embodiments, an embodiment of a regenerative cooling channel that solves the above-described plurality of problems is discussed.

Regeneration (or regeneration) cooling is widely used as a means for removing heat from the engine chamber inner wall. The cooling channel is located within the interior wall, which may generally be included in the casing or housing structure as part of the overall engine or other structure. The pressurized fuel is either buried in the chamber wall or supplied through a channel surrounding the chamber wall. The fuel is used as a moderating fluid in which heat flows into it. This process cools the chamber walls, preventing material degradation, melting, undesirable phase transition or particle deformation and increasing component life.

The standard regeneration cooling system includes enclosing the chamber in a small fluid transport channel, fabricating the rectangular channel into an engine wall, and fabricating the circular channel into an engine wall. Lamination manufacturing enables the implementation of numerous advanced channel designs that can not be produced using conventional manufacturing methods.

8A and 8B, a cross-section of a typical cooling channel and its heat transfer characteristics are shown. Rectangular channels are commonly used because they are easy to manufacture and have excellent heat transfer characteristics. Rectangular channels also provide large gas sidewall surface areas to increase heat transfer, unlike other geometric shapes. However, this method is not optimal due to the bad temperature distribution due to the rectangular shape. The sharp edges of the rectangular channels cause stress concentration at the corners of each individual channel, as evidenced by the non-uniform color gradients at the corners of FIG. 8B. Stress concentration due to sharp edges is undesirable, but this method is commonly used because of its ease of manufacture.

Circular channels are structurally advantageous according to certain criteria because they distribute pressure in all directions to prevent stress concentration. Similarly, the maximum surface area of the circular channel improves the heat flow to the reducing fluid. However, a circular channel array distributed azimuthally about the axis of the chamber creates a non-uniform temperature distribution along the inner walls of the chamber material itself, resulting in significant thermal stresses.

Although more optimal in terms of pressure and heat, non-circular and non-rectangular geometries for coolant channels are much more difficult to produce using conventional manufacturing techniques. The performance, durability and lifetime extension they provide are less important than the increased manufacturing cost and additional components or components needed to create this advanced geometry. However, such a geometric structure can be generated quickly and accurately through lamination fabrication at a very low cost.

The trapezoidal passages shown in Figures 9, 10 and 11 and according to some embodiments of the present invention provide the advantages of both circular and rectangular passages. They can also be easily produced through lamination. The larger gas sidewall surface area allows for greater heat transfer to the reducing fluid. The narrow edges closer to the rounded edges and the outer walls provide improved stress management due to thermal considerations that generate thermal stresses through spatial differences in high pressure differential and thermal expansion due to high fluid pressure in the channels. Figure 9 shows a thermal profile along the inner wall of a trapezoidal regenerative cooling channel during normal use. The trapezoidal channel reduces the temperature gradient along the inner wall. Figure 10 shows a graphical simulation of the heat flow rate of a trapezoid coolant channel. As shown, the temperature gradient around the coolant channel is more uniform overall, reducing stress points along edges or edges. Figure 11 shows another example of the heat flux at an extended portion of a trapezoid coolant channel design. Even when the channel is bent, the heat flux characteristics remain constant along the same portion of each edge and edge.

One novel idea for regenerative cooling channels arises from the discovery that a uniform temperature profile can be achieved with non-constant channel cross-sections. Through the novel design method, a cross section with a nearly uniform temperature profile was created. This form will be referred to as a " bean " form, and one embodiment of a coolant channel having this shape is shown in FIG. The pressure distribution is uniform within the bean-shaped channel. The distribution of equivalent stresses is not uniform across the wall portion, but, according to some embodiments, is minimally optimized by the bean-shaped channel for a given thermal-structure boundary condition.

Quot; macaroni " having a more straight side (similar to the appearance of the curved portion of the macaroni) rather than being curved (as in beans), having an inner wall and an outer wall edge of a coolant channel formed in a concave pattern (such as beans) Other variants of the soybean form, such as a cross-sectional area having a shape, can be considered by the present invention. Since laminate fabrication may allow each cross-sectional layer to gradually change shape with respect to each other, progressively varying deformation between these various shapes is also contemplated.

Thus, Figure 13 illustrates how the top of the cooling passage can be formed more similar to a circular or elliptical shape in order to take this into account. Thus, in some embodiments, the cooling passages are designed to progressively change from a form designed for cooling and better heat transfer (e.g., trapezoidal or bean form) to a more uniform form before the fluid has finished moving . Also, the shape of the passageway may be more like an ellipse when it is directed toward the beginning of the passageway, i.e., when the fuel is transferred from the fuel converter to each of the cooling passageways, and may then gradually change to the cooling optimal form. This conversion will be described in detail below.

Figure 14 shows a bottom-up view of the regeneration cooling passage, in accordance with some embodiments.

Figures 15-16 illustrate different views of how the pitch, cross-sectional shape, and size of the cooling passages can vary as the channel rises along the chamber walls, in accordance with some embodiments. Typically, cooling channels using conventional manufacturing methods do not change with any of these degrees. However, due to the properties available in the lamination fabrication technique, such cooling channels can be adjusted in a variety of ways to account for the different needs at different points along the engine wall.

In general, changes in channel cross-sectional shape, size, and pitch can be used to tailor the heat transfer by specifically adjusting the turbulence. This can be used to control the temperature and pressure of the deceleration fluid as well as the heat transfer. This is particularly important in ensuring that the temperature and pressure of the supercritical decelerating fluid pass through the critical point and are prevented from being gasified or liquefied, as this can potentially damage the engine. Increasing and reducing the cross-sectional area of the channel enables axial optimization of heat transfer to the fluid.

Figure 15 illustrates a bottom-up view of a cooling channel having different pitch angles and shape changes in the varying portion, in accordance with some embodiments. This figure shows only the rising portion to the slot (see FIG. 16), because the remaining portion of the channel flowing from the slot becomes widened and becomes invisible. From this point of view, angles varying along a single channel represent varying pitches. Also, it can be seen that the cross-sectional area of a single channel changes from a circular region to a soybean form.

16 is an enlarged view of the slot area of the cooling passage, in accordance with some embodiments. As shown, the cooling passages are spirally arranged and at this junction, the pitch angle is changed more horizontally (i.e., increased), and the passages are not only closer to each other but also the size of the channel is reduced. In general, none of these properties can be easily reproduced using conventional manufacturing techniques.

A more detailed description of the "bean" coolant channel

This section discusses the various features inherent in the use of bean-shaped fluid channels in a heat exchanger.

BACKGROUND ART As previously mentioned in part, a fluid heat exchanger uses a channel filled with a coolant to transfer heat from a solid to a cooler fluid. Traditionally, channels have been limited to rectangular and circular designs. A rectangular channel has a higher heat transfer rate than a circular channel, but its edges have structural weaknesses due to stress concentration. To avoid the choice between structural stability and efficient heat transfer, engineers attempted to modify the rectangular geometry to obtain better structural properties without sacrificing heat transfer, but the results achieved little real advantage.

Through research and development, enhanced channel sections have been developed: beans. As shown in Fig. 17, the beans are formed exactly as the name implies. This form combines the structural curves of the circular channel with the high surface area of the rectangular channel to create a very efficient and structurally sound heat transfer channel. Figure 17 shows an example of the cross-sectional area of the bean coolant channel.

In addition to combining the structural advantages of the two conventional geometries, the bean-shaped channel provides more uniform heat transfer across the length of the wall. It has no extreme peaks and peaks of temperature inherent in the standard geometry. This even distribution reduces the thermal stress of the wall due to the large temperature gradient and the uneven thermal expansion rate.

The simulations were performed to compare the efficiency of heat transfer between rectangular, circular and bean-shaped channels. Cylinders with cooling channels running along the annular section and length were modeled for each geometry. These channels are designed so that the minimum distance from the individual channel cross-sectional area, the fluid domain area and the inner wall is approximately the same. The rectangular channel simulator geometry of FIG. 18A serves as a representative example for all three. Figure 18a shows how a cylinder with a rectangular channel is seen, while Figure 18b shows how a cylinder with a bean-shaped channel looks. Thus, how circles and other types of channels are located around a cylinder can also be similarly considered

In one exemplary set of simulations, steady-state coupled fluid-heat transfer simulation of ANSYS 17.1 was used to capture the convective and convective heat transfer effects. Nickel was used for solids, while liquid kerosene was used for liquids. The inner walls of the geometry were set at 726 ° C while the outer walls were insulated with the top and bottom surfaces. The inlet was defined as a total mass flow rate of 0.2 kg / s and a temperature of 27 ° C.

Thermal contours for the results of each geometry can be found in Figures 19, 20 and 21 for rectangular cross-sectional channels, circular cross-sectional channels and bean-shaped cross-sectional channels. The thermal benefits of using rectangular cooling channels compared to circular cooling channels can be seen not only at low temperatures, but also through low thermal penetration through the walls. Table 1 below identifies these visual indicators because the average and minimum temperatures of the rectangular channels are low compared to the average and minimum temperatures of the circular channels. However, according to Fig. 21, the increase in the efficiency of the beans is evident. The beans effectively cool the chamber relative to the two geometries while maintaining a structurally favorable curve of the circular geometry. Table 1 demonstrates soy bean excellence at the lowest and average temperatures of 490.28 ° C and 561.36 ° C, respectively.

Temperature results for rectangular, circular and bean channels Geometric structure Minimum temperature (℃) Maximum temperature (℃) Average temperature (℃) Rectangle 507.14 726.21 584.85 circle 518.71 726.23 600.29 bean 490.28 726.41 561.36

When the resulting visual is magnified to emphasize temperature banding, a uniform distribution of heat transfer in the bean channel is readily visible, as can be seen in Figures 22, 23 and 24 for each rectangular, circle and bean shaped cross-sectional channel. Grayscale gradients more clearly show each banded temperature profile of different types of cross-sectional channels. Rectangular channels can have exceptional geometry in relation to heat transfer rates, but have a very non-uniform temperature gradient along the wall. Circular geometry improves this non-uniform heat transfer, but is sub-standard for cooling. The bean shows that it is more effective in both important metrics.

Recent advances in simulation and optimization software coupled with laminate manufacturing have enabled the creation of optimized soybean fluid heat exchanger geometries. These bean-shaped fluid channels combine the advantages of both rectangular and circular cooling channels. They have excellent heat exchange capacity of the rectangular channels while maintaining the strength characteristics of the circular channels. In addition, this geometry allows for more uniform heat extraction, which helps to reduce the thermal stress inside the walls being cooled. This feature can make the bean geometry far superior to the past circular and rectangular designs.

Further exemplary embodiments of the structural heat exchanger

Multi-Channel Implementation

In some embodiments, the structural heat exchanger channel may be combined with a truss-like arrangement that includes a trapezoidal or bean-shaped channel cross-section coupled in a manner that meets a particular set of advanced boundary conditions. This may include pressure or thermal variations across the plate, which gas sidewalls may alternate from one side of the heat exchanger to another side. This embodiment is very practical for countercurrent heat exchanger flow supplied by alternating coolant or returning coolant.

Flat plate

The bean channel heat pipe can be implemented with a non-circular cross-sectional geometry. These may include a variety of more complex and predictable geometries as well as planar or curved plates. 27 and 28 illustrate examples of different angle planar plates having bean coolant channels, according to some embodiments. As another example, FIGS. 35 and 36 illustrate a planar plate on an upper surface having a wavy surface at the bottom, which has a coolant channel in the form of a bean but with a concave geometry in the form of a bean. In this exemplary embodiment, the thermal properties of the bottom surface allow a more uniform temperature loss along the bottom surface.

Uneven heat

Structural heat exchangers can be easily implemented for varying thermal boundary conditions along coolant flow and major components in the channel direction. For thermal boundary conditions that vary spatially and / or temporally in a direction that is predominantly perpendicular to the coolant flow or major components of the channel direction, additional processing on the geometry of the channel is needed. The channel sizing must be modified to increase the flow rate and thus increase turbulence at the expense of the pressure drop. This is accomplished by either reducing each heat exchanger channel or gently transferring it to the corresponding bean-like geometry with increased cross-sectional area to increase or decrease the flow rate corresponding to the peak heat load that exists across the heat exchanger surface at a particular location. Alternatively, the increased mass flow can be delivered to the channel with a spatially and / or time-varying heat load.

Uneven flow

In an ideal heat exchanger, the coolant may be supplied to the homogeneous channel such that each channel has a particular flow distribution corresponding to the same mass flow or heat load. However, if uniform and normal distribution is not possible across all channels, a change in channel shape can be taken into account. Such a change may have the form of a scaled and / or re-formed bean channel corresponding to the available heat flux and flow.

Exemplary industrial applications

The following is a description of the various types of uses of the heat exchanger of the present invention:

Gas generator turbo machine: The coolant channel can be inserted into the cylindrical wall of the compressor or inflator cycle (or within the blades itself).

Generation Heat Exchange: Cylindrical structural heat exchangers with or without matching internal surfaces are ideal for transporting heat from a working fluid to a reducing fluid (or coolant).

Automobile engine: A cylindrical heat exchanger is used in each combustion cylinder. The channel may have the same boundary condition as the engine thruster. Fuel or coolant can be used to remove heat from the wall, enabling higher operating temperatures and reduced heat loss.

HVAC units: Flat plates can be used in HVAC systems as opposed to standard pin and pipe heat exchangers.

Server Cooling: Bean-shaped cooling channels can be used in high-performance computing environments to pull heat away from the chip instead of the combustion environment. Flat plates using coolant channels can also be used in this case.

Other examples of structurally optimized heat exchangers of the present invention may also be applied to jet engines, tooling bits, mining bits, brake disk rotors, and injection molds.

Exemplary Method of Coolant Channel Generation

This section describes a computer implemented method for creating and deriving the various cross-sectional areas of the coolant channels described herein. As described above, the structure for accommodating the channels can be manufactured in a stack, which utilizes a CAD file having all the properties and details of where the solid material should be placed to form the structure with the channels And can be produced layer by layer by using a known lamination manufacturing technique such as a 3D printer. For example, developing a CAD file is an unusual task that a computer implemented method of the present invention can develop. In addition, the method can vary the cross-sectional area of any and all of the channels progressively by layer to form different shapes at different locations along the same channel (see, e.g., Fig. 15).

29, a flowchart 2900 illustrates an exemplary method for developing a structural heat exchanger having any number of coolant channels having any of a variety of cross-sectional shapes designed to meet the various needs of various industrial applications to provide. In some cases, a computer-implemented method for designing a structural heat exchanger can be accomplished by manually designing shapes and structures. However, more precise engineering should be used to make the structural heat exchanger more suitable to meet the desired cooling characteristics in certain applications. Flow chart 2900 provides an example of how a computer may generate such a structural heat exchanger to meet a particular need.

At block 2905, according to some embodiments, one or more boundary conditions are defined and used by a computer configured to implement the method. These inputs can be provided by a human engineer who can calculate various needs or obtain details from other agencies. A variety of CAD or CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) tools can be used to calculate and determine these boundary conditions. The boundary condition may include any number of the following non-limiting examples:

Thermal: Heat flow rate, ambient temperature / initial temperature, coolant flow rate, surface roughness, radiant heating / cooling

Structural: internal pressure, channel pressure, external pressure, structural load

Material properties of the structure: density, tensile strength / yield strength, fracture toughness, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, thermal diffusivity, emissivity, melting point / boiling point, built-in stress, heat capacity, specific heat,

Material properties of coolant: density, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, emissivity, melting point / boiling point, heat capacity and specific heat

The material properties will vary with temperature and / or pressure. Not all listed features are required. An accurate listing of these material properties and other factors that vary with temperature and pressure will result in simulations that well represent the physical environment seen by the heat exchanger.

For example, structural heat exchanger boundary conditions that create an optimal environment for bean channel implementation include:

Inside (gas sidewall) high heat flow conditions;

A high heat capacity, low temperature coolant that flows rapidly through the channel while maintaining a liquid state;

Pressure condition Pcc> Pw> Po,

here:

Pcc: pressure inside the coolant channel;

Pw: pressure seen by the high-temperature flow velocity wall;

Po: Ambient pressure outside the heat exchanger.

The computer utilizes these boundary conditions and performs the method described in the present invention to derive a bean-shaped geometry that has proven to be an excellent coolant channel.

In some embodiments, multiple sets of boundary conditions may be defined, respectively, for different locations of the heat exchanger to meet different cooling needs at various locations. Thus, boundary conditions may be specific for different locations.

At block 2910, according to some embodiments, the initial geometric structure of the structural heat exchanger accommodating the coolant channels can be created with the aid of CAD and CAE tools. This can be seen as an initial seed start value, where an initial approximate estimate of what might be the best geometric structure can be entered and received in the computer. Human developers can help create an initial geometric structure that roughly meets all boundary conditions. In some embodiments, the computer can provide suggestions using known solutions that can verify that the boundary condition meets approximately some threshold value. The number and size of channels can be selected according to the available coolant mass flow. This should be done not only to minimize the boundary layer within the coolant channel, but also to prevent edge cases such as ultrasonic flow.

At block 2915, a generic channel type may be defined. It may also be defined by an ergonomist with input received by the computer, or the computer may be configured to suggest an appropriate form based on an initial boundary condition. Again, this can be viewed as an initial seed start value, where an initial approximate estimate of what is the best form can be provided to the computer. For example, a general bean channel shape may be defined that features inner and outer edges that typically have different curvatures and curved portions connecting the edges at both sides to form a closed channel.

At block 2920, once the initial parameters and objectives have been defined, the computer can now perform one or more optimization simulations for at least a subset of the heat exchanger geometries. In some cases, this requires performing combined computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis (CFD / FEA) simulations. The computer can further simulate a representative subset or the entire heat exchanger geometry to define boundary conditions and determine the heat load of the fluid.

At block 2925, the computer may perform an optimization simulation on the dissected heat exchanger type of pieces. The entire geometry can first be resolved into pieces by the computer executing the simulation. These pieces can represent a series of layers created through laminate manufacture. For example, the pieces can be a horizontal layer of the heat exchanger shown in Figure 18a or 18b. The computer may then use the macro boundary condition from the previous step in block 2920 to perform geometric optimization of the internal channels and / or the wall structure in which they reside. That is, the optimization technique can be separated into smaller sub-sections of the heat exchanger geometry. Combined CFD / FEA simulations may be performed for each of the pieces, according to some embodiments.

For example, in the case of a converging divergent nozzle (see, for example, FIG. 16), this is expressed as a change in the inner and outer diameters of the various engraved rings. Considering that the thermal structural characteristics of the optimized soybean form vary depending on the wall thickness and bean shape space, it is important to optimize each slice loop. In addition, since the layered method follows the trajectory of the fluid, heating of the coolant (reduction in thermal conductivity with distance) can be considered.

In the process of improving the geometry and overall geometry of the channel, the computer can create a structure that changes the cross-sectional area of the coolant channel at various locations. For example, where the need for cooling properties is lower, but the need for a uniform mass flow is in a region that enters a higher region or other more uniform form, the heat exchanger may be configured such that the cross- It can have a variable channel.

In addition, the pitch angle of the coolant channels can be changed to account for the boundary conditions. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, different portions of a single heat exchanger part have parallel channels that change the pitch angle that flows upward based on different cooling needs at different locations. If the pitch angle is made less steep (more horizontally), the surface area due to the condensed coolant channel can be increased to increase the heat transfer rate.

During the simulation, the computer is calculated every time a shape is simulated several times and a small geometric change attempts to meet the performance criteria set by the computer or operator. Then run the simulation again to see if the changes are effective. This process is repeated until the criterion is met. At block 2930, the computer can determine if convergence exists and if the optimization goal has been met. Otherwise, the process may be repeated starting at block 2920. Convergence can be achieved when the geometry and the channel shape cease to change after the simulation is performed and the adjustment is made. The computer can repeatedly optimize each piece repeatedly until one or more of the following optimization goals are met:

Consistent with the prescribed elements of safety standards;

Low stress concentration between channels;

Minimum divergence of the thermal gradient along the inner wall representing thermal stress; And

Symmetric Channels Considering Symmetric Flow and Thermal Conditions.

At block 2935, assuming that optimization goals are met and convergence of the structure is achieved, the final heat exchanger is analyzed. The analysis is performed through testing or coupled system simulation to ensure that performance criteria are met and operating conditions are set. This helps ensure that the final cross-section is gently assembled and that the geometry as a whole, as a whole, is manufacturable based on shape-specific analysis of the laminate manufacturing apparatus. In some cases, once this analysis reveals defects, the simulation optimization is repeated as needed.

Embodiments of the present invention also include exemplary techniques for producing any and all of the various components of the structural heat exchanger embodiments described herein. Embodiments also include any and all software or other computer-readable media used to program the machine for making such components, although the embodiments are not so limited.

Referring to FIG. 30, a block diagram illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention from a machine readable medium 3022 (e.g., non-volatile machine readable medium, machine readable storage medium, computer readable storage medium, or any suitable combination thereof) Illustrate the components of the machine 3000 in accordance with some illustrative embodiments, which may read the processor 3024 and perform any or more of the methods discussed in this invention in whole or in part. Specifically, FIG. 30 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a method 3024 (e.g., a software, program, application, applet, app or other executable program) for causing machine 3000 to perform, in whole or in part, (E. G., A computer) in which a computer readable medium (e.g., computer readable code) can be wholly or partially executed.

In another embodiment, the machine 3000 may operate as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to another machine. In a network deployment, the machine 3000 may operate as a server machine or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a distributed (e.g., peer-to-peer) network environment. The machine 3000 may include hardware, software, or a combination thereof and may include, for example, a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook, a cellular telephone, ), A personal digital assistant (PDA), a web appliance, a network router, a network switch, a network bridge, or any machine capable of executing instructions 3024 that sequentially or otherwise specify tasks to be performed by the machine. Also, although only one machine 3000 is shown, the term " machine " refers to a machine that executes instructions 3024 either individually or collectively to perform all or a portion of any one or more of the methods discussed herein It must be interpreted to include any set of machines.

The machine 3000 includes a processor 3002 that is configured to communicate with one another via a bus 3008 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC), or any combination thereof), main memory 3004 and static memory 3006. The processor 3002 may comprise microcircuitry, which may be temporarily or permanently configured by some or all of the instructions 3024, such that the processor 3002 may perform one or more of the methods described herein in whole or in part . ≪ / RTI > For example, one set of one or more microcircuits of processor 3002 may be configured to execute one or more modules (e.g., software modules) described herein.

The machine 3000 may be used to display a video display 3010 (e.g., a plasma display panel (PDP), a light emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a projector, a cathode ray tube Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > (e. ≪ / RTI > The machine 3000 also includes a character input device 3012 (e.g., a keyboard or keypad), a cursor control device 3014 (e.g., a mouse, touch pad, trackball, joystick, motion sensor, (E.g., other pointing devices), a storage unit 3016, a signal generating device 3018 (e.g., a sound card, an amplifier, a speaker, a headphone jack, or any suitable combination thereof) and a network interface device 3020 .

The storage unit 3016 may be a machine readable medium having stored thereon instructions 3024 that implement any one or more of the methods or functions described herein, including, for example, any of the descriptions of Figures 1-29 3022) (e.g., type and non-volatile machine-readable storage media). The instructions 3024 may also be stored in the main memory 3004 prior to or during execution of the instructions by the machine 3000 either completely or at least partially in the processor 3002 (e.g., in the cache memory of the processor) Can exist. An instruction 3024 may also be present in the static memory 3006.

Thus, main memory 3004 and processor 3002 may be considered machine readable media 3022 (e.g., type and non-volatile machine readable media). The command 3024 may be transmitted or received via the network 3026 by the network interface device 3020. [ For example, network interface device 3020 may communicate command 3024 using any one or more transport protocols (e.g., HTTP). The machine 3000 may also provide exemplary means for performing any of the functions described in the present invention, including the procedures described in Figures 1-29.

In some exemplary embodiments, the machine 3000 may be a portable computing device, such as a smartphone or tablet computer, and has one or more additional input components (e.g., a sensor or gauge) (not shown). Examples of such input components are image input components (e.g., one or more cameras), audio input components (e.g., microphones), direction input components (e.g., compass), position input components (E.g., a GPS receiver), a bearing component (e.g., a gyroscope), a motion sensing component (e.g., one or more accelerometers), an altitude sensing component (E. G., A gas sensor). Inputs collected by any one or more of these input components may be accessed and used for use by any of the modules described herein.

The term " memory " as used herein refers to a machine-readable medium 3022 that is capable of temporarily or permanently storing data and includes random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM) And cache memory, but is not limited thereto. Although machine-readable medium 3022 is depicted as a single medium in an exemplary embodiment, the term " machine-readable medium " refers to a medium or medium that can store instructions 3024 (e.g., A distributed database, or an associated cache and server). The term " machine-readable medium " may be used to store instructions 3024 for execution by machine 3000, such that when executed by one or more processors (e. G., Executed by processor 3002) The machine readable medium 3024 is to be interpreted as including any medium or combination of media in which the machine 3000 is capable of performing, in whole or in part, one or more of the methods described herein. Refers to a cloud-based storage system or storage network that includes a single storage device or device as well as multiple storage devices or devices. The term " machine-readable medium " (E.g., non-volatile) data storage of any of the above, or any suitable combination thereof, It is not limited.

In addition, the machine-readable medium 3022 is non-transient in that it does not implement the propagation signal. However, specifying the type machine-readable medium 3022 as " non-transient " should not be interpreted as implying that the medium is immovable; the medium should be considered as being capable of moving from one physical location to another . In addition, since the machine-readable medium 3022 is of a type, the medium may be considered a machine-readable device.

Throughout this specification, a plurality of examples may implement the elements, operations, or structures described in the singular. Although the individual operations of one or more methods are shown and described as individual operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed simultaneously, and the operations need not be performed in the order illustrated. The structures and functions presented in the individual components in the exemplary configuration may be implemented in a combined structure or component. Similarly, the structure and function presented as a single component may be implemented as individual components. These and other variations, modifications, additions and improvements are within the scope of the subject matter of the present invention.

Certain embodiments are described herein as including logic or various components, modules, or mechanisms in the present invention. The module may comprise a software module (e.g., a code stored on or implemented on the machine-readable medium 3022 or on a transmission medium), a hardware module, or any suitable combination thereof. A " hardware module " is a type of unit (e.g., non-temporary) capable of performing a particular task and may be configured or arranged in a particular physical manner. In various exemplary embodiments, one or more hardware modules (e.g., processor 3002 or processor 3002) of one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computer system, a client computer system or a server computer system) May be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardware module that operates to perform certain tasks as described herein.

In some embodiments, the hardware modules may be implemented mechanically, electronically, or in any suitable combination thereof. For example, a hardware module may include dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform a particular task. For example, the hardware module may be a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or a special purpose processor such as an ASIC. The hardware module may also include programmable logic or circuitry temporarily configured by software to perform a particular task. For example, the hardware module may include software contained within the general purpose processor 3002 or other programmable processor 3002. It will be appreciated that decisions to implement a hardware module in a mechanically, duly and permanently configured circuit, or in a temporarily configured circuit (e.g., configured by software) may be driven by cost and time considerations .

A hardware module can exchange information with other hardware modules. Thus, the described hardware modules may be considered to be communicatively coupled. If multiple hardware modules are present at the same time, communication may be accomplished through signal transmission between two or more hardware modules (e.g., via appropriate circuitry and bus 3008). In an embodiment in which multiple hardware modules are configured or illustrated at different times, communication between such hardware modules may be accomplished through, for example, storage and retrieval of information in a memory structure that is accessed by multiple hardware modules. For example, one hardware module may perform an operation and store the output of the operation in a communicatively coupled memory device. The additional hardware module then accesses the memory device later to retrieve and process the stored output. A hardware module may also initiate communication with an input or output device and may work on a resource (e.g., a collection of information).

The various tasks of the exemplary method described herein may be performed at least in part by one or more processors 3002 that are configured temporarily or permanently (e.g., by software) to perform the associated tasks. Temporarily or permanently, such processor 3002 may configure a processor implementation module that operates to perform one or more tasks or functions described herein. As used herein, the term " processor implementation module " means a hardware module implemented using one or more processors 3002.

Similarly, the method described in the present invention may be at least partially processor implemented, and processor 3002 is an example of hardware. For example, at least some of the operation of the method may be performed by one or more processors 3002 or processor implementation modules. As used herein, the term " processor implementation module " means a hardware module in which the hardware includes one or more processors 3002. [ In addition, one or more of the processors 3002 may operate to support the performance of related tasks as a " cloud computing " environment or " software as a service " (SaaS). For example, at least a portion of the work may be performed by a group of computers (e.g., an example of a machine 3000 that includes a processor 3002) Internet) and one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., APIs).

The performance of a particular task may be distributed among one or more processors 3002 that may reside within a single machine 3000 as well as be located across multiple machines 3000. [ In some exemplary embodiments, one or more processors 3002 or processor implementation modules may be located in a single geographic location (e.g., in a home environment, office environment, or server farm). In another exemplary embodiment, one or more processors 3002 or processor implementation modules may be distributed across multiple geographic locations.

Unless otherwise indicated, discussions in the present invention that utilize words such as " processing, " " computing, " " calculating, " " determining, " (E. G., Electronic, magnetic, or optical) quantities within other mechanical components that receive, store, transmit, or display information (e.g., volatile memory, non-volatile memory or a suitable combination thereof) May refer to an operation or process of a machine 3000 (e.g., a computer) that manipulates or transforms data. Also, unless otherwise stated, the terms " a " or " an " are used to include one or more examples, as is common in the patent literature. Finally, as used herein, the term " conjunction " or " means non-exclusive "

The invention is illustrative and not restrictive. Additional modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of this invention and are considered within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

A heat exchanger comprising a housing,
Said housing comprising:
A wall at least partially surrounding a region containing a higher thermal capacity relative to ambient capacity; And
A plurality of coolant channels each defined by an empty channel space within the wall,
The coolant channels are configured to allow fluid to flow within the wall,
The housing is manufactured using laminate manufacturing. The method according to claim 1,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the form of a bean. The method according to claim 1,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area in a trapezoidal shape having rounded corners. The method according to claim 1,
The plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the form of parallel concave curves,
Wherein one of the concave curves is located closest to the inner wall surface closest to the high heat capacity area and the second concave curve is located closest to the outer wall surface farthest from the high heat capacity area. The method according to claim 1,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area of a defined shape by meeting a plurality of boundary conditions defining one or more functional or structural characteristics of the wall. 6. The method of claim 5,
The plurality of boundary conditions are:
At least one thermal condition that the wall must meet;
At least one structural condition that the wall must meet;
At least one material characteristic on the wall the wall must meet; And
And at least one material characteristic of a coolant channel that a plurality of coolant channels must meet. 6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the plurality of boundary conditions is a first plurality of boundary conditions applied to the first location of the coolant channel,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area of a second type defined by meeting a second plurality of boundary conditions different from the boundary conditions of the first plurality. The method according to claim 1,
The plurality of coolant channels varying in pitch angle at different locations within the wall. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein at least one of the plurality of coolant channels includes a first cross-sectional area formed in a first configuration in a first location and a second cross-sectional area configured in a second configuration in a second location. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the first form is a bean form and the second form is an elliptical form. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the plurality of coolant channels vary in size of the cross-sectional area at different locations within the wall. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the wall is formed as a cylinder. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the wall comprises a flat plate that holds at least a portion of a plurality of coolant channels. The method according to claim 1,
The housing is manufactured in a single piece using laminate manufacturing. An engine comprising a heat-generating area, and a heat exchanger,
The heat exchanger including a housing surrounding the region,
Said housing comprising:
A wall at least partially surrounding a region containing a higher thermal capacity relative to ambient capacity; And
A plurality of coolant channels each defined by an empty channel space within the wall,
The coolant channels are configured to allow fluid to flow within the wall,
The housing is manufactured using laminate manufacturing. 16. The method of claim 15,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area in the form of a bean. 16. The method of claim 15,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area in a trapezoidal shape having rounded corners. 16. The method of claim 15,
The plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of the cross-sectional area in the form of parallel concave curves,
One of the concave curves being located closest to the inner wall surface closest to the high heat capacity area and the second concave curve being located closest to the outer wall surface farthest from the high heat capacity area. 16. The method of claim 15,
Each of the plurality of coolant channels having at least a portion of a cross-sectional area of a defined type by meeting a plurality of boundary conditions defining one or more functional or structural characteristics of the wall. 16. The method of claim 15,
The plurality of boundary conditions are:
At least one thermal condition that the wall must meet;
At least one structural condition that the wall must meet;
At least one material characteristic on the wall the wall must meet; And
At least one material characteristic of a coolant channel that a plurality of coolant channels must meet.

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