VANES FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS
A heat exchanger includes a vane positioned between an inlet and an outlet of a heat exchanger manifold. The vane includes a leading edge proximate the inlet and a trailing edge proximate the outlet. The vane includes opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges. The first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along the first surface and/or the second surface to minimize fluid pressure drop between the inlet and the outlet of the manifold.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to heat exchangers, and, in particular, to vanes for manifolds in heat exchangers.
2. Description of Related Art
Heat exchangers are used in a variety of systems, for example, in engine and environmental control systems of aircraft. These systems tend to require continual improvement in heat transfer performance, reductions in pressure loss, and reductions in size and weight. Heat exchangers can include manifolds leading into and/or out of the heat exchanger core. These manifolds can direct fluid flow into and out of the heat exchanger core and can cause a pressure drop between an inlet pipe and the heat exchanger core.
Such conventional methods and systems have generally been considered satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, there is still a need in the art for systems and methods that allow for improved heat exchangers. The present invention provides a solution for these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA heat exchanger includes a vane positioned between an inlet and an outlet of a heat exchanger manifold. The vane includes a leading edge proximate the inlet and a trailing edge proximate the outlet. The vane includes opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges. The first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along the first surface and/or the second surface to minimize fluid pressure drop between the inlet and the outlet of the manifold.
A flow path can be defined between the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger manifold. The inlet can define an inlet axis substantially parallel to the flow path at the inlet. The outlet can define an outlet axis angled with respect to the inlet axis. In accordance with some embodiments, the porosity of the vane is defined by at least one of a plurality of apertures, a foam structure, slot perforations, hole perforations, and a wire mesh. It is contemplated that the vane can be a first vane and that the heat exchanger can include additional vanes positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger manifold. The additional vanes can be similar to the first vane described above. The first surface can be a concave surface and the second surface can be a convex surface.
The heat exchanger can include a heat exchanger core operatively connected to and in fluid communication with the outlet of the manifold. The heat exchanger can include a second-manifold vane positioned between an inlet and an outlet of a second heat exchanger manifold. The inlet of the second heat exchanger manifold can be operatively connected to an outlet of the heat exchanger core. The second heat exchanger manifold can define a second-manifold flow path between the inlet and the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold. The inlet of the second heat exchanger manifold can define a second-manifold inlet axis substantially parallel to the second-manifold flow path at the outlet of the heat exchanger core. The outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold can define a second-manifold outlet axis angled with respect to the second-manifold inlet axis. The second-manifold vane can include a leading edge proximate the outlet of the heat exchanger core and a trailing edge proximate the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold. The second-manifold vane can include porous first and second surfaces, similar to the vane describe above. The porosity of the second-manifold vane can be defined by apertures.
In accordance with some embodiments, the second-manifold vane is a first second-manifold vane. The heat exchanger can include additional second-manifold vanes positioned between an inlet and an outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold. The additional second-manifold vanes can be similar to the first second-manifold vane described above.
In accordance with another aspect, a method of manufacturing a vane for a heat exchanger, similar to the vanes described above, includes forming a vane body having a leading edge and a trailing edge with a first surface and an opposing second surface between the leading and trailing edges. The first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface. The forming can be via additive manufacturing, for example, direct metal laser sintering.
These and other features of the systems and methods of the subject invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings.
So that those skilled in the art to which the subject invention appertains will readily understand how to make and use the devices and methods of the subject invention without undue experimentation, preferred embodiments thereof will be described in detail herein below with reference to certain figures, wherein:
Reference will now be made to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural features or aspects of the subject disclosure. For purposes of explanation and illustration, and not limitation, a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat exchanger in accordance with the disclosure is shown in
As shown in
With continued reference to
While vanes 102 and 102′ are shown with varying thicknesses, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that vanes 102 and/or 102′ can be uniform in thickness. It is contemplated that manifolds 108 and/or 108′ can have a variety of suitable shapes, for example, they can be semi-hemispherical, include a diffuser, or be any other suitable shape or variation depending on the design space provided. Manifolds 108 and/or 108′ and vanes 102 and/or 102′ can be made from a variety of suitable metals or alloys thereof, such as, nickel, copper, titanium, steel, and/or aluminum. In accordance with some embodiments, it is contemplated that the leading and trailing edges of vanes 102 and/or 102′ can begin and end anywhere, as long as at least a portion of a given vane is positioned between the inlet and the outlet. It is also contemplated that the vanes may all be of the same length and spacing, or may have different lengths and spacing to achieve the desired flow distribution with minimal pressure drop.
As shown in
As shown in
With reference now to
In accordance with another aspect, a method of manufacturing a vane, e.g. vanes 102 and/or 102′, for a heat exchanger, e.g. heat exchanger 100, includes forming a vane body having a leading edge and a trailing edge, e.g. leading and trailing edges, 112/112′ and 114/114′, respectively, with a concave surface and an opposing convex surface, e.g. concave and convex surfaces 116/116′ and 118/118′, respectively, between the leading and trailing edges using additive manufacturing, for example, direct metal laser sintering. It is contemplated that the vanes can be formed in conjunction with their respective heat exchanger manifolds, e.g. heat exchanger manifolds 108 and/or 108′.
While vanes 102 and 102′ are shown and described herein as having an arcuate geometry, it is contemplated that vanes 102 and 102′ do not have to be continuously curved. Vanes 102 and 102′ can include straight sections, be entirely straight, or can create an s-curve, depending on the orientation of the inlet manifold, the core and the outlet manifold. Additionally, it is contemplated that while the flow path at inlet 104 is shown at ninety degrees with respect to core 122, inlet 104 can be at a variety of angles with respect to core 122. For example, they can be in direct alignment or at an angle less than or more then ninety degrees. This similarly can apply to the angle between core 122 and outlet 106′ of second heat exchanger manifold 108′.
The methods and systems of the present disclosure, as described above and shown in the drawings, provide for heat exchanger manifolds with vanes having superior properties including reduced pressure drop and flow uniformity. While the apparatus and methods of the subject disclosure have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that changes and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject disclosure.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger comprising:
- a vane positioned between an inlet and an outlet of a heat exchanger manifold, wherein the vane includes a leading edge proximate the inlet and a trailing edge proximate the outlet, and opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
2. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein a flow path is defined between the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger manifold, wherein the inlet defines an inlet axis substantially parallel to the flow path at the inlet, and wherein the outlet defines an outlet axis angled with respect to the inlet axis.
3. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the porosity of the vane is defined by a plurality of apertures.
4. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the porosity of the vane is defined by at least one of a foam structure, slot perforations, hole perforations, and a wire mesh.
5. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface is a concave surface and the second surface is a convex surface.
6. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, further comprising additional vanes positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the heat exchanger manifold, wherein the vane is a first vane.
7. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 6, wherein the additional vanes each include a leading edge proximate the inlet and a trailing edge proximate the outlet, and opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
8. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 7, wherein the porosity of each of the additional vanes is defined by a plurality of apertures.
9. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 7, wherein the porosity each of the additional vanes is defined by at least one of a foam structure, slot perforations, hole perforations, and a wire mesh.
10. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, further comprising a heat exchanger core operatively connected to and in fluid communication with the outlet of the manifold.
11. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 10, further comprising a second-manifold vane positioned between an inlet and an outlet of a second heat exchanger manifold, wherein the inlet of the second heat exchanger manifold is operatively connected to an outlet of the heat exchanger core.
12. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 11, wherein the second heat exchanger manifold includes defines a second-manifold flow path between the inlet and the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold, wherein the inlet of the second heat exchanger manifold defines a second-manifold inlet axis substantially parallel to the second-manifold flow path at the outlet of the heat exchanger core, and wherein the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold defines a second-manifold outlet axis angled with respect to the second-manifold inlet axis.
13. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 11, wherein the second-manifold vane includes a leading edge proximate the outlet of the heat exchanger core and a trailing edge proximate the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold, and opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
14. The manifold for a heat exchanger as recited in claim 13, wherein the porosity of the second-manifold vane is defined by a plurality of apertures.
15. The manifold for a heat exchanger as recited in claim 13, wherein the porosity of the second-manifold vane is defined by at least one of a foam structure, slot perforations, hole perforations, and a wire mesh.
16. The manifold for a heat exchanger as recited in claim 11, further comprising additional second-manifold vanes positioned between the inlet and the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold, wherein the second-manifold vane is a first second-manifold vane.
17. The manifold for a heat exchanger as recited in claim 16, wherein the additional second-manifold vanes each include a leading edge proximate the outlet of the heat exchanger core and a trailing edge proximate the outlet of the second heat exchanger manifold, and opposing first and second surfaces between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface to resist fluid separation along at least one of the first surface or the second surface.
18. The manifold for a heat exchanger as recited in claim 16, wherein the porosity of each of the additional second-manifold vanes is defined by at least one of a plurality of apertures, a foam structure, slot perforations, hole perforations, and a wire mesh.
19. A method of manufacturing a vane for a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
- forming a vane body having a leading edge and a trailing edge with a first surface and an opposing second surface between the leading and trailing edges, wherein the first and second surfaces are porous to provide fluidic communication between the first surface and the second surface.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the forming is via additive manufacturing.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 13, 2016
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2017
Inventor: Neal R. Herring (East Hampton, CT)
Application Number: 14/994,694