A plate fin heat exchanger includes adjacent flow paths that transfer heat from a hot flow to a cooling flow. The flow paths are defined by a combination of plates and fins that are arranged to transfer heat from one flow to another flow. The plates and fins are created from sheet metal material brazed together to define the different flow paths. Thermal gradients present in the sheet material create stresses that can be very high in certain locations. The stresses are typically largest in one corner where the hot side flow first meets the coldest portion of the cooling flow. In an opposite corner where the coldest hot side flow meets the hottest cold side flow the temperature difference is much less resulting in unbalanced stresses across the heat exchanger structure. Increasing temperatures and pressures can result in stresses on the structure that can exceed material and assembly capabilities.
Turbine engine manufactures utilize heat exchangers throughout the engine to cool and condition airflow for cooling and other operational needs. Improvements to turbine engines have enabled increases in operational temperatures and pressures. The increases in temperatures and pressures improve engine efficiency but also increase demands on all engine components including heat exchangers.
Turbine engine manufacturers continue to seek further improvements to engine performance including improvements to thermal, transfer and propulsive efficiencies.
In a featured embodiment, a heat exchanger assembly includes a plate including a plate portion having a leading edge, a trailing edge, an inlet side and an outlet side. The leading edge of the plate portion includes a terminal tip and a varying radius that decreases in a direction toward the terminal tip. An inlet manifold is on the inlet side. An outlet manifold is on the outlet side.
In another embodiment according to the previous embodiment, a plurality of fin portions extend outward from a top surface and a bottom surface of the plate portion. Each of the plurality of fin portions include a forward most end that is spaced apart from the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the forward lost end of each of the plurality of fin portions is tapered in a direction away from the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plate portion includes a plurality of internal passages extending between a corresponding plurality of inlets on the inlet side and a corresponding plurality of outlets on the outlet side.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plate portion includes a top surface parallel to a bottom surface, and the varying radius tapers from both the top surface and bottom surface at an intersection point spaced apart from the terminal tip and at least one of the plurality of passages is disposed at least partially forward of the intersection point.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, a uniform wall thickness is included between each of the plurality of passages and the top and bottom surfaces of the plate portion.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, one of the plurality of internal passages includes a leading edge passage disposed closest to the leading edge. The leading edge passage includes a width different than each of the other plurality of passages.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, one of the plurality of internal passages includes a leading edge passage disposed closest to the leading edge. A wall thickness between the leading edge passage and the leading edge increases in a direction toward the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plurality of passages are one of a stadium shape, elliptical shape, oval shape and rectilinear shape in cross-section.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plate includes a plurality of plate portions extending between a common inlet face and a common outlet face. A cooling flow channel is disposed between two of the plurality of plate portions and includes fins extending from top and bottom surface of each of the plurality of plate portions.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the trailing edge includes a second terminal tip and a trailing edge surface with a varying radius that decreases in a direction toward the second terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, a trailing edge passage is disposed at least partially aft of an intersection point between the top and bottom surfaces and the trailing edge surface.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plate includes a single unitary part.
In another featured embodiment, a cast plate for a plate fin heat exchanger includes a plate portion having a leading edge, trailing edge, an inlet side and an outlet side. The leading edge of the plate portion includes a terminal tip and a varying radius that decreases in a direction toward the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to the previous embodiment, a plurality of fin portions extend outward from a top surface and a bottom surface of the plate portion. Each of the plurality of fin portions includes a forward most end that is spaced apart from the leading edge and tapered in a direction away from the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the varying radius tapers begin from at least one of a top surface and a bottom surface at an intersection point spaced apart from the terminal tip and at least one of a plurality of passages through the plate portion is disposed at least partially forward of the intersection point.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, one of the plurality of passages includes a leading edge passage disposed closest to the leading edge. A wall thickness is between the leading edge passage and the leading edge increases in a direction toward the terminal tip.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the plurality of passages are one of a stadium shape, elliptical shape, oval shape and rectilinear shape in cross-section.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the cast plate includes a plurality of plate portions extending between a common inlet face and a common outlet face. A cooling flow channel is disposed between two of the plurality of plate portions and includes fins extending from top and bottom surface of each of the plurality of plate portions.
In another embodiment according to any of the previous embodiments, the cast plate includes a single unitary part.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.
These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
Referring to
The example plate 12 is a single cast unitary part including the fin portions 30 that extend from a plate portion 32. The plate portion 32 includes a leading edge 22 and trailing edge 24. The cooling airflow 20 initially encounters the plate 12 at the leading edge 22 and flows over the top and bottom surfaces 36, 38 toward the trailing edge 24. It should be appreciated that although one example plate 12 is disclosed as cast, other fabrication techniques and methods could be used, such a machining, and are within the contemplation of this disclosure.
Referring to
The plate 12 includes the plurality of passages 40 that extend between a corresponding plurality of inlets 34 on the inlet side 26 to a corresponding plurality of outlets 35 on the outlet side 28. Each of the plurality of passages 40 extending through the plate portion 32 include a cross-sectional shape. In the disclosed example each of the passages includes a stadium shape in cross section. It should appreciated that each of the passages 40 may be of a different cross-section including oval, elliptical and rectilinear shapes in cross-section. Moreover other shapes as are known and provided in the art may also be utilized in or within contemplation of this disclosure. The leading edge 22 of the example plate portion 12 includes a leading edge passage 44 which has a different configuration than the other passages 40 through the plate portion 32.
Referring to
In this example the varying radius 48 maintains laminar flow characteristics of the cooling flow 20 as it flows along the top and bottom surfaces 36, 38. As appreciated other shapes may be utilized within the contemplation of this disclosure that include different varying radii that decreases towards the terminal tip 42 to provide improved air flow characteristics that maintain a laminar flow along the top and bottom surfaces 36, 38 of the plate portion 32.
The leading edge passage 44 extends forward past the intersection plane 46 into the leading edge 22. Each of the plurality of passages 40 include a common width 58. In this example embodiment the leading edge passage 44 includes a width 60 that is different than the width 58 of the other passages 40 not disposed within the leading edge 22. In this example the width 60 is greater than the width 58, however, the width 60 may be smaller to provide the desired wall thickness within the leading edge 22.
The leading edge passage 44 also includes a wall 56 within the leading edge 22 forward of the intersection plane 46. The wall 56 includes thicknesses 52, 55, and 54 that increase in a direction towards the terminal tip 42 beginning from the intersection plane 46. The increased thickness of the wall 56 in the direction towards the terminal tip 42 improves durability and survivability of the case plate 12. Although the wall thicknesses 52, 55, and 54 are shown in the disclosed example as symmetric about a horizontal plane 45, the wall thicknesses 52, 55, and 54 may vary asymmetrically about the plane 45 to provide a desired impact protection and heat transfer.
Fin portions 30 disposed on the top and bottom surfaces 36, 38 of the plate portion 32 extend past the intersection plane 46 and include a tapered edge 33 forward of the intersection plane 46 that begins aft of the intersection plane 46. The tapered edge 33 of the fin portions 30 also improves durability and airflow characteristics. Each of the fin portions 30 include a forward most end 35 that is spaced apart from the terminal tip 42. The tapered edge 33 begins at the forward most end 35 that is spaced apart from the terminal tip 42.
Referring to
Additionally the trailing edge 24 includes a trailing edge passage 78 which is the aft-most passage of the plurality of passages 40. In this example the trailing edge passage 78 includes a width 80 that is greater than the common width 58 of the other plurality of passages 40. Moreover the trailing edge passage 78 extends past the trailing edge intersection plane 70 into the trailing edge 24. The trailing edge 24 includes a trailing edge wall 75 with a thickness that increases in a direction towards the terminal tip 64. The wall 75 includes varying wall thicknesses 76, 74 and 72 that increase in a direction toward the terminal tip 64.
Referring to
Referring to
The example plate 92 includes a leading edge 112 and a trailing edge 110. The leading edge 112 and trailing edge 110 include the same features and configuration as is disclosed in previous
The example plate 92 includes a plurality of plate portions 98 that each define a plurality of passages 116 that extend between a corresponding plurality of inlets 114 and outlets 108. Each of the outlets 108 open onto a common outlet face 104. The common outlet face 104 is a flat plane through which each of the outlets 108 for each of the four plate portions 98 is disposed. The outlet face 104 is surrounded by an outlet perimeter 115. Similarly, the plurality of inlets 114 open onto an inlet face 106. The inlet face 106 is similar to the outlet face 104 and includes the plurality of inlets 114 that open and are disposed within the inlet face 106 surrounded by an inlet perimeter 117.
Referring to
The plate 122 disclosed in
The example disclosed plates 12, 92 are formed as single piece unitary structure and may be formed using casting, additive manufacturing as well as traditional machining. The disclosed heat exchanger assembly include a single unitary plate portion with features on both the leading and trailing edge that improve cooling airflow, thermal transfer and survivability.
Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of this disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/647,030 filed on Mar. 23, 2018.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62647030 | Mar 2018 | US |