Heat exchanger having compliant manifolds
A heat exchanger having a core including a plurality of parallel layered flow passages for accommodating a first fluid flow, and a plurality of layered cross-flow passages in thermal communication with the layered flow passages for accommodating a second fluid flow, an inlet manifold associated with an inlet side of the core and including an inlet for the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of flow ports in communication with the layered flow passages of the core, and an outlet manifold associated with an outlet side of the core and including an outlet for the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of flow ports in communication with the layered flow passages of the core.
1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a) a core including a plurality of parallel layered flow passages for accommodating a first fluid flow having a first temperature, and a plurality of layered cross-flow passages in thermal communication with the layered flow passages for accommodating a second fluid flow having a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
b) an inlet manifold operatively associated with an inlet side of the core and including a fluid inlet to receive the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of inflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core; and
c) an outlet manifold operatively associated with an outlet side of the core and including a fluid outlet for egress of the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of outflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core,
wherein:
the manifold wall of each manifold includes a plurality of integrally formed longitudinally spaced apart segments that are each connected to one another by a shaped expansion joint having straight/linear and/or curved/rounded surfaces; and
each shaped expansion joint has an L-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
2 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the manifold wall of each manifold extends along the longitudinal axis and has a semi-circular configuration in a cross-section taken transverse to the longitudinal axis.
3 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the manifold wall of each manifold extends along the longitudinal axis and has a crescent-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane taken transverse to the longitudinal axis.
4 . The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein:
the crescent-shaped configuration has a first end and a second end; and
the crescent-shaped manifold and core cooperate to surround an open volume, the open volume open at a pair of axial ends of the open volume.
5 . The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein:
the L-shaped configuration has a void having a first section corresponding to the leg of the L extending inward and a second section corresponding to the foot of the L extending axially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the associated manifold.
6 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a) a core including a plurality of parallel layered flow passages for accommodating a first fluid flow having a first temperature, and a plurality of layered cross-flow passages in thermal communication with the layered flow passages for accommodating a second fluid flow having a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
b) an inlet manifold operatively associated with an inlet side of the core and including a fluid inlet to receive the first fluid flow, a manifold wall extending along a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of integrally formed longitudinally spaced apart wall segments that are each separated from one another by a shaped expansion joint, and an interface with the core that includes an array of inflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core; and
c) an outlet manifold operatively associated with an outlet side of the core and including a fluid outlet for egress of the first fluid flow, a manifold wall extending along a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of integrally formed longitudinally spaced apart wall segments that are each separated from one another by a shaped expansion joint, and an interface with the core that includes an array of outflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core,
wherein:
the manifold wall of each manifold has a crescent-shaped configuration in a cross-section taken transverse to the longitudinal axis, the crescent-shaped configuration having a first end and a second end; and
the crescent-shaped manifold and core cooperate to surround an open volume, the open volume being open at a pair of axial ends of the open volume.
7 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein each shaped expansion joint has a rectangular shape in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
8 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein each shaped expansion joint has a dovetail shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
9 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein each shaped expansion joint has an L-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
10 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein each shaped expansion joint has a T-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
11 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein each shaped expansion joint has a rounded configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.
12 . The heat exchanger of claim 6 , wherein the core has a right parallelepiped configuration.
13 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a) a core including a plurality of parallel layered flow passages for accommodating a first fluid flow having a first temperature, and a plurality of layered cross-flow passages in thermal communication with the layered flow passages for accommodating a second fluid flow having a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
b) an inlet manifold operatively associated with an inlet side of the core and including a fluid inlet to receive the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of inflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core; and
c) an outlet manifold operatively associated with an outlet side of the core and including a fluid outlet for egress of the first fluid flow, a manifold wall having a bellows-type construction to accommodate expansion and an interface with the core that includes an array of outflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core,
wherein:
the manifold wall of each manifold extends along a longitudinal axis and has a crescent-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane taken transverse to the longitudinal axis, the crescent-shaped configuration having a first end and a second end; and
the crescent-shaped manifold and core cooperate to surround an open volume, the open volume open at a pair of axial ends of said open volume.
14 . A heat exchanger comprising:
a) a core including a plurality of parallel layered flow passages for accommodating a first fluid flow having a first temperature, and a plurality of layered cross-flow passages in thermal communication with the layered flow passages for accommodating a second fluid flow having a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
b) an inlet manifold operatively associated with an inlet side of the core and including a fluid inlet to receive the first fluid flow, a manifold wall extending along a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of integrally formed longitudinally spaced apart wall segments that are each separated from one another by a shaped expansion joint, and an interface with the core that includes an array of inflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core; and
c) an outlet manifold operatively associated with an outlet side of the core and including a fluid outlet for egress of the first fluid flow, a manifold wall extending along a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of integrally formed longitudinally spaced apart wall segments that are each separated from one another by a shaped expansion joint, and an interface with the core that includes an array of outflow ports in fluid communication with the layered flow passages of the core,
wherein:
each shaped expansion joint has an L-shaped configuration in a cross-sectional plane extending radially from the longitudinal axis of the manifold.