IP Library Granted Patent US 11,835,304
Granted Patent B2
US 11,835,304 · App. 17/086,928 · Granted Dec 5, 2023

Heat exchanger with stacked flow channel modules

Inventors: Chris Vargas (West Hartford, CT); Daniel B. Denis (Simsbury, CT)
Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
F28D9/0093B21D53/04B23P15/26F01D25/08F28D1/0308F28D1/05366F28D9/0031F28F1/16F28F1/26F28F1/42F28F1/422F28F9/02F05D2220/32F05D2230/311
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,835,304
App. No.
17/086,928
Granted
Dec 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided for a gas turbine engine. This heat exchanger includes a pair of heat exchanger manifolds and a stack of flow channel modules arranged and fluidly coupled between the heat exchanger manifolds. The flow channel modules include a first flow channel module that includes a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section. The first heat exchanger section includes a base plate, a plurality of flow channel walls and a plurality of heat transfer augmentors. The flow channel walls project out from the base plate to the second heat exchanger section thereby forming a plurality of flow channels between the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section. The heat transfer augmentors project partially into at least one of the flow channels. A first of the heat transfer augmentors is formed from a different material than the base plate.

Claims (36)

1. A heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a first heat exchanger manifold;

a second heat exchanger manifold; and

a stack of flow channel modules arranged and fluidly coupled between the first heat exchanger manifold and the second heat exchanger manifold, the flow channel modules comprising a first flow channel module that includes a first heat exchanger section and a second heat exchanger section;

the first heat exchanger section including a base plate, a plurality of first fins, a plurality of flow channel walls and a plurality of heat transfer augmentors;

the first fins projecting out from a first side of the base plate;

the flow channel walls projecting out from a second side of the base plate, which is opposite the first side of the base plate, to the second heat exchanger section thereby forming a plurality of flow channels between the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section; and

the heat transfer augmentors projecting out from the second side of the base plate partially into at least one of the flow channels;

wherein a first of the heat transfer augmentors is formed from a different material than the base plate;

wherein a first of the first fins overlaps a first of the flow channel walls at an intermediate location along the base plate;

wherein the base plate has a vertical thickness measured vertically from the first side of the base plate to the second side of the base plate at the intermediate location;

wherein the first of the first fins has a vertical height measured vertically from the first side of the base plate to a distal end of the first of the first fins at the intermediate location; and

wherein the vertical thickness is greater than the vertical height.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first of the flow channel walls is formed from a different material than the first of the heat transfer augmentors.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 2 , wherein the first of the flow channel walls is formed from a different material than the base plate.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first of the flow channel walls is formed from a different material than the base plate.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first of the flow channel walls at least partially defines a side of a first of the flow channels.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger section is attached to the second heat exchanger section.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger section is bonded to the second heat exchanger section.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a first of the heat transfer augmentors is configured as an elongated protrusion.

9. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a first of the heat transfer augmentors is configured as a point protrusion.

10. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein

a first of the heat transfer augmentors projects partially into a first of the flow channels, and the first of the heat transfer augmentors has a first configuration; and

a second of the heat transfer augmentors projects partially into a second of the flow channels, and the second of the heat transfer augmentors has a second configuration that is different than the first configuration.

11. The heat exchanger of claim 10 , wherein different configurations of the heat transfer augmentors are not located within a common one of the flow channels.

12. The heat exchanger of claim 11 , wherein

the first of the heat transfer augmentors is configured as an elongated protrusion; and

the second of the heat transfer augmentors is configured as a point protrusion.

13. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein a vertical height of a first of the flow channels between the first heat exchanger section and the second heat exchanger section is greater than the vertical height of the first of the first fins.

14. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first of the first fins is formed from a different material than the base plate.

15. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein

the flow channel modules further comprise a second flow channel module, and the second flow channel module includes a second base plate and a plurality of second fins; and

the second fins project out from a first side of the second base plate, and each of the second fins is attached to a respective one of the first fins.

16. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising:

a third heat exchanger manifold; and

a second stack of the flow channel modules arranged and fluidly coupled between the second heat exchanger manifold and the third heat exchanger manifold.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2020
From: VARGAS, CHRIS; DENIS, DANIEL B.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054243/0339 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 2, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054278/0687 →
Continuity (2)
Division 15633169 · Jun 26, 2017
Related Publication 20210071962A1 · Mar 11, 2021