Heat exchanger for mitigating ice formation on an aircraft

1. An aircraft, comprising:

a body;

wings coupled to the body, each of the wings comprising a leading edge defined by an exterior surface of the wing that is opposite an interior surface of the wing;

a heat source fixed to the body;

a bladder coupled to each one of the wings and comprising opposing thin-walled sheets and a fluid flow conduit defined between the opposing thin-walled sheets, wherein the fluid flow conduit comprises an inlet and an outlet, and wherein each one of the bladders is located inside and adjacent the leading edge of a corresponding one of the wings;

a first fluid line coupled to the heat source and the inlet of the bladder;

a second fluid line coupled to the heat source and the outlet of the bladder; and

fluid flowable through the first fluid line from the heat source to the inlet, from the inlet through the fluid flow conduit to the outlet, and through the second fluid line from the outlet to the heat source.

2. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of the fluid flow conduit, along a plane perpendicular to a fluid flow direction through the fluid flow conduit, is elongated.

3. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein each sheet of the opposing thin-walled sheets is made of a metallic or plastic foil.

4. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein:

the bladder further comprises a peripheral seal, about an outer periphery of the opposing thin-walled sheets, and at least one interior seal, only partially traversing the opposing thin-walled sheets interiorly of the peripheral seal;

the peripheral seal and the at least one interior seal each comprises sealingly intercoupled portions of the opposing thin-walled sheets; and

the fluid flow conduit is defined between the peripheral seal and the at least one interior seal.

5. The aircraft according to claim 4 , wherein:

the bladder comprises a plurality of interior seals; and

the plurality of interior seals are arranged to change direction of the fluid flow conduit a plurality of times.

6. The aircraft according to claim 1 , further comprising an inlet connection system and an outlet connection system, wherein:

each of the inlet connection system and the outlet connection system comprises a first fitting and a second fitting, the first fitting being selectively disconnectable from the second fitting;

the first fitting of the inlet connection system is coupled to the bladder at the inlet and the second fitting of the inlet connection system is coupled to the first fluid line; and

the first fitting of the outlet connection system is coupled to the bladder at the outlet and the second fitting of the outlet connection system is coupled to the second fluid line.

7. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein the heat source comprises a fuel cell stack.

8. An aircraft, comprising:

a body;

wings coupled to the body and each comprising a leading edge defined by an exterior surface of the wing that is opposite an interior surface of the wing;

a heat source fixed to the body;

a heat exchanger at the leading edge of each of the wings; and

a fluid transmission system, comprising a first fluid line and a second fluid line, coupled to the heat source and the heat exchanger, wherein the fluid transmission system is operable to transfer fluid from the heat source to the heat exchanger and from the heat exchanger to the heat source;

wherein:

the heat exchanger comprises a bladder coupled to a corresponding one of the wings and comprising opposing thin-walled sheets and a fluid flow conduit defined between the opposing thin-walled sheets;

the fluid flow conduit comprises an inlet, coupled to the first fluid line, and an outlet, coupled to the second fluid line, wherein the bladder of the heat exchanger is located inside and adjacent the leading edge of the corresponding one of the wings; and

fluid is flowable through the first fluid line from the heat source to the inlet, from the inlet through the fluid flow conduit to the outlet, and through the second fluid line from the outlet to the heat source.

9. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger is elongated in a spanwise direction along the leading edge of the wing.

10. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger is flexible.

11. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger is contoured to complement a contour of the leading edge of the wing.

12. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:

each wing comprises an outer skin defining a profile of the wing;

the outer skin comprises multiple layers; and

the heat exchanger is sandwiched between the multiple layers.

13. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:

the heat source is fixed to the body;

the wings are selectively removable from the body;

each of the first fluid line and the second fluid line is fixedly coupled to the heat source;

the fluid transmission system further comprises an inlet connection system and an outlet connection system each comprising a first fitting and a second fitting, the first fitting being selectively disconnectable from the second fitting;

the first fitting is non-removably fixed to the heat exchanger; and

the second fitting is non-removably fixed to a corresponding one of the first fluid line and the second fluid line.

14. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein the heat source comprises a fuel cell stack.

15. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:

the fluid is flowable through the fluid flow conduit in a fluid flow direction; and

a cross-sectional shape, along a plane perpendicular to the fluid flow direction, of the fluid flow conduit is elongate.

16. The aircraft according to claim 8 , wherein:

each of the wings extends from an inboard end to an outboard end;

the fluid transmission system comprises inner tubes, each comprising an inlet channel and each extending through the fluid flow conduit of a corresponding one of the bladders in a direction from the inboard end to the outboard end of a corresponding one of the wings; and

the fluid is transferred from the heat source to the fluid flow conduit of each bladder through the inlet channel of a corresponding one of the inner tubes.

17. The aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein:

the fluid transmission system further comprises outer tubes each located at the inboard end of a corresponding one of the wings;

each outer tube is coaxial with a corresponding one of the inner tubes;

each outer tube defines an annular outlet channel, defined between the outer tube and a corresponding one of the inner tubes; and

the fluid is transferred from the fluid flow conduit of each bladder to the heat source through a corresponding one of the annular outlet channels.

18. The aircraft according to claim 16 , wherein the fluid flow conduit of each bladder matches the entire cross-sectional area of a corresponding one of the wings from a top of the wing to a bottom of the wing.

19. An aircraft, comprising:

a body;

wings coupled to the body and each comprising a leading edge;

a heat source;

a heat exchanger at the leading edge of each of the wings; and

a fluid transmission system, comprising a first fluid line and a second fluid line, coupled to the heat source and the heat exchanger, wherein the fluid transmission system is operable to transfer fluid from the heat source to the heat exchanger and from the heat exchanger to the heat source;

wherein:

the heat exchanger comprises a bladder comprising opposing thin-walled sheets and a fluid flow conduit defined between the opposing thin-walled sheets;

the fluid flow conduit comprises an inlet, coupled to the first fluid line, and an outlet, coupled to the second fluid line;

fluid is flowable through the first fluid line from the heat source to the inlet, from the inlet through the fluid flow conduit to the outlet, and through the second fluid line from the outlet to the heat source;

the heat source is fixed to the body;

the wings are selectively removable from the body;

each of the first fluid line and the second fluid line is fixedly coupled to the heat source;

the fluid transmission system further comprises an inlet connection system and an outlet connection system each comprising a first fitting and a second fitting, the first fitting being selectively disconnectable from the second fitting;

the first fitting is non-removably fixed to the heat exchanger; and

the second fitting is non-removably fixed to a corresponding one of the first fluid line and the second fluid line.

20. The aircraft according to claim 1 , wherein:

a cross-sectional shape of the fluid flow conduit, along a plane perpendicular to a fluid flow direction through the fluid flow conduit, is elongated;

each sheet of the opposing thin-walled sheets is made of a metallic or plastic foil;

the bladder is elongated in a spanwise direction along the leading edge of the wing;

the bladder is flexible; and

the bladder is contoured to complement a contour of the leading edge of the wing.