Integrated multi-chamber heat exchanger
A one-piece heat exchanger manufactured using an additive manufacturing process is described. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of channels formed therein. At least some of the plurality of channels may be configured to provide structural support to the heat exchanger to reduce its weight. Different coolant media may be used in a first set and a second set of the plurality of channels to provide different types of cooling in an integrated one-piece heat exchanger structure.
1. A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
forming, using an additive manufacturing process, a one-piece body and a plurality of channels formed in the one-piece body, wherein forming the plurality of channels comprises:
forming the plurality of channels in a lattice within the one-piece body, wherein
the lattice has a plurality of layers including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, each of the first, second and third layers including channels arranged along a first dimension of the lattice,
the first, second and third layers are arranged in order along a second dimension of the lattice orthogonal to the first dimension,
channels within each of the first, second and third layers have a same shape,
a size of the channels having the same shape in the first, second, and third layers decreases in size from the first layer to the second layer to the third layer along the second dimension,
each of the channels in the second layer is positioned between two respective channels having larger dimensions than any of the channels in the second layer, and
each of the channels in the first, second and third layers includes a portion intersected by a line oriented along the first dimension of the lattice.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling at least one of the plurality of channels with a phase change material.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the one-piece body comprises forming at least one mounting structure as a portion of the one-piece body.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of structures adjacent to the lattice, wherein the plurality of structures form an interface control surface.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming a channel in at least some of the plurality of structures to reduce a weight of the heat exchanger.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first channel wall of a channel in the second layer of the lattice extends from a point on a channel wall of a first of the two respective channels having larger dimensions and a second channel wall of the channel in the second layer of the lattice extends from a point on a channel wall of a second of the two respective channels having larger dimensions.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein neither the first channel wall nor the second channel wall of the channel in the second layer is shared with a channel wall of a channel in the first layer.
8. A method of cooling a component with a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
arranging the heat exchanger adjacent to the component, wherein
the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of channels,
the plurality of channels form a lattice having a plurality of layers including a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, each of the first, second and third layers including channels arranged along a first dimension of the lattice,
the first, second and third layers are arranged in order along a second dimension of the lattice orthogonal to the first dimension,
channels within each of the first, second and third layers have a same shape,
a size of the channels having the same shape in the first, second, and third layers decreases in size from the first layer to the second layer to the third layer along the second dimension
each of the channels in the second layer is positioned between two respective channels having larger dimensions than any of the channels in the second layer, and
each of the channels in the first, second and third layers includes a portion intersected by a line oriented along the first dimension of the lattice.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
circulating a fluid through a first set of the plurality of channels and/or a second set of the plurality of channels to provide operation of the heat exchanger in a first cooling mode and a second cooling mode, respectively.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein a first channel wall of a channel in the second layer of the lattice extends from a point on a channel wall of a first of the two respective channels having larger dimensions and a second channel wall of the channel in the second layer of the lattice extends from a point on a channel wall of a second of the two respective channels having larger dimensions.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein neither the first channel wall nor the second channel wall of the channel in the second layer is shared with a channel wall of a channel in the first layer.