IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,313
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,313 · App. 18/081,909 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Variable passages to optimize delta p and heat transfer along flow path

Inventor: Christopher Ryan Cosher (Vernon, CT)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
F28F3/027F28F1/022F28F1/40F28F2215/00
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,313
App. No.
18/081,909
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A heat exchanger including an internal passage extending from a first inlet end to a first outlet end; a first longitudinal length extending from the first inlet end to the first outlet end; an inner surface of the passage including a first augmentation feature disposed along the first longitudinal length across the inner surface; an outer surface extending from a second inlet end to a second outlet end, the outer surface being in heat transfer communication with the inner surface; and a first region including portions of both the inner surface and the outer surface adjacent at least a portion of the first inlet end, wherein the first augmentation feature varies a cross-sectional area in a direction along the first longitudinal length and within the first region.

Claims (30)

1. A heat exchanger comprising:

an internal passage extending from a first inlet end to a first outlet end;

a first longitudinal length extending from the first inlet end to the first outlet end;

an inner surface of the passage including a first augmentation feature disposed along the first longitudinal length across a full height of the inner surface wherein the first augmentation feature extends along the entire first longitudinal length, wherein inner surface first augmentation feature comprises internal walls separating a plurality of passages for a hot flow;

an outer surface extending from a second inlet end to a second outlet end, the outer surface being in heat transfer communication with the inner surface; and

a first region including portions of both the inner surface and the outer surface adjacent at least a portion of the first inlet end, wherein the first augmentation feature varies a cross-sectional area configured to accelerate a working fluid increasing a flow velocity of the working fluid passing through the heat exchanger in a direction along the entire first longitudinal length and within the first region, wherein the first augmentation feature comprises wall inserts that change the cross-sectional area of the passage within the first region.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a second longitudinal length disposed transverse to the first longitudinal length and extending from the second inlet end to the second outlet end; a second augmentation feature disposed transverse to the first augmentation feature.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the cross-sectional area formed by the second augmentation feature is one of greater than or less than or equal to the cross-sectional area formed by the first augmentation feature.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the outer surface is disposed to provide for exposure to a cooling flow and the inner surface is disposed to provide for exposure to a hot flow.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first augmentation feature extends along a portion of the first longitudinal length.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the second augmentation feature extends along the entire second longitudinal length.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first augmentation feature extends along a portion of the first longitudinal length.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1 , wherein the first region is disposed adjacent a joint between a plate heat exchanger and a manifold.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 2 , wherein the second augmentation feature is formed as an integral part of the outer surface.

10. A process for controlling the thermal expansion of a heat exchanger comprising:

extending an internal passage from a first inlet end to a first outlet end;

extending a first longitudinal length from the first inlet end to the first outlet end;

disposing a first augmentation feature along the first longitudinal length across a full height of an inner surface of the passage wherein the first augmentation feature extends along the entire first longitudinal length;

forming an outer surface extending from a second inlet end to a second outlet end, the outer surface being in heat transfer communication with the inner surface;

forming a first region including portions of both the inner surface and the outer surface adjacent at least a portion of the first inlet end, disposing the first region adjacent a joint between a plate heat exchanger and a manifold; and

varying a cross-sectional area configured to accelerate a working fluid increasing a flow velocity of the working fluid passing through the heat exchanger in a direction along the entire first longitudinal length and within the first region by use of the first augmentation feature.

11. The process of claim 10 , further comprising:

forming a second longitudinal length transverse to the first longitudinal length and extending from the second inlet end to the second outlet end; and

disposing a second augmentation feature transverse to the first augmentation feature.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the cross-sectional area formed by the second augmentation feature is one of greater than or less than or equal to the cross-sectional area formed by the first augmentation feature.

13. The process of claim 10 , further comprising:

exposing the outer surface to a cooling flow and the inner surface to a hot flow.

14. The process of claim 10 , further comprising:

forming the first augmentation feature as an integral part of the inner surface.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 15, 2022
From: COSHER, CHRISTOPHER RYAN
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 062102/0593 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240200887A1 · Jun 20, 2024
References Cited (36)
US 2488615A · Arnold · 1949 [cited by examiner]
US 2912749A · Huggins · 1959 [cited by examiner]
US 3750709A · French · 1973 [cited by examiner]
US 5099576A · Shinmura · 1992 [cited by examiner]
US 5184672A · Aoki · 1993 [cited by examiner]
US 5586598A · Tanaka · 1996 [cited by examiner]
US 5826646A · Bae · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 5884691A · Batchelder · 1999 [cited by examiner]
US 10823511B2 · Vargas · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 10907500B2 · Wong et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11391523B2 · Stillman et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20050087326A1 · Barmoav · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20050224333A1 · Saifutdinov · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20110000657A1 · Ruckwied · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110108253A1 · Cool · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20150075758A1 · Ishimaru · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20160036104A1 · Kenney et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160138874A1 · Downing · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160290688A1 · Kusuda · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20160327346A1 · Dziubinschi · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20170051988A1 · Dziubinschi · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170184060A1 · Cho · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170205149A1 · Herring · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190170445A1 · McCaffrey · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190293366A1 · Disori · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190293367A1 · Stillman · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190310030A1 · Disori · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200018494A1 · Yatsuyanagi · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20210018276A1 · Reinhardt · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210123690A1 · Iwasaki et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210148638A1 · Disori · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220087053A1 · Pan · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20240035756A1 · Belzowski · 2024 [cited by examiner]
JP H08178568A · 1996 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2013187435A1 · 2013 [cited by examiner]
Extended European Search Report for counterpart EP application No. 23215308 dated May 16, 2024. [cited by applicant]