IP Library Granted Patent US 8,596,050
Granted Patent B2
US 8,596,050 · App. 13/213,938 · Granted Dec 3, 2013

Sound attenuating heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine

Inventors: David W. Gerlach (Ellington, CT); Duane C. McCormick (Colchester, CT)
Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
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 8,596,050
App. No.
13/213,938
Granted
Dec 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A sound attenuating heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine includes a housing, a barrier wall and a fin. The housing includes an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet. The exhaust inlet is connected to the exhaust outlet by an exhaust flow passage. The coolant inlet is connected to the coolant outlet by a coolant flow passage. The barrier wall fluidly separates the exhaust flow passage from the coolant flow passage. The fin extends from the barrier wall into the exhaust flow passage, and includes a resonator adapted to attenuate sound waves traveling through exhaust gas within the exhaust flow passage. The barrier wall and the fins are adapted to exchange heat energy between the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow passage and coolant flowing through the coolant flow passage.

Claims (42)

1. A sound attenuating heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a housing including an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, wherein the exhaust inlet is connected to the exhaust outlet by an exhaust flow passage, and wherein the coolant inlet is connected to the coolant outlet by a coolant flow passage;

a barrier wall fluidly separating the exhaust flow passage from the coolant flow passage; and

one or more fins extending from the barrier wall into the exhaust flow passage, each fin including a longitudinal surface that extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge, and each fin including one or more Helmholtz resonators that are adapted to attenuate sound waves traveling through exhaust gas within the exhaust flow passage;

wherein at least one of the one or more resonators are configured into the longitudinal surface, wherein each resonator comprises a resonator aperture extending from the longitudinal surface to a resonator cavity, and wherein at least one resonator cavity includes a plurality of sub-chambers; and

wherein the barrier wall and the fins are adapted to exchange heat energy between the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow passage and coolant flowing through the coolant flow passage.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein:

each fin further comprises a second longitudinal surface that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and

at least some of the resonators are configured into the second longitudinal surface.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each resonator comprises a resonator aperture extending from the longitudinal surface to a resonator cavity.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein at least one resonator cavity has a curved chamber wall.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein each resonator further comprises an extension conduit that extends the resonator aperture into the resonator cavity.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 3 , wherein the resonator aperture has an elongated cross-sectional geometry.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the one or more fins include a first fin and a second fin, wherein at least one of the one or more resonators in the first fin is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a first frequency, and wherein at least one of the one or more resonators in the second fin is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

8. A power system, comprising:

a power generator including an exhaust outlet;

a refrigeration unit including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; and

a sound attenuating heat exchanger including:

an exhaust flow passage connected to the exhaust outlet;

a coolant flow passage connected between the coolant inlet and the coolant outlet;

a barrier wall fluidly separating the exhaust flow passage from the coolant flow passage; and

one or more fins extending from the barrier wall into the exhaust flow passage, each including one or more Helmholtz resonators that are adapted to attenuate sound waves traveling through exhaust gas within the exhaust flow passage;

wherein the barrier wall and the fins are adapted to exchange heat energy between the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow passage and coolant flowing through the coolant flow passage;

wherein the resonators include a first resonator and a second resonator, which first resonator is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a first frequency, and which second resonator is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

9. The power system of claim 8 , wherein:

each fin comprises a longitudinal surface that extends from a leading edge to a trailing edge; and

at least one of the one or more resonators are configured into the longitudinal surface.

10. The power system of claim 9 , wherein:

each fin further comprises a second longitudinal surface that extends from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and

at least one of the resonators are configured into the second longitudinal surface.

11. The power system of claim 9 , wherein each resonator comprises a resonator aperture extending from the longitudinal surface to a resonator cavity.

12. The power system of claim 11 , wherein at least one resonator cavity includes a plurality of sub-chambers.

13. The power system of claim 11 , wherein at least one resonator cavity has a curved chamber wall.

14. The power system of claim 11 , wherein each resonator further comprises an extension conduit that extends the resonator aperture into the resonator cavity.

15. The power system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more fins include a first fin and a second fin, wherein at least one of the one or more resonators in the first fin is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a first frequency, and wherein at least one of the one or more resonators in the second fin is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

16. The power system of claim 8 , wherein the power generator comprises a reciprocating internal combustion engine.

17. A sound attenuating heat exchanger for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

a housing including an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet, wherein the exhaust inlet is connected to the exhaust outlet by an exhaust flow passage, and wherein the coolant inlet is connected to the coolant outlet by a coolant flow passage;

a barrier wall fluidly separating the exhaust flow passage from the coolant flow passage; and

one or more fins extending from the barrier wall into the exhaust flow passage, each including one or more Helmholtz resonators that are adapted to attenuate sound waves traveling through exhaust gas within the exhaust flow passage;

wherein the barrier wall and the fins are adapted to exchange heat energy between the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust flow passage and coolant flowing through the coolant flow passage;

wherein the resonators include a first resonator and a second resonator, which first resonator is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a first frequency, and which second resonator is adapted to attenuate sound waves having a second frequency that is different than the first frequency.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Apr 2, 2015
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: ARMY, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
Reel/Frame 035386/0691 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: GERLACH, DAVID W.; MCCORMICK, DUANE C.
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026896/0441 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130042600A1 · Feb 21, 2013