US 10,175,003 B2 · Additively manufactured heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger and a method for additively manufacturing the heat exchanger are provided. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of fluid passageways that are formed by additive manufacturing methods which enable the formation of fluid passageways that are smaller in size, that have thinner walls, and that have complex and intricate heat exchanger features that were not possible using prior manufacturing methods. For example, the fluid passageways may be curvilinear and may include heat exchanging fins that are less than 0.01 inches thick and formed at a fin density of more than four heat exchanging fins per centimeter. In addition, the heat exchanging fins may be angled with respect to the walls of the fluid passageways and adjacent fins may be offset relative to each other.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A heat exchanger comprising:

a first passageway housing comprising a first wall partially defining a first fluid passageway;
a first plurality of heat exchanging features positioned within the first fluid passageway, wherein each of the first plurality of heat exchanging features are oriented at a first angle relative to the first wall;
a second passageway housing comprising a second wall partially defining a second fluid passageway in thermal communication with the first fluid passageway, the first passageway housing and the second passageway housing being additively manufactured as a single, integral piece;
and
a second plurality of heat exchanging features positioned within the second fluid passageway, wherein each of the second plurality of heat exchanging features are oriented at a second angle relative to the second wall,
wherein a magnitude of at least one of the first angle and the second angle is less than ninety degrees.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Additively manufactured heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Additively manufactured heat exchanger

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20