Microchannel heat exchangers for gas turbine intercooling and condensing

A microchannel heat exchanger (MCHX) system configured to transport heat within a gas turbine engine, the MCHX system comprising:

• a first MCHX having an air inlet face and an air outlet face, comprising:
• a plurality of first layers respectively including a plurality of electrochemically etched air-passage microchannels configured to convey a first air stream through the first MCHX in a first direction, and a plurality of air-passage substrate rises structured and arranged to guide the first air stream through the plurality of electrochemically etched air-passage microchannels from a first end of the plurality of first layers to a second end of the plurality of first layers, the second end disposed opposite the first end with respect to the first direction;
• a plurality of second layers respectively including a plurality of electrochemically etched working fluid microchannels configured to convey a working fluid through the first MCHX in a second direction opposite the first direction, an electrochemically etched internal intake manifold configured to convey the working fluid to the plurality of electrochemically etched working fluid microchannels, an electrochemically etched internal outtake manifold disposed opposite to the electrochemically etched internal intake manifold with respect to the second direction, the electrochemically etched internal outtake manifold configured to receive the working fluid from the plurality of electrochemically etched working fluid microchannels, and an arrangement of raised pedestals disposed in the electrochemically etched internal intake manifold and the electrochemically etched internal outtake manifold;
• wherein the plurality of second layers run parallel with the plurality of first layers to provide a counter-flow between the working fluid conveyed through the plurality of electrochemically etched working fluid microchannels in the second direction and the first air stream conveyed through the plurality of electrochemically etched air-passage microchannels in the first direction;
• wherein the plurality of air-passage substrate rises have a longitudinal extent arranged axially to the first direction along the plurality of first layers and extend from the first end to the second end to provide air-passage openings for the plurality of electrochemically etched air-passage microchannels at the air inlet face and the air outlet face of the first MCHX such that the first air stream passes through the first MCHX in the first direction from the air inlet face to the air outlet face via the plurality of electrochemically etched air-passage microchannels;
• and
• wherein the arrangement of raised pedestals disposed in the electrochemically etched internal intake manifold and the electrochemically etched internal outtake manifold include raised pedestals that extend transversely to the second direction from a respective one of the plurality of second layers to an adjacent layer and contact a side of the adjacent layer facing towards the respective one of the plurality of second layers.

A method of conveying a quantity of heat within a gas turbine engine comprising:

• passing an air stream from a gas turbine engine through an air-passage layer of a first heat exchanger via a plurality of etched microchannel air passages in a first flow direction, wherein passing the air stream through the air-passage layer includes receiving the air stream at a first end of the air-passage layer arranged along an air inlet face of the first heat exchanger and exiting the air stream at a second end of the air-passage layer arranged along an air outlet face of the first heat exchanger, the second end disposed opposite to the first end with respect to the first flow direction;
• passing a working fluid through a working fluid layer of the first heat exchanger via a plurality of etched microchannel working fluid passages in a second flow direction opposite and parallel to the first direction such that a quantity of heat is transferred between the working fluid and the air stream;
• wherein passing the working fluid through the working fluid layer includes:
• distributing the working fluid into the plurality of etched microchannel working fluid passages via a plurality of raised pedestals disposed in an internal intake manifold upstream of the plurality of etched microchannel working fluid passages with respect to the second flow direction;
• and
• transferring the working fluid out of the plurality of etched microchannel working fluid passages via a plurality of raised pedestals disposed in an internal outtake manifold downstream of the plurality of etched microchannel working fluid passages with respect to the second flow direction;
• and
• wherein the working fluid layer is bonded to a sealing layer via the plurality of raised pedestals disposed in the internal intake manifold and the internal outtake manifold, where the plurality of raised pedestals extend from the working fluid layer to a side of the sealing layer facing towards the internal intake manifold and the internal outtake manifold and contact the side of the sealing layer via a bonded connection.