# US 10,371,452 B2 · Heat exchanger with support structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,371,452 B2 - Document ID: US10371452B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/290,014 - Filed: 2016-10-11 - Published: 2018-04-12 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-10-11 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: Leo J. Veilleux, Jr.; Lubomir A. Ribarov - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371452B2 ## CPC - F28D 7/0066: {Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids (F28D7/103 takes precedence)} - F28F 1/122: {and being formed of wires} - F28F 9/013: for tubes or tube-assemblies - F28F 13/003: {by using permeable mass, perforated or porous materials (F28F13/18 takes precedence)} - F28F 13/06: by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media {(F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026)} - F28F 3/048: {in the form of ribs integral with the element or local variations in thickness of the element, e.g. grooves, microchannels} - F28F 9/22: Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates - F28F 2260/00: Heat exchangers or heat exchange elements having special size, e.g. microstructures - F28F 2260/02: having microchannels - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) ## Abstract A tubular heat exchanger includes a first flow path to receive a first fluid flow, wherein the first flow path is defined by a conduit, and a support structure with a plurality of support structure openings, wherein the support structure supports the first flow path, the plurality of support structure openings define a second flow path to receive a second fluid flow, and the first flow path is in thermal communication with the second flow path. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tubular heat exchanger, comprising: a first flow path to receive a first fluid flow, wherein the first flow path is defined by a conduit; and a support structure with a plurality of support structure openings, wherein: the support structure comprises a bottom having a curvature and a first length, a top having a curvature, which is similar to the curvature of the bottom, and a second length exceeding the first length, and intermediate layers having curvatures that are similar to the curvatures of the top and the bottom and lengths that exceed the first length and are exceeded by the second length, the support structure supports the conduit such that the first flow path extends in a serpentine configuration through the support structure with straight sections extending through the intermediate layers along longitudinal axes that are transverse to the curvatures of the bottom, the top and the intermediate layers and hairpin sections extending through the intermediate layers and connecting pairs of straight sections, wherein the support structure supporting the conduit fully encases the hairpin sections and the straight sections, the plurality of support structure openings define a second flow path to receive a second fluid flow, and the first flow path is in thermal communication with the second flow path. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the support structure surrounds the first flow path. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first flow path is a plurality of conduits. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the plurality of conduits is a plurality of staggered conduits. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein the plurality of conduits is a plurality of layered conduits. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the support structure is a lattice with at least one of regular shaped lattice ligaments and irregular shaped lattice ligaments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the support structure is porous material foam. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the support structure is metallic. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the support structure is polymeric. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is of monolithic construction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is formed from additive manufacturing techniques. ### Claim 12 A heat exchanger, comprising: a support structure formed into successive layers of similar curvatures and increasing length to define openings; a conduit, which is disposed to extend through the support structure in a serpentine arrangement with straight sections extending through the successive layers and hairpin sections extending through the successive layers and connecting pairs of straight sections, wherein the support structure supporting the conduit fully encases the hairpin sections and the straight sections, the straight sections being disposed in groups within corresponding ones of the successive layers such that the groups have a curvature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the support structure comprises at least one of porous metallic foam, metallic material and polymeric material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein a number of the straight sections in each group increases for each successive layer of increasing length. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein each straight section is staggered relative to a neighboring straight section of an immediately successive layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the groups of the straight sections have curvatures which are similar to the similar curvatures of the successive layers.