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US 11,454,450 B2Granted
Three-way heat exchanger system for auxiliary power unit
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorPaul Zonneveld
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger system includes a core structure with an oil flow path configured to receive an oil flow. The heat exchanger system also includes a fuel flow path included in the core structure and configured to receive a fuel flow. The fuel flow path is coupled to the oil flow path to allow the fuel flow to receive heat from the oil flow in the oil flow path. Also, the heat exchanger system includes a supplemental airflow path defined at least partly by the core structure and configured to receive a supplemental airflow that receives heat from at least one of the oil flow and the fuel flow.
Claims19
A heat exchanger system comprising:
- a first component configured to be lubricated by oil that flows within an oil system;
- a second component configured to be fueled by fuel that flows within a fuel line;
- a core structure at least partly defined by an elongate flow structure, the elongate flow structure extending along an axis between a first end and a second end, the elongate flow structure being arranged into a plurality of runs along a first direction into rows and in a second direction into a plurality of stacked layers as the elongate flow structure extends between the first end and the second end, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction, the core structure defining a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, the first end and the second end separated along the second direction and the third direction;
- an oil flow path that is internal to the elongate flow structure and that extends continuously along the axis and through the plurality of runs from the first end to the second end, the oil flow path fluidly connected to the oil system to receive an oil flow from an oil flow inlet at the first end and deliver the oil flow to an oil flow outlet at the second end;
- a fuel flow path that is internal to the elongate flow structure and that extends continuously along the axis and through the plurality of runs from the second end to the first end, the fuel flow path fluidly connected to the fuel line to receive a fuel flow from a fuel flow inlet at the second end and deliver the fuel flow to a fuel flow outlet at the first end with the fuel flow path and the oil flow path being thermally coupled and separated by a common wall of the elongate flow structure to allow the fuel flow to receive heat from the oil flow in the oil flow path;
- a supplemental airflow path defined at least partly between the plurality of runs and configured to receive a supplemental airflow that receives heat from at least one of the oil flow and the fuel flow.
3 more elements
A heat exchanger system for cooling a first fluid of an apparatus, the heat exchanger comprising:
- a core structure including an elongate flow structure, the elongate flow structure extending along an axis between a first end and a second end, the elongate flow structure being arranged into a plurality of runs along a first direction into rows and in a second direction into a plurality of stacked layers as the elongate flow structure extends between the first end and the second end, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction, the plurality of runs defining an outer profile of the core structure, the elongate flow structure defining at least one opening between the plurality of adjacent runs and through the core structure, the core structure defining a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction, the first end and the second end separated along the second direction and the third direction;
- a first fluid flow path included in the elongate flow structure, the first fluid flow path extending continuously along the axis and through the plurality of runs from the first end to the second end, the first fluid flow path configured to receive a flow of the first fluid from the apparatus via a first inlet disposed at the first end, the first fluid flow path configured to deliver the flow of the first fluid to a first outlet disposed at the second end;
- a fuel flow path included in the elongate flow structure, the fuel flow path extending continuously along the axis and through the plurality of runs from the second end to the first end, the fuel flow path configured to receive a fuel flow from a fuel flow inlet at the second end and deliver the fuel flow to a fuel flow outlet at the first end, the fuel flow and the first fluid flow path being thermally coupled and separated by a common wall of the elongate flow structure to allow the fuel flow to receive heat from the first fluid in the first fluid flow path before flowing to the apparatus;
- a supplemental airflow path defined along the second direction through the core structure and between the plurality of runs via the at least one opening, the supplemental airflow path configured to receive an airflow for receiving heat from at least one of the flow of the first fluid and the fuel flow;
- and
- a control system configured to selectively vary the airflow according to a characteristic of at least one of the flow of the first fluid and the fuel flow.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.