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US 11,768,040 B2Granted
Aerospace structures comprising heat exchangers, and related heat exchangers and apparatuses
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorMichael J. Touma, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Heat exchangers include a first heat exchange section joined to a second heat exchange section. In some embodiments, channels of one or more of the heat exchange sections may be positioned such that adjacent channels are collinear in at least one direction. In some embodiments, sidewalls of one or more of the heat exchange sections may exhibit a substantially constant thickness along a section of the heat exchanger that includes the channels.
Claims22
An aerospace structure, comprising:
- an aerospace engine structure comprising a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising:
- a body surrounding a longitudinal axis, the body comprising:
- a first heat exchange section comprising an inner surface and an outer surface defining a sidewall, the first heat exchange section comprising:
- at least one channel within the sidewall and extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body;
- and
- one or more adjacent channels at least partially aligned with the at least one channel and positioned such that at least a portion of the at least one channel and at least a portion of the one or more adjacent channels overlap one another such that the at least a portion of the at least one channel and the at least a portion of the one or more adjacent channels are intersected by a first line intersecting the longitudinal axis in a first direction in a plane and a second line extending in a second direction in the plane and intersecting the first direction, the at least a portion of the at least one channel and the at least a portion of the one or more adjacent channels intersected by the first line and the second line having a length along the longitudinal axis greater than a thickness of the sidewall between the inner surface and the outer surface;
- and
- a second heat exchange section coupled to the first heat exchange section, the second heat exchange section comprising at least one channel extending in the direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the body.
5 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a heat exchanger comprising:
- a first heat exchange section comprising a first plurality of channels extending through a wall of the first heat exchange section and along a longitudinal axis of the first heat exchange section, at least one channel of the first plurality of channels at least partially overlapping an adjacent channel of the first plurality of channels such that a line intersecting the longitudinal axis and extending in a radial direction intersects the at least one channel of the first plurality of channels and the adjacent channel of the first plurality of channels;
- a second heat exchange section comprising a second plurality of channels extending through a wall of the second heat exchange section and along a longitudinal axis of the second heat exchange section, at least some channels of the second plurality of channels individually in communication with a respective channel of the first plurality of channels;
- and
- a weld joint joining the first heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section, the weld joint extending around a majority of an interface between the first heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section.
2 more elements
A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a body having an inner surface and an outer surface opposing the inner surface, the body comprising:
- a first heat exchange section comprising a first plurality of channels extending along a longitudinal axis of the body between the inner surface and the outer surface, the first heat exchange section having a length along the longitudinal axis greater than a thickness of the first heat exchange section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first plurality of channels comprising:
- a first channel;
- a second channel adjacent to the first channel, the first channel and the second channel positioned to be intersected by a line extending in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- a second heat exchange section comprising a second plurality of channels extending along the longitudinal axis and in communication with the first plurality of channels;
- and
- a weld joint coupling the first heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section extending around an interface between the first heat exchange section and the second heat exchange section.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.