# US 11,906,249 B2 · Tube bank heat exchanger

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- Number: US 11,906,249 B2
- Document ID: US11906249B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/883,953
- Filed: 2022-08-09
- Published: 2023-05-11
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-23
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: RTX Corporation
- Inventors: James F. Wiedenhoefer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906249B2

## CPC

- F28D 7/163: {with conduit assemblies having a particular shape, e.g. square or annular; with assemblies of conduits having different geometrical features; with multiple groups of conduits connected in series or parallel and arranged inside common casing (F28D7/1615 takes precedence)}
- F28D 21/001: {for thermal power plants or industrial processes}
- F01K 11/02: the engines being turbines
- F01K 23/10: with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle (F01K17/025 takes precedence)
- F02C 7/12: Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P)
- F02C 7/185: {Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas}
- F28D 1/024: {with an air driving element}
- F28D 1/05341: {with multiple rows of conduits or with multi-channel conduits combined with a particular flow pattern, e.g. multi-row multi-stage radiators}
- F28D 7/0058: {the conduits for only one medium being tubes having different orientations to each other or crossing the conduit for the other heat exchange medium (F28D7/0008 takes precedence)}
- F28D 7/1623: {with particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. change of flow direction}
- F28F 9/0221: {Header boxes or end plates formed by stacked elements}
- F28F 21/083: {from stainless steel}
- F28F 21/087: {from nickel or nickel alloys}
- F01K 25/103: {Carbon dioxide (F01K25/065 takes precedence)}
- F05D 2260/213: by the provision of a heat exchanger within the cooling circuit
- F28D 2001/0266: {Particular core assemblies, e.g. having different orientations or having different geometric features}
- F28D 2001/0273: {having special shape, e.g. curved, annular}
- F28D 2021/0021: {for aircrafts or cosmonautics}
- F28D 2021/0026: {for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines}
- 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)
- F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D)
- F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A heat exchanger has: a first manifold assembly having a stack of plates; a second manifold assembly having a stack of plates; and a plurality of tubes extending from the first manifold assembly to the second manifold assembly. The plurality of tubes is a plurality groups of tubes. For each of the groups of the tubes: the tubes of the group have first ends mounted between plates of the first manifold assembly; and the tubes of the group have second ends mounted between plates of the second manifold assembly.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat exchanger comprising:
a first manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates;
a second manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates; and
a plurality of tubes extending from the first manifold assembly to the second manifold assembly,
wherein:
the plurality of tubes comprises a plurality of groups of tubes; and
for each of the groups of the tubes:
the tubes of the group have first ends mounted between plates of the first manifold assembly; and
the tubes of the group have second ends mounted between plates of the second manifold assembly;
the first manifold assembly is an inner manifold assembly; and
the second manifold assembly is an outer manifold assembly at least partially surrounding the inner manifold assembly so that the tubes of each group diverge from each other from the first manifold assembly to the second manifold assembly.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of groups form a respective plurality of stages of tubes, with the tubes of each group being fluidically in parallel with each other and the tubes of the different groups being fluidically in series.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
adjacent plates of the first manifold assembly combine to form associated plenums common to the tubes of the associated group of tubes; and
adjacent plates of the second manifold assembly combine to form associated plenums common to the tubes of the associated group of tubes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the groups form respective rows of tubes; and
the heat exchanger has at least 3 said rows of tubes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the groups form respective rows of tubes; and
the heat exchanger has at least 20 tubes in each of the rows.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the tubes each have a plurality of bends.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The heat exchanger of claim 6 wherein:
the tubes' plurality of bends each have a respective bend axis transverse to a stacking direction of the first manifold assembly and second manifold assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The heat exchanger of claim 7 wherein:
the tubes' at least one bend is, for each tube, a first bend and a second bend; and
between the first bend and the second bend, each tube has a continuous arc of at least 50% of a length of said tube.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
in at least one of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly:
the stack of plates comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates; and
the plurality of intermediate plates are:
a plurality of first intermediate plates identical to each other; and
one or more second intermediate plates identical to each other if more than one but different from the first intermediate plates and alternating with the first intermediate plates.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
in the first manifold assembly:
the stack of plates comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates; and
the plurality of intermediate plates are an alternating plurality of first intermediate plates identical to each other and second intermediate plates identical to each other but different from the first intermediate plates; and
in the second manifold assembly:
the stack of plates comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates; and
the plurality of intermediate plates are an alternating plurality of first intermediate plates identical to each other and second intermediate plates identical to each other but different from the first intermediate plates.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The heat exchanger of claim 10 wherein:
in the first manifold assembly:
the first intermediate plates have a first face with a first channel, a second face with a second channel, and no through-holes between the first channel and second channel; and
the second intermediate plates have a first face with a first channel, a second face with a second channel, and a plurality of through-holes between the first channel and second channel; and
in the second manifold assembly:
the first intermediate plates have a first face with a first channel, a second face with a second channel, and a plurality of through-holes between the first channel and second channel; and
the second intermediate plates have a first face with a first channel, a second face with a second channel, and no through-holes between the first channel and second channel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein:
the manifold plates and tubes each comprise Ni-based superalloy or stainless steel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A turbine engine including the heat exchanger of claim 1 and further comprising:
a gas path passing gas across exteriors of the plurality of tubes.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The turbine engine of claim 13 wherein:
the tubes each have a first bend and a second bend; and
between the first bend and the second bend, each tube has a portion of at least 50% of a length of said tube.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The turbine engine of claim 14 wherein:
the first bend and second bend shift said portion downstream along the gas path.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

A method for using the heat exchanger of claim 1, the method comprising:
passing a first fluid flow along a first flowpath across exteriors of the tubes; and
passing a second fluid flow through interiors of the tubes
wherein:
the tubes each have at least one bend;
the at least one bend shifts a portion of the tube downstream along the first flowpath; and
the passing of the first flow and the second flow thermally expands the length of the tubes to further shift the portion downstream along the first flowpath.

### Claim 17

A heat exchanger comprising:
a first manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates;
a second manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates; and
a plurality of tubes extending from the first manifold assembly to the second manifold assembly,
wherein:
the tubes each have a plurality of bends;
the plurality of tubes comprises a plurality of groups of tubes; and
for each of the groups of the tubes:
the tubes of the group have first ends mounted between plates of the first manifold assembly; and
the tubes of the group have second ends mounted between plates of the second manifold assembly.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The heat exchanger of claim 17 wherein:
the tubes each have a first said bend and a second said bend; and
between the first bend and the second bend, each tube has a portion of at least 50% of a length of said tube.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

A turbine engine including the heat exchanger of claim 17 and further comprising:
a gas path passing gas across exteriors of the plurality of tubes.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The turbine engine of claim 19 wherein:
the first bend and second bend shift said portion downstream along the gas path.

### Claim 21

A heat exchanger comprising:
a first manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates;
a second manifold assembly comprising a stack of plates; and
a plurality of tubes extending from the first manifold assembly to the second manifold assembly,
wherein:
the plurality of tubes comprises a plurality of groups of tubes;
for each of the groups of the tubes:
the tubes of the group have first ends mounted between plates of the first manifold assembly; and
the tubes of the group have second ends mounted between plates of the second manifold assembly; and
in at least one of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly:
the stack of plates comprises a first end plate, a second end plate, and a plurality of intermediate plates; and
the plurality of intermediate plates are:
a plurality of first intermediate plates identical to each other; and
one or more second intermediate plates identical to each other if more than one but different from the first intermediate plates and alternating with the first intermediate plates.