# US 12,215,938 B2 · Heat exchanger mount with internal flow passage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,938 B2 - Document ID: US12215938B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/088,177 - Filed: 2022-12-23 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-12-23 - Assignees: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Applicants: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Inventors: John Giuliano - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215938B2 ## CPC - F28F 9/02: Header boxes; End plates - F28F 7/02: Blocks traversed by passages for heat-exchange media {(F28D7/0008 takes precedence)} - F28F 9/013: for tubes or tube-assemblies - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - F28F 9/002: {with fastening means for other structures} - F28F 2210/02: with particular branching, e.g. fractal conduit arrangements - F28F 2275/12: by methods involving deformation of the elements - F28F 2275/20: with threaded elements - F28F 2280/06: Adapter frames, e.g. for mounting heat exchanger cores on other structure and for allowing fluidic connections - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract A heat exchanger includes a first header including a fluid inlet and a second header positioned downstream of the first header with respect to a first flow path of a first fluid and including a fluid outlet. The heat exchanger further includes a core extending from the first header to the second header and a mount structure extending between the first header and the second header. The core includes a plurality of core tubes. The mount structure is integrally formed with a subset group of diverted tubes of the plurality of core tubes and includes one or more internal flow passages that are connected to the subset group of diverted tubes such that the one or more internal flow passages are in flow communication with the first header and the second header in parallel to a non-diverted portion of the core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heat exchanger comprising: a first header including a fluid inlet; a second header positioned downstream of the first header with respect to a first flow path of a first fluid and including a fluid outlet; a core extending from the first header to the second header, the core comprising a plurality of core tubes; and a mount structure extending between the first header and the second header, the mount structure being integrally formed with a subset group of diverted tubes of the plurality of core tubes and including one or more internal flow passages that are connected to the subset group of diverted tubes such that the one or more internal flow passages are in flow communication with the first header and the second header in parallel to a non-diverted portion of the core. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the one or more internal flow passages include a common plenum within the mount structure that is connected to each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes such that portions of the first fluid flowing through the subset group of diverted tubes are merged in the common plenum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes converges into a first end of the common plenum and reemerges from a second end of the common plenum such that each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes includes: a first portion upstream of the mount structure; and a second portion downstream of the mount structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heat exchanger of claim 3, wherein each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes is separated from adjacent tubes of the subset group of diverted tubes at a respective first portion and a respective second portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the one or more internal flow passages include individual tubular passages that are each connected to a corresponding tube of the subset group of diverted tubes such that each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes includes: a first portion upstream of the mount structure; a second portion downstream of the mount structure; and a third portion that extends through the mount structure as a corresponding individual tubular passage of the one or more internal flow passages. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes is separated from adjacent tubes of the subset group of diverted tubes at a respective first portion and a respective second portion; and wherein each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes is connected to the adjacent tubes of the subset group of diverted tubes by free mount surface extending between respective third portions of each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the free mount surface has a width that is less than a diameter of the third portion of each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes is longer than remaining tubes of the plurality of core tubes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein each of the individual tubular passages of the mount structure is routed around an opening through the mount structure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein the first or second portion of each tube of the subset group of diverted tubes is contoured. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the subset group of diverted tubes includes individual core tubes from a same layer in the core. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the subset group of diverted tubes includes individual core tubes from multiple layers in the core. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the subset group of diverted tubes includes individual core tubes that are configured to be positioned proximate to an external mount when the heat exchanger is installed in a heat exchange system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger including the mount structure is configured to be additively manufactured as a single, monolithic unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first header and the second header is a fractal header. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first header and the second header includes a consecutively branching tubular structure terminating in individual tubes that are continuous with corresponding ones of the plurality of core tubes. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first header is configured to receive the first fluid via the fluid inlet and the second header is configured to discharge the first fluid via the fluid outlet; and wherein an exterior surface of the heat exchanger is exposed to a second fluid in a crossflow arrangement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The heat exchanger of claim 17, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid have different temperatures. ### Claim 19 A heat exchanger comprising: a first header including a fluid inlet; a second header positioned downstream of the first header with respect to a first flow path of a first fluid and including a fluid outlet; a core extending from the first header to the second header, the core comprising a plurality of core tubes; and a mount structure positioned adjacent to the core, the mount structure being integrally formed with a subset group of diverted tubes of the plurality of core tubes and including one or more internal flow passages that are connected to the subset group of diverted tubes such that the first flow path is diverted through the one or more internal flow passages of the mount structure. ### Claim 20 A heat exchange system comprising: a heat exchanger comprising: a first header including a fluid inlet; a second header positioned downstream of the first header with respect to a first flow path of a first fluid and including a fluid outlet; a core extending between the first header and the second header, the core comprising a plurality of core tubes; and a mount structure that is integrally formed with a subset group of diverted tubes of the plurality of core tubes and that includes one or more internal flow passages connected to the subset group of diverted tubes such that the one or more internal flow passages are in flow communication with the first header and the second header in parallel to a non-diverted portion of the core; and an external mount positioned along a second flow path of a second fluid and attached to the mount structure of the heat exchanger such that that heat exchanger is mounted in a crossflow arrangement with respect to the second flow path.