Designs and applications of a low-drag, high-efficiency microchannel polymer heat exchanger

A heat exchanger, comprising:

• a set of plates that include internal flow passages which are configured to carry a first gas or a first liquid, wherein the internal flow passages within the set of plates include arrays of fins of uniform height;
• wherein the set of plates is organized into a stack, wherein consecutive plates in the stack are separated by fins of uniform height to form intervening passages for a second gas or a second liquid, and wherein the stack has a depth;
• wherein the heat exchanger includes a first flow pathway from a first inlet, through the internal flow passages in the stack of plates, to a first outlet, wherein said first flow pathway is configured for the first gas or the first liquid;
• wherein the heat exchanger includes a second flow pathway from a second inlet, through the intervening passages between the consecutive plates in the stack of plates, to a second outlet, wherein said second flow pathway is configured for the second gas or the second liquid;
• wherein gas or liquid in the first flow pathway flows in a direction opposite to direction of gas or liquid flow in the second flow pathway to provide a counterflow design that optimizes heat and mass transfer between the first flow pathway and the second flow pathway;
• wherein each plate in the set of plates includes a plurality of plena for the first gas or the first liquid positioned in a lateral direction in relation to the first flow pathway, wherein the plena in individual plates form continuous plena for the first gas or the first liquid in the depth of the stack, wherein the plena are configured to carry the first gas or the first liquid from the first inlet to the internal flow passages and from the internal flow passages to the first outlet in a counterflow design, and wherein said plena extend within and across the intervening passages for the second gas or the second liquid to allow the second gas or the second liquid to flow around and between the plena;
• wherein one or more of the plates that separate the first flow pathway and the second flow pathway comprise a hydrophobic porous membrane, the membrane having a thickness from about 10 micrometers to about 1000 micrometers, the membrane having a pore size from about 1 nanometer to about 50 micrometers.

A thermal energy storage system, comprising:

• (a) a first heat exchanger;
• (b) a second heat exchanger;
• (c) each said heat exchanger comprising:
• a set of plates that include internal liquid flow passages which are configured to carry a liquid, wherein the internal liquid flow passages within the set of plates include arrays of fins of uniform height;
• wherein the set of plates is organized into a stack, wherein consecutive plates in the stack are separated by fins of uniform height to form thermal energy storage medium gaps/regions, and wherein the stack has a depth;
• a liquid flow pathway from a liquid inlet, through the internal liquid flow passages in the stack of plates, to a liquid outlet;
• a thermal energy storage medium in the gaps/regions located between the consecutive plates in the stack of plates;
• wherein one or more fluids flow through the liquid flow pathways sequentially or simultaneously, to inject heat into, and/or extract heat from, the thermal energy storage medium;
• wherein each plate in the set of plates includes a plurality of liquid plena positioned in a lateral direction in relation to the liquid flow pathway, wherein the liquid plena in the individual plates form continuous liquid plena in the depth of the stack, wherein the liquid plena are configured to carry liquid from the liquid inlet to the internal liquid flow passages and from the internal liquid flow passages to the liquid outlet, and wherein the liquid plena extend within and across the thermal energy storage medium to allow for the thermal energy storage medium to be distributed around and between the liquid plena and plates;
• (d) wherein the liquid plates of the second heat exchanger are interlayered with the liquid plates of the first heat exchanger such that the thermal storage material is distributed in between and around the liquid plates of both heat exchangers, thereby establishing first and second interlayered heat exchangers;
• (e) wherein the liquid plena of the two interlayered heat exchangers are offset in a direction perpendicular to liquid flow direction to permit inter-layering of the liquid plates of both heat exchangers;
• (f) wherein each heat exchanger is configured to allow a separate liquid stream to pass through it, wherein one liquid stream is used to heat the thermal energy storage medium and wherein a separate liquid stream is used to cool the thermal energy storage medium, sequentially or simultaneously.