Heat exchange device and method
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsJoseph Horace BRAND, Kevin Allan Dooley, Cameron Todd Walters, Michael Dowhan
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Abstract
A heat exchange device comprising a fluid flow passage having a plurality of successive segments in fluid flow communication with one another, the segments being adapted to maintain a developing flow therein and thereby improve heat transfer.
Claims20
A heat exchange device comprising a body defining at least one tortuous passage adapted to direct a heat transfer fluid therethrough, said passage having at least a plurality of successive segments in serial fluid flow communication, each of said segments having a length less than a length required for said fluid to achieve a fully developed laminar flow therein, thereby increasing convective heat transfer efficiency by causing a pipe inlet effect throughout said fluid flow passage.
A method of improving heat transfer between a body and a fluid passing through a passage and adjacent the body, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a threshold segment geometry, said threshold segment geometry including at least a passage length required for said fluid travelling through said passage to become fully developed laminar flow therein;
- providing said passage adjacent the body, the passage having a plurality of segments in serial fluid flow communication, each segment having geometry relative to said threshold segment geometry such that fluid passing through said segment cannot become fully developed laminar flow;
- and
- directing said fluid through said passage such that a developing flow is maintained in said segments.
A method of improving heat transfer between a body and a fluid passing through a passage adjacent the body, the method comprising the steps of:
- selecting a passage geometry having a plurality of successive segments, the passage geometry selected relative to the fluid to provide a desired Nusselt number for each of said successive segments, wherein said desired Nusselt is provided in a range between a Nusselt number corresponding to an inlet flow into the segment and a Nusselt number corresponding to a fully developed laminar flow in the segment;
- providing a passage comprised of said passage geometry;
- and
- directing the fluid through the passage.
A heat exchange device comprising a body including at least one passage adapted to direct a heat transfer fluid therethrough and adjacent the body, said passage including a plurality of successive segments in serial fluid flow communication with one another, in use each of said segments adapted to maintain the heat transfer fluid in a developing flow state when directed therethrough, wherein the segments are so adapted by reason of their respective geometries relative to one another.
The heat exchange device as defined in 17, wherein the respective geometries further include immediately successive segments angled substantially perpendicular relative to one another.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.