Heat exchanger with embedded heat pipes
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorsJay W Kokas, Leo J Veilleux, JR., Rudolph Thomas Beaupre
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger is disclosed which includes a plurality of heat exchanger plates. Each plate has a plurality of hollowed out pins arranged in a pin fin pattern. Each plate also includes an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture in fluid communication with one another. A plurality of heat pipes are defined by several of the plurality of hollowed out pins. A wicking material is arranged within the several hollowed out pins. A heat transfer fluid at least partially fills each heat pipe.
Claims20
A heat exchange structure comprising:
- a plate arranged along a plane, the plate defining a primary surface;
- and
- a plurality of pins arranged along the primary surface, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of pins are hollow along an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane.
A heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of plates each having a primary surface, each of the plates surfaces defining an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture in fluid communication with the inlet aperture;
- and
- a plurality of secondary surfaces arranged on the primary surfaces, the plurality of secondary surfaces including:
- a plurality of hollowed out pins arranged in a pin fin pattern;
- a plurality of heat pipes, each of the plurality of heat pipes comprising:
- an outer surface defined by several of the plurality of hollowed out pins;
- a wicking material arranged within the several hollowed out pins;
- and
- a heat transfer fluid at least partially filling the heat pipe.
A method of transferring heat between two fluids, the method comprising:
- routing a hot fluid along a first heat exchange primary surface that is interspersed by a plurality of hollow pin fin heat pipes, causing a heat transfer fluid within the plurality of hollow pin fin heat pipes to change to a vapor state;
- routing a cold fluid along a second heat exchange primary surface that is interspersed by the plurality of hollow pin fin heat pipes, causing the heat transfer fluid within the plurality of hollow pin fin heat pipes to condense to a liquid state;
- and
- wicking condensed heat transfer fluid from the second heat exchange towards the first heat exchange primary surface, and allowing displaced evaporated heat transfer fluid to pass towards the second heat exchange primary surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.