Multi-branch furcating flow heat exchanger
AssigneeUnison Industries, LLC
InventorsDaniel Jason ERNO, William Dwight GERSTLER
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger (40) provides a first plurality of tubes (50) and a second plurality of flow passages (52) which furcate near one of the first (42) and second (44) manifolds into two or more furcated flow passages and subsequently converge to exit the heat exchanger. The plurality of furcated flow passages are intertwined, reducing the distance between flow passages (50,52) containing each fluid therebetween to improve thermal transfer. Further, the furcations create changes of direction of the fluid to re-establish new thermal boundary layers within the flow passages to further reduce resistance to thermal transfer.
Claims20
A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a first manifold defining a first fluid inlet;
- a second manifold defining a second fluid inlet;
- a first set of flow passages in flow communication with the first manifold, and including a set of first furcated flow passages extending from the first fluid inlet;
- and
- a second set of flow passages in flow communication with the second manifold, and including a set of second furcated flow passages extending from the second fluid inlet,
- wherein at least a subset of the first furcated flow passages join and are in a first flow communication, and at least a subset of the second furcated flow passages join and are in a second flow communication, and
- the set of furcated first flow passages and the set of furcated second flow passages intertwine to provide heat transfer.
A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a first fluid header and a second fluid header,
- a first plurality of flow passages in flow communication with the first header, the first plurality of flow passages including a first fluid inlet and a plurality of first furcated flow passages extending from the first fluid inlet;
- and
- a second plurality of flow passages in flow communication with the second header, the second plurality of flow passages including a second fluid inlet and a plurality of second furcated flow passages extending from the second fluid inlet,
- wherein some of the plurality of first furcated flow passages join and are in a first flow communication, some of the plurality of second furcated flow passages join and are in a second flow communication, and the furcated flow passages at least one of change a direction or divide the flow, and
- the furcated first plurality of flow passages and the furcated second plurality of flow passages are intertwined to provide heat transfer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.