Smart additively manufactured heat exchanger with adaptive profile and turbulator
AssigneeHamilton Sundstrand Corporation
InventorViktor Kilchyk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat exchanger element includes a body and at least one deformable surface feature disposed at an outer body surface of the body. A cross-section of the heat exchanger element is oriented parallel to a cross-sectional plane of the heat exchanger element. At least one of the body and the at least one surface feature is configured to selectively respond to a temperature change such that a physical characteristic of the heat exchanger element changes in response to a temperature change. The physical characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a shape of the heat exchanger element, a surface area of the heat exchanger element, a surface roughness of the heat exchanger element, and combinations thereof.
Claims17
A heat exchanger element, the heat exchanger element comprising:
- a body;
- and
- at least one surface feature disposed at an outer body surface of the body, wherein the at least one surface feature is deformable;
- wherein:
- a cross-section of the heat exchanger element is oriented parallel to a cross-sectional plane of the heat exchanger element;
- and
- at least one of the body and the at least one surface feature is configured to selectively respond to a temperature change such that a physical characteristic of the heat exchanger element changes in response to a temperature change, the physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
- a shape of the heat exchanger element, a surface area of the heat exchanger element, a surface roughness of the heat exchanger element, and combinations thereof.
A heat exchanger for an aircraft, the heat exchanger comprising:
- at least one heat exchanger element, the at least one heat exchanger element comprising:
- a body;
- and
- at least one surface feature disposed at an outer body surface of the body, wherein the at least one surface feature is deformable;
- wherein at least one of the body and the at least one surface feature is configured to selectively respond to a temperature change such that a physical characteristic of the heat exchanger element changes in response to a temperature change, the physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
- a shape of the heat exchanger element, a surface area of the heat exchanger element, a surface roughness of the heat exchanger element, and combinations thereof;
- and
- at least one header attached to an end of the at least one heat exchanger element such that the at least one header is oriented perpendicular to the at least one heat exchanger element.
A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger for an aircraft, the method comprising:
- additively manufacturing at least one heat exchanger element, the at least one heat exchanger element comprising:
- a body;
- and
- at least one surface feature which is deformable;
- wherein at least one of the body and the at least one surface feature is configured to selectively respond to a temperature change such that a physical characteristic of the heat exchanger element changes in response to a temperature change, the physical characteristic selected from the group consisting of:
- a shape of the heat exchanger element, a surface area of the heat exchanger element, a surface roughness of the heat exchanger element, and combinations thereof;
- and
- manufacturing at least one header which is attached to an end of the at least one heat exchanger element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.