Method of making a tubular thermal structure
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsDaniel A. Bales, Mark L. Hartman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of producing a tubular thermal structure in which cooling tubes are sandwiched between first and second members which are in turn sandwiched between first and second fixtures which fix the relative relationship of the members. The tubes, members and fixtures are then heated to a temperature at which plastic or superplastic deformation of the tubes will occur, and each tube is then subjected to a pressure differential sufficient to cause each tube to expand into intimate contact with adjacent tubes and the first and second members. The pressure is maintained until each of the tubes bonds to the adjacent tubes and the first and second members.
Claims24
A method of making a thermal structure having coolant flowpaths therein, said structure comprising:
- providing first and second fixtures;
- positioning a first member onto the first fixture;
- positioning a plurality of tubes onto the first member, each tube having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- positioning a second member onto the plurality of tubes, thereby sandwiching the tubes between the first and second members and defining interstices bounded by adjacent tubes and the first and second members;
- positioning the second fixture onto the first member, thereby fixing the relative positions of the first and second fixtures and the first and second members;
- heating the tubes and members to a temperature at which the tubes can be plastically or superplastically deformed;
- subjecting each tube to a pressure differential sufficient to cause each tube to expand into intimate contact with adjacent tubes and the first and second members, thereby substantially eliminating the interstices;
- and,
- maintaining the pressure and temperature until each of the tubes bonds to the adjacent tubes and the first and second members said tubes defining said coolant flowpaths.
A method of making a thermal structure having coolant flowpaths therein, said structure comprising:
- providing first and second fixtures;
- providing first and second side plates;
- positioning a first member onto the first fixture;
- positioning a plurality of tubes onto the first member, each tube having an inner surface and an outer surface;
- positioning a second member onto the plurality of tubes, thereby sandwiching the tubes between the first and second members and defining interstices bounded by adjacent tubes and the first and second members;
- positioning the second fixture onto the first member, thereby fixing the relative positions of the first and second fixtures and the first and second members;
- sealingly securing the first side plate to the first and second fixtures and sealingly securing the second side plate to the first and second fixtures;
- sealing securing each end of each tube to manifolds which communicate with a source of high pressure gas and sealingly securing the manifolds to the fixtures and side plates, thereby defining an isolated volume bounded by the fixtures, side plates and manifolds;
- evacuating the isolated volume, thereby providing a vacuum therein;
- heating the tubes and members to a temperature at which the tubes can be plastically or superplastically deformed;
- subjecting each tube to a pressure differential sufficient to cause each tube to expand into intimate contact with adjacent tubes and the first and second members, thereby substantially eliminating the interstices;
- and,
- maintaining the pressure and temperature until each of the tubes bonds to the adjacent tubes and the first and second members said tubes defining said coolant flowpaths.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.