Heated sub-freezing airflow diverter

A flow diverter comprising:

• a heat sink array in fluid communication with a turbine outlet and an inlet face of a heat exchanger,
• said inlet face being in fluid communication with an outlet face of said heat exchanger,
• said heat sink array comprising a plurality of hollow tubes having an outer surface separated from an inner surface by a wall thickness;
• said inner surface of said plurality of hollow tubes being in thermal communication with a heat load,
• said heat sink array being separated from said inlet face by a distance, and
• said heat sink array being positioned between said turbine outlet and said inlet face such that at least a portion of a fluid flowing from said turbine outlet contacts said heat sink array before said portion of said fluid contacts said inlet face,
• wherein said fluid has a uniform temperature distribution across an outlet of said heat exchanger.

A fluid flow diverter comprising:

• a heat sink array in fluid communication with a turbine outlet and an inlet face of a heat exchanger,
• said heat sink array being separated from said inlet face by a first distance,
• said heat sink array being positioned between said turbine outlet and said inlet face such that at least a portion of a fluid flowing from said turbine outlet contacts said heat sink array before said portion of said fluid contacts said inlet face,
• said heat sink array comprising a plurality of hollow tubes,
• said plurality of hollow tubes being angularly arranged to said fluid flowing from said turbine outlet,
• said plurality of hollow tubes having an outer surface separated from an inner surface by a wall thickness, and
• said inner surface being in fluid communication with a heat exchange medium, wherein said outer surface of at least one of said hollow tubes is located a second distance of about 5% to about 50% of a third distance between said turbine outlet and said inlet face.

A fluid flow diverter comprising:

• an expansion chamber having a turbine outlet at a first end and a heat exchanger inlet face at a second end located opposite to, and in fluid communication with, said first end,
• a heat sink array comprising a plurality of heat sink elements disposed within said expansion chamber between, and in fluid communication with, said first end and said second end,
• wherein a portion of a fluid entering said first end contacts said heat sink array prior to said fluid contacting said second end, and
• wherein said heat sink array is positioned a distance from said second end.

A cooling air system, comprising:

• a heat exchanger;
• a turbine having a turbine outlet in fluid communication with an inlet face of said heat exchanger,
• said inlet face being in thermal and fluid contact with an outlet face of said heat exchanger,
• said inlet face being disposed between said turbine outlet and said outlet face of said heat exchanger,
• a heat sink array positioned between said turbine outlet and said inlet face such that at least a portion of a fluid flowing from said turbine outlet contacts said heat sink array before said fluid contacts said inlet face,
• said heat sink array being separated from said inlet face by a distance,
• said heat sink array comprising a plurality of hollow tubes,
• said plurality of hollow tubes having an outer surface separated from an inner surface by a wall thickness,
• said inner surface being in fluid communication with a heat exchange medium,
• said plurality of hollow tubes arranged to said fluid flowing from said turbine outlet to provide a uniform temperature and air and entrained humidity distribution of said fluid across said inlet face.

A method of distributing a fluid to a heat exchanger, comprising:

• expanding said fluid through a turbine having a turbine outlet in fluid communication with an inlet face of said heat exchanger,
• diffusing said fluid through said turbine outlet;
• contacting a portion of said fluid with a flow diverter arranged between said turbine outlet and said inlet face,
• said flow diverter comprising a heat sink array comprising a plurality of heat sink elements,
• said heat sink array being separated from said inlet face by a distance, and
• said heat sink array being positioned between said turbine outlet and said inlet face such that at least a portion of a fluid flowing from said turbine outlet contacts said heat sink array before said portion of said fluid contacts said inlet face.