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US 8,127,829 B2Granted
Metal foam heat exchanger
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsDaniel R. Sabatino, Scott F. Kaslusky, Hayden M. Reeve, Louis J. Spadaccini, Louis Chiappetta, He Huang, David R. Sobel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchanger includes one or more passages and one or more metal foam sections adjacent the passage to promote an exchange of heat relative to the passage. The metal foam section includes a nominal thermal conductivity gradient there though to provide a desirable balance of heat exchange properties within the metal foam section.
Claims19
A heat exchanger comprising:
- at least one passage;
- and
- at least one metal foam section adjacent the passage to promote an exchange of heat relative to the at least one passage, the metal foam section includes a nominal thermal conductivity gradient there through which changes non-linearly as a function of distance from the at least one passage, and the at least one metal foam section includes a proximal portion and a distal portion relative to the at least one passage, the proximal portion having a first nominal thermal conductivity and the distal portion having a second nominal thermal conductivity that is less than the first nominal thermal conductivity to achieve the nominal thermal conductivity gradient.
A heat exchanger comprising:
- at least one passage;
- and
- at least one metal foam section adjacent the passage to promote an exchange of heat relative to the at least one passage, the at least one metal foam section including a nominal thermal conductivity gradient there through and having a proximal portion and a distal portion relative to the at least one passage, the proximal portion having a first nominal thermal conductivity and the distal portion having a second nominal thermal conductivity that is less than the first nominal thermal conductivity to achieve the nominal thermal conductivity gradient, wherein the proximal portion comprises a first material and the distal portion comprises a different, second material.
A heat exchanger system for use in an aircraft, comprising:
- an aircraft device operative to circulate a fluid;
- and
- at least one heat exchanger having a passage for receiving the fluid and a metal foam section adjacent the passage to promote an exchange of thermal energy with the fluid, and the metal foam section includes a proximal portion and a distal portion relative to the passage, the proximal portion having a first nominal thermal conductivity and the distal portion having a second nominal thermal conductivity that is less than the first nominal thermal conductivity to achieve a nominal thermal conductivity gradient which changes non-linearly as a function of distance from the passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.