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US 8,408,281 B2Granted
System, method, and apparatus for pulsed-jet-enhanced heat exchanger
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsJeffrey W. Hamstra, Daniel N. Miller, Kerry B. Ginn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pulsed-jet active flowfield control actuation system enhances the rate of heat transfer and heat removal in a heat exchanger for better management of thermal loads. The pulsed jet actuators impart an unsteady component of velocity to the working fluid of the heat exchanger. This design increases the convective heat transfer, and avoids increases in heat exchanger volume and weight for a given performance value.
Claims21
A system for boosting heat transfer capability of cooling air within an aircraft, comprising:
- a passage adapted to be located in the aircraft for directing a flow of cooling air therethrough, the passage having an inlet for ingress of the cooling air and an exit for egress of the cooling air;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet port for communicating fluid into the heat exchanger to be cooled by the cooling air, an outlet port for communicating the fluid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the fluid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit to the cooling air, and the fins being aligned in a direction parallel to a flow of the cooling air;
- and
- a pulsed-jet actuator mounted in the passage for producing pulsed-jets into the cooling air flowing through the passage, the pulsed-jets imparting an unsteady component of velocity to the cooling air flowing though the passage for enhancing a rate of heat transfer and removal in the heat exchanger;
- and
- wherein the pulsed-jet actuator comprises a plurality of pulsed-jet actuators mounted to a grid on an upstream side of the heat exchanger.
3 more elements
A system for boosting heat transfer capability of cooling air within an aircraft, comprising:
- a passage adapted to be located in the aircraft for directing a flow of cooling air therethrough, the passage having an inlet for ingress of the cooling air and an exit for egress of the cooling air;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet port for communicating fluid into the heat exchanger to be cooled by the cooling air, an outlet port for communicating the fluid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the fluid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit to the cooling air, and the fins being aligned in a direction parallel to a flow of the cooling air;
- a pulsed-jet actuator mounted in the passage for producing pulsed-jets into the cooling air flowing through the passage, the pulsed jets imparting an unsteady component of velocity to the cooling air flowing through the passage for enhancing a rate of heat transfer and removal in the heat exchanger;
- a strut located in the passage and extending between sidewalls of the passage;
- and
- wherein the pulsed-jet actuator is mounted to the strut between the sidewalls of the passage.
3 more elements
A system for boosting heat transfer capability of cooling air directed into an aircraft, comprising:
- a passage adapted to be located in the aircraft for directing cooling air therethrough, the passage having a ram air inlet for ingress of the cooling air in response to forward flight of the aircraft, and an exit for egress of the cooling air;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage for the cooling air to flow through, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet pen for communicating a liquid to be cooled by the cooling air into the heat exchanger, an outlet port for communicating the liquid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the liquid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit to the cooling air flowing through the heat exchanger, and the fins being aligned in a direction of flow of the cooling air;
- a pulsed-jet array mounted in the passage upstream from the heat exchanger and having a plurality of pulsed-jet actuators for producing pulsed-jets into the cooling air that impart an unsteady component of velocity to the flow of the cooling air for enhancing heat transfer in the heat exchanger, the pulsed-jet array extending across and between sidewalls of the passage;
- and
- at least one wall-mounted pulsed-jet actuator mounted to a sidewall of the passage upstream from the pulsed-jet array.
2 more elements
A system for boosting heat transfer capability of cooling air directed into an aircraft, comprising:
- a passage adapted to be located in the aircraft for directing cooling air therethrough, the passage having a ram air inlet for ingress of the cooling air in response to forward flight of the aircraft, and an exit for egress of the cooling air;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage for the cooling air to flow through, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet port for communicating a liquid to be cooled by the cooling air into the heat exchanger, an outlet port for communicating the liquid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the liquid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit to the cooling air flowing through the heat exchanger, and the fins being aligned in a direction of flow of the cooling air;
- a pulsed-jet array mounted in the passage upstream from the heat exchanger and having a plurality of pulsed-jet actuators for producing pulsed-jets into the cooling air that impart an unsteady component of velocity to the flow of the cooling air for enhancing heat transfer in the heat exchanger, the pulsed-jet array extending across and between sidewalls of the passage;
- and
- an interior pulsed-jet actuator located within an interior of the heat exchanger downstream from the pulsed-jet array.
2 more elements
A system for boosting heat transfer capability of a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a passage for directing a first working fluid therethrough, the passage having a ram air inlet for ingress of the first working fluid and a flush screened exit for egress of the first working fluid;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet port for communicating a second working fluid, comprising a liquid, into the heat exchanger, an outlet port for communicating the second working fluid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the second working fluid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit, and the fins being aligned in a direction of flow of the first working fluid;
- a pulsed-jet array mounted in the passage upstream from the heat exchanger and having a plurality of pulsed-jets for producing pulsed-jets of the first working fluid that impart an unsteady component of velocity to the first working fluid, the pulsed-jets being directed at the heat exchanger for rapidly enhancing a rate of heat transfer and removal in the heat exchanger;
- wherein at least some of the pulsed-jets are mounted in struts located in the passage, and
- at least some of struts are configured as ejectors having inner strut housings that contain the pulsed-jets, and outer strut housings spaced apart from the inner strut housings for permitting flow of the working fluid between the inner and outer strut housings to the pulsed-jets.
2 more elements
An aircraft having a system for boosting heat transfer capability of a heat exchanger, comprising:
- a passage within the aircraft having a ram air inlet for ingress of the ram air occurring in response to forward motion of the aircraft and an exit for egress of the ram air;
- a heat exchanger mounted in the passage, the heat exchanger having a conduit with an inlet port for communicating a liquid to be cooled by the ram air into the heat exchanger, an outlet port for communicating the liquid out of the heat exchanger, and a path extending from the inlet port to the outlet port for directing the liquid through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also having a plurality of fins for transferring heat from the conduit, and the fins being aligned in a direction of flow of the ram air;
- a plurality of pulsed-jet actuators for producing pulsed-jets of the ram air that impart an unsteady component of velocity to the ram air;
- at least some of the pulsed-jet actuators being mounted in an array extending across the passage at an inlet surface of the heat exchanger;
- at least some of the pulsed-jet actuators being mounted to a sidewall of the passage upstream from the pulsed-jet actuators in the array;
- and wherein
- each of the pulsed-jet actuators comprises an enclosure, an orifice, and a vibrating diaphragm for moving the ram air into and out of the orifice to produce the pulsed-jets.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.