HEAT EXCHANGER WITH INTEGRAL FEATURES
FIG3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a core section of a heat exchanger
A cross-sectional view of a portion of the core section 28 of the heat exchanger 10 is illustrated in FIG3. The core section 28 includes a plurality of first passages 30 to convey the first fluid flow 12 therethrough, and a plurality of second passages 32 to convey the second fluid flow 14 therethrough. The first fluid passages 30 are circular in cross-section. This allows the first fluid passages 30 to convey the high pressure first fluid flow 12, and to allow for the use of lower strength polymeric materials in place of the traditional metal materials in forming the first fluid passages 30, the second fluid passages 32 and the core section 28. For some materials the first fluid passages may be any polygonal shape that maximizes primary heat transfer area between the first and the second fluid. The second fluid passages 32 are located between adjacent first fluid passages 30 and are separated from the first fluid passages 30 by web sections 34, which at least partially form walls of the first fluid passages 30. While in some embodiments, the second fluid passages 32 may have circular cross sections, the second fluid passages 32 may have other cross-sectional shapes due to the lower pressure of the second fluid flow 14.
partial cross-sectional view
28
core section
30
passages
32
passages
34
web sections
['1. A counterflow heat exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between a first fluid flow (12) at a first pressure and a second fluid flow (14) at a second pressure less than the first pressure, comprising: a first fluid inlet (18); a first fluid outlet (20) fluidly coupled to the first fluid inlet via a core section; a second fluid inlet (24); a second fluid outlet (26) fluidly coupled to the second fluid inlet via the core section; the core section including: a plurality of first fluid passages (30) configured to convey the first fluid flow from the first fluid inlet toward the first fluid outlet; and a plurality of second fluid passages (32) configured to convey the second fluid flow from the second fluid inlet toward the second fluid outlet such that the first fluid flow exchanges thermal energy with the second fluid flow at the core section; wherein each first fluid passage of the plurality of first fluid passages has a circular cross-section.']