Patent Description:
Heat exchangers are typically devices that bring two physical elements, such as hot and cold fluids, into thermal communication with each other. In a heat exchanger in a duct, the hot and cold fluids can be air where the cold air is flown through tubes extending throughout the heat exchanger and the hot air is directed toward fins of the heat exchanger which are thermally communicative with the tubes. In this way, heat is removed from the hot air and transferred to the material of the fins, from the fins to the tubes and from the tubes to the cold air. The temperature of the cold air is thus increased as the cold air proceeds through the heat exchanger. <CIT> describes branch pipes. <CIT> describes thermal stress relief for heat sinks. <CIT> describes distribution and collection heads for radiators with pipes. <CIT> describes double flow exhaust systems for an internal combustion engine.

According to the present invention there is provided an outlet manifold according to claim <NUM>.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the mixing chambers are adjacent to the outlet portion and the one or more tubular members of each of the first and second sides of the inlet portion extend laterally outwardly from the respective mixing chambers.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, each tubular member includes a tubular member end, a bushing, which is fittable onto the tubular member end and a tube seal, which is fittable in an interior of the bushing.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, for each tubular member for which the tubular member end is offset from a center of the mixing chamber, the tubular member includes a curved section.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the mixing chambers of the first and second sides of the inlet portion are fluidly communicative through a common orifice.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a heat exchanger assembly is provided and includes a backplane, an inlet manifold configured to direct fluid from a first backplane side to a second backplane side, first heat exchangers supported on the second backplane side and configured to direct the fluid in opposite outward directions, second heat exchangers and an outlet manifold according to claim <NUM>. The second heat exchangers are supported on the first backplane side, include one or more tube joints and are configured to direct the fluid in opposite inward directions toward the tube joints. The outlet manifold includes, at opposite sides thereof, one or more tubular members configured to respectively connect with corresponding ones of each of the one or more tube joints of each of the second heat exchangers.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the backplane is curved and the opposite outward and inward directions are oriented circumferentially.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the outlet manifold is coupled to an engine duct.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the outlet manifold includes an outlet portion having first and second circumferential sides and an inlet portion to which the outlet portion is fluidly coupled. The inlet portion has first and second circumferential sides corresponding to the first and second circumferential sides of the outlet portion and each of the first and second circumferential sides of the inlet portion includes the one or more tubular members and a mixing chamber fluidly interposed between each of the one or more tubular members and the outlet portion.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the mixing chambers are adjacent to the outlet portion and the one or more tubular members extend laterally outwardly from the respective mixing chambers.

In accordance with additional or alternative embodiments, the mixing chambers of the first and second circumferential sides of the inlet portion are fluidly communicative through a common orifice.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a heat exchanger assembly is provided and includes a backplane, an inlet manifold configured to direct fluid from a first backplane side to a second backplane side, first heat exchangers supported on the second backplane side and configured to direct the fluid in opposite outward directions, second heat exchangers and an outlet manifold according to claim <NUM>. The second heat exchangers are supported on the first backplane side, include a linear array of tube joints and are configured to direct the fluid in opposite inward directions toward the tube joints. The outlet manifold includes, at opposite sides thereof, a linear array of tubular members configured to respectively connect with corresponding ones of each of the tube joints of each of the second heat exchangers.

Some current heat exchanger assemblies require a component that will direct bleed air from heat exchangers to engine external ducting efficiently and with minimal disruptions. Thus, as will be described below, an outlet manifold is provided with a chamber that accepts discharged air from two heat exchanger cores and guides that discharged air to engine discharge ducting. More particularly, the outlet manifold can serve as an interface between stream heat exchangers and the engine ducting via tube seals and allows for excessive axial, lateral and radial tolerances during installation. The outlet manifold includes internal surfaces and curvatures that efficiently accept inlet air flows from up to six or more equal flow paths and minimizes air flow pressure drops. The outlet manifold is designed to work with various operating pressures, temperatures and ducting to enhance system performance in various applications.

With reference to <FIG>, a heat exchanger assembly <NUM> is provided. The heat exchanger assembly <NUM> includes a curved backplane <NUM> with a first backplane side <NUM> that faces radially outwardly and a second backplane side <NUM> opposite the first backplane side <NUM> that faces radially inwardly. The heat exchanger <NUM> further includes an inlet manifold <NUM> and respective sets of first and second heat exchangers <NUM> and <NUM>. The inlet manifold <NUM> is receptive of fluid (e.g., bleed air) at the first backplane side <NUM> and is configured to direct the fluid from the first backplane side <NUM> to the second backplane side <NUM>. The first heat exchangers <NUM><NUM> and <NUM><NUM> are supported on the second backplane side <NUM> at opposite circumferential sides of the inlet manifold <NUM> and are configured to direct the fluid in opposite circumferentially oriented outward directions D1 and D2. The second heat exchangers <NUM><NUM> and <NUM><NUM> are supported on the first backplane side <NUM> at the opposite circumferential sides of the inlet manifold <NUM>. The second heat exchangers <NUM><NUM> and <NUM><NUM> each include one or more tube joints <NUM> and are configured to direct the fluid in opposite circumferentially oriented inward directions D3 and D4 toward the tube joints <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM> is receptive of fluid from the first heat exchanger <NUM><NUM> and the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM> is receptive of fluid from the first heat exchanger <NUM><NUM>. Thus, inward direction D3 is substantially opposed to outward direction D1 and inward direction D4 is substantially opposed to outward direction D2.

In addition, it is to be understood that the numbers of the one or more tube joints <NUM> for each of the second heat exchangers <NUM><NUM> and <NUM><NUM> are variable and need not be the same. However, for the purposes of clarity and brevity and unless otherwise stipulated, the following description will generally relate to the case that is illustrated in <FIG>. That is, that the one or more tube joints <NUM> are provided as a set of three linearly arrayed tube joints <NUM> for the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM> and as a set of three linearly arrayed tube joints <NUM> for the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM>.

With continued reference to <FIG> and with additional reference to <FIG>, the heat exchanger assembly <NUM> further includes an outlet manifold <NUM>. The outlet manifold <NUM> is coupled to engine ducting and includes, at opposite sides thereof, first and second linear arrays of three tubular members <NUM> and <NUM>. Each of the three tubular members <NUM> of the first linear array is configured to respectively connect with a corresponding one of each of the three tube joints <NUM> of the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM>. Similarly, each of the three tubular members <NUM> of the second linear array is configured to respectively connect with a corresponding one of each of the three tube joints <NUM> of the second heat exchanger <NUM><NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the outlet manifold <NUM> includes an outlet portion <NUM> and an inlet portion <NUM>. The outlet portion <NUM> has an annular shape and is formed to define opposed first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM>. The outlet portion <NUM> can include a connection mechanism <NUM>, such as internal threading or other features, for connection to the engine duct. The outlet portion <NUM> is fluidly coupled to the inlet portion <NUM>.

The inlet portion <NUM> has first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM> that correspond to the first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM>. The first circumferential side <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM> includes the three tubular members <NUM> of the first linear array and a mixing chamber <NUM>. The mixing chamber <NUM> is generally disposed adjacent to the first circumferential side <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM>. The mixing chamber <NUM> is thus fluidly interposed between each of the three tubular members <NUM> and at least the first circumferential side <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM>. The tubular members <NUM> extend laterally or circumferentially outwardly from the mixing chamber <NUM>. The second circumferential side <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM> includes the three tubular members <NUM> of the second linear array and a mixing chamber <NUM>. The mixing chamber <NUM> is generally disposed adjacent to the second circumferential side <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM>. The mixing chamber <NUM> is thus fluidly interposed between each of the three tubular members <NUM> and at least the second circumferential side <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM>. The tubular members <NUM> extend laterally or circumferentially outwardly from the mixing chamber <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, each tubular member <NUM> and each tubular member <NUM> includes a tubular member end <NUM>, a bushing <NUM>, which is fittable onto the tubular member end <NUM> (a similar bushing is fittable onto the tube joint <NUM>), and a tube seal <NUM>, which is fittable in an interior of the bushing <NUM>. In accordance with embodiments, the bushings <NUM> can be press-fit bushings and provide for close tolerance sealing for the tube seals <NUM> under most or all tolerance conditions.

In addition, as shown in <FIG>, the mixing chambers <NUM> and <NUM> of the first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM> include curved surfaces <NUM> leading to the outlet portion <NUM>. The curved surfaces <NUM> serve to minimize a pressure drop of fluid moving through the outlet manifold <NUM> from the tube joints <NUM> to the engine duct. In particular, the curved surfaces <NUM> include a curved lower surface <NUM> and a curved upper surface <NUM> in the mixing chamber <NUM> and a curved lower surface <NUM> and a curved upper surface <NUM> in the mixing chamber <NUM>. In profile, the curved lower surface <NUM> and the curved upper surface <NUM> define an annular region within the mixing chamber <NUM> that is fluidly communicative with the tubular members <NUM> and the outlet portion <NUM> and the curved lower surface <NUM> and the curved upper surface <NUM> define an annular region within the mixing chamber <NUM> that is fluidly communicative with the tubular members <NUM> and the outlet portion <NUM>. In addition, the curved lower surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> form a tip opposite a tip formed by the curved upper surfaces <NUM> and <NUM>. The tips are displaced from one another to define an aperture <NUM> through which the mixing chambers <NUM> and <NUM> are fluidly communicative.

With continued reference to <FIG> and with additional reference to <FIG>, the tubular members <NUM> and <NUM> are symmetric about an axis B bifurcating the first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the outlet portion <NUM> and the first and second circumferential sides <NUM> and <NUM> of the inlet portion <NUM>. This is the case even where the tubular members <NUM> or <NUM> are provided as one tubular member <NUM>, two tubular members <NUM> or three or more tubular members <NUM>. In any case, in accordance with embodiments, for each tubular member <NUM> or <NUM> for which the tubular member end <NUM> (see <FIG>) is offset (e.g., from a center of the mixing chambers <NUM> and <NUM> as in the case of two, three or more tubular members <NUM> or <NUM>), the tubular member <NUM> or <NUM> includes a curved section <NUM> that curves inwardly toward the corresponding mixing chamber <NUM> or <NUM>.

Technical effects and benefits of the present disclosure are the provision of an outlet manifold that is small enough to fit within restrictive spatial envelopes and can withstand high temperatures and pressures without creating substantial pressure drops.

Claim 1:
An outlet manifold (<NUM>) for a heat exchanger, comprising:
an outlet portion (<NUM>) having an annular shape formed to define opposed first and second circumferential sides; and
an inlet portion (<NUM>) to which the outlet portion (<NUM>) is fluidly coupled,
the inlet portion (<NUM>) having first and second sides corresponding to the first and second circumferential sides of the outlet portion (<NUM>), characterized by
the first side of the inlet portion (<NUM>) comprising one or more first tubular members (<NUM>) symmetric about an axis bifurcating the first side and having respective first axes oriented with respect to an outlet axis and being connectable with corresponding first tube joints (<NUM>) such that first fluid flows flow through the corresponding first tube joints and the one or more first tubular members in a first direction, and
the second side of the inlet portion comprising one or more second tubular members (<NUM>) symmetric about an axis bifurcating the second side and having respective second axes oriented with respect to the outlet axis and being connectable with corresponding second tube joints such that second fluid flows flow through the corresponding second tube joints such that second fluid flows flow through the corresponding second tube joints and the one or more second tubular members in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
first and second mixing chambers (<NUM>, <NUM>) fluidly interposed between each of the one or more first and second tubular members (<NUM>) and the outlet portion (<NUM>) such that the first and second fluid flows in the first and second directions, respectively, are redirected through the outlet portion and along the outlet axis,
the first and second mixing chambers comprising:
curved lower surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) forming a tip; and
curved upper surfaces (<NUM>, <NUM>) forming a tip opposite the tip formed by the curved lower surfaces.