HEAT EXCHANGER HAVING OPTIMIZED FLUID PASSAGES

Abstract

The invention relates to a heat exchanger that is configured to permit an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid that circulate in passage paths formed by plates (14a, 14b) and fins (16a, 16b) of the heat exchanger, the fluids flowing in a multitude of passage channels (10) each consisting of a closed space (12) delimited by two adjacent plates and two adjacent fins, characterized in that each plate extends along a non-planar surface following at least a first oscillating curve, and each fin further following at least one second oscillating curve along at least one second main direction, in such a way that each passage path allows the fluid to flow in the closed space along a fluid direction defined by a generatrix that is a combination at least of the first oscillating curve and the second oscillating curve.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger that is configured to permit an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid that circulate in at least a first passage path and a second passage path, respectively, said passage paths being formed by plates and fins of the heat exchanger and being configured to conduct each fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet, the fluids flowing in a multitude of passage channels each consisting of a closed space delimited by two adjacent plates and two adjacent fins, wherein each plate extends along a non-planar surface defined between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the associated passage path, said non-planar surface following at least one first oscillating curve along at least one first main direction around an average surface of the plate, and in that each fin comprises an upper edge configured to be in contact with one of the adjacent plates, called upper plate, and a lower edge configured to be in contact with the other adjacent plate, called lower plate, each fin further following at least one second oscillating curve in at least one second main direction around an average surface of the fin, so that each passage path allows the fluid to flow in the closed space along a fluid direction between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, called the flow axis, defined at any point of the curve by a generatrix that is a combination at each point at least of the first oscillating curve and of the second oscillating curve.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first curve and the second curve have the following characteristics: 0.1<γ<1 0.2<ε<5 with γ being equal to the mean amplitude of the curve divided by the mean period of the curve, and ε being equal to the mean pitch of the curve divided by the amplitude of the curve.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first curve and/or the second curve is continuous.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first curve and/or the second curve is discontinuous.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first curve and/or the second curve are oscillating with variable amplitude and/or frequency.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the fluids are gaseous or liquid.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the flow axes of the channels of the first passage are substantially parallel to the flow axes of the channels of the second passage.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the flow axes of the channels of the first passage are substantially orthogonal to the flow axes of the channels of the second passage.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is produced by additive manufacturing.

10. An air conditioning system comprising: a heat exchanger that is configured to permit an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid that circulate in at least a first passage path and a second passage path, respectively, said passage paths being formed by plates and fins of the heat exchanger and being configured to conduct each fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet, the fluids flowing in a multitude of passage channels each consisting of a closed space delimited by two adjacent plates and two adjacent fins, each plate extending along a non-planar surface defined between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the associated passage path, said non-planar surface following at least one first oscillating curve along at least one first main direction around an average surface of the plate, and in that each fin comprises an upper edge configured to be in contact with one of the adjacent plates, called upper plate, and a lower edge configured to be in contact with the other adjacent plate, called lower plate, each fin further following at least one second oscillating curve in at least one second main direction around an average surface of the fin, so that each passage path allows the fluid to flow in the closed space along a fluid direction between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, called the flow axis, defined at any point of the curve by a generatrix that is a combination at each point at least of the first oscillating curve and of the second oscillating curve.

11. An aircraft comprising: a heat exchanger that is configured to permit an exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid that circulate in at least a first passage path and a second passage path, respectively, said passage paths being formed by plates and fins of the heat exchanger and being configured to conduct each fluid from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet, the fluids flowing in a multitude of passage channels each consisting of a closed space delimited by two adjacent plates and two adjacent fins, each plate extending along a non-planar surface defined between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet of the associated passage path, said non-planar surface following at least one first oscillating curve along at least one first main direction around an average surface of the plate, and in that each fin comprises an upper edge configured to be in contact with one of the adjacent plates, called upper plate, and a lower edge configured to be in contact with the other adjacent plate, called lower plate, each fin further following at least one second oscillating curve in at least one second main direction around an average surface of the fin, so that each passage path allows the fluid to flow in the closed space along a fluid direction between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, called the flow axis, defined at any point of the curve by a generatrix that is a combination at each point at least of the first oscillating curve and of the second oscillating curve.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0047] Further aims, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, which is provided solely by way of non-limiting example, and which refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a single passage channel of a passage path of a heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0049] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the curves bearing the passage channel of the passage path of a heat exchanger according to the first embodiment of the invention.

[0050] FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a passage path of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0051] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0052] For the sake of illustration and clarity, scales and proportions are not strictly adhered to in the drawings.

[0053] Moreover, identical, similar, or analogous elements are denoted using the same reference signs throughout the drawings.

[0054] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective illustration of a single passage channel 10 of a passage path of a heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0055] The channel 10 is formed by an empty space 12 delimited by two plates 14a and 14b and two adjacent fins 16a and 16b of the heat exchanger. The channel extends in a main direction called flow axis 18, representing the direction in which a fluid passing through the exchanger moves in the channel. A section perpendicular to the directional axis forms a planar passage section closed by the walls formed by the two plates 14a and 14b and the two adjacent fins 16a and 16b. The plate 14a forms a plate called the upper plate and the plate 14b forms a plate called the lower plate. The fins are in contact with these two plates.

[0056] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates two oscillating curves 20a and 20b followed respectively by the plates 14a and 14b and by the fins 16a and 16b, allowing the undulating shape of the passage channel to be obtained.

[0057] The curves here are continuous and sinusoidal, but the curves can take different shapes, for example triangular, etc. The curves are oscillating. In this embodiment, the two curves oscillate and are periodic (that is to say, of constant frequency and of constant maximum and minimum amplitude between each period). The first oscillating curve 20a represents the oscillation applied to the plates 14a and 14b and the second curve 20b represents the oscillation applied to the fins 16a and 16b. The combination of the two curves 20a and 20b at any point corresponds to a generatrix representing the circulation of the fluid in the passage channel 10.

[0058] The curves here oscillate about the flow axis, but can oscillate in different directions, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0059] FIG. 3 shows a path 30 for the passage of a heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0060] A passage path 30 comprises several passage channels 110 and allows a fluid to flow, the fluid passing through the various passage channels 110 of the passage path 30. The passage path is formed by two plates (only one plate 114 being visible in the figure) and a plurality of fins 116, so as to compose the various channels 110 all oriented along axes 118 of parallel directions.

[0061] In this embodiment, one of the curves 20c followed by the plates forming the passage channels 110 is comprised in a plane orthogonal to the mean plane 32 of the plate 114 and thus forms the oscillating curve followed by the plate. The curve 20c oscillates around the mean plane 32 and therefore influences all the channels.

[0062] The other curve followed by each fin of the passage channels 110 is comprised in a plane comprising the directional axis of each passage channel 110.

[0063] FIG. 4 shows a heat exchanger 200 according to one embodiment of the invention. The heat exchanger comprises four passage paths, two passage paths 210a and 210b being intended for a first fluid and two passage paths 220a and 220b intended for a second fluid.

[0064] The passage paths are arranged alternately so as to allow heat exchange between the first and the second fluid. In this embodiment, the passage paths are arranged so that the flow axes are substantially perpendicular, so as to form a cross-pass interchange.