ENTWINED TUBULAR ARRANGEMENTS FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS AND COUNTERFLOW HEAT TRANSFER SYSTEMS

Abstract

A counterflow heat transfer system comprises a heat exchanger and a flow controller arranged to convey a first fluid through the heat exchanger in a first flow direction and a second fluid through the heat exchanger in a second counterflow direction. The heat exchanger comprises at least one first thermally conductive tube conveying the first fluid and at least one second thermally conductive tube conveying the second fluid. The first and second tubes are wound around one another and in contact with one another in an entwined tubular arrangement.

Claims

1. A counterflow heat transfer system comprising a heat exchanger and a flow controller arranged to convey a first fluid through the heat exchanger in a first flow direction and a second fluid through the heat exchanger in a second counterflow direction, the heat exchanger comprising: at least one first thermally conductive tube conveying the first fluid; and at least one second thermally conductive tube conveying the second fluid; wherein the first and second tubes are wound around one another and in contact with one another in an entwined tubular arrangement.

2. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the flow controller is arranged to convey a first fluid through the heat exchanger that is hotter than the second fluid, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of second thermally conductive tubes conveying the second fluid.

3. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the second thermally conductive tube(s) conveying the second fluid may have a smaller diameter than the first thermally conductive tube(s) conveying the first fluid.

4. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the second thermally conductive tubes conveying the second fluid comprise a non-circular cross-section.

5. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger comprises a thermally conductive filler material between the first and second tubes where they are in contact with one another.

6. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 5, wherein the thermally conductive filler material forms a brazed joint between the first and second materials.

7. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the first thermally conductive tubes and/or one or more of the second thermally conductive tubes comprise a flattened or concave surface area where the first and second tubes are in contact with one another.

8. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the entwined tubular arrangement is made by additive manufacturing.

9. The counterflow heat transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the entwined tubular arrangement is at least partially supported by a support structure made of the same thermally conductive material as the first and second tubes.

10. An entwined tubular arrangement for a heat exchanger, the arrangement comprising: at least one first thermally conductive tube for conveying a first fluid; at least one second thermally conductive tube for conveying a second fluid; wherein the first and second tubes are wound around one another and in contact with one another in an entwined tubular arrangement; and wherein the entwined tubular arrangement is supported by a support structure made of the same thermally conductive material as the first and second tubes.

11. The entwined tubular arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the support structure comprises a lattice support structure.

12. The entwined tubular arrangement according to claim 11, wherein a flow controller is arranged to convey a third fluid through the lattice support structure.

13. The entwined tubular arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the lattice support structure is at least partially filled with a thermally insulative material.

14. The entwined tubular arrangement according to any preceding claim 11, wherein the entwined tubular arrangement is formed by an additive manufacturing technique used to build up the thermally conductive material layer-by-layer from a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model.

15. An additive manufacturing method of making an entwined tubular arrangement for a heat exchanger, comprising: using an additive manufacturing technique to build up one or more thermally conductive materials layer-by-layer from a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model; building a support structure and an entwined tubular arrangement out of the thermally conductive material(s), wherein the entwined tubular arrangement comprises first and second tubes wound around one another and in contact with one another; and retaining the support structure after the entwined tubular arrangement has been built.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] One or more non-limiting examples will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic overview of an entwined tubular arrangement;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of two tubes in an exemplary entwined tubular arrangement;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of two tubes in another exemplary entwined tubular arrangement; and

[0032] FIGS. 4a and 4b are schematic cross-sectional views of multiple secondary tubes in an entwined arrangement with a primary tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] There is seen in FIG. 1 an overview of an entwined tubular arrangement 2 comprising a first thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 4 conveying a hot fluid in the flow direction of the arrow A. The primary tube 4 is helically wound around a common axis in contact with two thermally conductive e.g. metallic secondary tubes 6a, 6b conveying a cooling fluid in the counterflow direction of the arrow B. The double-headed arrows C indicate heat transfer from hot to cold. The counterflow of fluids being conveyed through the first and second tubes 4, 6a, 6b in a heat exchanger is controlled by a flow controller (not shown) to form a counterflow heat transfer system.

[0034] FIG. 2 illustrates a first example of an entwined tubular arrangement 20, using fillets to maximise heat transfer surface area. In this arrangement 20, a first thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 24 and a second thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 26 are helically wound around a common axis in contact with one another. One or more additional second tubes 26 may also be included, for example as generally seen in FIGS. 4a and 4b. In a heat exchanger, the first tube 24 may be used to convey a hot fluid that requires cooling and the second tube(s) 26 may be used to convey a cooling fluid in a counterflow direction. The second tube 26 has a smaller diameter than the first tube 24. Fillets 28a, 28b are placed in the area where the tubes 24, 26 are in contact with one another, to increase the heat transfer surface area. Both the first and second tubes 24, 26 optionally include fins 30 extending inwardly from the area where the tubes are in contact with one another, to provide a secondary heat transfer surface. Such an entwined tubular arrangement 20 may be made by additive layer manufacturing techniques.

[0035] FIG. 3 illustrates a second example of an entwined tubular arrangement 40 comprising a first thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 44 and a second thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 46 helically wound around a common axis in contact with one another. One or more additional second tubes 46 may also be included, for example as generally seen in FIGS. 4a and 4b. In a heat exchanger, the first tube 44 may be used to convey a hot fluid that requires cooling and the second tube(s) 46 may be used to convey a cooling fluid in a counterflow direction. The second tube 46 has a smaller diameter than the first tube 44. The second tube 46 has a concave surface area 48 in contact with the round first tube 44. The entwined tubular arrangement 40 comprises a lattice support structure 50, preferably made of the same thermally conductive material as the first and second tubes 44, 46. The lattice support structure 50 was built when an additive manufacturing technique was used to build up the thermally conductive material layer-by-layer from a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model, and subsequently retained post-manufacture. The lattice support structure 50 is optionally filled with a thermally insulative (e.g. polymer or resin) material 52 that can act as an insulating barrier, forcing the heat transfer in the direction desired from the first tube 44 to the second tube(s) 46.

[0036] FIGS. 4a and 4b illustrate some further examples of entwined tubular arrangements 60, 80 that may be used in conjunction with any of the previously described examples.

[0037] In FIG. 4a, the entwined tubular arrangement 60 comprises a first thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 64 and two secondary thermally conductive e.g. metallic tubes 66 that are all helically wound around a common axis in contact with one another. The entwined tubular arrangement 60 comprises a lattice support structure 70, preferably made of the same thermally conductive material as the tubes 64, 66. The lattice support structure 70 is optionally filled with a thermally insulative (e.g. polymer or resin) material. In a heat exchanger, the primary tube 64 may be used to convey a hot fluid that requires cooling and the secondary tubes 66 may be used to convey a cooling fluid in a counterflow direction. The secondary tubes 66 have a smaller diameter than the primary tube 64. The small arrows depict how heat may be transferred from the primary tube 64 to the secondary tubes 66 through surface contact.

[0038] In FIG. 4b, the entwined tubular arrangement 80 comprises a first thermally conductive e.g. metallic tube 84 and three secondary thermally conductive e.g. metallic tubes 86 that are all helically wound around a common axis in contact with one another. The entwined tubular arrangement 80 comprises a lattice support structure 90, preferably made of the same thermally conductive material as the tubes 84, 86. The lattice support structure 90 is optionally filled with a thermally insulative (e.g. polymer or resin) material. In a heat exchanger, the primary tube 84 may be used to convey a hot fluid that requires cooling and the secondary tubes 86 may be used to convey a cooling fluid in a counterflow direction. The secondary tubes 86 have a smaller diameter than the primary tube 84. The small arrows depict how heat may be transferred from the primary tube 84 to the secondary tubes 86 through surface contact.

[0039] Although not shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, optionally there may be fillets placed in the area where the secondary tubes 66, 86 are in contact with the primary tube 64, 84 to increase the heat transfer surface area. In addition, or alternatively, any of the tubes 64, 66, 84, 86 may optionally include fins extending inwardly from the area where the tubes are in contact with one another, to provide a secondary heat transfer surface.

[0040] While currently available additive layer manufacturing techniques typically use the same material throughout the layer building process, it is envisaged that a different thermally conductive (e.g. metallic) material may be used for the lattice support structure 50, 70, 90. This may be exploited, for example, to optimise the heat transfer properties of the lattice support structure as compared to the tubes.