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EP-4317885-B1 - FLEXURAL SUPPORT FOR HEAT EXCHANGER CORES

EP4317885B1EP 4317885 B1EP4317885 B1EP 4317885B1EP-4317885-B1

Inventors

  • Ryon, Jason A.
  • MANGOYAN, Raffi
  • GAYE, Ousmane

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230728

Claims (15)

  1. A heat exchanger comprising: a heat exchanger core (14, 14'); a pressure housing (12, 12') at least partially defining a core chamber; and a flex beam (16, 16') extending between and connecting the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and the pressure housing (12, 12') such that the heat exchanger core (14, 14') is suspended away from the pressure housing (12, 12') within the core chamber by the flex beam (16, 16'), wherein the flex beam (16, 16') includes: a core end connected to the heat exchanger core (14, 14'); a housing end spaced along the flex beam (16, 16') from the core end and connected to the pressure housing (12, 12'); a core arm extending between the core end and a flex beam body (34, 34'); a housing arm extending between the housing end and the flex beam body (34, 34'); and characterized by a first bend disposed between the flex beam body (34, 34') and the housing end such that the flex beam (16, 16') extends towards the pressure housing (12, 12') between the first bend and the first housing end; and wherein the flex beam (16, 16') includes a second bend disposed between the first bend and the flex beam body (34, 34'), wherein the flex beam (16, 16') extends towards the heat exchanger core from the second bend to the first bend; wherein the first bend and the second bend are disposed in a spacing gap formed between the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and the pressure housing (12, 12').
  2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the flex beams (16, 16') connect the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and the pressure housing (12, 12').
  3. The heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein the plurality of the ss includes: a first flex beam (16, 16'), wherein the housing end of the first flex beam (16, 16') connects to an outer housing of the pressure housing (12, 12') and the core end connects to the heat exchanger core (14, 14'); and a second flex beam (16, 16'), wherein the housing end of the second flex beam (16, 16') connects to an inner housing of the pressure housing (12, 12') and the core end of the flex beam (16, 16') connects to the heat exchanger core.
  4. The heat exchanger of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the pressure housing (12, 12') extends about an axis and the flex beam (16, 16') is axially elongate such that the housing end is spaced axially from the core end.
  5. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein the pressure housing (12, 12') includes a first housing on a radially outer side of the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and a second housing on a radially inner side of the heat exchanger core.
  6. The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein the first housing is cylindrical.
  7. The heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein the pressure housing (12, 12') has a polygonal cross-section in a plane orthogonal to the axis.
  8. The heat exchanger of any preceding claim, wherein: the housing end of the flex beam (16, 16') connects to the pressure housing (12, 12') at a housing interface on an interior surface of the pressure housing (12, 12'); the core end of the flex beam (16, 16') connects to the heat exchanger core (14, 14') at a core interface on an exterior surface of the heat exchanger core; and the housing interface is spaced along the heat exchanger core (14, 14') from the core end.
  9. The heat exchanger of any preceding claim, wherein the flex beam (16, 16') includes a flex beam body that extends fully around the heat exchanger core.
  10. The heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein the flex beam (16, 16') includes a third bend disposed between the core end and the flex beam body (34, 34'), the third bend configured such that the flex beam (16, 16') extends towards the heat exchanger core (14, 14') from the third bend to the core end.
  11. The heat exchanger of claim 10, wherein the flex beam body (34, 34') extends straight, the second bend is disposed at an interface between the flex beam body (34, 34') and the housing arm, and the third bend is disposed at an interface between the flex beam body (34, 34') and the core arm.
  12. The heat exchanger of any preceding claim, wherein a plurality of the flex beams are stacked axially and extend between and connect the pressure housing (12, 12') and the heat exchanger core (14, 14'), and optionally wherein a first flex beam (16, 16') of the plurality of flex beams extends in a first axial direction between the core end of the first flex beam (16, 16') and the housing end of the first flex beam (16, 16') relative to an axis of the heat exchanger, and wherein a second flex beam (16, 16') of the plurality of flex beams extends in the first axial direction between the core end of the second flex beam (16, 16') and the housing end of the second flex beam (16, 16').
  13. The heat exchanger of any preceding claim, wherein the housing end connects to the pressure housing (12, 12') at a housing interface having a first length, the core end connects to the heat exchanger core (14, 14') at a core interface having a second length, and the first length is greater than the second length, and/or wherein the heat exchanger core (14, 14') does not directly contact the pressure housing (12, 12').
  14. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the first flex beam (16, 16') supports the heat exchanger core (14, 14') within the core chamber such that a spacing gap is formed radially between the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and the pressure housing (12, 12').
  15. The heat exchanger of claim 14, wherein the first flex beam (16, 16') extends fully about the axis and forms a fluid-tight seal between the heat exchanger core (14, 14') and the pressure housing (12, 12').

Description

BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to heat exchangers. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to supporting heat exchanger cores relative to heat exchanger housings. Heat exchangers are often used to transfer heat between two fluids. For example, in aircraft environmental control systems, heat exchangers may be used to transfer heat between a relatively hot air source (e.g., bleed air from a gas turbine engine) and a relatively cool air source (e.g., ram air). Heat exchanger cores are typically directly attached to a heat exchanger housing. Thermal stresses are generated at the connection points because of thermal differences between the core and the housing. Additional mechanical stresses are also typically experienced at the connection points due to pressurization within the housing. The thermal and mechanical stresses cause areas of significant stress concentration between the core and the housing. EP 3 854 505 A1, on which the preamble of claim 1 is based, describes an integral mounting arm for a heat exchanger. WO 2018/068150 A1 describes a heat exchanger having a bypass seal with a retention clip. DE 10 2017 206 670 A1 describes a bypass seal. US 2015/0285572 A1 describes a brazed heat exchanger. SUMMARY A heat exchanger is described herein and defined in claim 1. According to an additional aspect of the present disclosure, the pressure housing extends about an axis. The first flex beam extends between and connects the heat exchanger core and the pressure housing. The first flex beam includes a core arm, a flex beam body, and a housing arm. The core arm of the first flex beam extends between a core interface, at which a core end of the flex beam interfaces with the heat exchanger core, and a flex beam body of the first flex beam. A housing arm of the first flex beam extends between a housing interface, at which a housing end of the flex beam interfaces with the pressure housing, and the flex beam body. The flex beam body is elongate along the axis. The core arm extends radially and axially between the flex beam body and the heat exchanger core. The housing arm extends radially and axially between the flex beam body and the pressure housing. The first flex beam supports the heat exchanger core within the core chamber such that a spacing gap is formed radially between the heat exchanger core and the pressure housing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is an isometric cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger.FIG. 1B is a planar view of the cross-section shown win FIG. 1A.FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of detail 2 in FIG. 1B.FIG. 3 is planar cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger.FIG. 4 is a planar cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger with multiple flex beams. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1A is an isometric cross-sectional view of heat exchanger 10. FIG. 1B is a planar view of the cross-section shown in FIG. 1A. FIGS. 1A and 1B will be discussed together. Heat exchanger 10 includes pressure housing 12, heat exchanger core 14, and flex beams 16. Pressure housing 12 includes outer housing wall 18 and inner housing wall 20. Heat exchanger core 14 includes plates 22, passages 24, inner side 26, outer side 28, upstream end 30, and downstream end 32. Flex beam 16 includes flex body 34, core end 36, and housing end 38. Pressure housing 12 surrounds heat exchanger core 14. Pressure housing 12 is configured to mount within a system for which heat exchange is desired. The fluids for which heat exchange are desired flow into and exit from pressure housing 12. The fluids thermally interact within heat exchanger core 14. In the example shown, heat exchanger 10 is an annular cylindrical heat exchanger that extends about axis A. Outer housing wall 18 extends about axis A. Outer housing wall 18 extends fully about axis A. Outer housing wall 18 is the radially outer one of the walls of pressure housing 12. Inner housing wall 20 extends about axis A. Inner housing wall 20 extends fully about axis A. Inner housing wall 20 is the radially inner one of the walls of pressure housing 12. Inner housing wall 20 is spaced from outer housing wall 18 radially relative to axis A to form a core chamber 40 within which heat exchanger core 14 is disposed. Inner housing wall 20 is formed as a hollow cylinder. Axis A of heat exchanger 10 extends through the hollow space within inner housing wall 20. Both outer housing wall 18 and inner housing wall 20 form housing walls of pressure housing 12. In the example shown, pressure housing 12 includes two perimeter walls (outer housing wall 18 and inner housing wall 20) that are separately formed as cylindrical walls that have circular cross-sectional shapes in a plane orthogonal to axis A. It is understood, however, that not all examples are so limited. For example, pressure housing 12 can include a single housing wall about the perimeter of heat exchanger core 14, which single wall can be formed to have a cross-section of any desired shape in a plane orthogonal to the he