Micro-lattice Cross-flow Heat Exchangers for Aircraft

Abstract

An aircraft micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger and methods are presented. A first aircraft fluid source inlet provides a first fluid from a first aircraft system, and a second aircraft fluid source inlet provides a second fluid from a second aircraft system. A structural body supports aviation induced structural loads and exchanges heat between the first fluid and the second fluid. The structural body comprises hollow channels forming two interpenetrating fluidically isolated volumes that flow the first fluid within the hollow channels and flow the second fluid external to the hollow channels isolated from the first fluid. The hollow channels comprise a hollow three-dimensional micro-truss comprising hollow truss elements extending along at least three directions, and hollow nodes interpenetrated by the hollow truss elements.

1 . A method for operating a micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger for an aircraft, the method comprising:
 receiving a first fluid in a first aircraft fluid source inlet from a first aircraft system;   receiving a second fluid in a second aircraft fluid source inlet from a second aircraft system;   supporting an aviation induced structural load on a structural body forming two interpenetrating fluidically isolated volumes and comprising a plurality of hollow channels comprising a hollow three-dimensional micro-truss comprising a plurality of hollow truss elements extending along at least three directions, and a plurality of hollow nodes interpenetrated by the hollow truss elements;   flowing the first fluid from the first aircraft fluid source inlet into the hollow channels through a first manifold comprising a plurality of first openings into the hollow channels;   flowing the first fluid within the hollow channels;   flowing the first fluid out of a second manifold comprising a plurality of second openings from the hollow channels;   flowing the second fluid from the second aircraft fluid source inlet external to the hollow channels; and   transferring heat between the first fluid and the second fluid via the structural body.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aviation structural load comprises a proof and burst load, an air pressure cycling load, a vibration load, an airframe structural support load, an inertial load, a thermal cycling load, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inducing the first fluid from engine bleed air and the second fluid from engine fan air; and   using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger as a pre-cooler in an aircraft cabin air conditioning and temperature control system, wherein the aviation structural load comprises a wing fairing bending load.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inducing the first fluid from engine bleed air and the second fluid from ram air; and   using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger in an aircraft cabin air conditioning and temperature control system, wherein the aviation structural load comprises a wing fairing bending load.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inducing the first fluid from engine bleed air, wherein the second fluid comprises a refrigerant; and   using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger in an aircraft cabin air conditioning and temperature control system, wherein the aviation structural load comprises a proof and burst load, and a pressure cycle load.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inducing the first fluid from engine oil, wherein the second fluid comprises fan air; and   using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger in an oil cooling system, wherein the aviation structural load comprises a proof and burst load, a pressure cycle load, and a vibration load.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 inducing the first fluid from hydraulic fluid, wherein the second fluid comprises fuel or ram air; and   using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger in an oil cooling system, wherein the aviation structural load comprises a proof and burst load, a pressure cycle load, a vibration load, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising inducing the first fluid and the second fluid from an aircraft engine bleed air, an aircraft RAM ambient air, an aircraft nitrogen enriched air cooler, a recycled aircraft cabin air, a fanned heated air from a heat generating component on an aircraft, a vaporized fluid from a heat pipe, a pumped aircraft engine oil, a pumped aircraft hydraulic fluid, a pumped aircraft gearbox oil, a pumped aircraft liquid coolant, a pumped aircraft refrigerant fluid, a coolant, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method for  claim 1 , further comprising using the micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger in an aircraft nitrogen enriched air cooler, an electronics cooler, a precooler, an air conditioning pack heat exchanger, an oil cooler. a refrigeration condenser, an evaporator exchanging heat between hot and cold refrigerant and air, a hydraulic fluid heat exchanger exchanging heat between hydraulic fluid and fuel or ram air, a liquid cooling system heat exchanger which exchanges heat between liquid coolant and ram air, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger for an aircraft, comprising:
 a first aircraft fluid source inlet operable to provide a first fluid from a first aircraft system;   a second aircraft fluid source inlet operable to provide a second fluid from a second aircraft system; and   a structural body operable to support aviation induced structural loads and exchange heat between the first fluid and the second fluid, and comprising a plurality of hollow channels forming two interpenetrating fluidically isolated volumes and operable for flow of the first fluid within the hollow channels and flow of the second fluid external to the hollow channels isolated from the first fluid, the hollow channels comprising a hollow three-dimensional micro-truss comprising a plurality of hollow truss elements extending along at least three directions, and a plurality of hollow nodes interpenetrated by the hollow truss elements.   
     
     
         11 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the aviation induced structural loads comprise proof and burst, air pressure cycling, vibration, airframe structural support, an inertial load, a thermal cycling load, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a first manifold coupled to the first aircraft fluid source inlet and a first surface of the structural body, and comprising a plurality of first openings into the hollow channels; and   a second manifold coupled to the second aircraft fluid source inlet and a second surface of the structural body, and comprising a plurality of second openings into the hollow channels.   
     
     
         13 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein the first manifold and the second manifold further comprise a particulate filter. 
     
     
         14 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein a cross section of each of the first openings and the second openings comprises a tapered opening, a polygon, a quadrilateral, a cross section of a hollow pyramid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the first fluid and the second fluid are induced from an aircraft engine bleed air, an aircraft RAM ambient air, an aircraft nitrogen enriched air cooler, a recycled aircraft cabin air, a fan heated air from a heat generating component on an aircraft, a vaporized fluid from a heat pipe, a pumped aircraft engine oil, a pumped aircraft hydraulic fluid, a pumped aircraft gearbox oil, a pumped aircraft liquid coolant, a pumped aircraft refrigerant fluid, a coolant, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first fluid comprises a vaporized heat pipe fluid;   the second fluid comprises a cooling fluid;   the first aircraft fluid source inlet comprises a wick structure operable to retain the heat pipe fluid; and   the first aircraft system comprises a heat pipe surface operable to vaporize the heat pipe fluid in response to heating of the heat pipe surface to provide the vaporized heat pipe fluid.   
     
     
         17 . The micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the wick structure comprises, a longitudinally oriented wick structure, a laterally oriented wick structure, an omni-directionally oriented wick structure, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A method for configuring a micro-lattice cross-flow heat exchanger for an aircraft, the method comprising:
 configuring a first aircraft fluid source inlet to receive a first fluid from a first aircraft system;   configuring a second aircraft fluid source inlet to receive a second fluid from a second aircraft system;   configuring a plurality of hollow channels comprising hollow truss elements into a structural body comprising a hollow three-dimensional micro-truss forming two interpenetrating fluidically isolated volumes operable for the first fluid to flow within the hollow channels and the second fluid to flow external to the hollow channels isolated from the first fluid;   configuring a plurality of first hollow truss elements from among the hollow truss elements to extend along a first direction;   configuring a plurality of second truss hollow truss elements from among the hollow truss elements to extend along a second direction; and   configuring a plurality of third truss hollow truss elements from among the hollow truss elements to extend along a third direction;   interpenetrating a plurality of hollow nodes by the hollow truss elements;   configuring the structural body to exchange heat between the first fluid and the second fluid; and   configuring the structural body to support aviation induced structural loads.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the aviation induced structural loads comprise: a proof and burst load, an air pressure cycling load, a vibration load, an airframe structural support load, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 coupling a first manifold comprising a plurality of first openings to the first aircraft fluid source inlet and a first surface of the structural body; and   coupling the first openings to the hollow channels.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 coupling a second manifold comprising a plurality of second openings to the second aircraft fluid source inlet and a second surface of the structural body; and   coupling the second openings to the hollow channels.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising configuring a cross section of each of the first openings and the second openings to comprise a tapered opening, a polygon, a quadrilateral, a cross section of a hollow pyramid, or a combination thereof.