Craft outer skin heat exchanger and method for manufacturing a craft outer skin heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer modules disposed side by side so as to define a multilayer body of the heat exchanger. Each heat transfer module has at least one heat transfer medium channel configured to allow a flow of a heat-carrying medium therethrough. At least one portion of the multilayer body of the heat exchanger has a curvature configured to allow the heat exchanger to be used as a curved outer skin section of a craft. Adjacent heat transfer modules of the at least one portion of the multilayer body are arranged with a tilt angle of their central axes towards each other such that each heat transfer module is aligned towards the center of a local osculating circle defined by an outer surface of the heat exchanger.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of heat transfer modules arranged side by side defining a multilayer body of the heat exchanger,   each heat transfer module being provided with at least one heat transfer medium channel configured to allow a flow of a heat-carrying medium therethrough,   at least one portion of the multilayer body of the heat exchanger being provided with a curvature which is configured to allow the heat exchanger to be used as a curved outer skin section of a craft, and   adjacent heat transfer modules of said at least one portion of the multilayer body being arranged with a tilt angle of their central axes towards each other such that each heat transfer module is aligned towards a center of a local osculating circle defined by an outer surface of the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger multilayer body comprises at least one heat transfer module having a heat transfer module body with a cross-sectional shape tapering towards the center of the osculating circle. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein, in a heat transfer module having a heat transfer module body with a cross-sectional shape tapering towards the center of the osculating circle, a tapering angle corresponds to the tilt angle of the central axis of the heat transfer module towards the central axis of an adjacent heat transfer module. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer medium channel provided in the heat transfer modules is configured to allow a flow of a heat-carrying medium therethrough in a direction parallel to a curvature axis of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer module body of at least one heat transfer module has an inner surface adapted to form a section of an inner surface of the heat exchanger and has a curvature adjusted to the curvature of an inner surface of the craft outer skin section the heat exchanger is intended to form. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer module body of at least one heat transfer module has an outer surface adapted to form a section of an outer surface of the heat exchanger and has a curvature adjusted to the curvature of an outer surface of the craft outer skin section the heat exchanger is intended to form, wherein a curvature radius of the inner surface of the heat transfer module body is smaller than a curvature radius of the outer surface of the heat transfer module body. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one heat transfer module comprises a rib forming a protruding section of an outer surface of the heat exchanger multilayer body. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the rib is formed integral with the heat transfer module body of the heat transfer module. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the rib has a substantially conical cross-section. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the rib is provided with a rounded tip. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two adjacent heat transfer modules in the multilayer body of the heat exchanger are separated from each other by a separating element. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a separating element which is generally U-shaped and has two substantially parallel legs extending between side surfaces of the heat transfer module bodies of adjacent heat transfer modules and a connecting bar extending between the legs in a direction parallel to a curvature axis of the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a separating element including airside fins extending between side surfaces of the heat transfer module bodies of adjacent heat transfer modules. 
     
     
         14 . A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger, comprising the steps:
 arranging a plurality of heat transfer modules side by side so as to define a multilayer body of the heat exchanger,   providing each heat transfer module with at least one heat transfer medium channel designed to allow a flow of a heat-carrying medium therethrough,   providing at least one portion of the multilayer body of the heat exchanger with a curvature configured so as to allow the heat exchanger to be used as a curved outer skin section of a craft, and wherein adjacent heat transfer modules of said at least one portion of the multilayer body are arranged with a tilt angle of their central axes towards each other such that each heat transfer module is aligned towards the center of a local osculating circle defined by an outer surface of the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , including the step of arranging the heat transfer modules side by side in a manufacturing form and fixing the heat transfer modules relative to one another, while they are being arranged in the manufacturing form. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , including the step of applying a biasing force to the heat transfer modules arranged side by side the in a direction substantially perpendicular to side surfaces of the heat transfer module bodies of the heat transfer modules until the heat transfer modules are fixed relative to one another.