Manufacturing heat exchanger from porous medium and conduits

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger comprising at least one heat conducting conduit for passage of a first medium and at least one block of an open cell porous medium for passage of a second medium. The method comprises providing at least one groove in the open cell porous medium. Thereafter, the porous medium is bent in a direction such that at least part of the grooves are opened and heat conducting conduits are applied in this at least one opened groove. Thereafter, the porous medium is rebend such that the heat conducting conduits are locked in said open cell porous medium.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of heat conducting conduits in an array, the conduits being configured to permit passage of a first medium, and   at least one block of an open-cell porous medium of open-cell metal foam configured to permit passage of a second medium,   wherein a first plurality of grooves is arranged in the porous medium such that the first plurality of grooves is disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other,   wherein the array is arranged in the first plurality of grooves, and the porous medium is bendable such that the array is locked in said open-cell porous medium.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of grooves in the porous medium, the second plurality of grooves being disposed in a second orientation different from the first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the first plurality of grooves are disposed in the first orientation and in the same alignment so as to be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of grooves comprise shorter grooves than a second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of heat conducting conduits configured to permit passage of a first medium, including at least one heat conducting conduit, and   at least one block of an open-cell porous medium of open-cell metal foam configured to permit passage of a second medium,   wherein a first plurality of grooves are provided in said porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, the first plurality of grooves being disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other,   wherein said grooved porous medium is bendable in a first direction such that at least a plurality of said grooves are opened, and said plurality of heat conducting conduits are arranged in said at least a plurality of opened grooves, and   wherein the grooved porous medium is bendable in a second direction opposite to the first direction such that said plurality of heat conducting conduits is locked in said open-cell porous medium.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of grooves differing from the first plurality of grooves in said porous medium.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of said plurality of heat conducting conduits comprises a bent flat tube. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein said alignment is parallel. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein said open-cell metal foam is thermally conducting. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein said open-cell metal foam is aluminium or aluminium alloy foam. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of grooves in the porous medium disposed in a second orientation different from the first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other.   
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger prepared by a process comprising:
 providing a plurality of heat conducting conduits configured to permit passage of a first medium, including at least one heat conducting conduit comprising a metal tube;   providing at least one block of an open-cell porous medium comprising metal foam or a three-dimensional textile configured to permit passage of a second medium;   providing a first plurality of grooves in said porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, and such that the first plurality of grooves are disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other;   bending said grooved porous medium in a direction, such that at least a plurality of said grooves are opened;   applying said plurality of heat conducting conduits in said at least a plurality of opened grooves; and   bending said grooved porous medium in an opposite direction such that said plurality of heat conducting conduits get locked in said open-cell porous medium.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of grooves in the porous medium disposed in a second orientation different from the first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of grooves comprise shorter grooves than the second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of said plurality of heat conducting conduits comprises a bent flat tube. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger produced by a process comprising:
 providing a plurality of heat conducting conduits in an array, the conduits being configured to permit passage of a first medium and comprising at least one metal tube;   providing at least one block of an open-cell porous medium of open-cell metal foam configured to permit passage of a second medium;   providing a first plurality of grooves in the porous medium such that the porous medium becomes grooved, and such that the first plurality of grooves are disposed in a first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other;   bending said grooved porous medium in a direction, thereby opening the first plurality of grooves;   applying said array in the opened first plurality of grooves; and   bending the grooved porous medium in an opposite direction such that the array gets locked in said open-cell porous medium.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the process further comprises:
 providing a second plurality of grooves in the porous medium such that the second plurality of grooves are disposed in a second orientation different from the first orientation and in a same alignment relative to each other.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of grooves are disposed in the first orientation so as to be parallel to each other and perpendicular to the second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of grooves comprise shorter grooves than the second plurality of grooves. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of grooves are perpendicular to the second plurality of grooves.