Heat exchanger with integrated noise suppression

Abstract

A method of passively suppressing noise within a heat exchanger comprises the steps of preselecting a plurality of sound wave travel distances formed between a plurality of surfaces within the heat exchanger to cause destructive interference of a preselected set of sound waves as the sound waves travel the preselected sound wave travel distances and assembling the heat exchanger to have the preselected plurality of sound wave travel distances formed between the plurality of surfaces formed within the heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 an inlet tank having a hollow interior;   an inlet conduit in fluid communication with the hollow interior of the inlet tank;   an outlet tank having a hollow interior;   a heat exchanger passage extending between the inlet tank and the outlet tank; and   a sound suppression structure integrated in at least one of the inlet tank, the outlet tank, and the heat exchanger passage, the sound suppression structure configured to passively suppress a preselected set of sound waves present within the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppression structure includes a plurality of surfaces formed within at least one of the inlet tank, the outlet tank, and the heat exchanger passage spaced apart from each other by a plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances to cause destructive interference of a preselected set of sound waves as the sound waves travel the preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the inlet tank further comprises a first interior wall and an oppositely arranged second interior wall, the first interior wall spaced apart from the second interior wall by a first sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances; wherein the outlet tank comprises a third interior wall and an oppositely arranged fourth interior wall, the third interior wall spaced apart from the fourth interior wall by a second sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances; wherein the heat exchanger passage extends from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet thereof, the fluid inlet spaced apart from the fluid outlet by a third sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein the inlet conduit extends beyond the first interior wall and has a first end disposed within the hollow interior of the inlet tank, the first end of the inlet conduit spaced apart from the first interior wall by a fourth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances; wherein the fluid inlet of the heat exchanger passage extends beyond the second interior wall and is disposed within the hollow interior of the inlet tank, the fluid inlet of the heat exchanger passage spaced apart from the second interior wall by a fifth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 4 , wherein an outlet conduit extends beyond the third interior wall and has a first end disposed within the hollow interior of the outlet tank, the first end of the outlet conduit spaced apart from the third interior wall by a sixth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances; wherein the fluid outlet of the heat exchanger passage extends beyond the fourth interior wall and is disposed within the hollow interior of the outlet tank, the fluid outlet of the heat exchanger passage spaced apart from the fourth interior wall by a seventh sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , further comprising a perforated plate disposed between the first interior wall and the second interior wall of the inlet tank, the perforated plate spaced apart from the first interior wall by an eighth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances, the perforated plate also spaced apart from the second interior wall by a ninth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the plate further includes a plurality of conduits extending through the plate, each of the conduits including a first end extending beyond the first major surface of the plate and a second end extending beyond the second major surface of the plate, the first end of each of the conduits spaced apart from the first major surface of the plate by a tenth sound wave travel distance of the plurality of sound wave travel distances and the second end of each of the conduits spaced apart from the second major surface of the plate by an eleventh sound wave travel distance of the plurality of preselected sound wave travel distances. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the sound suppression structure comprises a first sound absorption feature, wherein the first sound absorption feature is disposed on an interior surface of the inlet conduit, the first sound absorption feature including a layer of a first sound absorption material 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the first sound absorption material is porous and includes at least one of matted fibers and spun fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein a perforated plate is disposed on an inner surface of the layer of the first sound absorption material. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the interior surface of the inlet conduit is substantially cylindrical in shape and the layer of the first sound absorption material is formed into a cylindrical sleeve received within the inlet conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein a cylindrically shaped perforated plate is disposed on an inner surface of the cylindrical sleeve of the first sound absorption material. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the sound suppression structure further comprises a second sound absorption feature extending at least partially into the inlet conduit, the second sound absorption feature comprising a core formed from a second sound absorption material and a perforated plate surrounding the core. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the first sound absorption feature and the second sound absorption feature are arranged concentrically. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the core and the perforated plate are both cylindrical in shape. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the sound suppression structure further comprises a second sound absorption feature comprising a layer of a second sound absorption material disposed on an interior surface of the inlet tank and a perforated plate formed on an inner surface of the layer of the second sound absorption material. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the second sound absorption feature is disposed on a wall of the inlet tank connecting a first side of the inlet tank having the inlet conduit extending therefrom to a second side of the inlet tank having the heat exchanger passage extending therefrom. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the sound suppression structure further comprises a second sound absorption feature disposed between the inlet conduit and the heat exchanger passage extending from the inlet tank. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the second sound absorption feature comprises a conically shaped layer of a second sound absorption material and a conically shaped perforated plate disposed on an outer surface of the layer of the second sound absorption material. 
     
     
         20 . A method of passively suppressing sound within a heat exchanger, the method comprising the steps of:
 preselecting a plurality of sound wave travel distances formed between a plurality of surfaces within the heat exchanger to cause destructive interference of a preselected set of sound waves as the sound waves travel the preselected sound wave travel distances; and   assembling the heat exchanger to have the preselected plurality of sound wave travel distances formed between the plurality of surfaces formed within the heat exchanger.