Heat exchanger component with varying twist angle

Abstract

A component for a heat exchanger can comprise a body including a ceramic and can have a central cavity extending along a length of the body; a plurality of spirals extending around the central cavity; a plurality of interspiral channels disposed between the plurality of spirals; a plurality of intraspiral channels contained within the plurality of spirals; wherein a twist angle of each spiral of the plurality of spirals in relation to a length direction of the body is varying. The heat exchanger component can be used for making a heat exchanger having three flow paths and can reach an exceptional efficiency while allowing an economic manufacturing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A component for a heat exchanger comprising:
 a body including a ceramic and having:
 a central cavity extending along a length of the body; 
 a plurality of spirals extending around the central cavity; 
 a plurality of interspiral channels disposed between the plurality of spirals; 
 wherein at least one spiral of the plurality of spirals has a varying twist angle along a length of the body. 
   
     
     
         2 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals comprises one intraspiral channel. 
     
     
         3 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals has a varying twist angle along the length direction of the body. 
     
     
         4 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the twist angle is at least 15 degrees. 
     
     
         5 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the twist angle continuously increases between the proximal end and the distal end of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the twist angle varies by at least 1 degree per 0.1 meter length direction of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the central cavity is surrounded by a tube, and the plurality of spirals are attached on an outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spirals includes at least 4 spirals. 
     
     
         9 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals comprises at least 2 turns per meter in a length direction of the body and not more than 10 turns per meter. 
     
     
         10 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals comprises two spiral walls framing one intraspiral channel, the two spiral walls being positioned parallel to each other and extending orthogonal to a length direction of the central cavity wall. 
     
     
         11 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein an average thickness of each interspiral channel of the plurality interspiral channels is at least 3 mm and not greater than 50 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein an average cross-sectional surface area of each intraspiral channel of the plurality of spirals is at least 245 mm 2 . 
     
     
         13 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals comprises a first straight section at a distal end and a second straight section at a proximal end, wherein the first straight section and the second straight section extend the interspiral channel and are oriented parallel to the length direction of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a material of the body comprises silicon carbide and an average density of the material is at least 2.50 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         15 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the Nusselt number of the body is at least 1000. 
     
     
         16 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the body is adapted to work at a temperature of at least 450° C. 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger comprising the component of a heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is adapted that a pressure drop during operation is not greater than 5 kPa. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 17 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises three flow pathways. 
     
     
         19 . A component for a heat exchanger comprising a body including a ceramic, wherein the body comprises a hollow volume adapted for a fluid to pass through the body; and an Exchange Ratio (ER) of the body is at least 39 m −1  and not greater than 196 m −1 , and wherein ER=SA/V, SA being an outer surface area of the body, and V being the hollow volume of the body. 
     
     
         20 . The component for a heat exchanger of  claim 19 , wherein the body comprises:
 a central cavity extending along a length of the body;   a plurality of spirals extending around the central cavity;   a plurality of interspiral channels disposed between the plurality of spirals, wherein each spiral of the plurality of spirals has a varying twist angle along a length of the body.