Slanted heat exchanger for an aerodynamic vehicle

Abstract

A slanted heat exchange system and method for use in aerodynamic vehicle and for transferring heat between a coolant and a fluid. In some examples, the aerodynamic vehicle is an aircraft, and the fluid is air. The slanted heat exchange system and method include a slanted heat exchanger that is slanted relative to a channel direction just before the slanted heat exchanger. The slanted heat exchanger has an increased frontal surface area while still preserving a relatively compact cross-sectional area when viewed from the front. An array of inlet turning vanes both diffuse and slow down the fluid while also turning the fluid to enter the slanted heat exchanger approximately perpendicular to the slanted heat exchanger. This mitigates turning losses and reduces any pressure drop across the heat exchanger. In some examples, an array of outlet turning vanes turns and accelerates the fluid exiting the slanted heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A slanted heat exchange system for providing cooling on an aerodynamic vehicle, the slanted heat exchange system comprising:
 a channel having two ends with an opening at each of the two ends;   an inlet on one of the two ends, wherein a fluid enters the channel;   a slanted heat exchanger oriented at a slant angle in the channel to increase a frontal surface area of the slanted heat exchanger;   an array of inlet turning vanes that receive the fluid from the inlet and then turn and diffuse the fluid prior to the fluid flowing across the slanted heat exchanger; and   an outlet on another one of the two ends, wherein the fluid exits the channel.   
     
     
         2 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic vehicle is an aircraft and the fluid is air. 
     
     
         3 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the array of inlet turning vanes turns the fluid to be nearly perpendicular to the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the array of inlet turning vanes turns the fluid to be 45 degrees or less from perpendicular to the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , furthering comprising an array of outlet turning vanes that receive the fluid from the slanted heat exchanger, turn the fluid, and accelerate the fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of outlet turning vanes is comprised of a plurality of individual outlet turning vanes along an entire length of the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of outlet turning vanes is comprised of a plurality of individual outlet turning vanes along at least 75% of a length of the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 5 , wherein the channel has an upper surface and a lower surface, and wherein the array of outlet turning vanes is comprised of a plurality of individual outlet turning vanes located along a length of the slanted heat exchanger of at least one of: (a) near the upper surface; (b) near the lower surface; and (c) near both the upper surface and the lower surface. 
     
     
         9 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 5 , wherein a first pressure at the array of inlet turning vanes and a second pressure at the array of outlet turning vanes are substantially similar. 
     
     
         10 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of the channel is one of: (a) cylindrical; and (b) conical. 
     
     
         11 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet is a variable-geometry outlet for controlling a flow of the fluid through the channel by varying a size of the variable-geometry outlet. 
     
     
         12 . A slanted heat exchange system for an aircraft, the slanted heat exchange system comprising:
 a channel having an upstream end and a downstream end;   an inlet on the upstream end of the channel for receiving air into the channel at an inlet velocity;   a slanted heat exchanger oriented at a slant angle in the channel for transferring heat from a coolant running through the slanted heat exchanger to the air flowing across the slanted heat exchanger;   an array of inlet turning vanes at the upstream end of the slanted heat exchanger for slowing down the air to less than the inlet velocity and turning the air such that the air is substantially perpendicular to the slanted heat exchanger; and   a variable-geometry outlet on the downstream end of the channel for exhausting the air from the channel.   
     
     
         13 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 12 , further comprising an array of outlet turning vanes at the downstream end of the slanted heat exchanger for accelerating and turning the air. 
     
     
         14 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 13 , wherein the array of outlet turning vanes is comprised of a plurality of individual outlet turning vanes along 75% or more of a length of the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         15 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 12 , wherein the inlet is a variable-geometry inlet where a size of the variable-geometry inlet can be changed to control the flow of air through the channel. 
     
     
         16 . The slanted heat exchange system of  claim 12 , wherein the slanted heat exchange system is in wings of the aircraft. 
     
     
         17 . A method for transferring heat between a coolant and air using a slanted heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 receiving the air into a channel at an inlet velocity, wherein the air is received through an inlet at an upstream end of the channel;   slowing the air to less than the inlet velocity prior to flowing through the slanted heat exchanger, wherein the air is slowed using an array of inlet turning vanes at the upstream end of the slanted heat exchanger;   turning the air so that the air is substantially perpendicular to the slanted heat exchanger prior to flowing through the slanted heat exchanger, wherein the air is turned using the array of inlet turning vanes;   passing the air through the slanted heat exchanger to transfer heat between the coolant and the air, wherein the slanted heat exchanger is oriented in the channel at a slant angle from a channel direction at a section of the channel just before the slanted heat exchanger; and   exhausting the air from the channel through an outlet at a downstream end of the channel after the air passes through the slanted heat exchanger.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising turning and accelerating the air after the air flows across the slanted heat exchanger and before the outlet, wherein the air is turned and accelerated using an array of outlet turning vanes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the array of outlet turning vanes is comprised of a plurality of individual outlet turning vanes along at least 75% of a length of the slanted heat exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising setting the slant angle between about 45 degrees and about 85 degrees.