Heat exchanger having winding channels

Abstract

A winding channel heat exchanger includes a heat transfer member having winding channels, a manifold, and a cover plate. The channels' winding design is defined by a non-linear flow axis that may include a plurality of short pitch and small amplitude undulations, which cause the flow to change directions, and may also or alternatively include two or more large amplitude bends that cause the flow to reverse direction. In one embodiment, the undulations have varying amplitudes to increase the heat transfer coefficient along the length of the channel. The winding channels allow a user to customize the pressure drop to promote good flow distribution, to achieve improved heat transfer uniformity, and to improve the heat transfer coefficient.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat transfer member including at least one heat transfer layer;   one or more inlet openings disposed in the heat transfer member;   one or more outlet openings disposed in the heat transfer member;   at least one winding channel disposed in each of the at least one heat transfer layers and constructed and arranged to carry a fluid, the at least one winding channel having a length and a non-linear flow axis, the non-linear flow axis defining a non-linear path between the one or more inlet openings and the one or more outlet openings;   at least one undulation having an amplitude constructed and arranged to increase the heat transfer coefficient of the fluid as it passes there through and further being constructed and arranged to change the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels along the non-linear flow path;   wherein during use fluid flows through the one or more inlet opening in the heat transfer member, into the at least one winding channel, and flows into the at least one undulation, the amplitude of the undulation increasing the heat transfer coefficient as the fluid passes there through, and wherein the fluid continues to move toward the outlet opening after changing direction and passing through the at least one undulation.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one undulation comprises a plurality of undulations, and wherein the amplitude of the undulations are constant along the length of the at least one winding channel. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one undulation comprises a plurality of undulations, and wherein the amplitude of the undulations vary along the length of the at least one winding channel. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein the amplitude of the plurality undulations increases along the length of the at least one winding channel moving in a direction from the one or more inlet openings toward the one or more outlet openings. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises a plurality of winding channels, the plurality of winding channels each having one or more undulations, and wherein winding channels having undulations of similar amplitude are grouped together, the amplitudes of the undulations varying between groups of winding channels over the heat transfer member so as to vary the thermal resistance over an active area of the heat transfer member. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold including an inlet port and an outlet port constructed and arranged to distribute fluid to and collect fluid from the heat transfer member. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises mini-channels. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises micro-channels. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the non-linear flow path of the at least one winding channel includes an inlet side adjacent a corresponding inlet opening and an outlet side adjacent a corresponding outlet opening, the non-linear path further including at least one pair of bends, each pair having:
 a) a first bend constructed and arranged to reverse the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels between the corresponding inlet opening and the corresponding outlet opening such that the fluid flows toward the inlet side after passing through the first bend;   b) a second bend constructed and arranged to reverse the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels between the corresponding first opening and the corresponding second opening such that the fluid flows toward the outlet side after passing through the second bend; and   wherein during use fluid flows from the manifold, through the corresponding inlet opening in the heat transfer member, into the at least one winding channel and travels along the non-linear path toward the outlet side of the non-linear channel and flows into the first bend which reverses the direction of the fluid flow toward the inlet side of the channel, the fluid thereafter flowing into the second bend which reverses the direction of the fluid flow toward the outlet side of the channel, the flow of fluid traveling along the non-linear path to the outlet opening.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the first bend, the second bend and the at least one undulation each have an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the depth of the at least one winding channel is substantially equal to the width of the at least one winding channel. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer layer comprises a bonded stack of at least two laminations. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat transfer layer comprises a single heat transfer layer. 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heat transfer member including at least one heat transfer layer, the at least one heat transfer layer having a first surface and a second surface and including a thickness extending between the first surface and the second surface;   a manifold including an inlet port and an outlet port constructed and arranged to distribute fluid to and collect fluid from the heat transfer member;   one or more inlet openings disposed in the heat transfer member and in fluid communication with the manifold;   one or more outlet openings disposed in the heat transfer member and in fluid communication with the manifold;   at least one winding channel disposed in each of the at least one heat transfer layers, the at least one winding channel having a non-linear flow axis, the non-linear flow axis defining a non-linear path between the one or more inlet openings and the one or more outlet openings, the non-linear flow path having an inlet side adjacent a corresponding inlet opening and an outlet side adjacent a corresponding outlet opening, the non-linear path further including at least one pair of bends, each pair having:   a) a first bend constructed and arranged to reverse the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels between the corresponding inlet opening and the corresponding outlet opening such that the fluid flows toward the inlet side after passing through the first bend;   b) a second bend constructed and arranged to reverse the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels between the corresponding first opening and the corresponding second opening such that the fluid flows toward the outlet side after passing through the second bend;   wherein during use fluid flows from the manifold, through the corresponding inlet opening in the heat transfer member, into the at least one winding channel and travels along the non-linear path toward the outlet side of the non-linear channel and flows into a first bend which reverses the direction of the fluid flow toward the inlet side of the channel, the fluid thereafter flowing into the second bend which reverses the direction of the fluid flow toward the outlet side of the channel, the flow of fluid traveling along the non-linear path to the outlet opening.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises mini-channels. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises micro-channels. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein reversing the direction of the fluid flow toward the inlet side and back toward the outlet side of the non-linear path results in substantially uniform thermal resistance throughout the heat transfer member. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , further comprising at least one undulation constructed and arranged to change the direction of the flow of the fluid as it travels along the non-linear flow path, without reversing the direction of the flow of the fluid, wherein if the fluid is moving toward the outlet side before passing through the at least one undulation, the fluid continues to move toward the outlet side after passing through the at least one undulation and wherein if the fluid is moving toward the inlet side before passing through the at least one undulation, the fluid continues to move toward the inlet side after passing through the at least one undulation. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the first bend, the second bend and the at least one undulation each have an arcuate shape. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the depth of the at least one winding channels is substantially equal to the width of the winding channel. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one heat transfer layer comprises a bonded stack of at least two laminations. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one heat transfer layer comprises a single heat transfer layer. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , further comprising a flow restrictor plate disposed between the manifold and the heat transfer member, the flow restrictor plate including a body having a plurality of openings disposed there through that are configured, dimensioned and positioned to vary the flow to the winding channels according to the heat transfer requirements. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 23 , wherein the body of the flow restrictor plate is constructed and arranged to selectively block the fluid flow to the winding channels in sections of the heat transfer member 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one winding channel comprises a plurality of winding channels, the plurality of winding channels being disposed over an active area of the heat transfer member in grouping of two or more, the number of winding channels per unit area varying between groups so as to vary the thermal resistance over the active area of the heat transfer member.