Heat exchanger and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

Provided is a heat exchanger having a swirl chamber, an impact chamber and a swirl nozzle connecting the swirl chamber to the impact chamber for directing a swirl spray exiting the swirl nozzle against an impact surface of the impact chamber for outward expansion along the impact surface. The swirl spray impacting the impact surface is a high velocity spray that produces a turbulent flow across the impact surface allowing for increased heat transfer between the impact surface and a heat transfer surface.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a swirl chamber,   at least one inlet for tangentially supplying fluid into the swirl chamber,   an impact chamber separated from the swirl chamber by a first wall and having a heat exchange wall opposite the first wall forming an impact surface,   a swirl nozzle in the first wall connecting the swirl chamber to the impact chamber for directing a swirl spray exiting the swirl nozzle against the impact surface for outward expansion along the impact surface, and   at least one outlet for flow of fluid out of the impact chamber.   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the swirl chamber is coaxial with the swirl nozzle. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact chamber includes a radially outer portion in fluidic communication with the at least one outlet. 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one outlet includes a plurality of outlets circumferentially spaced apart and communicating with the radially outer portion of the impact chamber. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet includes a plurality of inlets circumferentially spaced about an axis of the swirl chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the swirl chamber is formed in a swirl plate and opens to one side of the swirl plate that is closed by a spacer plate. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the swirl chamber, at least one inlet and the swirl nozzle form a pressure-swirl nozzle, and wherein the swirl plate includes a plurality of pressure-swirl nozzles. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 7 , wherein the swirl plate Includes the at least one outlet. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the swirl plate includes at least one outlet adjacent each of the plurality of pressure-swirl nozzles. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 6 , wherein the spacer plate includes at least one inlet opening for directing fluid to the at least one inlet and at least one outlet opening communicating with the at least one outlet. 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the impact chamber is formed in an impact plate. 
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the impact plate includes a plurality of impact chambers configured to receive swirl spray from a respective swirl nozzle. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold plate having at least one inlet fluid channel communicating with the at least one inlet and at least one outlet fluid channel communicating with the at least one outlet. 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 13 , wherein the manifold plate includes a plurality of walls forming the inlet and outlet fluid channels, wherein the inlet and outlet are interdigitated. 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 13 , wherein the manifold plate includes an inlet coupled to a fluid supply and communicating with the at least one inlet passage and an outlet coupled to a reservoir and communicating with the at least one outlet passage. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 15 , wherein the manifold includes at least one inlet manifold for delivering fluid from the inlet to the at least one inlet fluid channel, and at least one outlet manifold for delivering fluid from the at least one outlet fluid channel to the outlet. 
     
     
         17 . A method for heating or cooling a heat transfer surface using a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger including a swirl chamber, at least one inlet for supplying fluid into the swirl chamber, an impact chamber separated from the swirl chamber by a first wall and having a heat exchange wall opposite the first wall forming an impact surface, and a swirl nozzle in the first wall connecting the swirl chamber to the impact chamber, the method comprising:
 receiving fluid at the at least one inlet;   supplying the fluid from the at least one inlet tangentially into the swirl chamber so that a vortex is formed in the swirl chamber;   delivering the fluid from the swirl chamber to the swirl nozzle; and   directing a swirl spray exiting the swirl nozzle against the impact surface for outward expansion along the impact surface.   
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the fluid expanding outward along the impact surface flows out of the impact chamber via at least one outlet. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises at least one inlet fluid channel communicating with the at least one inlet and at least one outlet fluid channel communicating with the at least one outlet. 
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 directing a portion of the swirl spray against the impact surface; and   capturing a portion of the swirl spray in a slot communicating with at least one outlet.