Structural heat exchanger

Abstract

In some embodiments, a structural heat exchanger is presented that utilizes liquid fuel as a coolant as it travels through the perimeter of a region (e.g., a chamber) of an engine. The shapes of the coolant channels of the heat exchanger may be configured to change pitch angles as it travels to the top of the region, to account for areas of the region that may demand higher cooling properties. In some embodiments, the fuel diverter that allows initial passage of the fuel through the coolant channels may be configured to drive passage of the fluid up through the coolant channels with uniform pressure, even as the volume of fluid decreases the farther the fluid travels from the initial entry point. In some embodiments, this may be implemented as a fuel diverter shaped in an annulus with a gradually decreasing radial cross-section.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a housing comprising:
 a wall at least partially enclosing a region containing a high volume of heat relative to surrounding volumes; and 
 a plurality of coolant channels each defined by vacant channel space within the wall, the coolant channels configured to allow fluid to flow within the wall; 
   wherein the housing is manufactured using additive manufacturing.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape of a bean. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape of a trapezoid with rounded corners. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area having a shape with parallel concave curves, wherein one of the concave curves is located nearest an inner wall side closest to the high heat volume region, and a second of the concave curves is located nearest an outer wall side farthest from the high heat volume region. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape defined by satisfying a plurality of boundary conditions defining one or more functional or structural properties of the wall. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of boundary conditions include:
 at least one thermal condition that the wall must satisfy;   at least one structural condition that the wall must satisfy;   at least one material property about the wall that the wall must satisfy; and   at least one material property of the coolant channels that the plurality of coolant channels must satisfy.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the plurality of boundary conditions is a first plurality of boundary conditions applied to a first location of the coolant channels, and   each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area at a second location in a second shape defined by satisfying a second plurality of boundary conditions that are different than the first plurality of boundary conditions.   
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coolant channels vary in pitch angle at different locations within the wall. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of coolant channels includes a first cross-sectional area at a first location shaped in a first shape, and a second cross-sectional area at a second location shaped in a second shape. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the first shape is a bean shape, and the second shape is an ellipse shape. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coolant channels vary in size of cross-sectional area at different locations within the wall. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the wall is shaped as a cylinder. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the wall comprises a flat plate housing at least a portion of the plurality of coolant channels. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is manufactured as a single piece using additive manufacturing. 
     
     
         15 . An engine, comprising:
 a region for producing thermal energy;   a heat exchanger comprising:   a housing surrounding the region and comprising:
 a wall at least partially enclosing the region containing a high volume of heat relative to surrounding volumes; and 
 a plurality of coolant channels each defined by vacant channel space within the wall, the coolant channels configured to allow fluid to flow within the wall; 
   wherein the housing is manufactured as a single piece using additive manufacturing.   
     
     
         16 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape of a bean. 
     
     
         17 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape of a trapezoid with rounded corners. 
     
     
         18 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area having a shape with parallel concave curves, wherein one of the concave curves is located nearest an inner wall side closest to the high heat volume region, and a second of the concave curves is located nearest an outer wall side farthest from the high heat volume region. 
     
     
         19 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of coolant channels has at least a portion of cross-sectional area in a shape defined by satisfying a plurality of boundary conditions defining one or more functional or structural properties of the wall. 
     
     
         20 . The engine of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of boundary conditions include:
 at least one thermal condition that the wall must satisfy;   at least one structural condition that the wall must satisfy;   at least one material property about the wall that the wall must satisfy; and   at least one material property of the coolant channels that the plurality of coolant channels must satisfy.