Header assembly for a heat exchanger

Abstract

A header for a heat exchanger includes a first barrel and a second barrel stacked on top of each other and being separated by a septum which may include one or more apertures. The first barrel and the second barrel may define a first manifold and a second manifold, respectively, which may be in fluid communication via the apertures in the septum. An inlet manifold is in fluid communication with the first manifold and the second manifold for providing a flow of heated fluid, the heated fluid being distributed through the first manifold and the second manifold before passing through a plurality of heat exchange tubes that extend from each of the first manifold and the second manifold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A header for a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the header comprising:
 a first barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a first manifold in fluid communication with a first plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a second barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a second manifold in fluid communication with a second plurality of heat exchange tubes, the second barrel being positioned adjacent the first barrel along the radial direction; and   a septum positioned between the first barrel and the second barrel and extending along the axial direction to at least partially define the first manifold and the second manifold.   
     
     
         2 . The header of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inlet manifold in fluid communication with the first manifold and the second manifold.   
     
     
         3 . The header of  claim 2 , wherein the septum extends into the inlet manifold for splitting a flow of heated fluid from a heated fluid supply. 
     
     
         4 . The header of  claim 3 , wherein an end of the septum divides the inlet manifold into a first flow area adjacent the first manifold and a second flow area adjacent the second manifold, the first flow area being different than the second flow area. 
     
     
         5 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the septum defines one or more apertures providing fluid communication between the first manifold and the second manifold. 
     
     
         6 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the first barrel and the second barrel have a substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
         7 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of heat exchange tubes and the second plurality of heat exchange tubes each comprise a plurality of rows of heat exchange tubes that are stacked along the radial direction. 
     
     
         8 . The header of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of rows of heat exchange tubes extends from the first barrel or the second barrel substantially along the circumferential direction. 
     
     
         9 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of heat exchange tubes and the second plurality of heat exchange tubes are formed into a lattice structure and stacked along axial direction. 
     
     
         10 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the header, the first plurality of heat exchange tubes, and the second plurality of heat exchange tubes are positioned within an annular bypass passageway defined between a core engine and an outer nacelle of a gas turbine engine. 
     
     
         11 . The header of  claim 10 , wherein the first plurality of heat exchange tubes and the second plurality of heat exchange tubes are arcuate and extend circumferentially within the annular bypass passageway. 
     
     
         12 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein a heat shield is positioned adjacent the second plurality of heat exchange tubes and extends along the axial direction. 
     
     
         13 . The header of  claim 2 , wherein the first barrel, the second barrel, the septum, and the inlet manifold are integrally formed as a single monolithic component. 
     
     
         14 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the header comprises a plurality of layers formed by:
 depositing a layer of additive material on a bed of an additive manufacturing machine; and   selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material.   
     
     
         15 . The header of  claim 1 , wherein the header is a supply header positioned upstream of the first and second plurality of heat exchange tubes for providing a flow of heated fluid to the first and second plurality of heat exchange tubes, and wherein the header further comprises:
 a return header positioned downstream of the first and second plurality of heat exchange tubes for providing fluid communication between the first and second plurality of heat exchange tubes and a fluid return, the return header comprising:   a third barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a third manifold in fluid communication with the first plurality of heat exchange tubes;   a fourth barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a fourth manifold in fluid communication with the second plurality of heat exchange tubes, the fourth barrel being positioned adjacent the third barrel along the radial direction;   a septum positioned between the third barrel and the fourth barrel and extending along the axial direction to at least partially define the third manifold and the fourth manifold; and   an outlet manifold in fluid communication with the third manifold and the fourth manifold.   
     
     
         16 . A method for manufacturing a header for a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger defining an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction, the method comprising:
 depositing a layer of additive material on a bed of an additive manufacturing machine; and   selectively directing energy from an energy source onto the layer of additive material to fuse a portion of the additive material and form the header comprising:
 a first barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a first manifold in fluid communication with a first plurality of heat exchange tubes; 
 a second barrel extending along the axial direction and defining a second manifold in fluid communication with a second plurality of heat exchange tubes, the second barrel being positioned adjacent the first barrel along the radial direction; and 
 a septum positioned between the first barrel and the second barrel and extending along the axial direction to at least partially define the first manifold and the second manifold. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the header further comprises:
 an inlet manifold in fluid communication with the first manifold and the second manifold.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the septum extends into the inlet manifold for splitting a flow of heated fluid from a heated fluid supply, and wherein an end of the septum divides the inlet manifold into a first flow area adjacent the first manifold and a second flow area adjacent the second manifold, the first flow area being different than the second flow area. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the septum defines one or more apertures providing fluid communication between the first manifold and the second manifold. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first barrel, the second barrel, the septum, and the inlet manifold are integrally formed as a single monolithic component.