Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Terry R. Galloway · Bowles; Anthony J. G. ·
Assignee(s)	Synthetica Technologies, Inc. ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	McCubbrey, Bartels & Ward ·
Primary Examiner	John Rivell ·
Assistant Examiner	Leo; L. R. ·
Application Number	US8107339
Filing date	08/16/1993
Issue date	06/21/1994
Predicted expiration date	06/21/2011
U.S. Classifications	165/133  · 165/904  ·
International Classifications	F28F 1300  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	165133;904;907 ·
Related U.S. Application Data	This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/685,532, filed Apr. 15, 1991 now abandoned.

Patent Family

Abstract

A high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger is described wherein heat is transferred from a higher temperature fluid flow core region to a lower temperature fluid flow annulus. The wall separating the high and low temperature fluid flow regions is comprised of a material having high thermal absorptivity, conductivity and emissivity to provide a high rate of heat transfer between the two regions. A porous ceramic foam material occupies a substantial portion of the annular lower temperature fluid flow region, and is positioned to receive radiated heat from the wall. The porosity of the ceramic foam material is sufficient to permit a predetermined relatively unrestricted flow rate of fluid through the lower temperature fluid flow region.

Independent Claims | See all claims (26)

1. 1. A high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger for transferring heat from a higher temperature fluid flow region to a lower temperature fluid flow region, comprising:wall means separating said higher temperature fluid flow region from said lower temperature fluid flow region, said wall means having thermal conductivity and substantial thermal emissivity on the side thereof facing said lower temperature fluid flow region;porous ceramic foam material occupying a substantial portion of said lower temperature fluid flow region, said ceramic foam material being positioned proximate said wall means to absorb a substantial amount of radiated heat therefrom, wherein said ceramic foam does not contact said wall means, such that a narrow gap is formed between said wall means and said foam material said ceramic foam material having a porosity sufficient to permit a predetermined flow rate of fluid along the edge thereof; and,fluid inlet means and fluid outlet means positioned proximate opposite ends of said wall means such that a fluid to be heated flows within said lower temperature fluid flow region along the wall means, said fluid flow being primarily in any gap between said wall means and said ceramic foam material, and in the portion of said ceramic foam material nearest said wall means, such that the net fluid flow through said foam material is predominantly in a direction parallel to said wall means.
2. 15. A high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger, comprising, first and second substantially coaxial wall means defining a high temperature fluid flow region within said first wall means and a low temperature fluid flow region of substantially annular cross-section between said first and second wall means, said first wall means being comprised of a material having high thermal conductivity and having substantial emissivity on the side thereof facing said low temperature fluid flow region, fluid inlet means adjacent said first wall means at one end thereof for introducing a fluid to be heated into said low temperature fluid flow region, fluid outlet means adjacent said wall means at the other end thereof for discharging fluid from said lower temperature fluid flow region, and a porous ceramic foam material occupying a substantial portion of said low temperature fluid flow region, said ceramic foam material being positioned in proximity to said first wall means to absorb a substantial amount of radiated heat therefrom, said ceramic foam material being positioned such that a narrow gap is formed between said foam material and said wall means, said ceramic foam material having a porosity sufficient to permit a predetermined flow rate of fluid therethrough, such that a fluid to be heated flows through said lower temperature fluid flow region, the predominant direction of fluid flow being parallel to said first wall along the entire length of said flow, said fluid flow being primarily in any gap between said first wall and said ceramic foam material and in the portion of the foam material which is closest to said first wall.
3. 19. A high temperature fluid-to-fluid exchanger as follows:an enclosed higher temperature region having a first fluid inlet means and a first fluid outlet means;an enclosed lower temperature region having a second fluid inlet means and a second fluid outlet means;wall means separating said higher temperature region and said lower temperature region, said wall means having a first surface within said higher temperature region and a second surface within said lower temperature region for transferring heat energy therebetween;porous ceramic foam material positioned within said lower temperature region spaced apart from said wall, such that a narrow gap is formed between said wall and said ceramic foam material; and,said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet being positioned adjacent opposite ends of said wall means, such that fluid flows between said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet parallel to said second surface primarily in said narrow gap and in the portion of said ceramic foam which is adjacent to said narrow gap, such that the predominant direction of net fluid flow through said ceramic foam is in a direction parallel to the surface of said wall means.
4. 24. A high temperature fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger as follows:an enclosed cylindrical higher temperature region having a first fluid inlet means and a first fluid outlet means;an enclosed annular lower temperature region concentric with said higher temperature region, said lower temperature region having a second fluid inlet means and a second fluid outlet means;cylindrical wall means separating said higher temperature region and said lower temperature region, said wall means having a first surface within said higher temperature region and a second surface within said lower temperature region for transferring heat energy therebetween;porous ceramic foam material positioned within said lower temperature region spaced apart from said wall, such that a narrow gap is formed between said wall and said ceramic foam material;a cylindrical block of porous ceramic foam material positioned within said higher temperature region spaced apart from said wall, such that a gap is formed between said wall first surface and said ceramic foam material, such that fluid which flows through said higher temperature region between said first inlet means and said first outlet means flows primarily adjacent and parallel to said first wall means surface in the gap between said first wall means surface and said ceramic porous material,said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet being positioned adjacent opposite ends of said wall means, such that fluid flows between said second fluid inlet and said second fluid outlet parallel to said second surface primarily in said narrow gap and in the portion of said ceramic foam which is adjacent to said narrow gap wherein said cylindrical block has a solid surface adjacent to said inlet means to divert the fluid flow to the annular gap between said block and said wall means.
5. 25. A fluid-to-fluid heat exchanger comprising:an enclosed lower temperature fluid flow region,an enclosed higher temperature fluid flow region,wall means between said higher and lower temperature fluid flow regions for transmitting heat energy therebetween,porous ceramic material positioned within said higher temperature fluid flow region, said porous ceramic material being spaced apart from said wall means to form a narrow gap between said wall means and said ceramic material,first fluid flow means for causing a high temperature fluid to flow through said higher temperature region parallel to the surface of said wall means primarily in the gap between said wall means and said porous ceramic material, such that any fluid flow through said ceramic material in said high temperature region is predominantly in a direction parallel to said wall means, andfluid diversion means for diverting the fluid flow around a portion of said porous ceramic material and into said gap.