BLOWERLESS HEAT EXCHANGER BASED ON MICRO-JET ENTRAINMENT

• US 20090288807A1
• Filed: 07/29/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Eickhoff, Steven J., Yang, Wei, Gu, Alex, Zhang, Chunbo
• Granted Patent: US 8,376,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/80.300
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/12 by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation F28F13/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2215/06 Hollow fins; fins with internal circuits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2215/10 Secondary fins, e.g. projections or recesses on main fins
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/08 Fluid driving means, e.g. pumps, fans
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3672 Foil-like cooling fins or heat sinks being part of lead-frames H01L23/49568
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/467 by flowing gases, e.g. air H01L23/473 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making

Abstract

A blowerless heat exchanger apparatus based on micro-jet entrainment is disclosed. The heat exchanger apparatus incorporates a number of fins regularly spaced apart from each other and parallel to each other, thus letting air currents flow in the space defined between them. A dense array of micro-jet nozzles can be fabricated on the fins surface pointing to the flow direction of the air movement in order to induce increase airflow. The air from an air compressor delivers sufficient airflow on the fins surface utilizing micro-jets entrainment. The micro-jet entrainment confirms strong turbulent around the micro-jets and suggests significant heat transfer enhancement. The turbulence from the micro-jets enhance the heat transfer coefficient, potentially by an order of magnitude, therefore allowing much larger fin spacing and leads to huge reduction of flow resistance and overall power consumption.

Claims

1. An improved blowerless heat exchanger apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of fins spaced apart from each other and fabricated in association with a plurality of micro-jet nozzles on a surface of said plurality of fins, wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles point to an air flow direction in order to directly propel air by entrainment;

a plurality of air channels embedded in said plurality of fins in fluidic connection with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles; and

an air compressor that provides compressed air to said plurality of micro-jet nozzles wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles induces entrainment flow and turbulence to enhance a heat transfer coefficient thereof, potentially by an order of magnitude, therefore permitting larger flow spacing between said plurality of fins, thereby leading to a substantial reduction of flow resistance and overall power consumption.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a manifold in fluidic connection with said plurality of air channels and said air compressor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said micro-jet nozzles comprise a tapered section and an opening to facilitate micro-jets entrainment.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said air compressor comprises a displacement compressor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said air compressor comprises a turbo compressor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said plurality of fins comprises a plurality of silicon fins and/or a plurality of metal fins.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising wherein said plurality of metal fins is fabricated with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles utilizing laser micromachining process on a stamped metal foil bonded to a metal core.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mass flow rate from said air compressor is substantially smaller than the mass flow rate of said entrainment flow.

9. A method for configuring an improved blowerless heat exchanger apparatus, comprising:

providing a plurality of fins spaced apart from each other and fabricated in association with a plurality of micro-jet nozzles on a surface of said plurality of fins, wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles point to an air flow direction in order to directly propel air by entrainment;

providing a plurality of air channels embedded in said plurality of fins in fluidic connection with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles; and

associating an air compressor that provides compressed air to said plurality of micro-jet nozzles wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles induces entrainment flow and turbulence to enhance a heat transfer coefficient thereof, potentially by an order of magnitude, therefore permitting larger flow spacing between said plurality of fins, thereby leading to a substantial reduction of flow resistance and overall power consumption.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising associating a manifold in fluidic connection with said plurality of air channels and said air compressor.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising associating a tapered section and an opening to said micro-jet nozzles to facilitate micro-jets entrainment.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said air compressor comprises a displacement compressor.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said air compressor comprises a turbo compressor.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said plurality of fins comprises a plurality of silicon fins and/or a plurality of metal fins.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising fabricating said plurality of silicon fins with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles utilizing MEMS technology on a silicon substrate.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising fabricating said plurality of metal fins with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles utilizing laser micromachining process on a stamped metal foil bonded to a metal core.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein the mass flow rate from said air compressor is substantially smaller than the mass flow rate of said entrainment flow.

18. A method for configuring an improved blowerless heat exchanger apparatus, comprising:

providing a plurality of fins regularly spaced apart from each other and disposed parallel to each other and fabricated in association with a plurality of micro-jet nozzles on a surface of said plurality of fins, wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles point to an air flow direction in order to directly propel air by entrainment;

providing a plurality of air channels embedded in said plurality of fins in fluidic connection with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles;

associating an air compressor that provides compressed air to said plurality of micro-jet nozzles wherein said plurality of micro-jet nozzles induces entrainment flow and turbulence to enhance a heat transfer coefficient thereof, potentially by an order of magnitude; and

associating a tapered nozzle and an opening thereof with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles in order to direct air on said plurality of fins surface utilizing micro-jets entrainment, therefore permitting larger flow spacing between said plurality of fins, thereby leading to a substantial reduction of flow resistance and overall power consumption.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the mass flow rate from said air compressor is substantially smaller than the mass flow rate of said entrainment flow.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising fabricating said plurality of fins with said plurality of micro-jet nozzles utilizing MEMS technology on a silicon substrate.