EDI

EDITORIAL

Following the last HEXAG meeting, some good progress has been made on bringing forward a range of compact heat exchangers to be included within the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme. Brief details are given below of the types likely to be covered, and it is hoped to have positive news of the acceptance in principle by the next HEXAG meeting.

Although the DTI contract for HEXAG ran out in 2003, it is hoped that there will be an opportunity to bid for funds within the context of the forthcoming Innovation Programme. Information on this programme of the activities of relevance to HEXAG members will also be given at Warwick.

I have been invited by the Heat Transfer Society to be their President for one year from the end of March 2004. This is an honour which I have accepted with much pleasure, and I hope to bring HEXAG and the HTS closer as well as furthering the case for investment in R&D in heat transfer and heat exchangers – an area which is an uphill battle at present!

The Next HEXAG Meeting will be in the Department of Engineering, Warwick University on 12 May 2004. Please contact me if you would like to give a talk – ‘slots’ are still available.

David Reay – HEXAG Co-ordinator,

PO Box 25, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE26 1QT, UK. Tel: 0191 251 2985. Fax: 0191 252 2229. Email: DAReay@aol.comHEXAG Web Site: www.hexag.hw.ac.uk

IN THIS ISSUE*Editorial * Enhanced Capital Allowances * Message from the 8 th UK Heat Transfer Conference Secretariate * EPSRC Staff Changes * EPSRC funding opportunities * Useful web sites * Changes at SWEP * Heat exchangers on the rise * US firm develops plastic fan coil * Reaction Engines Ltd. * Heat pipes get to the heart of problems * Staying cool by getting plastered * Intercooler sets benchmark for 6.6 * Valeo wins Euro 10 million deal for lightweight cooler * News from the Carbon Trust *Recent Literature & Patents *Forthcoming Events *HEXAG Help Line *The next HEXAG Meeting – May, 2004.

ENHANCED CAPITAL ALLOWANCE (ECA) SCHEME

Issue 19, February 2004

HEXAG NEWS

HEXAG NEWS

Progress has been made in the movement towards opening the opportunity for manufacturers to include compact heat exchangers (plate liquid-liquid, plate-fin and types such as those made by Heatric and Chart – the latter described by the Focus Group as ‘compact heat exchangers with precision-formed surfaces) on the approved list for Enhanced Capital Allowances. A Focus Group has discussed the criteria in some detail, and it is hoped that this will go forward for final approval soon. After this, manufacturers will have an opportunity to add equipment to the approved list, subject to each heat exchanger meeting performance and size criteria as set out by the Focus Group.

It is hoped that full information this and other initiatives in the buildings heat recovery area will be reported in more detail at the next HEXAG meeting at Warwick University.

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MESSAGE FROM THE 8TH UK NATIONAL HEAT TRANSFER CONFERENCE SECRETARIATE

Dear All,

Thank you all for coming to the 8th UK National Heat Transfer Conference, the organising committee hopes that you enjoyed the event. We were particularly pleased that so many graduate students from the UK and overseas attended. The attendance figures are given below.

Standard rate: 72Student rate: 44Retired rate: 7University: 97Industry: 26

After much deliberation due to the high standard of competition, HTFS have decided to jointly award the prize for the best paper having a student as an author to:

FB12:  Flow Boiling Heat Transfer in a 3-Phase Circulating Fluidised Bed (Self Cleaning Heat Exchanger): Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, Khellil Sefiane, Don Glass (University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh)

And

HX8: Measurement and Interpretation of the Heat Transfer Coefficients of Metal Foams: A.J.Fuller, T.Kim, H.P.Hodson, T.J. Lu (University of Cambridge, Cambridge)

The posters and presentations for these papers can be viewed from the conference website: http://www.heat-transfer.org.uk/ukht2003

HTFS have also recommended three papers as highly commended:

CO1: A Dataset of Steam Condensation over a Double Enhanced Tube Bundle under Vacuum: T. H. Ooi, D. R. Webb and P. J.Heggs (UMIST, Manchester)

TR2a: Experimental Studies of Heat Transfer in a Tube Bundle Model: T. H. Choudhury, L. Liu, N. K. Duggan, B. Hu, S. M. Richardson, G. F. Hewitt (Imperial College, London)

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HEXAG NEWS CR06: The Effect of Combined Radiation and Convection on Hot Dip Galvanizing Kettle Wear: S.G. Blakey, S.B.M. Beck (University of Sheffield, Sheffield)

The committee would like to express their congratulations to the authors of these papers.

Finally we have been asked to draw your attention to the ECOS2004 17th International Conference on Efficiency, Costs, Optimization, Simulation and Environmental Impact of Energy and Process Systems. This will be held in Guanajuato, Mexico, July 7 -9, 2004. More information can be found at: http://ecos2004.imp.mx or by e-mailing ecos2004@imp.mx

Best regards, Jenny GoodmanUK National Heat Transfer Conference Web Secretary

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EPSRC Staff Changes

Things are all change at EPSRC, with several recent staff moves:

Dr Susan Morrell has moved from being Head of the Technology Sector Team to lead the new IDEAS Factory.

Vince Osgood has moved from the role of ICT Programme Manager to become Head of the Technology Sector Team.

Dr Lesley Thompson has moved from the role of Life Sciences Interface Programme Manager to take over as ICT Programme Manager.

Dr Lizzy Hylton has moved from the role of Engineering Programme Manager to take over as Life Sciences Interface Programme Manager.

Dr Alicia Greated takes over as Engineering Programme Manager on 16 th February, having been promoted from Associate Programme Manager in the Engineering Team.

**************

EPSRC Funding Opportunities

The major route of funding available from EPSRC is through applications to the Responsive Mode. The Responsive Mode is very flexible; anyone employed by a Higher Education Institute in the UK on a permanent contract can apply for funding at anytime, for whatever resources are needed to carry out the research, for any subject within the EPSRC remit (Engineering and the Physical Sciences).

There is no minimum or maximum funding, and no minimum or maximum grant period. A typical grant is about £180,000 over three years, but grants can be for a few weeks (an overseas travel grant for example) up to major awards in excess of £10 million over five or six years.

Examples of things that can be funded as part of a Responsive Mode grant include:

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HEXAG NEWS Feasibility Studies: It is possible to apply for funding for a short-term project to test

the feasibility of an idea which, if successful, may lead to an application for funding for a larger project in the longer term.

First Grants: For individuals applying to EPSRC for funding for the first time and within 24 months of their first academic salaried appointment in a UK university. This provides funding of up to £120,000.

Overseas Travel Grants: These are small value grants that can provide up to £20,000 for travel and subsistence to allow the investigators to visit recognised research centres overseas to study new techniques or to develop new collaborations (not for conference attendance).

Visiting Fellowships: To enable scientists or engineers of acknowledged standing from within the UK or abroad to visit the proposer's institution to give advice and assistance. A Visiting Fellowship provides funding to cover the travel, subsistence and salary costs of the visiting fellow for up to one year.

Platform Grants. These are highly prestigious awards for internationally leading groups. The awards nurture creativity, flexibility and adventure in an already strong research environment to provide continuity for key contract researchers and technicians. The awards are for up to five years and £400,000.

Multi-university projects: It is possible to apply for funding to support a group of universities to work together on a long-term research programme with or without industrial collaboration.

Equipment grants: It is possible to apply for funding for a piece of equipment, this can include the technical support required to run the equipment.

Advice about EPSRC remit and EPSRC application and assessment procedures can be provided by the relevant EPSRC Associate Programme Manager (in the case of heat transfer this is Dr Emma Feltham: emma.feltham@epsrc.ac.uk, phone: 01793 444478).

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USEFUL WEB SITES

International Institute of Refrigerationwww.iifiir.orgThe IUR has a bimonthly newsletter, which carries information on conferences in the refrigeration/cryogenics area, news of IIR activities, and information on other IIR publications.

www.thecarbontrust.co.uk For up-to-date information on R&D funding opportunities etc.

www.dti.gov.uk For data on new support programmes. The Innovation Report makes good reading.

www.pinetwork.org This is the NEW web address of the Process Intensification Network – PIN.**********

Changes at SWEP

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HEXAG NEWS SWEP International PHE has combined with its US-based sister company Tranter PHE – the SWEP name will continue as a ‘brand name’ exclusively for the manufacture of compact brazed heat exchangers but the US company name will be adopted. The company supplies gasketed and welded heat exchanger offering a single supply source. Some manufacturing and R&D facilities will be combined.

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Heat Exchangers on the Rise

European sales of heat exchangers are expected to benefit from expected economic rebound in 2005, according to a new report by Frost & Sullivan.Total sales in 2003 reached £1.76bn and are expected to reach £2bn by 2010. All-welded exchangers, brazed exchangers are all highlighted for particular growth.Sales to eastern Europe are expected to increase at more than twice the rate of markets in western Europe.European manufacturers are experiencing increased competition from cheap imports from pacific rim countries and eastern Europe.Shell and tube exchangers accounted for the largest share of the market in 2003 with sales estimated at £541m. However growth was weak at 1% and is expected to remain poor in 2004.Air-cooled heat exchangers are the next largest category with sales of £380m.German was identified as the largest market, taking 29.1% of total sales in 2003. However, Frost & Sullivan sees poor economic growth spelling lacklustre developments and an eventual decline in Germany’s relative share of future revenues.The UK is seen as a significant market and, despite slowing demand from our home market, is expected to benefit from the strength of our contractors in winning overseas markets.

For further details and to order a copy of the report contact Frost & Sullivan on 020 7343 8376.

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US firm develops plastic fan coil

A US company has developed a range of plastic fan coils using DuPont’s Caltrel plastic heat exchanger technology.

Being made of plastic, the heat exchangers will not corrode and being that plastic surfaces are inherently smoother than copper, the frictional effects of flowing fluids are decreased and pressure losses reduced. The material’s natural dampening characteristics are also said to minimise vibrations and noise.

Robert Yoho, president of the manufacturers PowerCold described the PlexCoil as “one of the most significant advances in air conditioning technology in recent years.”

Wind tunnel tests are said to have demonstrated superiority over conventional heat exchangers relative to air-side pressure, water flow rates and heat transfer rates.

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HEXAG NEWS In January 2003, PowerCold announced collaboration with DuPont to test new materials for air conditioning units. The two companies have been testing the use of new plastic heat exchangers in air condition systems in high humidity environments.

PowerCold signed a joint development and license agreement for the heat exchangers in May 2003.

DoPont’s Caltrel plastic coil material can be applied to hot or cold water resulting in the same performance. It does not accumulate encrustation and is not subject to oxidation, corrosion, microbiological attack, or galvanic action. This allows the fan coil to function in hostile environments near salt water, aggressive vapours or corrosive fluids.

Industry groups estimate the US fan coil market to be well over $300m and the global fan coil market to be over $1bn.

The system has already been specified for The Hilton Garden Inn Resort Hotel in St. Augustine Florida.

All the exhaust air will be captured through heat exchangers and the waste heat and cooling will be used to heat and cool the outside air being brought in to each guest room fan coil unit.

FROM ACR News, January 2004.*****************************Reaction Engines Ltd

A summary of Reaction Engines Ltd

Reaction Engines Ltd (REL) was incorporated as a limited company in August 1989 and began trading in June 1990. REL is both expert an experienced in space transportation generally and the engines of reusable space launchers specifically. In particular, REL is a world leader in the field of heat exchanger technology for use in the engines of advanced reusable space launchers.

REL’s overall project, SKYLON, is for a fully reusable space launcher, for which the overall design is now very mature and detailed in its final configuration. Details of SKYLON are included in the Appendix to this Summary.

Lack of UK Government support for the SKYLON project has limited the objectives of REL, at least temporarily. However, the pre-cooler technology developed for the SABRE hybrid engine, which is central to the SKYLON project, can be used in other similar projects and may have spin-offs in conventional turbojet engines and mobile refrigeration systems. The SABRE hybrid engine is the crux of the design as the vehicle achieves a velocity of Mach 26.

The engines depend on very efficient heat exchangers. Incoming air to each nacelle is compressed and heats to about 1,000oC. The pre-cooler cools the incoming air to –140oC which is then mixed with liquid hydrogen to power the jet phase of flight. Both SABRE engines in both nacelles have two further heat exchangers, each cooled by liquid hydrogen.

Heat exchangers for aerospace propulsion must have a very large surface area within a very small volume. They must operate over a high pressure difference and span a temperature range from very high to very low. Above all, they must be very light. A further complication is caused by water in the earth’s atmosphere, which would freeze in the colder part of the heat exchanger unless properly

7

HEXAG NEWS controlled. Any advantage gained by having heat exchangers in aerospace engines would be more than cancelled out if this frost control problem were not fully solved.

REL has solved all these problems by using, among other ingenious innovations, very small diameter refractory metal tubing; a typical heat exchanger will comprise many thousands of such tubes. Fine Tubes Ltd successfully manufactured the first tubing to REL’s specification in 1999. The concept and detail of our core technologies is very innovative but they all use current manufacturing methods, existing technologies and known materials.

Following private investment in March 2001, an experimental demonstration of REL’s frost control technologies was undertaken. The program has already been very successful and has almost been completed. The current program, funded until March 2003, has been directed at resolving those areas of perceived difficulty relating to lightweight compact heat exchangers operating in a frosting environment and will demonstrate all the following:

Liquid condensate management across the relevant temperature range.

Manufacturing technology of heat exchangers with small diameter tubes made from Inconel 718.

Low temperature heat exchanger operation in flowing conditions.

High temperature, high stress creep resistance in furnace conditions.

Confirm heat transfer and pressure loss predictions

Confirm weight predictions for the heat exchanger and frost management system.

On December 2001 REL was awarded a SMART (Feasibility) Award by the Department of Trade and Industry to investigate the manufacturing processes involved in building pre-coolers, This programme is progressing well and is due to be completed in January 2003.

For further information contact us:

Richard VarvillReaction Engines Ltd, Building D5, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 3DBTel: 01865 408314Fax: 01865 408301Email: richard.varvill@reactionengines.co.uk FROM http://www.aau.ac.uk/rel.htm

*******************Heat Pipes Get to the Heart of Problems

Automotive engineers are showing increasing interest in simple heat pipes as cost-effective ways of taking unwanted heat out of systems or transferring it to areas where it may be useful, writes Roger Bishop.

Dana Corporation has been quick to spot these opportunities and is working with OEMs on specific applications under the direction of Ted Zielinski, technical director of the Thermal Products division.

A heat pipe is a simple, passive device-basically a sealed tube containing a wick and a very small amount of working fluid. Heat is absorbed in the evaporating section and the working fluid boils to

8

HEXAG NEWS the vapour phase. As heat is released from the other end of the tube, the vapour condenses to the liquid phase and returns, via the wick, to the other end of the tube. All that is required to make a heat pipe work is a difference in temperature at either end of the tube.

One patented solution involves taking heat from the engine coolant to the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve to prevent the orifice from freezing. This can occur when blow-by gases meet moisture and the effect is to build up sump pressure-even to the point of blowing out the dipstick. The same conditions can freeze the air intake system, including the throttle body, with potentially dangerous consequences.

Dana’s solution involves inserting and sealing a heat pipe into the cooling circuit through an orifice in the cylinder head. It extends through the valve train cover and can be directed to the PCV valve and/or throttle body.

In another configuration the heat pipe can be mounted inside a water circuit house. Further applications include cooling of electronic devices, especially the large ICs used in engine and chassis control management which have to operate in a very hot environment. Another heat pipe system, shown to European Automotive Design in prototype form-and being evaluated by both vehicle OEMs and axle manufacturers-is being used to take heat out of a limited slip differential system.

Zielinski said heat pipes could often be used to economically solve problems that may otherwise involve a high degree of re-engineering. This is especially true as vehicle platforms are upgraded. With increased power putting more loads on systems, heat pipes can extend the performance range of systems and components.

FROM EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN Nov. 2003.*****

Staying cool by getting plastered

A Paraffin-Based wall coating material will prevent heat build-up in modern homes and offices, making them more pleasant places in which to live and work, researchers said this week.

The material, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) with the help of chemicals firm BASF, consists of micro-balls of paraffin distributed within wall plaster.

The material is designed to improve temperature control in modern buildings that have thin walls made of lightweight materials. Thin walls do not absorb much thermal energy, so rooms heat up rapidly in summer. The ISE material does not insulate the walls, but instead allows heat to be stored and discharged over a 24-hour cycle. The paraffin is encapsulated in a plexiglass material to form tiny balls with a large surface area. Each capsule is around 100 nanometres in size. The paraffin balls are then distributed within a wall plaster, which is applied as usual. When the room temperature reaches 24oC the paraffin melts, absorbing energy and storing it as latent heat but without significantly raising the paraffin’s temperature. This keeps the room cooler for longer. At night as the temperatures fall, the paraffin solidifies again, discharging heat that can then be released from the building through open windows or a ventilator.

‘The material is ideal for use in Europe’s climate,’ said Peter Schossig, a researcher at the ISE in Freiburg, Germany: ‘Here, we experience large changes in temperature between day and night, whereas this is not so in the tropics, for example’.

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HEXAG NEWS Attempts to produce an energy-saving paraffin-based material began in the 1970’s after the oil crisis but were abandoned, said Schossig: ‘Drilling into walls would damage macro-encapsulated material, but our capsules are so small that this problem is avoided.’

The first products containing the paraffin capsules are now commercially available in Germany.

FROM The Engineer, August 2003.*************************************

Intercooler sets benchmark for 6.6

Systems supplier Behr of Stuttgart has specified a 35 per cent glass-filled polyamide 6.6 for the lower plenum of the charge-air cooler (intercooler) fitted to MAN D28 diesel engines.

It is an application that sets a benchmark in moulding potential for glass-filled 6.6 due to the nearly 1m length of the cavity. This needs to be filled from a single injection point without increasing injection pressure to compensate as the material begins to crystallise.

The chosen material-BASF’s Ultramid A3WG7-was required to have a high stiffness along with flow properties that allow for simple mould design. Apart from providing the strength necessary for a long service life in the high temperature, high pressure environment (2 bar, 110oC) in which the charge-air cooler operates, the material also offers design freedoms. Behr was able to integrate into the plenum attachment points for the condenser, a dirt trap and other mountings.

The dimensional accuracy of the moulding allows the plenum to be attached to the cooler’s aluminum core using a simple gasket seal. To win MAN’s approval, the charge-air cooler had to withstand the equivalent of a 1 million km of operation under diverse road and weather conditions

FROM EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN, SEPT, 03+++++++++++

Valeo wins EURO 10m deal for lightweight cooler

Valeo has won its first contract for its mechanical multi-exchanger- a 10 million deal from Renault for Clio 1.2 and 1.6 litre engines.

The component, which has been patented worldwide, combines the engine cooling radiator and an air-conditioning condenser using a unique design of mechanical core.

Generally, multi-exchangers are of conventional brazed construction, integrating a separate engine cooling radiator and air-conditioning condenser into one unit.

Alternatively, two separate exchangers are attached to form one module.

Valeo’s unit is mechanically assembled using a single aluminium fin. The tubes of the condenser are brazed by electromagnetic induction to the condenser headers. This novel technique was adopted to eliminate the expensive and heavier brazed construction process that requires a controlled atmosphere.

The ease of mechanical assembly, coupled with a much simplified brazing process, provides the potential for significant cost savings while maintaining the same thermal performance. The process also enables a 20 per cent component thickness reduction and a lighter system.

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HEXAG NEWS

FROM EUROPEAN AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN, SEPT. 03

NEWS FROM THE CARBON TRUST(FROM THE CT WEB SITE)

“Do you have that unique idea, concept or technology that could underpin change in the low carbon economy? The Carbon Trust provides funding for genuine innovation through an Open Call process and through the Carbon Vision Partnership, consortia that push the limit of 'blue sky' research.

News:During the present call (Feb 2 to March 12), we shall continue to seek proposals across the range of Low Carbon Technologies, but would particularly welcome innovative ways of improving the thermal efficiency of solid wall dwellings.

Open Call Process Over the past year the Carbon Trust has invested over £6.6m in UK business and academia leveraging over £18.6m of other investment into innovative R, D&D. We are therefore committed to targeting and supporting ground-breaking projects that demonstrate a potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; you can apply on-line for a grant of up to £250K towards the cost of the project providing it also demonstrates:

Genuine innovation Clear need or demand for the outputs of the project Benefits the UK

NEW CALL DUE MAY 2004 – See Carbon Trust Web Site

PROJECTS FUNDED TO DATE:

The projects listed are those selected as being of possible interest to HEXAG members.

This table lists the Research Development and Demonstration projects supported by the Carbon Trust following successful application through calls for proposals. Projects which are still going through the application process or are agreed subject to contract are not listed.

Lead Project Partner Project Title Grant Value

2 Heriot-Watt University Low-cost modular proton-exchange membrane electrolysers: a feasibility study £48,750

3 University of Birmingham Bio-fuels for clean and efficient engines: enabling controlled auto ignition combustion technology by fuel reforming.

£63,945

4 C-Tech Innovation Ltd Enhancement of catalysis by a low energy electrochemical technique. £36,716

9 Ambi-Rad Improving the performance of radiant heaters by incorporating a second stage convective heat exchanger.

£50,114

11 University of Glamorgan Feasibility of flameless firing of primary glass £61,964

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HEXAG NEWS melters for reduction of CO2 emissions.

12 University of Sheffield Directed Evolution for Bioprocess Intensified Low-Carbon Bio fuels Generation £51,248

15 University of Nottingham Heat recovery system using sorption dehumidification of natural gas exhaust £39,945

16 HILTech Developments Ltd

Feasibility of developing novel high volume fuel cell hydrogen storage using thermally restructured d-developed PAN.

£47,160

20 Shropshire County Council Heat pumps in rural off gas grid buildings £42,000

22 London Borough of Croydon

Woodchip from waste for renewable heat and power £61,752

23 Birmingham City Council Demonstration of CHP Technology £51,943

24 British Geological Survey On-line temp prediction and site characterisation for UK Ground Source Heat Pump system design

£64,709

28 IT Power Training & accreditatation of solar water heating systems £86,227

29 Building Research Establishment Ltd Energy savings potential of boiler controls £44,850

33 E A Technical Services Ltd Heat pump with integral expansion turbine £143,028

35 BHR Group Ltd Energy efficient kilns £109,382

38 C-Tech The dielectric prevention of icing on refrigeration coils £59,030

39 Ceres IT-SOFC Electrolyte Manufacture £193,000

41 London South Bank University

A novel low carbon superconductive food display cabinet £36,934

49 Heliodynamics Suntrap thermal only low cost modules interfaced to drive a 10 tonne commercial chiller air-con system

£113,225

50 Burnertech Gas burner design project £160,478

51 University of Sheffield Low cost energy efficient compressors for refrigeration £197,258

52 University of Cambridge Demonstration of intensified, continuous production of biodiesel using oscillatory flow reactor

£75,000

53 DSL Processing Prototype development for commercial scale production of ink grade carbon black from post pyrolysis tyre char

£122,934

55 Ceres Electrode development for intermediate temperature SOFCs £200,000

56 CMR Fuel Cells Ltd Performance validation of a CMR fuel cell £300,000

58 Warwick Ventures Development of prototype for convective thermal wave absorption technology £199,373

The data above are extracted from the Carbon Trust web site for the benefit of HEXAG members.

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HEXAG NEWS

Recent Literature & Patents

In this regular section of HEXAG News, recent publications are briefly reviewed, and patents believed of interest to readers are identified. The Editor invites contributions identified by HEXAG members in order to increase awareness of heat exchanger activities world-wide. The transfer of technology from one sector to another allows you to eliminate unnecessary R&D, and helps the solution of problems which may be outside your normal areas of experience or expertise. Some of the reviews are obviously aimed at encouraging this. In this issue, some additional patent web sites are detailed.

Searches in all databases can be done on the basis of key words for the technology, patent numbers, (where known), companies or inventors. Care should be taken in ascertaining where 'free' access stops and charges begin, e.g. for ordering the full patent specification.

The UK Patent Office has its own web site, offering a variety of facilities. Free access to patent abstracts and other services is available: http://www.patent.gov.uk/

Once onto the UK Patent Office Home Page, directions to the patent search are given. On clicking on this, one is given access to the interface to the published patent application databases of the UK Patent Office, the European Patent Office and other European national patent offices. There is also access to the database of published patent applications: Esp@cenet

Full copies of the specification, drawings and claims can be viewed on line, if they are available. Using a key word search for compact heat exchangers, for example, the user will find patent abstracts from Eastern and Western Europe, as well as the USA.

Perhaps the best data sources for patents, in terms of web accessibility and ease of searching, are those associated with United States Patents. Abstracts, and other limited access is free of charge, (except for your own web time charges) at two sites:

http://www.uspto.gov/ - This is the United States Patent and Trademark Office Home Page and is the official site for searching the US patent database.

http://www.delphion.com The Delphion Intellectual Property Network also lists US patents, searchable by key words, patent numbers, assignees, etc.

For access to more specific data sources on patents, such as vehicle patents, use the web search engine with key words such as 'patents' or ''US patents' to obtain a full listing..

One useful feature of some patent databases is that you can view a picture of the device being patented - not available with most abstract services, such as the one I use for the abstracts below. Patents are one area where a picture is worth many thousands of words!

A selection of the latest US Patens on heat transfer & heat exchangers:

Patent Number 06607355

Issue Date 19/08/2003

Turbine airfoil with enhanced heat transfer

A turbine airfoil section having an internal cavity and a plurality of indentations on the inner surface of the internal cavity is described. The indentations provide enhanced heat transfer for cooling the internal cavity of an airfoil thereby improving the life of the airfoil and optimizing the efficiency of the engine by minimizing the amount of compressor bleed air required. Advantageously, this cooling scheme also does not restrict the cooling flow within the internal cavity. The indentations may have varying patterns and alternative geometric configurations

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HEXAG NEWS Assignee United Technologies Corporation

*********************Patent Number 06619384

Issue Date 16/09/2003

Heat pipe having woven-wire wick and straight-wire wick

A heat pipe having a woven-wire wick and a straight fine-wire wick is disclosed. The heat pipe can be easily manufactured and improve a thermal performance of the heat pipe. The heat pipe includes a pipe container, a straight fine-wire wick located in the pipe container, wherein the straight fine-wire wick has a porosity; a woven-wire wick having a plurality of groups of wires spirally woven to form a substantially cylindrical wick, for contacting the straight fine-wire wick to an inner wall of the pipe container, wherein when the woven-wire wick is forced radially and inwardly in order for the woven-wire wick to be inserted into the pipe container, the woven-wire wick has restoration forces in a radial and outward direction from axis of the woven-wire wick and is tightly contact with the inner wall of the pipe container, and wherein ends of the straight fine-wire wick and the woven-wire wick are fixed to ends of the pipe container.

Assignee Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute******************

Patent Number 06622519

Issue Date 23/09/2003

Process for cooling a product in a heat exchanger employing microchannels for the flow of refrigerant and product

This invention relates to a process for cooling a product in a heat exchanger, the process comprising: flowing a refrigerant through a set of first microchannels in the heat exchanger; flowing a refrigerant through a set of second microchannels in the heat exchanger, the refrigerant flowing through the set of second microchannels being at a lower temperature, a lower pressure or both a lower temperature and a lower pressure than the refrigerant flowing through the set of first microchannels; and flowing a product through a set of third microchannels in the heat exchanger, the product exiting the set of third microchannels having a cooler temperature than the product entering the set of third microchannels. This process is suitable for liquefying gaseous products including natural gas.

Assignee Velocys, Inc.******************

Patent Number 06622785

Issue Date 23/09/2003

Folded multi-passageway flat tube

A folded multi-passageway flat tube is disclosed, which is made from a flat sheet metal strip and has folded webs and a longitudinal seam. Through-openings for improving the heat transfer and for a generating transverse flow are provided in the folded webs. The through-openings are advantageously made by punching in the flat sheet metal strip, that is to say before folding, and are made congruent after folding. These folded multi-passageway flat tubes are preferably used for refrigerant condensers in motor vehicle air-conditioning systems.

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HEXAG NEWS

Assignee Behr GmbH & Co.*********

Patent Number 06609562

Issue Date 26/08/2003

Heat exchange apparatus and method of use

A heat exchanger comprises a plurality of first heat exchange tubes extending through the exchanger, and through a plurality of laterally extending heat exchanger chambers each chamber having at least one entry from a first chamber and at least one entry from a first chamber and at least one exit to a second axially adjacent chamber, and each chamber having a plurality of transverse interconnecting zones, each of which is defined by at least two of said tubes, and at least one first zone has an entry to said first chamber and at least one second zone, different from said first zone, has an exit to said second chamber. Also included is a vessel for mixing or distributing streams of a first fluid passing axially from an upstream to a downstream location, which comprises transverse baffles across said vessel in at least two successive rows, which rows of baffles define an open transverse chamber, the baffles in successive rows having a different spatial distribution across the vessel. Preferably the apparatus has the heat exchanger with the distributor downstream of it, and the whole apparatus is a compact reformer

Assignee BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, Kvaerner ProcessTechnology Limited********

Patent Number 06615606

Issue Date 09/09/2003

Dual turbine bootstrap cycle environmental control system

An environmental control system (ECS) includes an air cycle machine (ACM) subsystem that is in a heat exchange relationship with one or more liquid cycle subsystems. Compressed air which exists a compressor section of the ACM is communicated to a reheater and a condenser to further cool the water vapour bearing air by condensing and separating the water into a water extractor. Dehumidified air exits the extractor and is communicated to an air-liquid heat exchanger to absorb a first heat load. The heated dehumidified air recovers thermal energy from the air-liquid heat exchanger and is expanded over a first turbine. The expanded air is communicated through the condenser and reheater such that the expanded air absorbs thermal energy therefrom. The recovered thermal energy in the expanded air then used by a second turbine to increase its efficiency. The expanded air from the second turbine is placed in the thermal exchange with a second air-liquid heat exchanger to absorb a second heat load.

Assignee Hamilton Sundstrand

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Patent Number 06615911

Issue Date 09/09/2003

High performance liquid-cooled heat sink with twisted tape inserts for electronics cooling

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HEXAG NEWS

A liquid-cooled heat sink for use in combination with a heat exchanger to cool electronic or electrical devices attached to said heat sink comprises a metal block having a plurality of circular passageways therethrough defined by cylindrical walls. An inlet is in fluid communication with one end of the passageways for receiving a cooling liquid, and an outlet is in fluid communication with an opposite end of the passageways for outputting the cooling liquid. At least one tape insert is mounted within at least one of the circular passageways, wherein the tape insert longitudinally bisects the circular passageway and further wherein edges of the tape insert about cylindrical wall.

Assignee Delphi Technologies, Inc.

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

4th European Thermal Sciences Conference, NEC, Birmingham, 29-31 March 2004. See www.thermalsciences.co.uk or email events@ttmprojects.com

22nd HEXAG Meeting, Warwick University, 12 May 2004.(See Panel below – information will be sent later to HEXAG Members)

10th PIN (Process Intensification Network) meeting, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 3 June 2004. (See www.pinetwork.org for details or contact David Reay on DAReay@aol.com)

3rd International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, Nottingham University, 28-30 June 2004. Contact Claire Hardwidge on claire.hardwidge@nottingham.ac.uk or www.nottingham.ac.uk/sbe Papers are still invited for this Conference on a wide variety of thermal subjects.

For Those who Like Travelling:

HPC ’04 – Heat Powered Cycles – Cooling, Heating and Power Generation Systems. Larnaca, Cypris, 11-13 October 2004. Contact Sharon Holmes at holmess@lsbu.ac.uk

*****CONFERENCE DATA

SIMS 2004, the 45th international conference on modelling andsimulation.

The Conference will take place in Copenhagen September 23-24, 2004. Abstracts are invited for papers to be presented orally or by poster.

Papers on any topic with relation to Modelling and Simulation are welcomed.

The conference is organised in co-operation between Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen University and Aalborg University and the two organisations: Scandinavian Simulation Society and Danish Simulation Society.

For further details of the scope of the conference and practical aspects, prospective authors and participants are referred to the conference home page at http://www.sims2004.mek.dtu.dk or to the

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HEXAG NEWS The pamphlet can also be downloaded from the conference home page at http://www.sims2004.mek.dtu.dk if more hard copies areneeded for distribution

Conference Secretariat Department of Mechanical EngineeringBuilding 402Nils Koppels AlleTechnical University of DenmarkDK-2800 Kgs. LyngbyDenmark

Telephone (+45)45251960/4300Telefax (+45)45935215E-mail be@mek.dtu.dk

******3rd International Symposium on Two-Phase Flow Modelling and Experimentation, Pisa, September 22-24, 2004

All pertaining information can be found at http://www.ing.unipi.it/ ******

13th International Heat Pipe Conference, Shanghai, China, 21-25 September 2004.

The 13th International Heat Pipe Conference will be held in Shanghai, September 21-25,2004. This conference is planned to provide a forum for exchange of information and experience between scientists and engineers working in the field of heat and mass transfer and thermal engineering as related to heat pipes. This international meeting will provide an opportunity to review the state-of-the-art of heat pipe and closed two-phase heat transfer system technology. The conference will be organised under the auspices of the International Heat Pipe Conference Committee.

Correspondence AddressInformation can be found at:http://www.ihpc2004.org.cn

HEXAG HELP LINE

The HEXAG Help Line operates to deal with enquiries concerning any aspect of heat exchanger technology.

Contact: David Reay or the HEXAG Web Site

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HEXAG NEWS

THE NEXT HEXAG MEETING

12 MAY 2004

The 22nd HEXAG Meeting will be held in the Engineering Department, University of Warwick, on Wednesday 12 May 2004. Our hosts will be Dr. Bob Critoph and

his colleagues.Full information will be sent to members in mid-April.

Please contact David Reay (DAReay@aol.com) if you wish to give a talk

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