US 11,988,147 B2
Heat exchanger for a hydrogen fuel delivery system
Eyitayo James Owoeye, Houston, TX (US); and Constantinos Minas, Slingerlands, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/859,092.
Prior Publication US 2024/0011440 A1, Jan. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F02C 7/224 (2006.01); F02C 3/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/224 (2013.01) [F02C 3/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/222 (2013.01); F05D 2220/323 (2013.01); F05D 2260/207 (2013.01); F05D 2260/213 (2013.01); F05D 2260/22141 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger for a hydrogen fuel delivery system, the heat exchanger comprising:
a tube bank including an inner-tube, wherein a first portion of the inner-tube extends through an inlet region of the tube bank, a second portion of the inner-tube extends through a mid-region of the tube bank, and a third portion of the inner-tube extends through an outlet region of the tube bank;
a thermal buffer least partially surrounding the inner-tube, wherein a first portion of the thermal buffer extends along the first portion of the inner-tube, a second portion of the thermal buffer extends along the second portion of the inner-tube, and a third portion of the thermal buffer extends along the third portion of the inner-tube, wherein the first portion of the thermal buffer has a first thickness, the second portion of the thermal buffer has a second thickness, and the third portion of the thermal buffer has a third thickness, and wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness and the second thickness is greater than the third thickness; and
a plurality of fins disposed along the inner-tube and extending radially outwardly from an outer surface of the thermal buffer.