US 12,377,490 B2
Heat exchanger for friction stir welding apparatus and associated system and method
Aaron Parko, Athens, AL (US); Todd Renz, Toney, AL (US); and Timothy Walters, Madidon, AL (US)
Assigned to The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/466,647.
Prior Publication US 2025/0083249 A1, Mar. 13, 2025
Int. Cl. B23K 20/12 (2006.01); F28F 5/02 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 20/1235 (2013.01) [F28F 5/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger for a self-reacting friction stir welding apparatus, comprising:
a collar configured to be secured to and co-rotatable with a root shoulder of the self-reacting friction stir welding apparatus, wherein the collar is made of a thermally conductive material and comprises a collar flow inlet, a collar flow outlet, and an internal conduit fluidically coupling the collar flow inlet and the collar flow outlet;
a rotary union comprising a first rotary-union flow outlet fluidically coupled with the collar flow inlet, a first rotary-union flow inlet fluidically coupled with the collar flow outlet, a second rotary-union flow inlet, and a second rotary-union flow outlet, wherein the rotary union is coupled to the collar such that the rotary union is co-rotatable with the collar; and
a manifold comprising a first manifold flow outlet fluidically coupled with the second rotary-union flow inlet and a first manifold flow inlet fluidically coupled with the second rotary-union flow outlet, wherein the manifold is coupled to the rotary union such that the rotary union is rotatable relative to the manifold.