US 12,435,932 B2
Heat exchanger assembly formed of a lattice structure with a plurality of shell structure unit cells
Daniel Jason Erno, Clifton Park, NY (US); and Sathyanarayanan Raghavan, Ballston Lake, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Oct. 21, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/971,022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0133641 A1, Apr. 25, 2024
Prior Publication US 2024/0230249 A9, Jul. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. F28F 7/02 (2006.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); F28D 7/00 (2006.01); F28D 21/00 (2006.01)
CPC F28F 7/02 (2013.01) [B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); F28D 7/0008 (2013.01); F28D 2021/004 (2013.01); F28F 2210/02 (2013.01); F28F 2255/18 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat exchanger assembly, comprising:
a lattice structure comprising a plurality of shell structure unit cells, each of the plurality of shell structure unit cells comprising at least one junction and a plurality of connectors coupled to the at least one junction, the at least one junction and the plurality of connectors forming an integral surface; and
a fluid boundary wall defined within the lattice structure to define an active heat exchanger portion of the heat exchanger assembly and an inactive heat exchanger portion of the heat exchanger assembly, the active heat exchanger portion comprising at least one working fluid contained within the fluid boundary wall, the inactive heat exchanger portion lacking working fluids including the at least one working fluid,
wherein at least one of the plurality of shell structure unit cells extends through and beyond the fluid boundary wall to define a first region that is part of the active heat exchanger portion and a second region that is part of the inactive heat exchanger portion.