权利要求：
CLAIMS
1. Heat treatment apparatus for treating air, comprising in flow order: a pre-heating portion, a heating portion and a cooling portion for conveying an air flow therethrough;
a heater configured to heat air received in the heating portion;
wherein the pre-heating portion is configured for heat exchange with the cooling portion in a heat exchanger stage of the apparatus, such that upon discharge from the heating portion into the cooling portion the air flow is cooled by transferring heat to upstream air in the pre-heating portion.
2. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pre-heating portion comprises a plurality of pre-heating channels for heat exchange with the cooling portion, optionally fluidically coupled to an intake of the apparatus by an intake manifold, and optionally fluidically coupled to an inlet of the heater by a heater inlet manifold; and/or
wherein the cooling portion comprises a plurality of cooling channels for heat exchange with the pre-heating portion, optionally fluidically coupled to an outlet of the heater by a heater outlet manifold, and optionally fluidically coupled to a discharge of the apparatus by a discharge manifold.
3. Heat treatment apparatus according to according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of pre-heating channels and the plurality of cooling channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement for counterflow heat exchange.
4. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the pre-heating portion and the cooling portion are co-extensive along a longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger, and wherein each of the plurality of pre-heating channels and/or each of the plurality of cooling channels has a slender cross-sectional profile in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis.
5. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein each of at least some of the channels is subdivided into two or more subchannels by one or more fins extending across the channel, between walls separating adjacent channels.
6. Heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 5, comprising a plurality of heat exchange features provided on walls separating adjacent channels;
optionally wherein each heat exchange feature is a heat exchange member extending from a wall or between walls separating adjacent channels;
optionally wherein each heat exchange member extends obliquely between the walls, for example along a swept direction having an upstream or downstream component.
7. Heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 3-6, comprising a compound port manifold extending from the intake and the discharge nozzle to the heat exchanger stage, the compound port manifold defining the intake manifold and the discharge manifold:
wherein the intake manifold comprises an array of intake guide channels fluidically coupling the intake with the plurality of pre-heating channels;
wherein the discharge manifold comprises an array of discharge guide channels fluidically coupling the cooling channels with the discharge nozzle;
wherein the array of intake guide channels and the array of discharge guide channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement.
8. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the intake and the discharge nozzle are offset along a port offset axis;
wherein each intake guide channel diverges from the intake along the compound port manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the discharge guide channels: and/or
wherein each discharge guide channel diverges from the discharge nozzle along the compound port manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the intake guide channels.
9. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein each pair of adjacent guide channels of the compound port manifold are separated by a septum wall;
wherein downstream of the intake, each discharge guide channel is isolated from the intake by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls; and/or
wherein upstream of the discharge nozzle, each intake guide channel is isolated from the discharge nozzle by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls.
10. Heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 3-9, comprising a compound heater manifold extending from the heater inlet and the heater outlet to the heat
exchanger stage, the compound heater manifold defining the heater inlet manifold and the heater outlet manifold:
wherein the heater inlet manifold comprises an array of heater inlet guide channels fluidically coupling the heater inlet with the plurality of pre-heating channels;
wherein the heater outlet manifold comprises an array of heater outlet guide channels fluidically coupling the heater outlet with the plurality of cooling channels;
wherein the array of heater inlet guide channels and the array of heater outlet guide channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement.
11. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the heater inlet and the heater outlet are offset along a port offset axis:
wherein each heater inlet guide channel diverges from the heater inlet along the compound heater manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the heater outlet guide channels; and/or
wherein each heater outlet guide channel diverges from the heater outlet along the compound heater manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the heater inlet guide channels.
12. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein each pair of adjacent guide channels of the compound heater manifold are separated by a septum wall:
wherein upstream of the heater inlet, each heater outlet guide channel is isolated from the heater inlet by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls; and/or
wherein downstream of the heater outlet, each heater inlet guide channel is isolated from the heater outlet by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls.
13. Heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 2-12, having a modular arrangement by which the or each manifold is detachably attached to the heat exchanger stage.
14. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heater is configured to heat the airflow to at least a target temperature of between 150-250 °C;
optionally further comprising a sensor configured to monitor a flow rate or thermodynamic property of the air flow and a controller configured to control the heater
based on a corresponding signal received from the sensor to heat the airflow to at least the target temperature.
15. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a porous material or high contact area structure within the heating portion, the porous material or high contact area structure.
16. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heater is mounted exteriorly of the heating portion.
17. A heat treatment installation comprising:
a heat treatment apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim;
wherein the intake is fluidically coupled to a controlled environment to receive an air flow for heat treatment:
wherein the discharge nozzle is fluidically coupled to the controlled environment to return the air flow.
18. A heat treatment installation according to claim 17, wherein the intake and/or the discharge nozzle is indirectly fluidically coupled to the controlled environment via an HVAC system.
19. A heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 1-16, wherein the heat treatment apparatus is sized for mounting on a body harness for portable heat treatment.
20. A method of manufacturing at least one component for a heat treatment apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the at least one component comprises:
a compound port manifold in accordance with any of claims 7-9, and/or
a compound heater manifold in accordance with any of claims 10-12; and
optionally a heat exchanger stage in accordance with any of claims 1-6,
the method comprising:
providing model data for the at least one component; and
progressively forming the at least one component by an additive layer
manufacturing process, based on the model data, so that the respective guide
channels are interleaved; optionally so that the pre-heating and cooling channels
are interleaved.
Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows:
CLAIMS
1. Heat treatment apparatus for treating air, comprising in flow order: a pre-heating
portion, a heating portion and a cooling portion for conveying an air flow therethrough; 5 a heater configured to heat air received in the heating portion;
wherein the pre-heating portion is configured for heat exchange with the cooling
portion in a heat exchanger stage of the apparatus, such that upon discharge from the
heating portion into the cooling portion the air flow is cooled by transferring heat to
upstream air in the pre-heating portion;
10 wherein the pre-heating portion comprises a plurality of pre-heating channels
fluidically coupled to an intake of the apparatus by an intake manifold, for heat exchange
with the cooling portion;
wherein the cooling portion comprises a plurality of cooling channels fluidically
coupled to a discharge nozzle of the apparatus by a discharge manifold, for heat 15 exchange with the pre-heating portion;
wherein the plurality of pre-heating channels and the plurality of cooling channels
are interleaved in an alternating arrangement for counterflow heat exchange;
wherein the heat treatment apparatus further comprises a compound port manifold
extending from the intake and the discharge nozzle to the heat exchanger stage, the 20 compound port manifold defining the intake manifold and the discharge manifold;
wherein the intake manifold comprises an array of intake guide channels fluidically
coupling the intake with the plurality of pre-heating channels;
wherein the discharge manifold comprises an array of discharge guide channels
fluidically coupling the cooling channels with the discharge nozzle;
25 wherein the array of intake guide channels and the array of discharge guide
channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement.
2. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the intake and the
discharge nozzle are offset along a port offset axis;
30 wherein each intake guide channel diverges from the intake along the compound
port manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the discharge guide
channels; and/or
wherein each discharge guide channel diverges from the discharge nozzle along
the compound port manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the 35 intake guide channels.
3. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each pair of adjacent guide channels of the compound port manifold are separated by a septum wall;
wherein downstream of the intake, each discharge guide channel is isolated from the intake by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls; and/or
wherein upstream of the discharge nozzle, each intake guide channel is isolated from the discharge nozzle by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls.
4. Heat treatment apparatus for treating air, comprising in flow order: a pre-heating portion, a heating portion and a cooling portion for conveying an air flow therethrough:
a heater configured to heat air received in the heating portion;
wherein the pre-heating portion is configured for heat exchange with the cooling portion in a heat exchanger stage of the apparatus, such that upon discharge from the heating portion into the cooling portion the air flow is cooled by transferring heat to upstream air in the pre-heating portion;
wherein the pre-heating portion comprises a plurality of pre-heating channels fluidically coupled to an inlet of the heater by a heater inlet manifold, for heat exchange with the cooling portion;
wherein the cooling portion comprises a plurality of cooling channels fluidically coupled to an outlet of the heater by a heater outlet manifold, for heat exchange with the pre-heating portion;
wherein the plurality of pre-heating channels and the plurality of cooling channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement for counterflow heat exchange:
wherein the heat treatment apparatus further comprises a compound heater manifold extending from the heater inlet and the heater outlet to the heat exchanger stage, the compound heater manifold defining the heater inlet manifold and the heater outlet manifold:
wherein the heater inlet manifold comprises an array of heater inlet guide channels fluidically coupling the heater inlet with the plurality of pre-heating channels;
wherein the heater outlet manifold comprises an array of heater outlet guide channels fluidically coupling the heater outlet with the plurality of cooling channels:
wherein the array of heater inlet guide channels and the array of heater outlet guide channels are interleaved in an alternating arrangement.
5. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heater inlet and the heater outlet are offset along a port offset axis:
wherein each heater inlet guide channel diverges from the heater inlet along the compound heater manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the heater outlet guide channels; and/or
wherein each heater outlet guide channel diverges from the heater outlet along the compound heater manifold to expand along the port offset axis and interleave with the heater inlet guide channels.
6. Heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, wherein each pair of adjacent guide channels of the compound heater manifold are separated by a septum wall;
wherein upstream of the heater inlet, each heater outlet guide channel is isolated from the heater inlet by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls; and/or
wherein downstream of the heater outlet, each heater inlet guide channel is isolated from the heater outlet by an end wall extending between the respective septum walls.
7. Heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 1-3 and according to any of claims 4-8.
8. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the pre- heating portion and the cooling portion are co-extensive along a longitudinal axis of the heat exchanger, and wherein each of the plurality of pre-heating channels and/or each of the plurality of cooling channels has a slender cross-sectional profile in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis.
9. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein each of at least some of the channels is subdivided into two or more subchannels by one or more fins extending across the channel, between walls separating adjacent channels.
10. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of heat exchange features provided on walls separating adjacent channels;
optionally wherein each heat exchange feature is a heat exchange member extending from a wall or between walls separating adjacent channels;
optionally wherein each heat exchange member extends obliquely between the walls, for example along a swept direction having an upstream or downstream component.
11. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, having a modular arrangement by which the or each manifold is detachably attached to the heat exchanger stage.
12. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heater is configured to heat the airflow to at least a target temperature of between 150-250 °C;
optionally further comprising a sensor configured to monitor a flow rate or thermodynamic property of the air flow and a controller configured to control the heater based on a corresponding signal received from the sensor to heat the airflow to at least the target temperature.
13. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising a porous material or high contact area structure within the heating portion, the porous material or high contact area structure.
14. Heat treatment apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the heater is mounted exteriorly of the heating portion.
15. A heat treatment installation comprising:
a heat treatment apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim;
wherein the intake is fluidically coupled to a controlled environment to receive an air flow for heat treatment:
wherein the discharge nozzle is fluidically coupled to the controlled environment to return the air flow.
16. A heat treatment installation according to claim 15, wherein the intake and/or the discharge nozzle is indirectly fluidically coupled to the controlled environment via an HVAC system.
17. A heat treatment apparatus according to any of claims 1-14, wherein the heat treatment apparatus is sized for mounting on a body harness for portable heat treatment.
18. A method of manufacturing at least one component for a heat treatment apparatus in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the at least one component comprises:
a compound port manifold in accordance with claim 3, and/or
a compound heater manifold in accordance with claim 6;
the method comprising:
providing model data for the at least one component; and
progressively forming the at least one component by an additive layer manufacturing process, based on the model data, so that the respective guide channels are interleaved; optionally so that the pre-heating and cooling channels are interleaved.