Vortical flowaerothermodynamic heat exchanger

Claim 1

Means for exchanging heat between a thermally donative gas and heat exchange surfaces, said means including a donative gas flow path defined at least in part by said heat exchange surfaces and further including: a source of heat donative gas, means including an exhaust passage for inducing flow of said donative gas through said flow path generally toward said exhaust passage, means for initially diverting at least a portion of the total volume of said donative gas flow to a vortex pattern area, structural means only partially defining said vortex area, said structural means comprising additional flow diverting elements comprising at least part of said heat exchange surfaces effective to remove heat and thus increase the density of said gas proximate to said last mentioned surfaces of said flow diverting elements and thus establish a density gradient across said diverted gas stream to a low pressure area spaced from said diverting elements, said flow diverting elements further effective with said pressure gradient to direct said portion of said gas in a reentrant flow direction away from the confinement of said structural means in an open flow toward said flow path, said gas in said reentrant flow direction being pulled toward said initially diverted gas flow and being further diverted by the induced gas flow to complete a circumferential flow pattern around a low pressure central axis, said pattern being free to expand and contract in said open flow path in accordance with the velocity thereof, and means establishing communication with said exhaust passage for drawing gas axially from said vortex pattern area to maintain a stable vortical flow within said area and in proximity to said heat exchange surfaces, whereby the path of said donative gas and the time of residency of said donative gas in proximity to said surfaces are prolonged throughout varying temperature and velocity conditions thereby to enhance heat exchange therewith.