Heat exchange devices, marine engine systems and control methods

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of heat exchange technology, and particularly relates to a heat exchange device, a marine engine system, and a control method. The heat exchange device includes: multiple heat exchange units, each including a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet, and a second outlet. Each heat exchange unit has an internal first passage connecting the first inlet and the first outlet, and a second passage connecting the second inlet and the second outlet, the first and second passages being thermally coupled; a seawater circulation pipeline, on which the multiple heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel; and a coolant circulation pipeline, on which the multiple heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel. This invention allows for disassembly and maintenance only of the malfunctioning heat exchange unit when an abnormality occurs, effectively reducing the maintenance cost of the heat exchange device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of heat exchange technology, and particularly relates to a heat exchange device, a marine engine system and a control method. Background Technology

[0002] This section provides only background information relevant to this disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.

[0003] Marine engines are equipped with heat exchangers, which use cold seawater to cool hot coolant. Because seawater contains many impurities and pollutants, marine engines typically use detachable plate heat exchangers for easy disassembly, cleaning, and reuse. However, due to the large size of marine engines and the large coolant capacity, the heat exchangers are also very large. Maintenance requires shutting down the engine and draining the coolant from the heat exchanger before disassembly. The coolant in the heat exchanger can be several thousand liters, and the draining process is lengthy. Furthermore, even if only a few fins are clogged or damaged, all coolant must be drained, all fins removed, and all sealing components replaced. Therefore, each maintenance procedure for the heat exchanger incurs significant manpower and material costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to at least solve the problems of engine downtime and high maintenance costs during heat exchanger maintenance. This purpose is achieved through the following technical solution: A first aspect of the present invention provides a heat exchange device for a marine engine system, the heat exchange device comprising: Multiple heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit including a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet and a second outlet, the interior of the heat exchange unit having a first passage connecting the first inlet and the first outlet, and a second passage connecting the second inlet and the second outlet, the first passage and the second passage being thermally coupled together; A seawater circulation pipeline, wherein the plurality of heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel on the seawater circulation pipeline, and the first passage of each heat exchange unit is connected to the seawater circulation pipeline through the first inlet and the first outlet respectively; A coolant flow pipeline is provided, wherein the plurality of heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel on the coolant flow pipeline, and the second passage of each heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant flow pipeline through the second inlet and the second outlet, respectively.

[0005] According to the heat exchange device of the present invention, by connecting multiple heat exchange units in parallel on a seawater circulation pipeline, when at least one of the multiple heat exchange units becomes blocked, the blocked heat exchange unit can be identified by detecting the seawater circulation in each heat exchange unit. Furthermore, by cutting off the passage between the seawater circulation pipeline and the blocked heat exchange unit, only the blocked heat exchange unit can be disassembled and maintained. This eliminates the need to drain the coolant from the entire heat exchange device before disassembling all heat exchange units, and also eliminates the need to shut down the entire engine system. This effectively reduces the manpower and material costs of heat exchange device maintenance and enables the entire engine system to operate stably without shutting down.

[0006] In addition, the heat exchange device according to the present invention may also have the following additional technical features: In some embodiments of the present invention, the seawater circulation pipeline includes a first inlet pipe, a first return pipe, a plurality of first branch pipes and a plurality of second branch pipes, wherein the first branch pipes and the second branch pipes correspond one-to-one with the heat exchange unit, the first branch pipes connect the first inlet to the first inlet pipe, the second branch pipes connect the first outlet to the first return pipe, and a first control valve is provided on the first branch pipes and / or the second branch pipes.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the coolant flow pipeline includes a second inlet pipe, a second return pipe, a plurality of third branch pipes and a plurality of fourth branch pipes, wherein the third branch pipes and the fourth branch pipes correspond one-to-one with the heat exchange unit, the third branch pipes connect the second inlet to the second inlet pipe, the fourth branch pipes connect the second outlet to the second return pipe, and a second control valve is provided on the third branch pipes and / or the fourth branch pipes.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, flow meters are provided at the inlet of the first inlet pipe and / or the outlet of the first return pipe.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, water pressure sensors are respectively installed at the inlet of the first liquid inlet pipe and the outlet of the first liquid return pipe.

[0010] A second aspect of the present invention provides a marine engine system, the engine system comprising: An engine, the engine including a cooling passage, the cooling passage including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; In any heat exchange device proposed in the first aspect of the present invention, the second liquid inlet pipe of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant outlet, and the second liquid return pipe of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant inlet.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a heat exchange device, the control method being used to control any of the heat exchange devices proposed in the first aspect of the present invention, the control method comprising: Determine whether the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state; If the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, control the seawater to circulate separately in each of the heat exchange units; The heat exchange units in abnormal condition are determined based on the individual flow of seawater in each of the heat exchange units.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, determining whether the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state includes: Obtain the inlet flow rate of the seawater circulation pipeline; The heat exchange device is determined to be in an abnormal state if the inlet flow rate is higher than the maximum value of the preset flow range or lower than the minimum value of the preset flow range.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control of seawater circulation is performed separately in each of the heat exchange units, including: Seawater is controlled to circulate individually in each of the heat exchange units at a preset flow rate.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, determining the heat exchange unit in an abnormal state based on the individual flow of seawater in each of the heat exchange units includes: The inlet and outlet pressures of seawater when it flows individually in each of the heat exchange units are obtained. If the pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than a preset pressure difference, it is determined that the heat exchange unit corresponding to the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is in an abnormal state. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 The diagram schematically shows a view of the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention at the inlet and outlet sides of a seawater flow pipeline. Figure 2 A schematic view of the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown at the inlet and outlet sides of the coolant flow pipeline. Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a heat exchange device according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 A control flowchart of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically.

[0017] Figure 5 A control flow diagram of a specific example of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically.

[0018] The attached diagram is labeled as follows: 1. Heat exchange unit; 21. First inlet pipe; 22. First return pipe; 23. First branch pipe; 24. Second branch pipe; 31. Second inlet pipe; 32. Second return pipe; 33. Third branch pipe; 34. Fourth branch pipe; 4. Coolant recovery pipe; 41. Recovery branch pipe; 5. Coolant recovery tank; 6. First control valve; 7. Second control valve; 8. Flow meter; 9. Water pressure sensor; 10. Second pumping device; 13. Third control valve. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0020] It should be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “described” as used herein may also include the plural forms. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” and “having” are inclusive and therefore indicate the presence of the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not construed as requiring them to be performed in a particular order described or illustrated unless the order of performance is explicitly indicated. It should also be understood that additional or alternative steps may be used.

[0021] Although terms such as first, second, third, etc., may be used in this document to describe multiple elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments, these elements, components, regions, layers, and / or segments should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be used only to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or segment from another. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer, or segment discussed below may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or segment without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0022] For ease of description, spatial relative terms may be used in the text to describe the relationship of one element or feature relative to another element or feature, as shown in the figure. These relative terms include, for example, "inside," "outside," "middle," "outer," "below," "below," "above," "over," etc. Such spatial relative terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figure. For example, if the device in the figure is flipped, an element described as "below other elements or features" or "below other elements or features" would subsequently be oriented as "above other elements or features" or "above other elements or features." Therefore, the example term "below" can include both upper and lower orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used in the text will be interpreted accordingly.

[0023] The technical solution of this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and examples can be combined with each other.

[0024] According to embodiments of the present invention, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a heat exchange device for a marine engine system is proposed. The heat exchange device includes multiple heat exchange units 1, seawater flow pipes, and coolant flow pipes. Each heat exchange unit 1 includes a first inlet (not shown), a first outlet (not shown), a second inlet (not shown), and a second outlet (not shown). The interior of each heat exchange unit 1 has a first passage (not shown) connecting the first inlet and the first outlet, and a second passage (not shown) connecting the second inlet and the second outlet. The first and second passages are thermally coupled. Each heat exchange unit 1 includes multiple stacked fins with four corner holes—the first inlet, the first outlet, the second inlet, and the second outlet—for the passage of the two heat transfer liquids. The multiple fins are mounted within a frame with a fixed plate and a movable clamping plate on one side and are clamped with clamping bolts. Sealing gaskets are installed on the plates to seal the fluid channels and guide the fluids to flow alternately into their respective channels, forming heat exchange.

[0025] The seawater circulation pipe is used to circulate seawater. The seawater circulation pipe is connected to the first passage of each heat exchange unit 1, and multiple heat exchange units 1 are detachably connected in parallel to the seawater circulation pipe. Each heat exchange unit 1's first passage is connected to the seawater circulation pipe through a first inlet and a first outlet, respectively. This means that the seawater circulation pipe and each heat exchange unit 1 form an independent seawater flow path, allowing seawater within the seawater circulation pipe to circulate within the first passage of the corresponding heat exchange unit 1 through this independent flow path. The coolant circulation pipe is used to circulate coolant. Multiple heat exchange units 1 are detachably connected in parallel to the coolant circulation pipe, and each heat exchange unit 1's second passage is connected to the coolant circulation pipe through a second inlet and a second outlet, respectively. This means that the coolant circulation pipe and each heat exchange unit 1 form an independent coolant flow path, allowing coolant within the coolant circulation pipe to circulate within the second passage of the corresponding heat exchange unit 1 through this independent flow path. In one example, a first pumping device (not shown in the figure) is also provided on the seawater flow pipeline and the coolant flow pipeline respectively. The seawater or coolant is pumped to multiple heat exchange units 1 by the first pumping device. The first pumping device is, for example, a mechanical pump or an electric seawater pump.

[0026] This embodiment does not limit the number of heat exchange units 1. The number of heat exchange units 1 can be flexibly designed based on the heat exchange performance and production cost required by the heat exchange device. For example, the number of heat exchange units 1 can be 3, 4, 6 or other numbers.

[0027] This embodiment connects multiple heat exchange units 1 in parallel on a seawater circulation pipeline. When at least one of the heat exchange units 1 becomes blocked, the blockage can be identified by detecting the seawater circulation within each heat exchange unit 1. The passage between the seawater circulation pipeline and the blocked heat exchange unit 1 can be disconnected, allowing only the malfunctioning heat exchange unit 1 to be disassembled and maintained. This eliminates the need to drain the coolant from the entire heat exchange device and disassemble all heat exchange units 1, as well as the need to shut down the engine system installed in the heat exchange device. This effectively reduces the manpower and material costs for maintaining the heat exchange device and ensures stable operation of the entire engine system without shutting it down.

[0028] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the seawater circulation pipeline includes a first inlet pipe 21, a first return pipe 22, multiple first branch pipes 23, and multiple second branch pipes 24. Each of the first branch pipes 23 and second branch pipes 24 corresponds to a heat exchange unit 1. The first branch pipe 23 connects the first inlet to the first inlet pipe 21, and the second branch pipe 24 connects the first outlet to the first return pipe 22. A first control valve 6 is installed on the first branch pipe 23, or on the second branch pipe 24, or on both the first and second branch pipes 23 and 24. In case of blockage or leakage in the heat exchange device, the first control valves 6 can control the seawater to circulate independently in each heat exchange unit 1, and the abnormal heat exchange unit 1 can be identified by observing the seawater flow within each heat exchange unit 1. The first control valve 6 can be, for example, a mechanical valve or an electrically controlled valve. The first branch pipes 23 and second branch pipes 24 can be connected to the heat exchange unit 1 via detachable connections such as plug-in connections or flange connections.

[0029] The following detailed explanation of the process for determining the blockage status of heat exchange unit 1 will be provided using a specific example.

[0030] In one example, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the heat exchange device includes three heat exchange units 1, as referenced. Figure 1As shown in the diagram, the heat exchange unit 1 on the left is the first heat exchange unit 1, the heat exchange unit 1 in the middle is the second heat exchange unit 1, and the heat exchange unit 1 on the right is the third heat exchange unit 1. During normal operation of the engine system, all first control valves 6 are open. Seawater in the first inlet pipe 21 enters the first passage through the first inlet of each heat exchange unit 1, exchanges heat with the coolant in the second passage within the heat exchange unit 1, and then enters the first return pipe 22 through the first outlet. When an abnormality is detected in the heat exchange device by monitoring the pressure or flow rate of the first inlet and / or the first return pipe 22, the first control valve 6 corresponding to the first heat exchange unit 1 is kept open, while the first control valves 6 corresponding to the second and third heat exchange units 1 are closed. At this time, seawater only circulates within the first heat exchange unit 1. The abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1 can be determined by monitoring changes in pressure or flow rate during seawater circulation within the first heat exchange unit 1. After determining the abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1, the first control valve 6 corresponding to the first and third heat exchange units 1 is closed, and the first control valve 6 corresponding to the second heat exchange unit 1 is opened. The abnormality of the second heat exchange unit 1 is determined in the same manner as determining the abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1. After determining the abnormality of the second heat exchange unit 1, the first control valve 6 corresponding to the first and second heat exchange units 1 is closed, and the first control valve 6 corresponding to the third heat exchange unit 1 is opened. The abnormality of the third heat exchange unit 1 is determined in the same manner as determining the abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1, thereby determining whether any heat exchange unit 1 has experienced blockage or leakage. Alternatively, the opening and closing of the corresponding first control valve 6 can be controlled according to the order in which the abnormalities of the third, second, and first heat exchange units 1 are determined; this will not be elaborated further here.

[0031] In other possible implementations, the first control valve 6 can also be installed on the first outlet pipe and / or the first return pipe 22, located between the two heat exchange units 1. When determining the blockage status of multiple heat exchange units 1, the first control valve 6 between the first heat exchange unit 1 and the second heat exchange unit 1, and between the second heat exchange unit 1 and the third heat exchange unit 1, can be closed first, allowing seawater to flow solely within the first heat exchange unit 1. This allows the abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1 to be identified. After the abnormality of the first heat exchange unit 1 is identified, the first control valve 6 between the first heat exchange unit 1 and the second heat exchange unit 1 is opened, allowing seawater to flow simultaneously between the two units. This allows the abnormality of the second heat exchange unit 1 to be identified. After the abnormality of the second heat exchange unit 1 is identified, the first control valve 6 between the second heat exchange unit 1 and the third heat exchange unit 1 is opened, allowing the abnormality of the third heat exchange unit 1 to be identified.

[0032] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the coolant flow pipeline includes a second inlet pipe 31, a second return pipe 32, multiple third branch pipes 33, and multiple fourth branch pipes 34. The third branch pipes 33 and 34 correspond one-to-one with heat exchange units 1. The third branch pipe 33 connects the second inlet to the second inlet pipe 31, and the fourth branch pipe 34 connects the second outlet to the second return pipe 32. A second control valve 7 is installed on the third branch pipe 33, or on the fourth branch pipe 34, or on both the third and fourth branch pipes 33 and 34. After determining that a heat exchange unit 1 is malfunctioning, the coolant flow path between the coolant flow pipeline and the malfunctioning heat exchange unit 1 can be cut off by closing the second control valve 7 corresponding to the blocked heat exchange unit 1. Therefore, only the malfunctioning heat exchange unit 1 needs to be disassembled and maintained, without shutting down the engine system or draining the coolant from the entire heat exchange device. The second control valve 7 is, for example, a mechanical valve or an electric valve. The third branch pipe 33 and the fourth branch pipe 34 can be connected to the heat exchange unit 1 by a detachable connection such as a plug-in connection or a flange connection.

[0033] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a flow meter 8 is installed at the inlet of the first liquid inlet pipe 21 and / or the outlet of the first liquid return pipe 22. The flow rate detected by the flow meter 8 can be used to determine whether there is any abnormality such as blockage or leakage in the heat exchange device.

[0034] In some implementations, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, water pressure sensors 9 are respectively installed at the inlet of the first inlet pipe 21 and the outlet of the first return pipe 22. When controlling the flow of seawater to one of the heat exchange units 1 individually, the pressure difference between the first inlet pipe 21 and the first return pipe 22 is monitored to identify the heat exchange unit 1 experiencing an anomaly. In other possible implementations, water pressure sensors 9 can also be installed on the first branch pipe 23 and the second branch pipe 24 corresponding to each heat exchange unit 1 to determine the blockage status of the corresponding heat exchange unit 1. In some implementations, such as Figure 3As shown, the heat exchange device of this embodiment includes a coolant recovery tank 5, a coolant recovery pipeline 4, and a recovery branch pipeline 41. The coolant recovery pipeline 4 is connected to the coolant recovery tank 5. The recovery branch pipeline 41 corresponds one-to-one with either the third branch pipeline 33 or the fourth branch pipeline 34. One end of the recovery branch pipeline 41 is connected to the third branch pipeline 33, and the other end is connected to the coolant recovery pipeline 4; or, one end of the recovery branch pipeline 41 is connected to the fourth branch pipeline 34, and the other end is connected to the coolant recovery pipeline 4. A third control valve 13 is provided on the recovery branch pipeline 41, and a second pumping device 10 is also provided on the coolant recovery pipeline 4. When it is necessary to disassemble and maintain the heat exchange unit 1 that is malfunctioning, the third control valve 13 on the recovery branch pipeline 41 of the malfunctioning heat exchange unit 1 is opened. Under the action of the second pumping device 10, the coolant in the malfunctioning heat exchange unit 1 flows into the coolant recovery pipeline 4 through the corresponding recovery branch pipeline 41 and is finally collected in the recovery tank. After heat exchange unit 1 is reassembled, it can be pumped back into the newly assembled heat exchange unit 1 through a pumping device. The entire process of coolant recovery and coolant re-injection into heat exchange unit 1 does not affect the normal operation of other heat exchange units 1. On the one hand, it improves the discharge efficiency of coolant from the abnormal heat exchange unit 1 and the recycling and reuse of the discharged coolant. On the other hand, it ensures the heat exchange of the heat exchange device and realizes the stable operation of the entire engine system without stopping.

[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment proposes a marine engine system (not shown in the figure). The engine system includes an engine, and the engine includes a cooling channel. The cooling channel includes a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet. The cooling channel is used to circulate coolant to absorb the heat generated during engine operation and ensure stable engine operation. The engine system also includes any of the heat exchange devices proposed in the above embodiment. The second inlet pipe 31 of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant outlet, and the second return pipe 32 of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant inlet, so that the coolant in the engine flows into the heat exchange device and exchanges heat with the seawater entering the heat exchange device. The seawater that has absorbed the heat from the coolant flows back into the sea, and the coolant that has absorbed the heat from the seawater flows back into the engine's cooling channel. This cycle repeats, forming a coolant circulation loop.

[0036] In this embodiment, the heat exchange device in the engine system combines multiple fins into a heat exchange unit 1, and multiple heat exchange units 1 are combined into a heat exchange device. Each heat exchange unit 1 is connected in parallel, and a first control valve 6 is installed on the first branch pipe 23 and / or the second branch pipe 24 corresponding to each heat exchange unit 1, and a second control valve 7 is installed on the third branch pipe 33 and / or the fourth branch pipe 34. When maintenance is required, the first control valve 6 and the second control valve 7 corresponding to the heat exchange unit 1 requiring maintenance are closed individually, and then it can be disassembled without stopping the engine. A flow meter 8 is installed on the first outlet pipe and / or the first return pipe 22 of the seawater flow pipeline. When the flow value detected by the flow meter 8 is abnormal, it can be determined that there is an abnormality such as blockage or leakage in the heat exchange device. By using the first pumping device on the whole machine according to the control strategy and its flow and pressure data, it is possible to determine which heat exchange unit 1 has malfunctioned. There is no need to drain all the coolant in the engine system or replace all the fins. Only the faulty heat exchange unit 1 needs to be replaced, and the engine system does not need to be shut down, saving a lot of manpower and material costs.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, this embodiment provides a control method for a heat exchange device, which is used to control any of the heat exchange devices proposed in the first aspect of the present invention. Figure 4 A control flowchart of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically, with reference to... Figure 4 The control method includes the following steps: S41. Determine if the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state; S42. If the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, control the seawater to circulate separately in each heat exchange unit 1; S43. Determine the heat exchange unit 1 that is in an abnormal state based on the situation that seawater flows separately in each heat exchange unit 1.

[0038] In this embodiment, the abnormal state of the heat exchange device is, for example, a blockage or leakage. When the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, both the flow rate and pressure of seawater flowing into it will change. In one example, a flow meter 8 is installed at the inlet of the seawater flow pipe. By acquiring the inflow rate of the seawater flow pipe detected by the flow meter 8, the abnormal state of the heat exchange device is determined based on whether the inflow rate is higher than the maximum value of a preset flow range or lower than the minimum value of a preset flow range. Specifically, when the inflow rate is higher than the maximum value of the preset flow range, it indicates that the heat exchange device is in a blockage abnormality; when the inflow rate is lower than the minimum value of the preset flow range, it indicates that the heat exchange device is in a leakage abnormality. When the inflow rate is within the preset flow range, it indicates that the heat exchange device is in a normal state.

[0039] After determining that the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, it is necessary to further identify the heat exchange unit 1 within the heat exchange device that is in an abnormal state. This can be done by controlling the first control valve 6 corresponding to each heat exchange unit 1 to allow seawater to flow independently within each heat exchange unit 1. The abnormal heat exchange unit 1 can be determined based on the flow pattern of seawater within each heat exchange unit 1. The flow pattern of seawater within each heat exchange unit 1 can be, for example, the changes in flow rate or pressure. In one example, water pressure sensors 9 are installed at the inlet of the first inlet pipe 21 and the outlet of the first return pipe 22. When controlling the seawater to flow independently within each heat exchange unit 1, the inlet and outlet pressures of the seawater are acquired, and the abnormal state of the heat exchange unit 1 is determined based on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet pressures. For example, if the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet pressures is greater than a preset pressure difference, it indicates that the heat exchange unit 1 is blocked or leaking, thus determining that the heat exchange unit 1 corresponding to the inlet and outlet pressures is in an abnormal state. When the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet pressures is less than or equal to the preset pressure difference, it indicates that there may be an abnormality in the external pipeline or monitoring equipment, such as the flow sensor or water pressure sensor 9. In this case, it is necessary to check the abnormality of the external pipeline or monitoring equipment.

[0040] In some implementations, the pressure difference data of each heat exchange unit 1 at a preset flow rate can be pre-calibrated as a reference. Then, after determining that the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, seawater can be controlled to flow separately in each heat exchange unit 1 at a preset flow rate. The pressure difference between the determined inlet pressure and outlet pressure can then be compared with the pressure difference data of the calibrated preset flow rate, thereby improving the accuracy of judging the abnormal condition of the heat exchange unit 1.

[0041] The following detailed explanation of the process for confirming the abnormal situation of heat exchange unit 1 in this embodiment, with specific examples, is provided below.

[0042] Combination Figure 1 The heat exchange device includes three heat exchange units 1, as shown in the reference. Figure 1 As shown in the diagram, the heat exchange unit 1 on the left is the first heat exchange unit 1, the heat exchange unit 1 in the middle is the second heat exchange unit 1, and the heat exchange unit 1 on the right is the third heat exchange unit 1. When the engine system is running normally, all the first control valves 6 are in the open state. Figure 5 A control flow diagram of a specific example of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically, with reference to... Figure 5 It includes the following steps: S51. Obtain the inlet flow rate of the seawater circulation pipeline; S52. Determine whether the liquid inlet flow rate is higher than the maximum value of the preset flow range. If the determination result is yes, proceed to S53. If the determination result is no, there is no abnormality in heat exchange unit 1 and no action is required. S53. Control the seawater to flow at a preset flow rate, close the first control valve 6 corresponding to the second heat exchange unit 1 and the third heat exchange unit 1, obtain the inlet pressure and outlet pressure when the seawater flows alone in the first heat exchange unit 1, and determine the first pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and proceed to S54. S54. Determine whether the first pressure difference is greater than the pressure difference under the preset flow rate. If the determination result is yes, it is determined that the first heat exchange unit 1 is abnormal. If the determination result is no, proceed to S55. S56. Control the seawater to flow at a preset flow rate, close the first control valve 6 corresponding to the first heat exchange unit 1 and the third heat exchange unit 1, obtain the inlet pressure and outlet pressure when the seawater flows alone in the second heat exchange unit 1, and determine the second pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and proceed to S56. S56. Determine whether the second pressure difference is greater than the pressure difference under the preset flow rate. If the determination result is yes, it is determined that the second heat exchange unit 1 is abnormal. If the determination result is no, proceed to S57. S57. Control the seawater to flow at a preset flow rate, close the first control valve 6 corresponding to the first heat exchange unit 1 and the second heat exchange unit 1, obtain the inlet pressure and outlet pressure when the seawater flows alone in the third heat exchange unit 1, and determine the third pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure, and proceed to S58. S58. Determine whether the third pressure difference is greater than the pressure difference under the preset flow rate. If the determination result is yes, it is determined that the third heat exchange unit 1 is abnormal. If the determination result is no, proceed to S59. S59. Investigate any abnormalities in external pipelines or monitoring equipment.

[0043] This embodiment can identify abnormal conditions of the heat-generating units in the heat exchange device separately. When the heat exchange unit 1 is abnormal, it is only necessary to disassemble and maintain the abnormal heat exchange unit 1. There is no need to shut down the engine or drain the coolant from the entire heat exchange device. This can effectively reduce the maintenance cost of the heat exchange device and achieve stable operation of the entire engine system without stopping the engine.

[0044] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A heat exchange device for a marine engine system, characterized in that, The heat exchange device includes: Multiple heat exchange units, each heat exchange unit including a first inlet, a first outlet, a second inlet and a second outlet, the interior of the heat exchange unit having a first passage connecting the first inlet and the first outlet, and a second passage connecting the second inlet and the second outlet, the first passage and the second passage being thermally coupled together; A seawater circulation pipeline, wherein the plurality of heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel on the seawater circulation pipeline, and the first passage of each heat exchange unit is connected to the seawater circulation pipeline through the first inlet and the first outlet respectively; A coolant flow pipeline, wherein the plurality of heat exchange units are detachably connected in parallel on the coolant flow pipeline, and the second passage of each heat exchange unit is connected to the coolant flow pipeline through the second inlet and the second outlet respectively; The seawater circulation pipeline includes a first inlet pipe, a first return pipe, multiple first branch pipes and multiple second branch pipes. The first branch pipes and the second branch pipes correspond one-to-one with the heat exchange units. The first branch pipes connect the first inlet to the first inlet pipe, and the second branch pipes connect the first outlet to the first return pipe. A first control valve is provided on the first branch pipes and / or the second branch pipes. The coolant flow pipeline includes a second inlet pipe, a second return pipe, multiple third branch pipes, and multiple fourth branch pipes. The third branch pipes and the fourth branch pipes correspond one-to-one with the heat exchange units. The third branch pipes connect the second inlet to the second inlet pipe, and the fourth branch pipes connect the second outlet to the second return pipe. A second control valve is provided on the third branch pipes and / or the fourth branch pipes. A flow meter is installed at the inlet of the first inlet pipe and / or the outlet of the first return pipe; A water pressure sensor is installed at the inlet of the first liquid inlet pipe and the outlet of the first liquid return pipe, respectively; The heat exchange device further includes a coolant recovery tank, a coolant recovery pipeline, and recovery branch pipelines. The coolant recovery pipeline is connected to the coolant recovery tank. The recovery branch pipelines correspond one-to-one with the third branch pipeline or the fourth branch pipeline. One end of the recovery branch pipeline is connected to the third branch pipeline, and the other end is connected to the coolant recovery pipeline. Alternatively, one end of the recovery branch pipeline is connected to the fourth branch pipeline, and the other end is connected to the coolant recovery pipeline. A third control valve is installed on the recovery branch pipeline.

2. A marine engine system, characterized in that, The engine system includes: An engine, the engine including a cooling passage, the cooling passage including a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet; The heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the second liquid inlet pipe of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant outlet, and the second liquid return pipe of the heat exchange device is connected to the coolant inlet.

3. A control method for a heat exchange device, characterized in that, The control method is used to control the heat exchange device according to claim 1, and the control method includes: Determine whether the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state; If the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state, control the seawater to circulate separately in each of the heat exchange units; The heat exchange units in abnormal condition are determined based on the individual flow of seawater in each of the heat exchange units.

4. The control method for the heat exchange device according to claim 3, characterized in that, Determining whether the heat exchange device is in an abnormal state includes: Obtain the inlet flow rate of the seawater circulation pipeline; The heat exchange device is determined to be in an abnormal state if the inlet flow rate is higher than the maximum value of the preset flow range or lower than the minimum value of the preset flow range.

5. The control method for the heat exchange device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controlled seawater circulates independently in each of the heat exchange units, including: Seawater is controlled to circulate individually in each of the heat exchange units at a preset flow rate.

6. The control method for the heat exchange device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the heat exchange unit in an abnormal state based on the individual flow of seawater in each of the heat exchange units includes: The inlet and outlet pressures of seawater when it flows individually in each of the heat exchange units are obtained. If the pressure difference between the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is greater than a preset pressure difference, it is determined that the heat exchange unit corresponding to the inlet pressure and the outlet pressure is in an abnormal state.

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