Waste heat exchanger

Abstract

The invention discloses a waste heat exchanger which comprises a heat exchanger shell, the heat exchanger shell is in a vertically-through barrel shape, the lower end of the heat exchanger shell is a high-temperature steam inlet, the upper end of the heat exchanger shell is provided with a gas collecting hood, and the upper end of the gas collecting hood is a low-temperature moisture outlet; a waterproof exhaust fan and an air outlet quantity adjusting device are further arranged at the upper end of the gas collecting hood; a heat exchange pipe is arranged in the heat exchanger shell, the water inlet end of the heat exchange pipe is located on the upper portion of the heat exchanger shell, and the water outlet end of the heat exchange pipe is located on the lower portion of the heat exchanger shell. The heat exchanger shell is divided into at least two layers of temperature layer areas from top to bottom, and the heat exchange pipes are arranged layer by layer from top to bottom. According to the scheme, arrangement of the heat exchange pipes and the like is optimized, so that the heat exchanger achieves the optimal effect in the heat exchange process; and a waterproof exhaust fan and an air outlet amount adjusting device are installed, the air outlet amount can be adjusted according to use requirements, and the heat exchange effect and the equipment internal temperature are further ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of heat exchange equipment, and particularly relates to a waste heat exchanger. Background Art

[0002] A large amount of heat energy is generated during the use of a dishwasher, which is generally discharged in the form of steam. Traditional dishwashers usually do not have dedicated equipment to recover and utilize the waste heat. Therefore, this heat energy is wasted, resulting in energy waste and negative impacts on the environment. In addition, there are some problems in the design of traditional heat exchangers. For example, the accumulation of condensed water may reduce the heat exchange effect. Especially for the waste heat exchanger to be applied to a dishwasher, the existing solutions do not fully consider factors such as cleanliness and operation convenience. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a system that can recover and utilize the waste heat of equipment such as dishwashers. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: to provide a waste heat exchanger, especially designed and optimized for a dishwasher, to solve the problems of poor performance, insufficient consideration of cleanliness and operation convenience in the existing solutions, and to achieve improvement in heat exchange effect and management of condensed water, etc., which is helpful for energy conservation and is convenient, hygienic.

[0004] According to the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention provides a waste heat exchanger, which includes a heat exchanger housing. The heat exchanger housing is in a tubular shape that is vertically through. The lower end of the heat exchanger housing is a high-temperature steam inlet, and the upper end of the heat exchanger housing is provided with a gas collection hood. The upper end of the gas collection hood is a low-temperature moisture outlet. A waterproof exhaust fan and an air volume adjustment device are also provided at the upper end of the gas collection hood. Heat exchange tubes are arranged inside the heat exchanger housing. The water inlet end of the heat exchange tube is located in the upper part of the heat exchanger housing, and the water outlet end of the heat exchange tube is located in the lower part of the heat exchanger housing. The heat exchanger housing is divided into at least two layers of temperature layer regions from top to bottom, and the heat exchange tubes are arranged layer by layer from top to bottom. This solution optimizes and improves the arrangement of the heat exchange tubes, etc. The heat exchange process is divided into multiple temperature layer regions according to the flow path of the high-temperature steam, so that the heat exchanger achieves the best effect during the heat exchange process. Moreover, a waterproof exhaust fan and an air volume adjustment device are installed at the top of the heat exchanger, and the air volume can be adjusted according to the use requirements to further ensure the heat exchange effect and the internal temperature of the equipment.

[0005] Preferably, the temperature layer region includes a low-temperature heat exchange zone, a medium-temperature heat exchange zone, and a high-temperature heat exchange zone that are sequentially distributed from top to bottom; the heat exchange tube is a single pipeline, including a low-temperature section, a medium-temperature section, and a high-temperature section that are sequentially connected from top to bottom. The low-temperature section is located in the low-temperature heat exchange zone, the medium-temperature section is located in the medium-temperature heat exchange zone, and the high-temperature section is located in the high-temperature heat exchange zone. In this solution, it is specifically divided into three temperature layer regions, which is convenient for structural design and temperature management. The heat exchange tube adopts a single-in, single-out, and single-tube direction to ensure that the normal temperature water undergoes sufficient heat exchange in the heat exchange tube.

[0006] Preferably, a water accumulation tray is provided below the heat exchanger housing. The area of the water accumulation tray completely covers the cross-section of the heat exchanger housing, and the upper surface of the water accumulation tray has an inclined surface for guiding drainage. This solution guides the condensed water by setting up a water accumulation tray, which can prevent the condensed water from dripping randomly and accumulating at the bottom of the heat exchanger.

[0007] Preferably, the lower end of the heat exchanger housing has a lower flange for connection, and the upper end of the heat exchanger housing has an upper flange; the air collection hood is in the shape of a funnel with a gradually increasing cross-sectional area from top to bottom. The lower end of the air collection hood is connected to the upper flange, and an air outlet pipe body is connected to the upper end of the air collection hood. A waterproof exhaust fan and an air volume adjustment device are sequentially arranged in the air outlet pipe body from bottom to top. This solution adopts such an upper and lower stacked installation structure to achieve a pull-out installation and disassembly method, which is convenient for regular cleaning and ensures the sanitary condition.

[0008] Preferably, the heat exchange tube is a finned tube, and the fin pitch of the finned tube is 3.8 mm. Compared with conventional finned tubes, this solution increases the fin spacing, which can reduce the accumulation of condensed water and ensure an effective heat absorption area.

[0009] Preferably, the heat exchange tube is a serpentine copper tube. This solution uses a copper tube with good thermal conductivity and connects it with small elbows, which can increase the water storage capacity of the heat exchange tube and ensure sufficient heat exchange.

[0010] Preferably, the total length of the pipeline of the heat exchange tube is not less than 40 meters, and the internal water storage capacity is not less than 4.3 liters.

[0011] Preferably, the waste heat exchanger is arranged at the steam discharge outlet of the dishwasher. This solution is especially suitable for application in dishwashers.

[0012] Furthermore, in some common dishwashers currently, the steam discharge outlet is located at the top of the dishwasher. This solution is especially suitable for such dishwashers. The waste heat exchanger is arranged above the steam discharge outlet, and the water accumulation tray arranged below the heat exchanger housing can guide the condensed water to avoid polluting the washed tableware.

[0013] Preferably, a linkage control mechanism is connected between the waterproof exhaust fan and the cleaning pump of the dishwasher. By controlling the waterproof exhaust fan and the cleaning pump in a linkage manner, this solution can automatically control the waterproof exhaust fan to close when the cleaning stops, so as to avoid excessive heat dissipation.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0015] 1. The waste heat exchanger of the present invention is especially for the application of dishwashers. Considering the installation position and the characteristics that the heat exchange medium is high-temperature and humid steam, etc., structural optimization design has been carried out in aspects such as the arrangement of heat exchange tubes, which not only ensures the heat exchange effect but also avoids the accumulation of condensed water in the heat exchanger; at the same time, the waste heat exchanger of this solution can also be applied to other similar application scenarios.

[0016] 2. In terms of the orientation and arrangement design of the heat exchange tubes of the waste heat exchanger of the present invention, considering that the heat exchanger forms a low-temperature zone, a medium-temperature zone and a high-temperature zone during the heat exchange process, the heat exchange tubes are rearranged and the angles are adjusted. The heat exchange tubes adopt a single-in, single-out and single-tube orientation, and the heat exchange tubes are designed from left to right and from top to bottom, so that when the normal temperature water passes through the heat exchange tubes, it can fully exchange heat with the heat absorbed by the heat dissipation fins wrapped on the surface of the heat exchange tubes, thereby making the heat exchange effect reach the best.

[0017] 3. In terms of the spacing of the heat dissipation fins of the heat exchange tubes of the waste heat exchanger of the present invention, it is increased to 3.8 mm, and the fin heat exchange area is 17.5 m 2 , which can not only ensure an effective heat absorption area but also ensure that the accumulation of condensed water between the heat dissipation fins is minimized to reduce the heat absorption area and avoid the condensed water from reducing the heat exchange effect.

[0018] 4. In terms of the water storage capacity of the heat exchange tubes of the waste heat exchanger of the present invention, it is designed to use copper tubes with good thermal conductivity and connecting elbows, so that the total length of the pipeline reaches 40 meters, the pipeline heat exchange surface area is 1.6 m 2 , the water storage capacity inside the heat exchange tubes reaches 4.3 liters, and the time from entering the heat exchange tubes to discharging water reaches 1.5 minutes, ensuring sufficient heat exchange in terms of time.

[0019] 5. In the overall design of the waste heat exchanger of the present invention, a pull-out installation method is adopted to facilitate regular cleaning of the heat exchanger and ensure the sanitary condition; at the top of the heat exchanger, a waterproof exhaust fan with a 12V safety voltage is adopted (the exhaust air volume is, for example, 5 m 3 / min) and the air volume regulating device can effectively regulate the air volume according to the production capacity (the number of cleaning frames per unit time) of the cleaning equipment used by the user, which can not only ensure the internal temperature of the cleaning equipment but also ensure the heat exchange effect; a water collecting tray is installed at the bottom to guide the condensed water dripping from the heat exchanger and prevent the contamination of the cleaned tableware; for the operation of the waterproof exhaust fan, it is controlled in linkage with the cleaning pump. When the cleaning equipment stops cleaning, the waterproof exhaust fan is turned off to avoid excessive heat discharge inside the equipment and affect the overall cleaning temperature of the equipment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Explanation of the reference numerals in the drawings:

[0022] 1. Heat exchanger housing; 2. Air collecting hood; 3. Waterproof exhaust fan; 4. Air volume regulating device; 5. Heat exchange tube; 6. Low-temperature heat exchange area; 7. Medium-temperature heat exchange area; 8. High-temperature heat exchange area; 9. Water collecting tray; 10. Lower flange; 11. Upper flange; 12. Outlet pipe body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The present invention provides a waste heat exchanger, which is especially designed and optimized for dishwashers, solves the problems of poor efficiency, insufficient consideration of cleaning hygiene and operation convenience in the existing solutions, and combines the characteristics of being installed on the top of the machine and using high-temperature and humid steam as the heat exchange medium. After research and development, the structure is optimized in design to not only ensure the heat exchange effect but also avoid the accumulation of condensed water in the heat exchanger, realizing the improvement of the heat exchange effect and the management of condensed water, etc., which is helpful for energy conservation and is convenient, hygienic.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 1 , a waste heat exchanger according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a heat exchanger housing 1. The heat exchanger housing 1 is in a tubular shape that is vertically through, and the tubular shape includes but is not limited to various vertically through shell-shaped structures such as a circular tube and a square tube. The lower end of the heat exchanger housing 1 is a high-temperature steam inlet, and the upper end of the heat exchanger housing 1 is provided with an air collecting hood 2. The upper end of the air collecting hood 2 is a low-temperature moisture outlet. The steam (waste gas) flows upward in the heat exchanger housing 1 for heat exchange and is finally discharged from above. A waterproof exhaust fan 3 and an air volume regulating device 4 are also provided at the upper end of the air collecting hood 2, so that the air volume can be adjusted according to the use requirements. A heat exchange tube 5 (such as a coil tube) is arranged inside the heat exchanger housing 1. The water inlet end of the heat exchange tube 5 is located at the upper part of the heat exchanger housing 1, and the water outlet end of the heat exchange tube 5 is located at the lower part of the heat exchanger housing 1. The heat exchanger housing 1 is divided into at least two temperature layer regions from top to bottom, and the heat exchange tubes 5 are arranged layer by layer from top to bottom; thus, the water in the heat exchange tubes 5 generally flows and exchanges heat layer by layer from top to bottom.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the temperature layer region includes a low-temperature heat exchange zone 6, a medium-temperature heat exchange zone 7, and a high-temperature heat exchange zone 8 that are sequentially distributed from top to bottom. These three temperature layer regions are all in the shape of a flat columnar space and are stacked in sequence. The heat exchange tube 5 is a single pipeline, including a low-temperature section, a medium-temperature section, and a high-temperature section that are sequentially connected from top to bottom. The low-temperature section is located in the low-temperature heat exchange zone 6, the medium-temperature section is located in the medium-temperature heat exchange zone 7, and the high-temperature section is located in the high-temperature heat exchange zone 8. In other words, the arrangement of the heat exchange tube 5 adopts a single-in, single-out, single-tube orientation, and is designed from left to right (where "left" and "right" are intuitive exemplary descriptions based on Figure 1 ). From top to bottom, for example, in a serpentine or spiral coiled manner, while leaving enough air flow channels, it fills one temperature layer region as much as possible to ensure the heat dissipation contact area, and then extends downward to fill the next temperature layer region. Such a setting enables the heat exchange tube 5 to be fully distributed within the heat exchanger housing 1, and the overall shape of the heat exchange tube 5 matches the internal shape of the heat exchanger housing 1. The high, medium, and low temperature distributions of the steam entering from below correspond to the high, medium, and low temperature section distributions of the heat exchange tube 5. When the normal temperature water passes through the heat exchange tube 5, sufficient heat exchange occurs, making the heat exchange effect reach the best.

[0026] A water accumulation tray 9 is provided below the heat exchanger housing 1. The area of the water accumulation tray 9 completely covers the cross-section of the heat exchanger housing 1. The water accumulation tray 9 is used to receive the condensed water dripping from the inner wall of the heat exchanger housing 1 and the surface of the heat exchange tube 5 therein, preventing the condensed water from dripping randomly. The upper surface of the water accumulation tray 9 has an inclined surface for guiding and draining water, such as an inclined plane or a funnel-shaped inclined curved surface, so as to prevent the condensed water from accumulating at the bottom of the heat exchanger housing 1. It can be considered to connect the end of the inclined surface of the water accumulation tray 9 to pipelines, containers, etc., so as to collect and reuse the condensed water. It should be noted that the water accumulation tray 9 does not block the steam from entering from below, and the steam can enter from the periphery above the water accumulation tray 9, such as through pipeline input. The distance between the installation position of the water accumulation tray 9 and the heat exchanger housing 1 can also be adjusted according to the situation.

[0027] The lower end of the heat exchanger housing 1 has a lower flange 10 for connecting devices such as a dishwasher, etc., so as to be fixedly installed and connected by bolts. The upper end of the heat exchanger housing 1 has an upper flange 11. The lower end of the air collection hood 2 is fixedly installed and connected to the upper flange 11 by bolts. The air collection hood 2 is in the shape of a funnel with a gradually increasing cross-sectional area from top to bottom. The upper end of the air collection hood 2 is connected with an air outlet pipe body 12. The area covered by the lower end of the air collection hood 2 is not less than the cross-section of the upper end of the heat exchanger housing 1, forming an air collection chamber within the air collection hood 2 to collect and divert the exhausted gas after heat exchange to the air outlet pipe body 12. A waterproof exhaust fan 3 and an air volume adjustment device 4 are sequentially arranged in the air outlet pipe body 12 from bottom to top to discharge the exhausted gas (low-temperature wet gas). The waterproof exhaust fan 3 is, for example, a waterproof fan with a 12V safety voltage (the exhaust air volume is, for example, 5m3 ( / min), and the air volume adjustment device 4 is, for example, various manual or electric control valves, etc. Further, the heat exchanger housing 1 is in the shape of a cylinder with an equal inner diameter at all positions in the height direction, or the inner diameter gradually increases or decreases from top to bottom. In short, the heat exchange tubes 5 can be inserted, installed, removed, and unloaded from the upper and / or lower openings of the heat exchanger housing 1, forming an overall pull-out type installation structure that can be disassembled vertically. The pull-out method is convenient for installation and disassembly, and is also convenient for regular cleaning of the heat exchanger to ensure hygiene. In terms of installation, more specifically, for example, joints can be provided on the side wall of the heat exchanger housing 1 to connect and install the heat exchange tubes 5, and then the heat exchange tubes 5 are externally connected to the water inlet and outlet pipelines, etc.

[0028] Preferably, the heat exchange tubes 5 are finned tubes, and the fin pitch of the finned tubes is 3.8 mm. Compared with the conventional scheme, this scheme increases the fin pitch, and the fin heat exchange area is 17.5 m 2 , which can not only ensure an effective heat absorption area, but also ensure that the accumulation of condensed water between the heat dissipation fins is minimized to reduce the heat absorption area and avoid the reduction of the heat exchange effect caused by condensed water. On the other hand, the heat exchange tubes 5 are preferably serpentine copper tubes; more specifically, for example, they are copper finned tubes. The copper finned tubes are straight tubes, and a plurality of straight tubes form the required serpentine structure through connecting elbows. The copper tubes and the connecting elbows have good heat conduction performance. In addition, preferably, the total length of the pipeline of the heat exchange tubes 5 is not less than 40 meters, the pipeline heat exchange surface area is 1.6 m 2 , the internal water storage capacity is not less than 4.3 liters, and the time from entering the heat exchange tubes 5 to discharging water reaches 1.5 minutes, ensuring sufficient heat exchange in terms of time.

[0029] Further, the waste heat exchanger of the present invention is particularly suitable for a dishwashing machine. The waste heat exchanger is arranged at the steam discharge port of the dishwashing machine, so as to recycle the high-temperature steam generated during the operation of the dishwashing machine. More specifically, for example, it is used for preheating the washing water of the dishwashing machine, and the water outlet end of the heat exchange tubes 5 is connected to the cleaning equipment or the water storage container of the dishwashing machine. According to some embodiments, the temperature of the normal temperature water introduced into the water inlet end of the heat exchange tubes 5 is 10°C to 25°C, the temperature of the steam entering from the high-temperature steam inlet is 60°C to 70°C, and after heat exchange, the temperature of the preheated water output from the water outlet end of the heat exchange tubes 5 is 50°C to 60°C.

[0030] More specifically, in some common dishwashing machines, the steam discharge port is located at the top of the dishwashing machine. The inside of the dishwashing machine is the working area for cleaning, and the steam discharge port is connected to the working area. The waste heat exchanger of the present invention is fixedly installed above the steam discharge port, and the water collecting tray 9 forms a shield above the working area to prevent condensed water from dripping onto the working area and contaminating the washed tableware.

[0031] On the other hand, in some common dishwashers, a water spraying device is mainly used as the cleaning equipment. The water spraying device includes a spray head, a water pipe, a cleaning pump, etc. connected to each other, and the start and stop of the cleaning work are controlled by the cleaning pump. In this regard, this solution preferably has a linkage control mechanism connected between the waterproof exhaust fan 3 and the cleaning pump of the dishwasher, which can be an optional physical or electric control linkage mechanism to realize the linkage control and synchronous start and stop operation mode of the waterproof exhaust fan 3 and the cleaning pump. When the equipment such as the cleaning pump stops cleaning, the waterproof exhaust fan 3 automatically closes, thereby avoiding excessive heat discharge inside the equipment and preventing the overall cleaning temperature of the equipment from being affected.

[0032] In summary, the waste heat exchanger of the present invention optimizes the arrangement of heat exchange tubes and other settings, enabling the heat exchanger to achieve the best effect during the heat exchange process; and is equipped with a waterproof exhaust fan and an air volume adjustment device, which can adjust the air volume according to the usage requirements, further ensuring the heat exchange effect and the internal temperature of the equipment as needed; increases the spacing of the heat dissipation fins of the heat exchange tubes, reduces the accumulation of condensed water, and ensures an effective heat absorption area; uses copper tubes with good thermal conductivity and connecting elbows to increase the water storage capacity of the heat exchange tubes and ensure sufficient heat exchange; adopts a pull-out installation method, which is convenient for regular cleaning and ensures the hygiene condition; sets a water collecting tray at the bottom to guide the condensed water and prevent the contamination of the washed tableware; and controls the operation of the waterproof exhaust fan through linkage control with the cleaning pump to avoid excessive heat discharge. This solution is particularly applicable to dishwashers, which can effectively solve the problems of a large amount of heat energy being wasted during the use of dishwashers, resulting in energy waste and environmental pollution, and considering problems such as the accumulation of condensed water may reduce the heat exchange effect, as well as factors such as cleaning hygiene and operation convenience, to achieve higher heat exchange efficiency and better usage effects.

Claims

1. A waste heat exchanger, characterized in that, It includes a heat exchanger housing (1), the heat exchanger housing (1) is in a tubular shape that penetrates up and down, the lower end of the heat exchanger housing (1) is a high-temperature steam inlet, the upper end of the heat exchanger housing (1) is provided with a gas collecting hood (2), and the upper end of the gas collecting hood (2) is a low-temperature wet gas outlet; a waterproof exhaust fan (3) and an air volume regulating device (4) are also provided at the upper end of the gas collecting hood (2); a heat exchange tube (5) is arranged inside the heat exchanger housing (1), the water inlet end of the heat exchange tube (5) is located in the upper part of the heat exchanger housing (1), and the water outlet end of the heat exchange tube (5) is located in the lower part of the heat exchanger housing (1); the heat exchanger housing (1) is divided into at least two temperature layer regions from top to bottom, and the heat exchange tubes (5) are arranged layer by layer from top to bottom.

2. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, The temperature layer regions include a heat exchange low-temperature zone (6), a heat exchange medium-temperature zone (7), and a heat exchange high-temperature zone (8) that are sequentially distributed from top to bottom; the heat exchange tube (5) is a single pipeline, including a low-temperature section, a medium-temperature section, and a high-temperature section that are sequentially connected from top to bottom, the low-temperature section is located in the heat exchange low-temperature zone (6), the medium-temperature section is located in the heat exchange medium-temperature zone (7), and the high-temperature section is located in the heat exchange high-temperature zone (8).

3. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, A water accumulation tray (9) is arranged below the heat exchanger housing (1), the area of the water accumulation tray (9) completely covers the cross-section of the heat exchanger housing (1), and the upper surface of the water accumulation tray (9) has an inclined surface for guiding and draining water.

4. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the heat exchanger housing (1) has a lower flange (10) for connection, and the upper end of the heat exchanger housing (1) has an upper flange (11); the gas collecting hood (2) is in a funnel shape with a gradually increasing cross-sectional area from top to bottom, the lower end of the gas collecting hood (2) is connected to the upper flange (11), an air outlet pipe body (12) is connected to the upper end of the gas collecting hood (2), and the waterproof exhaust fan (3) and the air volume regulating device (4) are sequentially arranged in the air outlet pipe body (12) from bottom to top.

5. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, The heat exchange tube (5) is a finned tube, and the fin pitch of the finned tube is 3.8 mm.

6. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange tube (5) is a serpentine copper tube.

7. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The total length of the pipeline of the heat exchange tube (5) is not less than 40 meters, and the internal water storage capacity is not less than 4.3 liters.

8. The waste heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The waste heat exchanger is arranged at the steam discharge outlet of the dishwasher.

9. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that, The steam discharge outlet is located at the top of the dishwasher, and the waste heat exchanger is arranged above the steam discharge outlet.

10. The waste heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that, The waterproof exhaust fan (3) and the cleaning pump of the dishwasher are connected with a linkage control mechanism.

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