A variable fin area air cooler tube bundle and heat exchange device

Abstract

The embodiments of this disclosure provide an air cooler tube bundle and heat exchange device with variable fin area. The air cooler tube bundle with variable fin area includes a metal base tube, stationary fins, a rotating shell, moving fins, a gear ring, a drive gear, and a stepper motor. The rotation of the gear ring can control the rotation of the rotating shell and drive the moving fins to rotate. By changing the overlapping area of ​​the opposite surfaces of the moving fins and the stationary fins, the fin area of ​​the air cooler tube bundle can be dynamically adjusted to meet the changes in the heat load of the air cooler.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein belong to the field of heat exchange technology, specifically relating to a variable fin area air cooler tube bundle and heat exchange device. Background Technology

[0002] Finned tube air coolers are a type of high-efficiency heat exchanger widely used in industrial fields. They increase the outer surface area of ​​a metal tube by adding numerous sheet-like metal fins through methods such as winding, embedding, or rolling. This provides sufficient heat exchange area between the hot fluid inside the tube (such as hot water, oil, steam, or other process fluids) and the cooling air flowing outside, achieving high-efficiency heat exchange. However, in existing finned tube air coolers, the fin positions on the tube bundle surface are fixed, and the fin surface area cannot be dynamically adjusted according to the heat load. This limits their application to rated operating conditions and lacks the flexibility of dynamic adjustment. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The embodiments disclosed herein are intended to at least address one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and to provide an air cooler tube bundle and heat exchange device with variable fin area.

[0004] On one hand, embodiments of this disclosure provide an air cooler tube bundle with variable fin area, including a metal base tube, stationary fins, a rotating shell, moving fins, a gear ring, a drive gear, and a stepper motor; The outer surface of the metal base tube is provided with a plurality of stationary fins at a first interval along its tube length direction, and the outer surface of the rotating shell is provided with a plurality of moving fins at a second interval along its tube length direction. The rotating shell is rotatably connected to the metal base tube along its tube length direction, and the toothed ring is sleeved on the outer surface ends of the rotating shell and the metal base tube. The stationary fins are connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube, the moving fins and the gear ring are both connected to the outer surface of the rotating shell, the gear ring meshes with the drive gear, and the drive gear is connected to the stepper motor. The rotating outer shell is coaxial with the metal base tube. The rotating outer shell is a semi-cylindrical shell. When the gear ring rotates, it drives the rotating outer shell and the moving fins to rotate synchronously.

[0005] Optionally, the inner surface of the stationary fin includes a connecting arc surface connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube and a non-connecting arc surface spaced apart from the outer surface of the metal base tube. The radius of the non-connecting arc surface is larger than the radius of the connecting arc surface, and an end face is formed between the connecting arc surface and the non-connecting arc surface.

[0006] Optionally, the rotational gap between the rotating outer shell and the outer surface of the metal base tube can ensure that the rotational motion is unimpeded and that the gap has low thermal resistance.

[0007] Optionally, the number of stationary fins and moving fins are equal, and the opposing surfaces of the stationary fins and moving fins are bonded together.

[0008] Optionally, both the stationary fin and the moving fin are annular surfaces with an angle of less than 360°, and one stationary fin and one moving fin can form a 360° annular fin.

[0009] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a heat exchange device that employs the variable fin area air cooler tube bundle described above.

[0010] The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle and heat exchange device of the embodiments of this disclosure have the following beneficial effects: 1. Adaptive air cooler heat load variation. By changing the overlap area of ​​the opposing surfaces of the moving and stationary fins, the total fin area of ​​the air cooler tube bundle is dynamically adjusted to meet the changes in the air cooler heat load.

[0011] 2. Simple structure, easy to modify. No need to change the original base tube and stationary fins, the modification is completed simply by putting a rotating shell on the outer surface of the base tube and installing the drive mechanism. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a variable fin area air cooler tube bundle structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partially enlarged schematic diagram of the structure; Figure 3 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the stationary fin structure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the overlapping of the stationary and moving fins of a variable fin area air cooler tube bundle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 1: Metal base tube; 2: Stationary fin; 3: Rotating shell; 4: Moving fin; 5: Gear ring; 6: Drive gear; 7: Stepper motor; 8: Arc surface of connecting part; 9: Arc surface of non-connecting part; 10: End face. Detailed Implementation

[0014] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of this disclosure, the disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0015] like Figures 1 to 4As shown, an air cooler tube bundle with variable fin area includes a metal base tube 1, stationary fins 2, a rotating outer shell 3, moving fins 4, a gear ring 5, a drive gear 6, and a stepper motor 7. The outer surface of the metal base tube 1 is provided with a plurality of stationary fins 2 spaced at a first interval along its length. The outer surface of the rotating outer shell 3 is provided with a plurality of moving fins 4 spaced at a second interval along its length. The rotating outer shell 3 is rotatably connected to the metal base tube 1 along its length. The gear ring 5 is sleeved on the outer ends of the rotating outer shell 3 and the metal base tube 1.

[0016] The stationary fin 2 is connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube 1 by welding. The moving fin 4 and the gear ring 5 are both connected to the outer surface of the rotating shell 3 by welding. The gear ring 5 meshes with a drive gear 6, which is connected to the stepper motor 7. The rotating shell 3 is coaxial with the metal base tube 1 and is a semi-cylindrical shell. When the gear ring 5 rotates, it drives the rotating shell 3 and the moving fin 4 to rotate synchronously.

[0017] Furthermore, the inner surface of the stationary fin 2 includes a connecting arc surface 8 connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube 1 and a non-connecting arc surface 9 spaced apart from the outer surface of the metal base tube 1. The radius of the non-connecting arc surface 9 is greater than the radius of the connecting arc surface 8, and an end face 10 is formed between the connecting arc surface 8 and the non-connecting arc surface 9.

[0018] The rotational gap between the rotating outer shell 3 and the outer surface of the metal base tube 1 ensures that the rotating outer shell 3 rotates relative to the metal base tube 1 without obstruction, and the rotational gap between the rotating outer shell 3 and the outer surface of the metal base tube 1 should ensure unobstructed rotational movement while minimizing the gap thermal resistance. As an example, the gap and surface roughness between the rotating outer shell 3 and the outer surface of the metal base tube 1 are in the micrometer range.

[0019] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the number of stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 are equal, and the opposing surfaces of the stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 are attached together. Both the stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 are annular surfaces with an angle of less than 360°, and one corresponding stationary fin 2 and one moving fin 4 can form a 360° annular fin.

[0020] Specifically, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the stationary fin 2 is an annular surface with an angle of 180°, and the moving fin 4 is an annular surface with an angle of 180°. Correspondingly, one stationary fin 2 and one moving fin 4 constitute a 360° annular surface fin.

[0021] The specific working process of the variable fin area air cooler tube bundle is as follows: The hot fluid flows in from one end of the metal base tube 1. When the air cooler is under minimum heat load, one side of the rotating outer shell 3 is in contact with the end face 10, and the overlapping area of ​​the opposing surfaces of all stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 is at its maximum. At this time, the total fin area is minimum, and the heat exchange area is minimum. Figure 4 As shown.

[0022] As the heat load of the air cooler gradually increases, stepper motor 7 receives a pulse signal. The output shaft of stepper motor 7 drives drive gear 6 to rotate counterclockwise (viewed from direction A) by a certain angle, causing gear ring 5 to rotate clockwise (viewed from direction A). As gear ring 5 rotates, it drives rotating shell 3 and moving fins 4 to rotate synchronously. One side of rotating shell 3 gradually moves away from end face 10, the overlapping area of ​​the opposing surfaces of stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 gradually decreases, the total fin area gradually increases, and the heat exchange area gradually increases. When the heat load of the air cooler reaches its maximum, the overlapping area of ​​the opposing surfaces of stationary fins 2 and moving fins 4 is zero, the total fin area is at its maximum, and the heat exchange area is at its maximum. Figure 1 As shown.

[0023] When the heat load of the air cooler gradually decreases from the maximum to the minimum, the stepper motor 7 receives a reverse pulse signal. The output shaft of the stepper motor 7 drives the drive gear 6 to rotate in the reverse direction, which in turn drives the gear ring 5 to rotate in the reverse direction. One side of the rotating shell 3 gradually approaches the end face 10. The overlapping area of ​​the opposite surfaces of the stationary fins 2 and the moving fins 4 gradually increases from zero to the maximum, and the total fin area gradually decreases from the maximum to the minimum, thus reducing the heat exchange area to the minimum.

[0024] The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle of this disclosure, through its metal base tube, stationary fins, rotating shell, moving fins, gear ring, drive gear, and stepper motor, can adaptively adapt to changes in the air cooler's heat load. By changing the overlap area of ​​the opposing surfaces of the moving and stationary fins, the total fin area of ​​the air cooler tube bundle is dynamically adjusted to meet the changing heat load of the air cooler. The structure is simple and easy to modify; no changes are required to the original base tube and stationary fins. Modification is completed simply by fitting a rotating shell onto the outer surface of the base tube and installing the drive mechanism.

[0025] On the other hand, embodiments of this disclosure also provide a heat exchange device that employs the variable fin area air cooler tube bundle described above.

[0026] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments used to illustrate the principles of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and substance of this disclosure, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A variable fin area air cooler tube bundle, characterized in that, It includes a metal base tube, stationary fins, rotating shell, moving fins, gear ring, drive gear, and stepper motor; The outer surface of the metal base tube is provided with a plurality of stationary fins at a first interval along its tube length direction, and the outer surface of the rotating shell is provided with a plurality of moving fins at a second interval along its tube length direction. The rotating shell is rotatably connected to the metal base tube along its tube length direction, and the toothed ring is sleeved on the outer surface ends of the rotating shell and the metal base tube. The stationary fins are connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube, the moving fins and the gear ring are both connected to the outer surface of the rotating shell, the gear ring meshes with the drive gear, and the drive gear is connected to the stepper motor. The rotating outer shell is coaxial with the metal base tube. The rotating outer shell is a semi-cylindrical shell. When the gear ring rotates, it drives the rotating outer shell and the moving fins to rotate synchronously.

2. The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner surface of the stationary fin includes a connecting arc surface connected to the outer surface of the metal base tube and a non-connecting arc surface spaced apart from the outer surface of the metal base tube. The radius of the non-connecting arc surface is larger than the radius of the connecting arc surface, and an end face is formed between the connecting arc surface and the non-connecting arc surface.

3. The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotational gap between the rotating outer shell and the outer surface of the metal base tube ensures that the rotational motion is unimpeded and that the gap has low thermal resistance.

4. The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of stationary fins and moving fins are equal, and the opposing surfaces of the stationary fins and moving fins are bonded together.

5. The variable fin area air cooler tube bundle according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the stationary fin and the moving fin are annular surfaces with an angle of less than 360°, and one stationary fin and one moving fin can form a 360° annular fin.

6. A heat exchange device, characterized in that, The heat exchange equipment adopts the variable fin area air cooler tube bundle as described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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