Flow channel structure and PTC heater

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of flow channel structure and PTC heater, it is related to the technical field of heater, flow channel structure includes shell and isolation interval, shell is equipped with fluid inlet, fluid passage and fluid outlet that communicate sequentially, the passage wall of the fluid passage has protrusion and groove.Isolation piece is located in fluid passage, isolation piece is continuously curved and fluid passage is separated into multiple curved passages, the starting end and terminal of each curved passage are communicated fluid inlet and fluid outlet.The flow channel structure provided by the utility model can be applied to PTC heater, the fluid inlet of flow channel structure can be used for cooling liquid to enter fluid passage, shell can be connected with heating element, and the heating element can conduct heat to the shell when heating to heat the cooling liquid flowing through the fluid passage, and the heated cooling liquid can be discharged from the fluid outlet.Because the passage wall of the fluid passage has protrusion and groove, the contact area of cooling liquid and fluid passage is increased, and the heat exchange efficiency of cooling liquid is higher.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of heater technology, specifically to a flow channel structure and a PTC heater. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, PTC heaters have become increasingly widely used. For example, in cold weather, the engine coolant temperature is low. When starting the engine, if the coolant temperature is too low, the performance of the engine's lubrication system, fuel system, etc., will be affected. Therefore, a PTC electric heater can be used to preheat the coolant, allowing the engine to reach its normal operating temperature more quickly, reducing wear during engine start-up, and extending the engine's lifespan. A PTC heater has a fluid channel and is equipped with a liquid inlet, a liquid outlet, and a heating element. The coolant to be heated flows into the fluid channel from the liquid inlet, is heated by the heating element, and then exits from the liquid outlet.

[0003] However, existing PTC heaters still have shortcomings, such as the flat walls of their fluid channels, which result in insufficient contact area with the coolant and thus low heat exchange efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose a flow channel structure and a PTC heater to solve the technical problem that the fluid channel wall of the PTC heater in the prior art is flat, resulting in insufficient contact area with the coolant and thus low heat exchange efficiency of the coolant.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, this utility model provides a flow channel structure, comprising: The housing has a fluid inlet, a fluid channel, and a fluid outlet connected in sequence; the channel wall of the fluid channel has protrusions and grooves. An isolator is disposed in the fluid channel. The isolator is continuously curved and divides the fluid channel into multiple curved channels. The beginning and end of each curved channel are connected to the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

[0006] In some embodiments, the bottom wall of the fluid channel has a plurality of spaced and parallel protrusions, and the top wall of the fluid channel has a plurality of spaced and parallel grooves.

[0007] In some embodiments, the length extension direction of the protrusion and the length extension direction of the groove are both perpendicular to the length extension direction of the curved channel.

[0008] Secondly, this utility model also provides a PTC heater, including a main control board, a heating element, and the aforementioned flow channel structure. The main control board and the heating element are both disposed in the housing. The main control board is connected to the heating element to drive the heating element to heat the housing.

[0009] In some embodiments, the PTC heater has an isolated storage chamber and a first heating chamber, the first heating chamber being located between the storage chamber and the fluid channel, the main control board being located in the storage chamber, and the heating element being located in the first heating chamber.

[0010] In some embodiments, the PTC heater also has a wire passage perpendicular to the storage cavity, and the heating element has a bent electrical connector that passes through the wire passage and is connected to the main control board.

[0011] In some embodiments, the PTC heater has a first housing and a second housing, both of which have the fluid channel inside. The first housing and the second housing are spaced apart to form the first heating cavity, and the storage cavity is located on the side of the second housing opposite to the first housing.

[0012] In some embodiments, the PTC heater further comprises a third housing, the fluid channel being provided within the third housing, the third housing being located on the side of the second housing opposite to the first housing, a second heating chamber being formed between the third housing and the second housing, the second heating chamber communicating with the storage chamber, the storage chamber being located on the side of the third housing opposite to the second housing.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fluid channels within the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are interconnected.

[0014] In some embodiments, the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are arranged vertically along their thickness direction and are detachably connected by screws.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the flow channel structure provided by this invention can be applied to PTC heaters. The fluid inlet of the flow channel structure allows coolant to enter the fluid channel, and the housing can connect to the heating element. When the heating element heats up, it can conduct heat to the housing to heat the coolant flowing through the fluid channel. After being heated, the coolant can be discharged from the fluid outlet. Because the channel wall of the fluid channel has protrusions and grooves, the contact area between the coolant and the fluid channel is increased. In addition, the curved isolation element divides the fluid channel into multiple curved channels, prolonging the residence time of the coolant in the fluid channel, resulting in higher heat exchange efficiency of the coolant. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the disassembled flow channel structure provided in this embodiment of the utility model; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the PTC heater provided in this embodiment of the utility model; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the PTC heater provided in this embodiment of the utility model; Figure 4 This is an internal schematic diagram of the PTC heater provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model.

[0018] To address the technical problem in existing PTC heaters where the fluid channel walls are flat, resulting in insufficient contact area with the coolant and consequently low heat exchange efficiency, this invention provides a flow channel structure that increases the contact area between the coolant and the fluid channel, thereby improving the coolant's heat exchange efficiency.

[0019] It should be noted that the flow channel structure described in this utility model is used in, but not limited to, PTC heaters. For ease of explanation, this utility model only uses the application of the flow channel structure in a PTC heater as an example. The principle of the flow channel structure applied to other types of equipment is essentially the same as that applied to a PTC heater, and will not be described in detail here.

[0020] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the flow channel structure in one embodiment of the present invention. The flow channel structure includes a housing 1 and a separator 2. The housing 1 has a fluid inlet 11, a fluid channel 12, and a fluid outlet 13 connected in sequence. The channel wall of the fluid channel 12 has protrusions 121 and grooves 122. The separator 2 is disposed in the fluid channel 12. The separator 2 is continuously curved and divides the fluid channel 12 into multiple curved channels. The beginning and end of each curved channel are connected to the fluid inlet 11 and the fluid outlet 13.

[0021] In this embodiment, the channel wall of the fluid channel 12 has protrusions 121 and grooves 122, a design that significantly increases the contact area between the coolant and the channel wall. When the coolant flows through the fluid channel 12, the protrusions 121 and grooves 122 cause the coolant to form more turbulence, increasing the contact area between the coolant and the channel wall, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. Specifically, the top wall of the channel wall has grooves 122, and the bottom wall has protrusions 121, with the protrusions 121 and grooves 122 arranged opposite to each other. Traditional flat channel walls have a small contact area with the coolant, resulting in low heat transfer efficiency. This design, by adding protrusions and grooves, allows the coolant to make more thorough contact with the channel wall as it flows through, thereby significantly improving heat exchange efficiency.

[0022] The separator 2 is continuously curved and divides the fluid channel 12 into multiple curved channels. Figure 2 The fluid channel 12 has two curved channels, defined as the first curved channel 123 and the second curved channel 124. The beginning and end of both curved channels are connected to the fluid inlet 11 and the fluid outlet 13. Coolant entering through the fluid inlet 11 can simultaneously flow through the two curved channels and finally exit from the fluid outlet 13. This design extends the residence time of the coolant in the fluid channel 12, allowing more time for heat exchange between the coolant and the channel walls. Specifically, the curved channel design requires the coolant to travel a longer path, increasing the contact time between the coolant and the channel walls and allowing for more uniform contact, thereby further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant.

[0023] The housing 1 includes a bottom shell 111 and a top cover 112. The bottom shell 111 has a fluid channel 12 inside, and the aforementioned isolator 2 is placed inside the fluid channel 12 inside the bottom shell 111. The top cover 112 is press-fitted with the bottom shell 111, allowing for detachable snap-fit ​​connection, and is then connected with screws to ensure a tight seal between the bottom shell 111 and the top cover 112. The bottom of the bottom shell 111 has the aforementioned protrusion 121, and the side of the top cover 112 facing the bottom shell 111 has a groove 122. When the coolant flows through the fluid channel 12, it can simultaneously contact the protrusion 121 and the groove 122, resulting in a large contact area between the coolant and the housing 1 and high heat exchange efficiency.

[0024] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1The bottom wall of the fluid channel 12 has multiple spaced and parallel protrusions 121, and the top wall of the fluid channel 12 has multiple spaced and parallel grooves 122. In this embodiment, by providing multiple protrusions 121 and grooves 122, the contact area between the coolant and the fluid channel 12 can be further increased, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant. Specifically, the parallel spacing of the multiple protrusions 121 and grooves 122 allows the coolant to continuously contact the multiple protrusions 121 and grooves 122 as it flows through the fluid channel 12, thereby forming more turbulence, increasing the contact area between the coolant and the channel wall, and thus improving the heat exchange efficiency.

[0025] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 1 The length extension direction of both the protrusion 121 and the groove 122 is perpendicular to the length extension direction of the curved channel. In this embodiment, both the protrusion 121 and the groove 122 are long strips, and both span all the curved channels. The coolant flowing through the curved channels can contact the walls of the protrusion 121 and the groove 122 at multiple locations. This arrangement can further optimize the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant. During the flow of the coolant in the curved channels, it can exchange heat with the walls of the protrusion 121 and the groove 122 at multiple locations, thus improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant.

[0026] Secondly, please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 The present invention also provides a PTC heater 200, including a main control board 3, a heating element 4 and the aforementioned flow channel structure 100. The main control board 3 and the heating element 4 are both disposed on the housing 1. The main control board 3 is connected to the heating element 4 to drive the heating element 4 to heat the housing 1.

[0027] The main control board 3 is the control center of the PTC heater, responsible for controlling the working state of the heating element 4, such as controlling whether the heating element 4 is heating or not. When the heating element 4 is heating, it can heat the housing 1, and conduct the heat through the housing 1 to the coolant in the fluid channel 12 for heat exchange with the coolant. The heating element 4 is the main heating element of the PTC heater and is made of PTC (positive temperature coefficient) material. PTC material has a positive temperature coefficient characteristic, that is, its resistance increases with increasing temperature.

[0028] The housing 1 is the main structure of the PTC heater, and it contains a fluid channel 12, a storage chamber 14, and a heating chamber 15. The housing 1 can be made of a material with good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum alloy or stainless steel, which can efficiently conduct the heat generated by the heating element 4 to the fluid channel 12.

[0029] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4The PTC heater has an isolated storage chamber 14 and a first heating chamber 15. The first heating chamber 15 is located between the storage chamber 14 and the fluid channel 12. The main control board 3 is located in the storage chamber 14, and the heating element 4 is located in the first heating chamber 15. This structural design effectively isolates the heating element 4 and the main control board 3, improving the safety and reliability of the heater. Specifically, the storage chamber 14 is used to house the main control board 3 and other electronic components, while the first heating chamber 15 is used to house the heating element 4. This isolation design prevents the heat generated by the heating element 4 from affecting the main control board 3, and also prevents interference from electronic components to the heating element 4.

[0030] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The PTC heater also has a wiring channel 16 perpendicular to the storage chamber 14. The heating element 4 has a bent electrical connector 41, which passes through the wiring channel 16 and connects to the main control board 3. This design facilitates the wiring of the electrical connector 41 while reducing interference with the fluid channel 12. Specifically, the design of the wiring channel 16 allows the electrical connector 41 to pass from the storage chamber 14 through the first heating chamber 15 and connect to the heating element 4 without interfering with the fluid channel 12, thus ensuring the integrity of the fluid channel 12 and the smooth flow of the fluid. In addition, the heating element 4 is far from the main control board 3, and the two will not interfere with each other during operation. For example, when the heating element 4 is heating, it will not conduct too much heat to the storage chamber 14, causing the storage chamber 14 to become too hot and affect the normal operation of the main control board 3.

[0031] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The PTC heater has a first housing 1 and a second housing 5. Both the first housing 1 and the second housing 5 are provided with fluid channels 12. A first heating chamber 15 is formed between the first housing 1 and the second housing 5 at an interval. A storage chamber 14 is located on the side of the second housing 5 facing away from the first housing 1. The PTC heater of this embodiment has two housings. This double-housing structure can further improve heating efficiency and heat exchange effect. Specifically, the fluid inlets of the two housings are close to each other and connected, and the fluid outlets of the two housings are close to each other and connected on the other side. Coolant can flow into the PTC heater from the two fluid inlets simultaneously. After the coolant is divided within the two housings, it can converge and be discharged from the two fluid outlets after passing through the fluid channels of the two housings. The double-layer design structure of the first housing 1 and the second housing 5 can increase the total length and heat conduction area of ​​the fluid channels 12, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant. At the same time, the first heating chamber 15 is located between the two housings, which can more evenly conduct heat to the two fluid channels 12, further improving heating efficiency.

[0032] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3The PTC heater also has a third housing 6. A fluid channel 12 is provided inside the third housing 6. The third housing 6 is located on the side of the second housing 5 facing away from the first housing 1. A second heating chamber 17 is formed between the third housing 6 and the second housing 5, and the second heating chamber 17 connects to a storage chamber 14, which is located on the side of the third housing 6 facing away from the second housing 5. In this embodiment, an additional housing is added based on the previous embodiment. Each housing has the same structure, but they are arranged in a stacked manner. This three-housing structure can further optimize the heat exchange process and improve the overall performance of the heater. Specifically, the addition of the third housing 6 can further increase the length and surface area of ​​the fluid channel 12. Simultaneously, the design of the second heating chamber 17 provides an installation position for another heating element 4. This embodiment has two heating elements 4, which can simultaneously heat all three housings during operation, providing heat exchange for the coolant inside the three housings, further improving the heat exchange efficiency of the coolant. Furthermore, the second heating chamber 17 connects to the storage chamber 14, and the electrical connector of the second heating element 4 can easily extend into the storage chamber 14 to connect with the main control board 3.

[0033] Please see Figure 2 The second housing 5 has a fluid inlet 11 and a fluid outlet 13, respectively equipped with an inlet connector 18 and an outlet connector 19. The inlet connector 18 and the outlet connector 19 are used to connect to the coolant inlet pipe and the coolant outlet pipe, respectively. The coolant inlet pipe is detachably connected to the inlet connector 18, so that the coolant can be fed into the fluid channel through the inlet connector 18. The coolant can undergo heat exchange through the fluid channels of the three housings and then be discharged from the outlet connector 19. In this embodiment, by setting the inlet connector 18 and the outlet connector 19 in the middle housing, the coolant can be more evenly dispersed during injection, improving the uniformity of coolant heat exchange.

[0034] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3 The fluid channels within the first housing 1, the second housing 5, and the third housing 6 are interconnected. This embodiment, by interconnecting the fluid channels of the three housings, further increases the flow path of the coolant, allowing for thorough mixing and heat exchange between multiple heating zones, thereby improving the overall heat exchange efficiency. Specifically, the multiple housings are stacked vertically, with all fluid inlets and outlets corresponding vertically, and the fluid inlets and outlets are interconnected vertically. The connection between two adjacent housings can be sealed with a sealing rubber gasket to prevent coolant leakage from the gaps between the housings.

[0035] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 3The first housing 1, the second housing 5, and the third housing 6 are arranged vertically along their thickness direction and are detachably connected by screws. In this embodiment, each housing has screw holes. When the housings are stacked vertically, the screw holes correspond to each other, and screws can be used to connect the screw holes sequentially to secure the housings. This detachable connection method facilitates installation and maintenance, and can also adapt to the needs of heaters of different sizes and shapes. Specifically, the screw design allows for easy disassembly and installation of the housings, facilitating heater maintenance and repair.

[0036] To better understand this utility model, the following is combined with... Figures 1 to 4 The technical solution of this utility model is described in detail below: The flow channel structure of this PTC heater significantly increases the contact area between the coolant and the fluid channel by setting protrusions and grooves on the channel wall and using curved separators to divide the fluid channel into multiple curved channels. This extends the residence time of the coolant and optimizes the flow path of the coolant, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency and uniformity. Furthermore, this structure is simple, easy to manufacture and maintain, has a wide range of applications, and possesses significant practical value and market potential.

[0037] The specific embodiments of this utility model described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this utility model. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of this utility model should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A flow channel structure, characterized in that, include: The housing has a fluid inlet, a fluid channel, and a fluid outlet connected in sequence, and the channel wall of the fluid channel has protrusions and grooves; and An isolator is disposed in the fluid channel. The isolator is continuously curved and divides the fluid channel into multiple curved channels. The beginning and end of each curved channel are connected to the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet.

2. The flow channel structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom wall of the fluid channel has multiple spaced and parallel protrusions, and the top wall of the fluid channel has multiple spaced and parallel grooves.

3. The flow channel structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The length extension direction of the protrusion and the length extension direction of the groove are both perpendicular to the length extension direction of the curved channel.

4. A PTC heater, characterized in that, The device includes a main control board, a heating element, and a flow channel structure as described in any one of claims 1-3. The main control board and the heating element are both disposed in the housing. The main control board is connected to the heating element to drive the heating element to heat the housing.

5. The PTC heater according to claim 4, characterized in that, The PTC heater has an isolated storage chamber and a first heating chamber. The first heating chamber is located between the storage chamber and the fluid channel. The main control board is located in the storage chamber, and the heating element is located in the first heating chamber.

6. The PTC heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The PTC heater also has a wire passage perpendicular to the storage cavity, and the heating element has a bent electrical connector that passes through the wire passage and is connected to the main control board.

7. The PTC heater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The PTC heater has a first housing and a second housing, both of which have fluid channels. The first housing and the second housing are spaced apart to form the first heating chamber, and the storage chamber is located on the side of the second housing opposite to the first housing.

8. The PTC heater according to claim 7, characterized in that, The PTC heater also has a third housing, in which the fluid channel is provided. The third housing is located on the side of the second housing opposite to the first housing. A second heating chamber is formed between the third housing and the second housing, and the second heating chamber is connected to the storage chamber. The storage chamber is located on the side of the third housing opposite to the second housing.

9. The PTC heater according to claim 8, characterized in that, The fluid channels inside the first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are interconnected.

10. The PTC heater according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first housing, the second housing, and the third housing are arranged vertically along their thickness direction and are detachably connected by screws.

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