Heat exchange device

Abstract

Heat exchange device, which includes: Fluid distribution / receiver units (110) configured to distribute or receive a fluid to be discharged or released; Liquid conduit plates (120) coupled to the liquid distributor / receiver units (110) and having conduits (114) for conveying liquid, which are configured in a plurality of plates such that at least one conduit (114) is branched into a plurality of conduits (114) based on a flow rate per unit area, and that each branched conduit (114) is again branched at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area; an intermediate conduit plate (140) whose conduits (114) are configured such that the conduits (114) are formed in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective conduits (114) that are branched on a final stage of the fluid conduit plates (120), and that each conduit (114) is branched into a plurality of conduits (114) at least on one stage based on a flow rate per unit area; and a micro circuit board (130) whose conductors (114) are formed linearly in a plurality of boards to correspond to the respective conductors (114) that branch at a final stage of the intermediate circuit board (140), wherein the liquid distributor / receiver units (110), the liquid line plates (120) and the intermediate line plates (140) are symmetrically designed with respect to the micro line plate, wherein a diameter of at least one conduit (114) of the liquid conduit plates (120) is determined on the basis of a flow rate per unit area, wherein a diameter of each branched conduit (114) is determined on the basis of a flow rate per unit area, wherein a diameter of each conduit (114) of the micro conduit plate (130) is determined based on a flow rate per unit area, and wherein ignition points (146) are formed between the plates at the bottom end of the micro-conducting plate (130) or between plates of a bottom layer on the intermediate conducting plate (140), wherein the intermediate conducting plate (140) is positioned on a bottom side with respect to the micro-conducting plate (130).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a heat exchange device, and in particular to a heat exchange device which has a significantly reduced thermal resistance and is thus able to minimize the consumption of energy such as gas or oil and increase the efficiency in the production of hot water and heating.

[0002] In general, heat exchange devices are devices that transfer heat from a high-temperature liquid to a low-temperature liquid by means of a heat exchanger with high thermal conductivity, and are mainly used in products such as air conditioners, boilers, refrigerators, heaters and the like.

[0003] Boilers are devices that generate hot water or high-temperature and high-pressure steam by heating water contained in an internally or externally sealed container. Due to their high temperature, the hot water or steam produced by the boiler is used in various applications, such as for heating in winter by utilizing its high-temperature properties, for steam turbines in power plants by utilizing the high-pressure properties of the generated steam to produce energy, and the like.

[0004] In particular, the consumption of natural gas, which causes less pollution than other fossil fuels, is increasing significantly worldwide, and thanks to the recent exploitation of shale gas, the use of natural gas for generating heating and hot water is expected to become even more widespread.

[0005] Currently, the use of heat exchange devices such as gas boilers for generating heating or hot water in residential or industrial settings is widespread, and thanks to the development of condenser technology for the recovery and utilization of waste heat, their efficiency has also increased considerably by 20% or more. However, the average temperature in winter is gradually decreasing due to abnormal weather phenomena caused by global warming, and periods of extreme cold lasting several days are occurring, thus further increasing the consumption of energy sources such as oil, gas, and the like.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a heat exchanger capable of minimizing the consumption of energy sources such as gas, oil, electricity, or the like, and increasing efficiency in hot water and heating. KR 20-0255210 Y1 discloses a heat exchanger for a gas boiler.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention was made with regard to the aforementioned problems, and it is an objective of the present invention to provide a heat exchange device which has a significantly reduced thermal resistance and is thus able to minimize the consumption of energy such as gas or oil or electricity and to increase the efficiency in the production of hot water and heating.

[0008] This problem is solved by a heat exchange device according to claim 1.

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a heat exchange device is provided comprising: liquid distributor / receiver units configured to distribute or receive a liquid to be supplied or discharged; liquid line plates coupled to the liquid distributor / receiver units and having liquid lines configured in a plurality of plates such that at least one line is branched into a plurality of lines based on a flow rate per unit area, and that each branched line is further branched at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area;and a micro-conducting plate, the conduits of which are formed linearly in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective conduits that branch out at a final stage of the liquid conducting plates, wherein the liquid distributor / receiver units and the liquid conducting plates are formed symmetrically with respect to the micro-conducting plate.

[0010] The heat exchange device may further comprise intermediate guide plates, the intermediate fluid lines of which are configured such that the lines are formed in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective lines branching at a final stage of the fluid guide plates, and that each line branches into a plurality of lines at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area. In this case, a micro guide plate has lines that are formed linearly in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective lines branching at a final stage of the fluid guide plates, and the fluid guide plates are symmetrical with respect to the micro guide plate.

[0011] In this respect, the liquid conduction plate, the micro conduction plate and the intermediate conduction plates take the form of a plate in which convex and concave surfaces repeat to a predetermined depth and width.

[0012] In addition, a multitude of ignition points are formed on a lower side of the micro circuit board or the intermediate circuit board in relation to the micro circuit board.

[0013] In this respect, each conduit in the liquid conduit plates and the intervening conduit plates can be branched in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3.

[0014] In addition, circular conduits can be formed in the liquid conduit plates by die casting or cutting, and the conduits can be formed in the intermediate conduit plates and the micro conduit plate by etching.

[0015] Furthermore, the liquid conduction plates, the intermediate conduction plates and the micro conduction plate can be configured so that two plates with conductors attached to them can be joined together by means of hard or soft soldering.

[0016] Furthermore, the fluid line plates and the intermediate line plates can be configured so that a multitude of layers are coupled together according to the stages into which each line is branched.

[0017] Furthermore, each of the liquid conduction plates, the micro conduction plate and the intermediate conduction plates can be designed as flat plates, the flat plates being able to be coupled together, and at least one heating wire can be mounted horizontally in the micro conduction plate or at a position of the intermediate conduction plate on a lower side with respect to the micro conduction plate.

[0018] Furthermore, the intermediate circuit boards and the micro circuit board can be formed in a single unit using a 3D printer.

[0019] According to the present invention, the thermal resistance of a heat exchange device such as a water heater or a boiler is significantly reduced, and thus the consumption of energy sources such as gas, oil or electricity can be minimized and the efficiency in the generation of hot water and heating can be increased.

[0020] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a conduit through which a liquid flows is branched in several stages, based on a flow rate per unit area, so that the liquid flow from the inlet to the outlet of a heat exchanger can proceed smoothly.

[0021] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a branched structure of a conductor and micro-conductors form a plate structure, thereby facilitating the manufacture of a boiler and significantly reducing manufacturing costs.

[0022] Furthermore, the heat exchange device according to the present invention forms a symmetrical structure with respect to a micro-conducting plate and has a structure in which a conduit is branched based on a flow rate per unit area of ​​each of a plurality of conduits, thereby reducing the pressure loss of a liquid flowing in the conduits, which prevents the formation of air bubbles and the occurrence of an obstruction to the flow of a liquid.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the present invention, a liquid is heated using electricity and electric heating wires instead of a fossil fuel, thereby reducing the use of fossil fuels and heating the liquid within a short time. Fig. Figure 1 is a view illustrating an outer casing of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein Fig. 1(a) a perspective view of the outer casing is, Fig. 1(b) is a top view of the outer casing, and Fig. 1(c) is a side view of the outer casing. Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a structure of the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic representation showing an example of liquid distribution / receiver units of the in Fig. The heat exchange device shown in section 2 is illustrated. Fig. Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a liquid piping plate of the in Fig. 2 heat exchange device shown. Fig. Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a micro circuit board of the in Fig. 2 heat exchange device shown. Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic representation of an intermediate conductor plate of the in Fig. 2 heat exchange device shown. Fig. 7 is a representation that shows an example of the setup of the ignition points of the in Fig. The intermediate circuit board shown in section 6 is illustrated. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the heat exchange device in which the liquid conduction plate, the micro conduction plate and the intermediate conduction plate are coupled together. Fig. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an example of conduits from the in Fig. 2 heat exchange device shown. Fig. Figure 10 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the heat exchange device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a top view of the in Fig. 10. Heat exchange device shown.

[0024] Heat exchange devices according to embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 is a view illustrating an outer casing of a heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein Fig. 1 (a) a perspective view of the outer casing is, Fig. 1 (b) is a top view of the outer casing, and Fig. 1 (c) is a side view of the outer casing.

[0026] Reference is now made to the Fig. 1, in which the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be housed in the outer casing 10, as in Fig. 1 shown. In this respect, the outer casing 10 can have a rectangular parallelepiped shape and can be equipped on its upper and lower surfaces with conduit openings 12 through which conduits for the inlet and outlet of a liquid such as gas, oil, water or the like pass.

[0027] Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a structure of the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Reference is now made to the Fig. 2, in which the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention can include liquid distributor / receiver units 110, liquid line plates 120, a micro line plate 130, and intermediate line plates 140.

[0029] The liquid distributor / receiver units 110 are each attached to the liquid inlet and liquid outlet sides of the heat exchanger and are configured to distribute or receive a liquid being introduced or discharged. In this respect, the liquid distributor unit 110 distributes as described in Fig. Figure 3 shows a fluid introduced into the heat exchange device from a primary distributor 112 into a plurality of lines 114 and distributes the fluid flowing through each line 114 into a plurality of plate receivers 116.

[0030] The liquid receiving unit 110 has the same structure as the liquid distribution unit 110 and is mounted symmetrically to / with the liquid distribution unit 110; therefore, the liquid distribution / receiving units are given the same reference numeral 110. Here, the liquid receiving unit 110 receives a liquid discharged from the heat exchanger using a plurality of plate sensors 116, and receives the liquid flowing through each plate sensor 116 into the plurality of lines 114. A final sensor receives the liquid discharged from each line 114 and discharges the liquid to the outside. In the following description, reference is made to the description of the liquid distribution unit 110 for the description of the liquid receiving unit 110.

[0031] The fluid line plates 120 are each coupled to the fluid distributor / receiver units 110 and have fluid lines that are configured in a plurality of plates such that at least one line is branched into a plurality of lines based on a flow rate per unit area, and that each branched line is further branched at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area. The fluid line plate 120 can now be configured as shown in Fig. Figure 4 shows the form of a plate in which convex and concave surfaces are repeated to a predetermined depth and width. Furthermore, the fluid conduction plate 120 can be manufactured such that semicircular conduction grooves are formed on one plate by die casting or cutting, and semicircular conduction grooves are formed on another plate such that they are opposite those of the first, and then the two plates are joined together by hard or soft soldering. Furthermore, the fluid conduction plate 120 can be manufactured as shown in Fig. 4 can be formed as a plurality of layers according to the stages into which a conduit branches. This means that liquid receiving holes 125, through which a liquid is received from the liquid distribution unit 110, can be formed vertically in the liquid conduit plate 122, which is designed as the uppermost layer, and an upper conduit 126, through which the liquid flowing downwards through each liquid receiving hole 125 flows, and branched receiving holes 127, which have a shape into which each liquid receiving hole 125 branches, can be formed vertically at an upper end of the liquid conduit plate 124, which is designed as the second layer. Such a layered structure can be formed as a plurality of layers according to the stages into which the conduits branch.Each pipe can now be branched in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, and the diameter of each branched pipe can be determined based on a flow rate per unit area of ​​a pipe before the branch. This means that if the first pipe branches into three second pipes, a flow rate per unit area can satisfy the condition in Equation 1. (π / 4)×(diameter of the first pipe)²×flow rate of the first pipe = 3×(π / 4)×(diameter of the second pipe)²×flow rate of the second pipe

[0032] In this respect, if the flow rate of a pipe before the branch differs from the sum of the flow rates of the pipes after the branch, the flow can be restricted, and thus a constant flow rate can be maintained between the pipes. Therefore, the diameter of each branched pipe can be determined based on the flow rate per unit area, as in Equation 1.

[0033] The micro-conducting plate 130 has conduits that are linearly arranged in a multitude of plates to correspond to the respective conduits that branch out on the final stage of the liquid conducting plate 120. This means that the micro-conducting plate 130, as in Fig. Figure 5 shows that the micro-conducting plate 130 is formed as a plurality of plates having the same shape as the liquid conduction plate 120, and that conduits 132 are formed linearly inside each plate to correspond to those at the final stage of the liquid conduction plate 120. The micro-conducting plate 130 can be manufactured such that semicircular conduits are formed by etching into two plates to match each other, and the two plates are then joined by hard or soft soldering. In this respect, the liquid distributor / receiver units 110 and the liquid conduction plates 120 can be formed symmetrically with respect to the micro-conducting plate 130.

[0034] Meanwhile, etching is a technique for creating a desired pattern on a selected section of a material's surface by performing a chemical etching process using an acid or other etchant, and is used in the manufacturing processes of integrated semiconductor circuits. There are three main etching methods: wet etching, dry etching (plasma etching), and ion beam etching. Wet etching uses an etching solution and is cost-effective and offers high selectivity, but it causes surface contamination and can easily lead to the formation of an underetched photoresist profile. Plasma etching includes methods using neutral plasma and methods using charged plasma.This method significantly reduces the formation of an underetched profile (especially when using charged plasma), but results in reduced selectivity. Finally, ion beam etching is a method used to remove photoresist using ion beams, offering high selectivity and accuracy, but the process is slow and this method can only be used with a positively charged photoresist (with a negatively charged photoresist, an underetched profile can easily occur due to thickness variations).

[0035] Brazing, also known as hard soldering or soft soldering, is a technique in which thin metal plates are joined together by soldering. This process involves heating the sections to be joined using brass, silver, or similar solder as a bonding agent, causing them to melt and fuse. The bonding agent is called brazing alloy and is primarily in the form of a powder or sheet. A brazing alloy with a lower melting point than the metal being joined is used, and a flux (a solvent) is used to clean the surfaces to be joined; boron-based fluxes are most commonly used. A complete heating and joining process is called furnace brazing.

[0036] The intermediate conduit plate 140 can be positioned between the liquid conduit plate 120 and the micro conduit plate 130. Conduits of the micro conduit plate 130 can have a diameter of 1 mm or less and generate a capillary pressure phenomenon, which may require several stages of branching processes, taking into account the diameter of the conduits at the top of the liquid conduit plate 120.

[0037] Here, the capillary pressure phenomenon refers to a phenomenon in which a liquid flows upwards in a very narrow hollow tube, and Giovanni Borelli proved that the height of the upward-flowing liquid is inversely proportional to the inner diameter of the tube. Generally, assuming a tube diameter of 0.5 mm, the height of the upward-flowing water is approximately 50 mm.

[0038] The intermediate conduit plates 140 are configured as a plurality of conduits in the same form as the liquid conduit plates 120, and intermediate liquid conduits are configured in each plate to correspond to the respective conduits that branch at the final stage of the liquid conduit plate 120, and each conduit is branched into a plurality of conduits at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area. Now, the intermediate conduit plate 140 can be configured such that each conduit is branched by etching in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, or as shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, a multitude of layers of vertical conduits, formed according to the branching stages, can be coupled together. The shape of each layer is similar to the layered structure of the liquid conduit plate 120, and therefore a detailed description of it is omitted here. Furthermore, the intermediate conduit plate 140, like the micro-conduit plate 130, can be manufactured by joining thin plates using hard or soft soldering. The intermediate conduit plates 140 and the micro-conduit plate 130 can also be manufactured as a single unit using a 3D printer. Various known techniques can be used as methods for this process with a 3D printer, and therefore a detailed description is omitted here.

[0039] Here, the micro-conducting plate 130 is configured such that lines are formed linearly in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective final branched lines of the liquid conducting plate 120, and the intermediate conducting plates 140 are formed symmetrically with respect to the micro-conducting plate 130. In this respect, the intermediate conducting plate 140, which is positioned on a lower side with respect to the micro-conducting plate 130, can be configured as shown in Fig. Figure 7 shows a plurality of ignition points 146 between plates of the bottom layer of a plurality of plates 142 and 144. Here, the ignition points 146 are configured to increase the temperature of a liquid flowing through the conductors and can assume an irregular shape between the plates. Furthermore, although the ignition points 146 are formed in the intermediate conductor plate 140 in the illustration, they can also be formed between the plates at the bottom of the micro-conductor plate 130.

[0040] Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the heat exchange device in which the liquid conduction plate, the micro conduction plate and the intermediate conduction plate are coupled together.

[0041] Reference is now made to the Fig. 8, in which the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured such that each of the liquid conduction plates 120 and the intermediate conduction plate 140 is designed as a plurality of plates and that branched conductions are formed in each plate, thereby forming capillary tubes in the micro-conduction plate 130.

[0042] Fig. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of the arrangement of the lines of the heat exchange device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 9, assuming that four lines are branched in the ratio 1:2 -> 1:2 -> 1:3 -> 1:3 -> 1:3, 432 lines are formed in the micro-conducting plate 130. In this way, the micro-conducting plate 130 has capillary tubes with a diameter of 1 mm or less and can prevent the flow of a liquid from being obstructed.

[0044] In the case of general boiler devices, a liquid in the pipes can be heated by heat supplied from the outside. Now, to heat water in the pipes, the external heat should be transferred to the water inside through the pipes, and in this process, a thermal resistance is created due to the thickness of the pipes, a thermal resistance due to the thermal conductivity of the pipes, a thermal resistance due to the volume of space in the pipes, and the like.

[0045] In embodiments of the present invention, conduits with a diameter of 1 mm or less are formed, unlike conduits generally with a diameter of approximately 20 mm, thereby minimizing thermal resistance and allowing the liquid to be heated instantly. This means that for a conduit with a diameter of 20 mm, its wall thickness is approximately 2 mm, and the area covered by a unit flowing liquid in the conduit is 0.000314 m². 2 In contrast, a pipe with a diameter of 0.5 mm has a wall thickness of approximately 0.15 mm, and a unit area in which a liquid flows is 0.000000196 m². 2A simple arithmetic calculation demonstrates that the thermal resistance decreases 13-fold due to the thickness and 1,600-fold due to the surface area. In other words, this shows that heating a heat exchanger in a bundled burner type with 0.5 mm diameter pipes generates almost no thermal resistance. While existing boiler systems produce hot water at a temperature of 100 °C or less by heating it to several hundred degrees Celsius, the heat exchanger according to the present invention can produce hot water at 90 °C or more by heating it to 100 °C or less.

[0046] Fig. Figure 10 is a lateral cross-sectional view of the heat exchange device according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 11 is a top view of the in Fig. 10. Heat exchange device shown.

[0047] Reference is now made to Fig. 10 and Fig.11, in which the heat exchange device according to another embodiment of the present invention can be configured such that, instead of the structure in which the liquid conduction plates 120, the micro-conduction plate 130, and the intermediate conduction plates 140 assume the form of a plate in which convex and concave surfaces are repeated to a predetermined depth and width, each plate is designed as a flat plate, and the flat plates can be coupled together. Here, at least one electric heating wire 148 can be arranged horizontally in the micro-conduction plate 130 or at a position of the intermediate conduction plates 140 on a lower side with respect to the micro-conduction plate 130. Now there is almost no thermal resistance between the electric heating wire 148 and a liquid flowing between the micro-conductors of the micro-conduction plate 130, and thus the liquid can be heated within a short time.

Claims

[1] Heat exchange device comprising: Fluid distribution / receiver units (110) configured to distribute or receive a fluid to be discharged or released; Liquid conduit plates (120) coupled to the liquid distributor / receiver units (110) and having conduits (114) for conveying liquid, which are configured in a plurality of plates such that at least one conduit (114) is branched into a plurality of conduits (114) based on a flow rate per unit area, and that each branched conduit (114) is again branched at at least one stage based on a flow rate per unit area; an intermediate conduit plate (140) whose conduits (114) are configured such that the conduits (114) are formed in a plurality of plates to correspond to the respective conduits (114) that are branched on a final stage of the fluid conduit plates (120), and that each conduit (114) is branched into a plurality of conduits (114) at least on one stage based on a flow rate per unit area; and a micro circuit board (130) whose conductors (114) are formed linearly in a plurality of boards to correspond to the respective conductors (114) that branch at a final stage of the intermediate circuit board (140), wherein the liquid distributor / receiver units (110), the liquid line plates (120) and the intermediate line plates (140) are symmetrically designed with respect to the micro line plate, wherein a diameter of at least one conduit (114) of the liquid conduit plates (120) is determined on the basis of a flow rate per unit area, wherein a diameter of each branched conduit (114) is determined on the basis of a flow rate per unit area, wherein a diameter of each conduit (114) of the micro conduit plate (130) is determined based on a flow rate per unit area, and wherein ignition points (146) are formed between the plates at the bottom end of the micro-conducting plate (130) or between plates of a bottom layer on the intermediate conducting plate (140), wherein the intermediate conducting plate (140) is positioned on a bottom side with respect to the micro-conducting plate (130). [2] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid conduction plate (120), the micro conduction plate (130) and the intermediate conduction plates (140) assume the form of a plate in which convex surfaces and concave surfaces are repeated to a predetermined depth and width. [3] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein each line (114) is branched in the liquid line plates (120) and the intermediate line plates (140) in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:

3. [4] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein lines (114) in the liquid line plates (120) are formed circularly by die casting or cutting, and the lines (114) in the intermediate line plates (140) and the micro line plate (130) are formed by etching. [5] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid line plates (120), the intermediate line plates (140) and the micro line plate (130) are configured such that two plates with lines (114) attached therein are joined together by means of hard or soft soldering. [6] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid line plates (120) and the intermediate line plates (140) are configured such that a plurality of layers are coupled together according to the stages into which each line (114) is branched. [7] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein each liquid conduction plate (120), the micro conduction plate (130) and the intermediate conduction plates (140) are designed as flat plates, the flat plates being coupled together, and at least one heating wire (148) is mounted horizontally in the micro conduction plate (130) or at a position of the intermediate conduction plate (140) on a lower side with respect to the micro conduction plate (130). [8] Heat exchange device according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate conductor plate (140) and the micro conductor plate (130) are formed as a unit using a 3D printer.

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