Fluid heating device

Abstract

This specification describes a fluid heating device and its uses. The fluid heating device can solve problems of conventional fluid heating devices. For example, the fluid heating device can efficiently support carbon neutrality. The fluid heating device can transfer precisely controlled heat to the fluid within a short period of time, for example, when heating a large amount of fluid. This specification also describes a method of heating a fluid using the fluid heating device.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority based on Republic of Korea Patent Application No. 10-2022-0058137 dated 12 May 2022, and all content disclosed in the documents of the said Korean patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This application relates to a fluid heating device and its applications. [Background technology]

[0003] Devices that heat fluids can be used in a variety of applications.

[0004] For example, the apparatus may be used in a process to produce basic petrochemical raw materials (e.g., olefins such as ethylene, propylene, and butadiene).

[0005] In order to produce the aforementioned olefins, a so-called cracking process is carried out in which raw materials such as naphtha obtained by refining crude oil, ethane, propane, waste plastics, and biodiesel are thermally decomposed in a high-temperature furnace, and a fluid heating device may be used in this process.

[0006] The decomposition furnace that carries out the aforementioned pyrolysis generally includes a radiating section, a convection section, and a steam generator. The fluid, which is the raw material to be pyrolyzed, can be transported through a flow line such as a pipe and pyrolyzed by high-temperature heat. Typically, pyrolysis is carried out by transferring a large amount of thermal energy to the fluid being transported in the radiating section.

[0007] Conventional fluid heating devices, such as decomposition furnaces, are typically large-scale equipment, and due to their characteristics, they transfer heat based on the entire piping system through which the fluid flows in order to process large volumes of fluid. Furthermore, this heat transfer is achieved through thermal power generated by burning fossil fuels.

[0008] However, with such conventional methods, it was impossible to uniformly transfer heat throughout the entire fluid line, control the heat applied to different parts of the line, or rapidly heat the line.

[0009] Furthermore, since the method of burning fossil fuels requires heating using convection, there is a problem that limits the configuration of the equipment.

[0010] Furthermore, the conventional methods described above emit large amounts of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide during the operation of the equipment due to the use of fossil fuels. This makes it difficult to achieve carbon neutrality in order to respond to climate change.

[0011] Furthermore, conventional fluid heating systems require a long time to reach an equilibrium state (steady state) in the heating region, making the use of thermal power inefficient and resulting in the additional emission of harmful gases such as greenhouse gases during the process. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] Specification of the Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0042969 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0013] This application aims to provide a fluid heating device and its applications that can solve the problems of the prior art described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] This specification describes a fluid heating device.

[0015] Said fluid heating device comprises: a fluid flow line comprising an internal passage configured for fluid to flow therethrough and a conductive surface portion surrounding said internal passage; and a heating source.

[0016] Said heating source may comprise: a current inflow portion comprising a first conductor electrically connected to said fluid flow line; a current receiving portion comprising a second conductor electrically connected to said fluid flow line, said current receiving portion being provided separately from said current inflow portion; and a voltage source.

[0017] Said heating source is arranged such that a potential difference allowing current to flow through said current inflow portion, said current receiving portion and said fluid flow line can be formed between said current inflow portion and said current receiving portion, and said fluid heating device may be configured such that heat is generated at said surface portion by said current and transferred to the fluid in said internal passage.

[0018] Said voltage source may be configured to generate one or more selected from the group consisting of direct current, alternating current, pulsed current and bipolar current.

[0019] Said fluid heating device may further comprise a cooling portion in heat-exchangeable contact with one or more conductors selected from the group consisting of said first and second conductors.

[0020] The cooling portion of said fluid heating device may not be in contact with the fluid flow line.

[0021] The cooling portion of said fluid heating device comprises a refrigerant and a circulation line, and said circulation line may be configured such that said refrigerant circulates while performing heat exchange with one of said first conductor and said second conductor and then continuously performing heat exchange with the other of said first conductor and said second conductor.

[0022] In said fluid heating device, the conductor in contact with the cooling portion may be subjected to insulation treatment.

[0023] In said fluid heating device, said fluid flow line may be subjected to heat insulation treatment.

[0024] The fluid flow line may include an inlet formed to allow fluid to flow into the fluid flow line and an outlet formed to allow the fluid that has flowed into the fluid flow line to flow out.

[0025] The fluid flow line may be installed such that the angle between the imaginary line connecting the inlet and outlet and the direction of gravity is in the range of 80 to 90 degrees.

[0026] Area S of the inlet A The ratio S of the area SB of the outlet A / S B It can be within the range of 0.8 to 1.2.

[0027] The fluid heating device includes first and second fluid flow lines as the fluid flow lines, and the current inlet and current receiving portions of the heating source may be formed in the first and second fluid flow lines, respectively.

[0028] The current receiving portion of the first fluid flow line may become the current inflow portion of the second fluid flow line, or the current inflow portion of the first fluid flow line may become the current receiving portion of the second fluid flow line.

[0029] The fluid heating device includes a plurality of fluid flow lines as the fluid flow line, and current inlet and current receiving sections are formed in each of the plurality of fluid flow lines, and the current receiving section of any one of the plurality of fluid flow lines may become the current inlet of another fluid flow line, or the current inlet of any one of the plurality of fluid flow lines may become the current receiving section of another fluid flow line.

[0030] In the fluid heating device, the plurality of fluid flow lines and the heating source may form a series-connected network.

[0031] Such a series-connected network can satisfy Equation 2 below.

[0032] [Formula 2] AB=1

[0033] In Equation 2, A may be the total number of current inlet and current occupancy sections of the series-connected network, and B may be the number of fluid heating devices in the series-connected network, and each of the current inlet and current occupancy sections may contain one or more conductors.

[0034] In the fluid heating device, the internal passages of each of the multiple fluid flow lines do not necessarily have to be in communication with one another.

[0035] This specification also describes a method for heating a fluid using the fluid heating device.

[0036] The above method may include forming a potential difference between the current inlet and current receiving portion of the heating source, causing current to flow through the current inlet, the current receiving portion, and the fluid flow line, and transferring the heat generated on the surface of the fluid flow line by the flow of current to the fluid flowing through the internal passage of the fluid flow line. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] This application can provide a fluid heating device and its applications that can solve the problems of the prior art. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0038] [Figure 1] These are non-limiting examples of fluid heating devices described herein. [Figure 2] This is a non-restrictive example of the cross-section of the fluid flowline described herein. [Figure 3] This is a non-restrictive example of the form and arrangement of fluid flowlines. [Figure 4] This is a non-limiting example of a cooling system. [Figure 5]This is a non-limiting example of a cooling system. [Figure 6] This is a non-limiting example of a cooling system. [Figure 7] These are non-limiting examples of fluid heating devices described herein. [Figure 8] This is a non-limiting example of the current patterns supplied to the fluid heating devices described herein. [Figure 9] These are non-limiting examples of fluid heating devices described herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0039] In this specification, if the measurement temperature affects the measured value of a physical property, it is the physical property measured at room temperature unless otherwise specified.

[0040] As used herein, room temperature is the natural temperature that has not been artificially heated or cooled, and may be any temperature within the range of 10°C to 30°C. In other examples, room temperature may mean a temperature within the range of approximately 15°C or higher, approximately 18°C ​​or higher, approximately 20°C or higher, or approximately 23°C or higher, and approximately 27°C or lower, or a temperature at approximately 25°C.

[0041] Unless otherwise specified, the unit of temperature used in this specification is Celsius (°C).

[0042] In this specification, for physical properties where the measurement pressure affects the measured value, the properties are those measured at normal pressure unless otherwise specified.

[0043] As used herein, atmospheric pressure refers to the natural pressure that has not been artificially pressurized or depressurized, and can typically mean a temperature in the range of approximately 730 mmHg to 790 mmHg.

[0044] In this specification, the term "fluid" refers to a substance that can flow. Typically, gases, liquids, and plasmas are treated as fluids.

[0045] Non-limiting examples of the fluid to be heated in the fluid heating devices described herein may be one or more selected from the group consisting of water, steam, air, and hydrocarbon compounds.

[0046] In one example, the fluid is the substance to be heated and may be a substance that is cracked upon receiving thermal energy transfer. Non-limiting examples of such fluids include hydrocarbon compounds. Non-limiting examples of hydrocarbon compounds may include one or more selected from the group consisting of naphtha, ethane, propane, methane, waste plastics, and biodiesel, as well as other substances that are applicable according to common sense in the industry.

[0047] In one example, the fluid may be the object to be heated and the substance used to carry out the cracking, and non-limiting examples of such a fluid may be one or more selected from the group consisting of water, steam, and catalysts.

[0048] In the case where the fluid flow line of a fluid heating apparatus described herein is a reactor as described later, the fluid may mean either the substance before the reaction or the substance after the reaction, or both.

[0049] The fluid heating apparatus described herein may be part of other equipment. Non-limiting examples of such other equipment may be one or more selected from the group consisting of steam crackers, reformers, and alkane dehydrogenators. The fluid heating apparatus described herein may be configured to perform at least one process in such other equipment.

[0050] In one example, the fluid heating device may be part of a steam cracker. The steam cracker is a device that performs steam cracking and may be equipment that applies thermal energy to long-chain hydrocarbon compounds to convert them into short-chain hydrocarbon compounds. Non-limiting examples of long-chain hydrocarbon compounds include one or more selected from the group consisting of naphtha, propane, butane, and ethane. Through the steam cracking, one or more selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, propylene, and butadiene may be produced.

[0051] In one example, the fluid heating device may be part of a reformer. The reformer may mean equipment that produces steam and one or more carbon oxides selected from the group consisting of one or more substances selected from the group consisting of natural gas, light gasoline, methanol, biogas, and biomass. Such a reformer may also be equipment that produces hydrogen from one or more substances selected from the group consisting of methane and carbon dioxide.

[0052] As one example, the fluid heating device may be part of an alkane dehydrogenator. The alkane dehydrogenator may be equipment that produces alkenes from alkanes through a dehydrogenation process.

[0053] The fluid heating device will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and other images relating to the embodiments, but this is for the purpose of easy understanding and does not limit the scope of the fluid heating device. Furthermore, the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and other images of this specification are for the purpose of specifically explaining a particular configuration, and the configurations described in such drawings may be shown in proportion to the actual proportions.

[0054] Figure 1 illustrates one example of the fluid heating device 10.

[0055] As shown in the drawing, the fluid heating device 10 may include a heating section 100. In one example, the heating section 100 may be a region where the fluid to be heated is heated.

[0056] The heating section 100 may include a fluid flow line 110. The fluid flow line 100 may include an internal passage and a surface portion surrounding the internal passage. The internal passage may be formed by the surface portion. The internal passage may be formed so that a fluid flows through it.

[0057] The heating section 100 of the fluid heating device 10 may include one or more fluid flow lines 110.

[0058] The fluid flow line 110 may include at least an internal passage and a surface portion. Figure 2 shows an example of a cross-sectional shape of such a fluid flow line having a surface portion 111 and an internal passage 112. The surface portion may exist in a manner that surrounds the internal passage, and the internal passage may be formed by the surface portion.

[0059] The internal passage may be formed to allow fluid to flow through it. The fluid may be the object to be heated by the fluid heating device.

[0060] The surface portion may be conductive. That is, the surface portion may be formed of a conductive material. The term conductivity means the property that heat and / or electricity can flow through it. In one example, the surface portion of the fluid flow line may be a material that is conductive, allowing electric current to flow, and which generates heat due to such current flow. This phenomenon of heat generation due to the current flow is also known as the Joule effect of current. Such a surface portion of a fluid flow line may be called a resistively heated surface portion in another example. The fluid flow line may be configured such that the surface portion generates heat due to the flow of electric current, and the fluid flowing through the internal passage is heated by the heat generated by such surface portion.

[0061] In one example, if the fluid undergoes a chemical reaction due to the heating, the fluid flow line may be called a reactor and the heating section may be called a reaction section. When the fluid flow line is referred to as a reactor, the fluid flow line may be a mechanism, machine, or equipment in which the chemical reaction is carried out. The chemical reaction may mean that bonds between molecules or between elements are broken, or new bonds are formed between molecules or between elements.

[0062] The fluid flow line 110 can be configured in the most appropriate form by comprehensively considering the purpose of heating, the physicochemical properties and mixing ratio of the components contained in the fluid to be heated, the required flow velocity and time for the fluid, the operating cycle of the device, and / or the type and size of the equipment included in the device.

[0063] There are no particular restrictions on the type of material that constitutes the surface portion, and any material known to generate heat through the flow of electric current via the Joule effect of the current can be used. For example, a material having an appropriate level of thermal conductivity that can exhibit the effect and having good thermal resistance can be used. Non-limiting examples of such materials include, but are not limited to, one or more selected from the group consisting of nickel; chromium; and alloys containing nickel and chromium. The fluid flow line may, in one example, be piping made of the aforementioned material.

[0064] As described above, the fluid flow line 110 may include the surface portion 111 and the internal passage 112. The internal passage 112 may be an open space formed for the fluid to flow. The internal passage 112 may be configured so that the fluid flow is continuous, or the fluid flow is maintained, but stagnation occurs for a certain period of time in at least a portion of the line. The velocity of the fluid flow may also be configured to be maintained at a constant rate or to vary with the flow. Such a form of fluid flow may be controlled to produce the most suitable result considering the purpose of heating the fluid. For example, if the fluid flow line is the reactor described above, the fluid may experience a chemical reaction as it flows through the internal passage, and / or be discharged after experiencing the chemical reaction while stagnating in a certain region after being introduced into the internal passage. The fluid may flow in a continuous flow, or it may flow in a flow that enters for a chemical reaction, stagnates to experience the chemical reaction, and then exits.

[0065] The cross-sectional shape of the fluid flow line 110 is not limited. Such a shape can be appropriately designed considering the purpose of heating and the types or mixing ratios of components contained in the fluid to be heated. Figure 2 is an example of an unrestricted cross-sectional shape of the fluid flow line 110. Of course, the fluid flow line 110 can have a variety of shapes not shown in Figure 2, such as one or more selected from the group consisting of triangles, rhombuses, parallelograms, and ellipses.

[0066] The form and arrangement of the fluid flow line 110 of the heating section 100 of the fluid heating device 10 are not particularly limited. For example, the form and arrangement may be designed taking into consideration the purpose of heating and the components and / or mixing ratio of the fluid to be heated. For example, the fluid flow line 110 may be in the form of pipes or batches.

[0067] Figures 3(a) to 3(d) are non-restrictive examples of the configuration and arrangement of pipe-shaped fluid flowlines 110. Figure 3(a) shows a configuration of fluid flowlines 110 with repeating U-shapes, and Figure 3(b) shows an example in which fluid flowlines 110 with repeating U-shapes are arranged without overlapping and with staggered arrangements. Figure 3(c) is an example of a U-shaped fluid flowline 110, and Figure 3(d) is an example of a straight-line fluid flowline 110.

[0068] There are no particular restrictions on the dimensions of the fluid flow line 110. The dimensions can be appropriately designed taking into account the purpose of heating and the components and mixing ratio of the fluid to be heated. The dimensions of the fluid flow line 110 may be the length of the line 110 in the direction of fluid flow in a pipe form and / or the volume of the internal space of the line 110 in an arrangement form.

[0069] In one example, the fluid flow line 110 of the heating section 100 of the fluid heating device 10 may be insulated. For example, the line 110 may be surrounded by an insulating material. There are no particular limitations on the insulating material, and any known material can be used. For example, one or more materials selected from the group consisting of asbestos, glass, phenolic foam, and aerogel can be used as the insulating material. In the case of conventional fluid heating devices such as high-temperature decomposition furnaces, it was not possible to provide insulating material in the heating section, such as the radiant section of the decomposition furnace, due to the inflow of air and the discharge of exhaust gas necessary for the combustion of fossil fuels. However, since the fluid heating device 10 described herein can heat the fluid without the inflow of air and the discharge of exhaust gas, it is possible to surround the fluid flow line 110 with insulating material. When insulating material is present, the loss of thermal energy transmitted to the fluid flow line 110 can be prevented, and heat can be transferred to the fluid more effectively. Furthermore, through the aforementioned insulating material, the cooling section described later does not lower the heat of the heating section, and the heat generated in the first and / or second conductors is effectively recovered, enabling even more efficient thermal management.

[0070] The distances from the ground to the positions formed to allow fluid to flow into the fluid flow line 110 (inlet) and the positions formed to allow fluid that has flowed into the fluid flow line 110 to flow out (outlet) can be substantially the same. Here, substantially the same means not only when they are exactly the same, but also when they are nearly similar, although there is a certain degree of error. The ratio (H1 / H2) of the distance H1 between the inlet of the fluid flow line 110 of the fluid heating device 10 and the ground, and the distance H2 between the outlet of the fluid flow line 110 and the ground, can be within an appropriate range. For example, the lower limit of the ratio (H1 / H2) can be around 0.8, 0.82, 0.84, 0.86, 0.88, 0.9, 0.92, 0.94, 0.96, 0.98, or 1, and the upper limit can be around 1.2, 1.15, 1.1, 1.05, 1.04, 1.03, 1.02, 1.01, or 1. The ratio may be greater than or greater than any one of the lower limits mentioned above, less than or equal to any one of the upper limits mentioned above, or greater than or greater than any one of the lower limits mentioned above, while being less than or equal to any one of the upper limits mentioned above. The distance H1 or H2 between the inlet or outlet and the ground may mean the shortest distance between the inlet and outlet and the ground.

[0071] Figure 7 is a non-restrictive example of a fluid heating device 10. As shown in Figure 7, the fluid flow line 110 has an inlet through which fluid flows in and an outlet through which fluid flows out, the distance between the inlet and the ground G can be said to be H1, and the distance between the outlet and the ground G can be said to be H2.

[0072] The arrangement of the fluid flow line as described above means that an imaginary line connecting the inflow port and the outflow port is substantially perpendicular to the direction of gravity. Therefore, the lower limit of the angle formed by the imaginary line and the direction of gravity may be about 80 degrees, 82 degrees, 84 degrees, 86 degrees, 88 degrees or 90 degrees, and the upper limit thereof may be about 90 degrees or 88 degrees. Said angle is the smaller angle among the angles formed by the imaginary line and the direction of gravity. Said angle may be greater than or equal to any one of the aforementioned lower limits, less than or equal to any one of the aforementioned upper limits, or within a range that is greater than or equal to any one of the aforementioned lower limits and less than or equal to any one of the aforementioned upper limits.

[0073] The imaginary line connecting the inflow port and the outflow port is either an imaginary line connecting the positions of the inflow port and the outflow port that serves as a reference for checking distances H1 and H2 from the ground, or may be an imaginary line connecting the centers of gravity of the inflow port and the outflow port respectively. That is, said imaginary line is the center of gravity G of the cross section confirmed when the inflow port is cut A and the center of gravity G of the cross section confirmed when the outflow port is cut B and may be an imaginary line connecting the foregoing.

[0074] The area S of the inflow port of said fluid flow line 110 A and the area S of the outflow port B may be substantially the same. That is, said area S A and S B may be completely identical to each other, or not completely identical but substantially similar. For example, said area S A and S B ratio S A / S BThe lower limit may be approximately 0.8, 0.82, 0.84, 0.86, 0.88, 0.9, 0.92, 0.94, 0.96, 0.98, or 1, and the upper limit may be approximately 1.2, 1.15, 1.1, 1.05, 1.04, 1.03, 1.02, 1.01, or 1. The ratio may be at or above any one of the lower limits mentioned above, or below any one of the upper limits mentioned above, or within the range of being at or above any one of the lower limits mentioned above, while being below any one of the upper limits mentioned above.

[0075] Conventional high-temperature decomposition furnaces and other fluid heating systems utilizing fossil fuels required the use of convection to heat the fluid, thus necessitating a vertical arrangement of the fluid flow line. Furthermore, to cope with the load applied to the lower part of the line and the high temperatures, the line was designed to have an increasingly larger cross-section towards the bottom. Such a design reduces the efficiency of heat transfer to the fluid. The fluid heating system described herein allows for efficient heating and heat transfer without the use of convection. Therefore, the design flexibility of the line is increased. Through the arrangement and control of the area of ​​the outlet and inlet of the line as described above, effective heating of the fluid and efficient heat transfer to the fluid become possible.

[0076] As described above, the fluid heating device 10 described herein is designed such that the fluid flow line 110 of the heating section 100 generates heat through the Joule effect of electric current on the surface of the line 110, and this heat is transferred to the fluid flowing through the internal passage. If necessary, the fluid can undergo a chemical reaction (e.g., cracking) due to the transferred heat, thereby producing olefins (such as ethylene and propylene) or hydrogen. In this specification, the term heating means transferring heat to an object (e.g., a fluid). The temperature of the object to which heat is transferred generally rises, but heat can be transferred without a temperature increase, such as when an isothermal reaction or a phase transition occurs.

[0077] Heating of the heating section (i.e., supply of current in the fluid flow line) can be performed by a heating source. The heating source may be configured to induce resistive heat in the fluid flow line.

[0078] As illustrated in Figure 1, the heating source 200 can supply current to the fluid flow line 110 of the heating unit 100. The heating source 200 may include a current inlet 220, a current storage unit 230, and a voltage source 210. The current inlet 220 and the current storage unit 230 exist separately from each other. In one example, the current inlet 220 may be positioned closer to the inlet of the fluid flow line (for example, the part indicated by R in Figure 1) than the current storage unit 230. In another example, the current inlet 220 may be positioned closer to the outlet of the fluid flow line (for example, the part indicated by P in Figure 1) than the current storage unit 230. In yet another example, either the current inlet 220 or the current storage unit 230 may be positioned adjacent to the outlet, and the other adjacent to the inlet. Depending on the purpose of heating and the state of the fluid, such arrangements may enable more effective heating. The heating source 200 is designed such that the line including the voltage source 210, current inlet 220, current receiving section 230, and the fluid flow line 110 is configured like an electrical circuit, allowing current to flow directly through the fluid flow line 110. In other words, the fluid flow line can be energized by the heating source 200.

[0079] Therefore, the heating source 200 is installed such that a potential difference is formed between the current inlet 220 and the current housing, allowing current to flow through the current inlet 220, the current housing 230, and the fluid flow line 110. The fluid heating device may be installed such that, as described above, heat (resistive heat) is generated on the surface by the current and transferred to the fluid flowing through the internal passage.

[0080] The current inlet 220 includes at least one first conductor 240a, and the current receiving section 230 includes at least one second conductor 240b. The first and second conductors 240a and 240b are electrically connected to the fluid flow line 110. In one example, the first and second conductors 240a and 240b may be electrically connected by direct contact with the surface of the fluid flow line 110.

[0081] The voltage source 210 of the heating source 200 of the fluid heating apparatus 10 described herein generates a current by forming a potential difference between the first and second conductors 240a and 240b, and such a current generates heat as it flows through the fluid flow line 110. The voltage source 210 may be a DC voltage source capable of supplying DC or an AC voltage source capable of supplying AC. The voltage source may be designed to form a current of an appropriate magnitude considering the purpose of heating and the fluid to be heated.

[0082] The current flowing through the fluid flowline 110 can be direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC). DC refers to a current that flows in a constant direction regardless of time, while AC may refer to a current whose magnitude and phase change periodically with time.

[0083] In one example, the voltage source may be configured to form one or more selected from the group consisting of pulsed currents and bipolar currents. This allows the heating source 200 to provide a patterned current, thereby enabling precise and rapid control of the fluid flow line temperature as needed. For example, by providing a patterned current, the temperature of the fluid flow line 110 can be uniformly raised in a short time.

[0084] The current having the above pattern may be, for example, the pulsed current or bipolar current described above. The pulsed current may be, for example, a pattern in which a DC current of a constant intensity is formed for a predetermined time t1, and then the current is interrupted for a predetermined time t2. The bipolar current may be a pattern in which a DC current A1 of a constant intensity is formed for a predetermined time t3, and then a DC current A2 of a constant intensity is formed for a predetermined time t4, while having the opposite phase to the DC current A1. The opposite phase means that the phase difference is about 180 degrees. The magnitudes of the DC currents A1 and A2 may be different from each other.

[0085] Figure 8 is an unrestricted example of the pulsed and bipolar currents. However, the current patterns provided by the voltage sources herein are not limited to those shown in Figure 8. For example, in the case of a pulsed current, the time during which current flows and the time during which no current flows may be controlled to be non-constant, and the current intensity may be controlled differently for each period, as is the case with bipolar currents. Furthermore, currents in a mixed form of pulsed and bipolar currents may also be formed.

[0086] The specific values ​​of the current intensities A1, A2 and / or the current supply and interruption times t1, t2, t3, t4 in the pattern current can be determined considering the purpose of heating, the state of the fluid to be heated and / or the configuration of the fluid flow line 110, etc.

[0087] By shaping the voltage source to provide the aforementioned pulsed or bipolar current, it is possible to efficiently and stably control the heat generation of the fluid flow line 110 while suppressing the formation of a magnetic field due to the current and minimizing the impact on surrounding equipment. For example, uniformity can be ensured while rapidly raising the temperature through the provision of the current.

[0088] In the fluid heating device 10 described herein, the current inlet 220 of the heating source 200 allows current to flow directly into the fluid flow line 110 through the first conductor 240a, and the current receiving section 230 receives current directly from the fluid flow line 110 through the second conductor 240b. That is, the first and second conductors 240a and 240b may be electrically directly connected to the fluid flow line 110.

[0089] The first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b may be configured to allow electricity to flow into the fluid flow line 110 or to contain said electricity. The first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b can be made of materials having appropriate electrical conductivity to perform the functions described above. For example, the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b may each be independently made of or contain one or more materials selected from the group consisting of iron; chromium; aluminum; and alloys (e.g., alloys containing iron, chromium, and aluminum). Such materials exhibit appropriate electrical conductivity and can efficiently cope with the decrease in electrical conductivity and durability due to heat generated by the fluid flow line 110 for fluid heating. However, the materials that can be used as conductors are not limited to those described above, as long as they perform the functions described above.

[0090] The current inlet section 220 may include at least one first conductor 240a, and the current receiving section 230 may also include at least one second conductor 240b. In order to energize the fluid flow line 110, there may be one first and one second conductor 240a and 240b, but problems may occur in operation if the electrical conductivity of the conductors is damaged during the operation of the line 110. Therefore, in some cases, multiple conductors may be installed in both the current inlet section 220 and the current receiving section 230, and the arrangement of the multiple conductors may be controlled so that if the electrical conductivity of one of the conductors is damaged, the other conductors can continue to operate.

[0091] The fluid heating device 10 described herein may further include a cooling unit 300. Such a cooling unit 300 may be present to recover heat that may be generated in the process of the first and / or second conductors supplying current. That is, resistance heat may also be generated in the first and / or second conductors due to the Joule effect described above, and the heating efficiency of the line may decrease due to the increase in resistance caused by such resistance heat. Therefore, the device can be operated while recovering heat through the cooling unit 300. Such a cooling unit may be included in the fluid heating device in a state in contact with one or more conductors selected from the group consisting of the first and second conductors so as to be able to exchange heat with them.

[0092] This allows the cooling unit 300 to recover heat that may be generated in one or more conductors selected from the group consisting of the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b.

[0093] The cooling unit 300 does not need to be in contact with the fluid flow line 110 of the heating unit 100. By "not in contact," I mean that the cooling unit 300 and the fluid flow line 110 are positioned such that there is substantially no heat exchange between them. For example, the cooling unit 300 can be positioned so as not to touch any point on the fluid flow line 110. This prevents the problem of the heated fluid flow line 110's temperature being lowered by the cooling unit.

[0094] In the fluid heating device 10 described herein, the cooling unit 300 can come into contact with one or more selected from the group consisting of a first conductor 240a and a second conductor 240b. This contact means that the cooling unit 300 is in a state in which it can exchange heat with the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. Therefore, this includes not only cases where the cooling unit and the conductors are in direct contact, but also states in which heat conduction or heat exchange is possible even without direct contact. The components included in the cooling unit 300 can be arranged so that heat conduction or heat exchange occurs with at least a portion or all of the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b, or even with a separate layer in between. Through this, the cooling unit 300 can directly recover the heat generated by the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b.

[0095] The cooling section 300 of the fluid heating device 10 described herein can be formed in an industry-known manner without particular limitation, as long as it is configured to recover heat generated in the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. For example, the cooling section 300 may include a refrigerant 310 and a circulation line through which the refrigerant 310 can circulate and recover heat generated in the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. For example, the refrigerant 310 of the cooling section 300 can come into contact with the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b to recover heat generated in the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. Figure 1 is an unrestrictive example in which the cooling section 300 recovers heat generated in the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b through the refrigerant 310.

[0096] In the fluid heating device 10 described herein, the cooling unit 300 may have an appropriate form considering the form and material of the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. Figure 4 is a non-limiting example of the cooling unit 300. Referring to Figure 4, the cooling unit 300 may include a refrigerant storage space 330 having an appropriate internal space so that the refrigerant 310 does not flow out to the outside, although at least a portion of the first conductor 240a is in contact with the refrigerant 310. The example in Figure 4 is an exemplary form of the cooling unit 300, and its form is not particularly limited as long as it is configured so that the heat generated in the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b is recovered by the contact between the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b and the refrigerant 310.

[0097] In the fluid heating device 10 described herein, the cooling unit 300 includes a refrigerant 310 as described above, and the refrigerant 310 can recover heat generated in the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b while circulating through a circulation line. The refrigerant 310 can recover heat by directly contacting one or more selected from the group consisting of the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b.

[0098] Figure 5 is a non-limiting example of the refrigerant circulation system for the cooling unit 300. As illustrated in Figure 5, the refrigerant, which has recovered heat in the first conductor 240a, can be cooled by exchanging heat with a separate cooler 320 and / or air while circulating, and then recover heat again from the first conductor 240a. Although Figure 5 is shown only for the first conductor 240a, a similar system can be applied to the second conductor 240b.

[0099] In one example, the circulation line of a cooling unit including a refrigerant and a circulation line may be configured such that the refrigerant circulates while exchanging heat with one of the first and second conductors, and then continuing to exchange heat with the other of the first and second conductors.

[0100] Figure 6 is an unrestricted example of such a circulating system. As illustrated in Figure 6, the refrigerant 310 can circulate while recovering heat generated in the first conductor 240a through heat exchange, and then recovering heat generated in the second conductor 240b through heat exchange. In such a circulating process, for example, the refrigerant that has recovered heat generated in the first conductor 240a may be cooled through heat exchange with a separate cooler (not shown) and / or air before heat exchange with the second conductor 240b, and the refrigerant that has recovered heat generated in the second conductor 240b can be continuously circulated by being cooled through heat exchange with a separate cooler (not shown) and / or air before heat exchange with the first conductor 240a.

[0101] One or more conductors selected from the group consisting of the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b from which heat is recovered by the cooling unit 300 may be insulated. That is, the conductors that come into contact with the cooling unit to enable heat exchange may be insulated, for example, by being surrounded by an insulating material. Since the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b are connected to the voltage source 210 and current flows through them, short circuits and other phenomena may occur due to external factors. Insulation treatment may be performed to prevent such short circuits and other phenomena. For example, if the cooling unit 300 uses a refrigerant 310, the refrigerant 310 may induce a short circuit while in contact with the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b. Therefore, for example, at least the portion of the first conductor 240a and / or the second conductor 240b that comes into contact with the refrigerant 310 may be insulated, such as by being coated with an insulating material.

[0102] The fluid heating device 10 described herein is one example that can satisfy the following equation 1. Through this, heat can be transferred more effectively.

[0103] [Formula 1] d≧L / 2

[0104] In Equation 1, d is the straight-line distance between the first conductor 240a and the second conductor 240b. For example, d may represent the straight-line distance between the centroid of the first conductor 240a and the centroid of the second conductor 240b.

[0105] In Equation 1, L represents the distance over which the fluid flows in the fluid flow line 110. In the case of Figure 1, L may represent the length in the direction of fluid flow in the fluid flow line 110.

[0106] The fluid heating apparatus 20 described herein, in one example, includes a heating section 100 containing the fluid flow lines 110; and a heating source 200 that supplies current to the fluid flow lines 110 of the heating section 100; however, the heating section 100 may include a plurality of fluid flow lines 110. In such cases, the descriptions of each fluid flow line 110 and heating source 200 of the heating section 100 can be applied with appropriate modifications as necessary.

[0107] If the fluid heating device 20 described herein includes a heating section 100 and a plurality of fluid flow lines 110, each of the plurality of fluid flow lines may have a current inlet and a current receiving section for the heating source described above. In such a case, the current receiving section of one of the fluid flow lines may be connected to another fluid flow line and configured to function as the current inlet of the other fluid flow line. Alternatively, in the above case, the current inlet of one of the fluid flow lines may be connected to another fluid flow line and configured to function as the current receiving section for the other fluid flow line. For example, if the heating section includes a first and a second fluid flow line as fluid flow lines, the current inlet and current receiving section for the heating source are formed in the first and second fluid flow lines respectively, but the current receiving section of the first fluid flow line may become the current inlet of the second fluid flow line, or the current inlet of the first fluid flow line may become the current receiving section of the second fluid flow line.

[0108] In this manner, all of the multiple fluid flow lines 110 of the heating section can be electrically connected.

[0109] In particular, according to the method described herein, a network can be formed in which the multiple fluid flow lines 110 are electrically connected in series with respect to each other. With such a method, the control of electrical heating can be precisely controlled for multiple fluid flow lines in a desired manner. For example, the same heating effect can be obtained with high predictability for multiple fluid flow lines by forming the same current.

[0110] For such a series-connected network to be formed, the multiple fluid flow lines must fall into one of the following three cases.

[0111] Case 1: The current inlet of the first fluid flow line is connected to a voltage source, and the current reservoir is connected to the second fluid flow line (the current reservoir is both the current reservoir of the first fluid flow line and functions as the current inlet of the second fluid flow line).

[0112] Case 2: The current inlet of the first fluid flow line is electrically connected to the second fluid flow line, and the current reservoir is electrically connected to the third fluid flow line (the current inlet is the current inlet of the first fluid flow line and functions as the current reservoir of the second fluid flow line, and the current reservoir is the current reservoir of the first fluid flow line and functions as the current inlet of the third fluid flow line).

[0113] Case 3: The current inlet of the first fluid flow line is connected to the second fluid flow line, and the current reservoir is connected to a voltage source (the current inlet is the current inlet of the first fluid flow line and functions as the current reservoir of the second fluid flow line).

[0114] Therefore, when the series connection network is formed, the fluid heating device satisfies Equation 2 below.

[0115] [Formula 2] AB=1

[0116] In Equation 2, A is the total number of current inlet and current occupancy sections of the series-connected network, and B is the number of fluid heating devices in the series-connected network. However, in such a case, each of the current inlet and current occupancy sections may include one or more conductors.

[0117] Figure 9 is a non-limiting example of such a fluid heating device 20. As shown in Figure 9, the plurality of fluid flow lines 110 may be electrically connected through a current inlet 220 and a current receiving section 230, which include a conductor 240a. A specific description of the conductor is as described above, and one or more such conductors may be present in each current inlet and current receiving section.

[0118] Even in a structure like that shown in Figure 9, each conductor or current inlet and current receiving section may be provided with the aforementioned cooling section.

[0119] As shown in Figure 9, if each of the multiple fluid flowlines 110 is in the form of a linear pipe, these pipe-shaped fluid flowlines 110 can be arranged substantially parallel to each other. Through such an arrangement, a large amount of fluid can be processed more efficiently.

[0120] As described above, when a fluid heating device includes multiple fluid flow lines, the internal passages of each of the multiple fluid flow lines do not need to be connected to one another. This means that the fluid flowing in the internal passage of one fluid flow line is designed not to flow into the internal passage of another fluid flow line. As shown in Figure 9, the fluid that flows into each fluid flow line 110 can be configured not to flow into the other fluid flow lines 110. Therefore, once a fluid flows into one fluid flow line 110, it can not flow out through the other fluid flow lines 110. Such a structure is effective in uniformly transferring thermal energy to the fluid flowing in each fluid flow line 110. In such a case, the fluid can flow into and out of the multiple fluid flow lines 110 in parallel.

[0121] As illustrated in Figure 9, the fluid heating device 20 described herein may further include an insulating section 400. That is, as previously stated, the heating section or fluid flow line may be insulated. As previously stated, since the fluid heating device 10 described herein can heat the fluid without the inflow of air or the discharge of exhaust gas, the fluid flow line 110 can be surrounded by insulating material. When insulating material is present, the loss of thermal energy transmitted to the fluid flow line 110 can be prevented, and heat can be transferred to the fluid more effectively. In addition, the cooling section does not lower the temperature of the heating section through the insulating material, and the heat generated in the first conductor and / or second conductor can be effectively recovered, enabling more efficient thermal management.

[0122] This specification also describes a fluid heating method using the fluid heating device.

[0123] Such a fluid heating method may include the steps of forming a potential difference between the current inlet and the current receiving portion of the heating source so that current flows through the current inlet, the current receiving portion and the fluid flow line, and transferring the heat generated on the surface of the fluid flow line by the flow of current to the fluid flowing through the internal passage of the fluid flow line.

[0124] The specific details of the fluid heating device to which the above method is applied are as described above. For example, the current flowing in the above stage may be one or more combinations of the DC current, AC current, pulsed current, or bipolar current described above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0125] 10, 20: Fluid heating device P, R: Fluid flow 100: Heating part 200:Heating source 300: Cooling section

Claims

1. A fluid flow line including an internal passage formed for fluid flow and a conductive surface surrounding the internal passage; and Including a heat source, The aforementioned heating source is A current inlet section including a first conductor electrically connected to the fluid flow line; A current receiving section comprising a second conductor electrically connected to the fluid flow line and located separately from the current inflow section; and Includes a voltage source, The heating source is installed such that a potential difference is formed between the current inlet and the current housing, allowing current to flow through the current inlet, the current housing, and the fluid flow line. The current generates heat on the surface and transfers that heat to the fluid in the internal passage. The voltage source is configured to generate one or more currents selected from the group consisting of DC current, pulsed current, and bipolar current. The fluid flow line includes a first and a second fluid flow line, The current inlet and current receiving portions of the heating source are formed in the first and second fluid flow lines, respectively. A fluid heating device in which the current receiving section of the first fluid flow line becomes the current inlet section of the second fluid flow line, or the current inlet section of the first fluid flow line becomes the current receiving section of the second fluid flow line.

2. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the current inlet and current receiving section is located adjacent to the inlet of the fluid flow line, and the other is located adjacent to the outlet of the fluid flow line, satisfying the following formula 1: [Formula 1] d ≥ L / 2 In Equation 1, d is the straight-line distance between the first conductor in the current inflow section and the second conductor in the current receiving section, and L is the distance over which the fluid flows in the fluid flow line.

3. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling section in contact with one or more conductors selected from the group consisting of a first conductor and a second conductor so as to be able to exchange heat with them.

4. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cooling section is not in contact with the fluid flow line.

5. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cooling section includes a refrigerant and a circulation line, and the circulation line is configured such that the refrigerant circulates while exchanging heat with one of the first and second conductors, and then continuing to exchange heat with the other of the first and second conductors.

6. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conductor in contact with the cooling section is insulated.

7. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flow line is insulated.

8. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flow line includes an inlet formed to allow fluid to flow into the fluid flow line and an outlet formed to allow the fluid that has flowed into the fluid flow line to flow out, and the fluid flow line is installed such that the angle between a virtual line connecting the inlet and the outlet and the direction of gravity is in the range of 80 to 90 degrees.

9. The fluid flow line includes an inlet formed to allow fluid to flow into the fluid flow line and an outlet formed to allow the fluid that has flowed into the fluid flow line to flow out, and the area of ​​the inlet (S Ａ ) and the area of ​​the outlet (S Ｂ ) ratio S Ａ / S Ｂ The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the value is within the range of 0.8 to 1.

2.

10. The fluid flow line includes multiple fluid flow lines, The current inlet and current receiving sections are formed in each of the plurality of fluid flow lines. The current receiving section of one of the aforementioned fluid flow lines becomes the current inlet section of another fluid flow line, or the current inlet section of one of the aforementioned fluid flow lines becomes the current receiving section of another fluid flow line. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of fluid flow lines and the heating source form a series-connected network.

11. The series-connected network satisfies the following equation 2, the fluid heating apparatus according to claim 10: [Formula 2] A - B = 1 In Equation 2, A is the total number of current inlet and current receiving sections of the series-connected network, and B is the number of fluid heating devices in the series-connected network, with each of the current inlet and current receiving sections containing one or more conductors.

12. The fluid heating apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the internal passages of each of the multiple fluid flow lines are not in communication with one another.

13. A method for heating a fluid using a fluid heating apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 12, A fluid heating method comprising: forming one or more currents selected from the group consisting of DC current, pulsed current, and bipolar current using a voltage source of a heating source to form a potential difference between a current inlet and a current receiving portion, thereby causing current to flow through the current inlet, the current receiving portion, and the fluid flow line; and transferring the heat generated on the surface of the fluid flow line by the flow of current to the fluid flowing through the internal passage of the fluid flow line.

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