Air Handling Unit Heating Module with Airflow-Matched Element Shape
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heating elements in air handling units (AHUs) are inefficient due to mismatched airflow patterns, leading to uneven heating and potential damage from thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
A heating module with a frame formed by a mesh of rods and a heating element of predefined shape, aligned with airflow patterns, supported by insulative devices, ensuring efficient and even heating distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional heating elements are used in air handling units, then heating function is provided, but heating efficiency is poor due to mismatched airflow patterns causing uneven heating and thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is designed with a specific shape that matches the airflow pattern at its location in the housing duct. This local optimization ensures that the heating element's surface geometry is tailored to the local flow characteristics, improving heat transfer efficiency and preventing uneven heating that causes thermal stress.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element shape is selected based on the dynamic airflow pattern rather than being a fixed conventional design. By adapting the heating element geometry to match the actual flow dynamics in the duct, the system achieves better heating performance and reduced thermal stress under varying operating conditions.
2Ease of manufacture
If heating elements are installed in housing ducts, then heating is provided, but installation and maintenance are difficult due to fixed conventional designs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into a removable heating element and a stationary frame structure. The heating element can be independently removed from the housing duct for installation, maintenance, or replacement without affecting the entire air handling unit, significantly improving ease of manufacture and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element is designed with removable characteristics, allowing it to be dynamically installed and removed from the housing duct. This dynamic design enables flexible installation and simplifies maintenance operations compared to fixed conventional heating element designs.
3Power
If heating elements are placed in airflow paths, then heating function is achieved, but thermal stress and hot spots occur due to improper shape matching
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element's shape is specifically tailored to match the local airflow pattern at its installation location. This local quality matching ensures uniform heat distribution across the heating element surface, preventing hot spots while maintaining effective heating capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The shape parameter of the heating element is changed to match the airflow pattern characteristics. By selecting a heating element shape that corresponds to the flow pattern, the system achieves uniform thermal distribution and eliminates harmful hot spots while maintaining required heating power.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves thermal interaction and heating efficiency, preventing hot spots and reducing thermal stress on components.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element of a predefined shape and a predefined heating capacity, removably attached to and supported on the frame such that the heating element remains coaxially disposed inside the housing duct, wherein the predefined shape is selected based on an airflow pattern of the air flowing through the heater module such that the air flows through the heating element
Implementation Method 2
the heating element is supported on the frame using one or more thermally and electrically insulative devices to electrically and thermally isolate the frame from the heating element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an air handling unit (100) for use with an air conditioning system. The air handling unit (100) comprises a housing duct (102) through which air is moved from an inlet (102-1) to an outlet (102-2), a blower (108) disposed inside the housing duct (102), configured for moving air within the housing duct (102), and a heater module (106) coaxially disposed inside the housing duct (102) along a direction (112) of flow of the air, wherein the heater module (106) comprises a frame (202) formed by a mesh of rods (202-1, 202-2, 202-3), configured to be removably disposed inside the housing duct (102), and a heating element (204) of a predefined shape and a predefined heating capacity, removably attached to and supported on the frame (202) such that the heating element (204) remains coaxially disposed inside the housing duct (102). The predefined shape is selected based on an airflow pattern of the air flowing through the heater module (106) such that the air flows through the heating element (204).