Air heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air heaters are inefficient for heating large residential or commercial spaces due to low heat transfer rates and require external support, limiting their application to small ducts.
Innovation Solution
An air heater design with parallel planar heating pipes and a flow-enhancing element, positioned to maximize air contact and create turbulence, allowing for increased heat transfer and self-standing operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If heating pipes are arranged in parallel planar structures, then heat transfer rate is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element is segmented into multiple planar structures (first, second, third planar structures) arranged in parallel within the conduit. Each planar structure contains heating pipes that are spatially separated with minimal overlap when viewed in projection along the air flow direction. This segmentation increases the total heat transfer surface area and improves heating rate while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through systematic arrangement.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating pipes are arranged in multiple parallel planar structures that extend in different spatial dimensions within the conduit. By utilizing the third dimension (depth/width) rather than simply stacking pipes in one dimension, the design maximizes the contact surface area between heating pipes and air flow without proportionally increasing structural complexity. The minimal overlap arrangement in projection ensures efficient use of spatial volume.
2Productivity
If heating pipes are arranged with minimal overlap in projection, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The design specifies that heating pipes in different planar structures should have minimal overlap when viewed in projection along the air flow direction, but does not require zero overlap or extremely precise positioning. This local quality requirement (minimal rather than zero overlap) is sufficient to maintain high heat transfer efficiency while allowing for practical manufacturing tolerances. The parallel arrangement of planar structures provides a systematic framework that simplifies positioning compared to arbitrary pipe arrangements.
3Productivity
If a flow-enhancing element is added to increase air velocity, then heat transfer is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit structure serves multiple functions: it contains the air flow, supports the heating element with multiple planar structures, and when a flow-enhancing element is added, also provides the mounting location for this component. The parallel planar structure arrangement is inherently compatible with flow-enhancing elements, as the increased air velocity from such elements works synergistically with the extended heat transfer surface area to improve overall heat transfer rate without requiring fundamentally different structural designs.
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
Enhances heat transfer and air velocity, enabling rapid heating of large spaces with reduced dust accumulation and improved control, while maintaining a compact and self-supporting structure.
Implementation Method 1
heating an air flow from the inlet to the outlet
Implementation Method 2
heat transfer from the heating pipes to the air may be maximised
Implementation Method 3
air comes into contact with the heating element in a turbulent mode
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention discloses an air heater comprising a conduit having an inlet at one end and an outlet at another end, a heating element positioned in the conduit between the inlet and the outlet for heating an air flow from the inlet to the outlet, the heating element consisting of two or more planar structures substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to the air flow, each of the two or more planar structures comprising a heating pipe, Wherein the heating pipe in each of the two or more planar structures is shifted relative to the heating pipes of the other of the two or more planar structures so that when viewed in projection along the direction of the air flow the overlap between the heating pipes is minimal, preferably does not exceed 10% of the surface area of a planar structure.