Beaded Fin Heat Exchanger for Low-Mass Thermal Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers, particularly finned tube heat exchangers, face challenges with high material costs and weight due to voluminous ribs, leading to limited heat transfer surfaces and reduced thermal performance, which is undesirable for applications like vehicles where weight and cost are concerns.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates fin-like surface elements with reinforcing beads that are thin-walled and rigidly connected to the partition wall, allowing for increased heat conduction through the beads while maintaining a low volume and mass, enhancing heat transfer by directing heat based on temperature gradients and creating turbulence for improved convective heat transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If voluminous ribs with large wall thickness are used to reduce heat transfer resistance, then heat transfer performance is improved, but material consumption and weight increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The rib structure is segmented into two functional zones: thin-walled surface areas for heat transfer and thick-walled reinforcing beads for structural support. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function optimally without compromising the other, reducing overall material consumption while maintaining heat transfer performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different wall thicknesses are applied locally to different parts of the rib structure. The surface areas have small wall thickness for low mass, while the reinforcing beads have larger cross-sections for increased heat conduction and structural integrity. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between weight reduction and heat transfer performance.
2Strength
If large wall thickness of ribs is used to ensure structural integrity, then mechanical strength is improved, but the number of ribs per finned tube decreases, limiting heat transfer surface area
Solution Approach 1:
The rib structure is divided into thin-walled surface areas for heat transfer and thick-walled reinforcing beads for structural support. This segmentation allows multiple thin ribs to be packed closer together, increasing the number of ribs per finned tube and thus the total heat transfer surface area, while the reinforcing beads ensure structural integrity is maintained.
Solution Approach 2:
Larger wall thickness is applied only where structurally necessary (at the reinforcing beads), while the majority of the rib surface area maintains small wall thickness. This allows maximum heat transfer surface area while ensuring structural strength at critical locations.
3Weight of stationary object
If thin-walled surface elements are used to reduce mass, then weight is reduced, but heat conduction capability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The surface elements are segmented into thin-walled surface areas for low mass and thick-walled reinforcing beads for heat conduction. The reinforcing beads act as thermal conduits, directing heat from the partition wall through the thin surface areas to the fluid, thus maintaining heat conduction capability while minimizing mass.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforcing beads serve as thermal intermediaries, conducting heat from the partition wall through the thin-walled surface elements to the surrounding fluid. This intermediary structure enables effective heat transfer despite the thin wall thickness of the main surface areas.
4Reliability
If reinforcing beads with larger cross-sections are added to surface elements, then heat conduction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surface elements are segmented into simple thin-walled surface areas and reinforcing beads with larger cross-sections. The beads can be positioned at regular intervals along the surface elements, creating a periodic structure that is relatively simple to manufacture while significantly improving heat conduction capability.
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
This design achieves a high thermal output with reduced material usage and weight, improving heat transfer efficiency while maintaining a low heat transfer resistance, thus addressing the limitations of traditional finned tube heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
The subdivion is made by reinforcement beads with larger cross-sections for increased heat conduction
Implementation Method 2
creating turbulence for improved convective heat transfer
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger having at least one partition and surface elements which project from at least one side of the partition and which enlarge the surface of the partition and around which a fluid can flow. The problem addressed by the present invention is that of proposing heat exchangers of low mass with high thermal transmission capacity. This problem is solved by means of a heat exchanger in which the surface elements are formed so as to project in the manner of fins from the partition, and the surface elements have reinforcement beads, wherein the reinforcement beads extend as far as the partition.