Concentric Helical Coil Separator Reduces Vibration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchanger systems in swimming pools and spas face challenges with vibration of coil tubes due to high water velocity, leading to potential damage and inefficiencies in heat transfer, and existing methods for centering and separating coils are costly, time-consuming, and may not promote optimal water flow.
Innovation Solution
A concentric helical coil key separator device with a design featuring a top surface, inner and outer portions, concave curves, ramps, and a disc or wing to prevent over-insertion and enhance fluid flow, along with an attachment for secure locking, which helps in maintaining optimal spacing and reducing vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high water velocity is used to increase heat transfer efficiency, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but coil tube vibration increases causing potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces coil spacers as intermediary elements between adjacent coil tubes. These spacers act as mediators that physically separate the tubes and prevent direct contact, thereby eliminating vibration-induced damage while allowing high water velocity to maintain heat transfer efficiency. The spacers are specifically designed to fit in the gaps between coils without impeding water flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spacers provide beforehand cushioning by pre-positioning protective elements between coil tubes before vibration can occur. The spacers are installed during manufacturing to prevent future vibration damage, creating a protective buffer that absorbs or prevents vibrational contact between tubes during high-velocity operation.
2Ease of manufacture
If thin wall tubing is used to minimize expense, then cost is reduced, but the tubing becomes more susceptible to vibration damage and corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spacers serve as protective intermediaries that shield thin-walled tubes from vibration damage. By placing spacers between adjacent coils, the thin-walled tubing is protected from the mechanical stress of vibration, allowing manufacturers to use cost-effective thin wall construction without sacrificing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The coil spacers are made from inexpensive materials such as plastic or rubber, providing a low-cost protective solution that compensates for the vulnerability of thin-walled tubes. These sacrificial spacers protect the expensive thin-walled tubing from damage, making the overall system more cost-effective.
3Productivity
If inner and outer coil assemblies are centrally aligned for optimum heat transfer, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but maintaining equal spacing between individual coils becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The coil spacers act as intermediary positioning elements that ensure uniform spacing between inner and outer coil assemblies. By inserting spacers at regular intervals, manufacturers can easily maintain equal spacing without requiring complex alignment procedures, thus achieving both centralized alignment for heat transfer efficiency and uniform spacing for manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are pre-positioned between coils during manufacturing to establish correct spacing before final assembly. This preliminary action of placing spacers ensures that when coils are bundled, the spacing is automatically uniform, eliminating the need for complex alignment operations and ensuring both heat transfer efficiency and manufacturing precision.
4Manufacturing precision
If existing separation methods such as silicone rubber injection or rubber bumpers are used, then coil spacing is maintained, but the process becomes costly and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using continuous materials like injected silicone rubber or long rubber strips, the patent divides the separation function into discrete segmental spacers. Each spacer is an individual component that can be quickly inserted between coils, replacing time-consuming injection or assembly processes with simple placement operations, thereby reducing both cost and assembly time while maintaining precise coil spacing.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacers are designed as simple, inexpensive, disposable-like components that can be quickly installed and do not require curing time or complex installation procedures. Unlike injected silicone that requires curing or rubber bumpers that require precise positioning, these spacers are simple insertions that dramatically reduce assembly time and cost while achieving the same spacing function.
Data Source
AI summary
A separator device for separating coils of a heat exchanger assembly has a top surface opposite a bottom surface, and an inner portion opposite an outer portion. The inner portion and the outer portion extend between the top surface and the bottom surface. The separator device further includes a pair of sides extending between the inner portion and the outer portion, each of the sides defining a concave curve having an apex. A lug is provided to connect the apex of each concave curve. At least one ramp is defined on the top surface and/or the bottom surface, extending from the inner portion toward the lug. The lug is arcuately shaped to project away from the top surface and the bottom surface and is shaped to correspond to a gap between adjacent coils of the heat exchanger assembly.