Compact heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers, such as flooded and falling-film evaporators, face issues with liquid refrigerant particles remaining at the sucking orifice, leading to component damage and inefficient operation, which is often addressed by increasing the exchanger's size and refrigerant consumption.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design with a reduced refrigerant side footprint and enhanced liquid refrigerant dragging mechanism, utilizing a small free surface area and high gas/vapour flow speed to push liquid refrigerant upwards, reducing the need for additional components and minimizing refrigerant consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the extension of the free surface of the refrigerant inside the skirt is made very wide to avoid liquid particles damaging components, then the liquid particle damage is prevented, but the exchanger becomes very bulky and refrigerant consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of preventing liquid particles from rising by widening the free surface, the invention inverts the approach by creating a downward flow of liquid refrigerant that actively pushes particles back down. The downward flow generator produces a stream of liquid refrigerant that counteracts the upward drag force, reversing the natural tendency of liquid particles to rise with the vapor flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary element - the downward flow generator - that mediates between the vapor flow and liquid particles. This device creates a controlled downward flow of liquid refrigerant that acts as a mediator to push liquid particles away from the vapor suction path, preventing them from reaching and damaging components downstream.
2Reliability
If the free surface is kept quite low to limit dragging of liquid drops, then liquid particle damage is reduced, but the ascending speed of vapour becomes very low and operation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than relying on low vapor ascending speed to limit liquid drop dragging, the invention inverts the approach by maintaining high vapor speed and actively pushing liquid drops downward using the downward flow generator. This creates a counteracting force that prevents liquid particles from being dragged upward despite the high vapor flow velocity.
3Reliability
If auxiliary units for overheating or filtering liquid drops are added to avoid liquid particle damage, then component protection is improved, but the overall dimensions and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the liquid particle protection function directly into the existing evaporator structure through the downward flow generator. Instead of adding separate auxiliary units for overheating or filtering, the protection mechanism is integrated into the refrigerant flow path within the skirt, eliminating the need for additional standalone components.
Solution Approach 2:
The downward flow generator uses the refrigerant itself to protect the system from liquid particle damage. The liquid refrigerant flows downward and actively pushes liquid particles away from the vapor suction path, allowing the system to protect itself without requiring external filtering or overheating equipment.
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
The solution achieves reduced overall dimensions, lower refrigerant consumption, and improved thermal exchange efficiency while minimizing environmental impact and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
the second operating fluid drags in a pushed way the liquid refrigerant upwards
Implementation Method 2
a first operating fluid flows, in particular a so-called 'hot' fluid... with the purpose of the heat exchange with the first fluid, it subtracts heat to the latter and evaporates
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger of flooded type, having:a primary tube bundle, inside which a first “hot” operating fluid to be cooled down flows;a skirt, circumscribed to the primary tube bundle, which receives a second “cold” operation fluid which laps against the primary tube bundle in order to subtract heat to the first operating fluid,which second operating fluid flows inside the skirt along to a vertical longitudinal direction orthogonal to the development of the tubes of the primary tube bundle, and wherein the skirt has a prevalent development dimension (L) along the flow longitudinal direction of the second operating fluid; andnozzles for delivering the secondary operating fluid inside the skirt,wherein an alternative configuration is provided using only the second operating fluid flooding the skirt by entering from a side inlet, without the presence of the above-mentioned nozzles, and an additional configuration using only the nozzles but not such side inlet.