Compact Heat Exchanger Reducing Fluid Pressure Drop
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in vehicles experience significant pressure drops in fluid pressure when transferring fluid from the supply manifold to the return manifold, leading to reduced heat exchange efficiency and adverse effects on the pumping device.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design with a supply manifold distributing fluid to first and second cooling units, where the cooling units are arranged opposite each other with the supply manifold in between, featuring parallel cooling passages and fins to reduce fluid resistance and pressure drop, and including a bypass passage to adjust flow rates and enhance thermal durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the cooling unit is designed with a maximum allowable length to fit in limited space, then the heat exchanger fits within the vehicle's engine room, but the fluid experiences significant pressure drop when reaching the return manifold
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is divided into first and second cooling units with separate cooling passages. Each cooling passage has a first portion extending from the supply manifold and a second portion extending to the return manifold. This segmentation allows each passage to be optimized independently, reducing overall pressure drop while maintaining compact size.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling passages are configured to extend in different directions and dimensions. The first cooling passage extends in a first direction from the supply manifold, while the second cooling passage extends in a second direction. This dimensional arrangement optimizes fluid flow paths and reduces pressure drop without increasing the overall footprint of the heat exchanger.
2Productivity
If the cooling passages are made longer to improve heat exchange efficiency, then more heat can be dissipated, but the pressure drop increases and affects the pumping device
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is segmented into first and second cooling units with independent cooling passages. Each passage is optimized to provide adequate heat exchange while maintaining reasonable length. The segmentation allows the system to achieve required heat dissipation through multiple shorter passages rather than one long passage, reducing pressure drop and energy loss.
3Stress or pressure
If the cooling passages are made shorter to reduce pressure drop, then fluid resistance decreases, but heat exchange efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling unit is divided into multiple cooling passages (first and second cooling passages) that are segmented and distributed. Each passage provides a portion of the required heat exchange while maintaining shorter individual lengths. The combined effect of multiple segmented passages achieves both adequate heat exchange efficiency and reduced pressure drop.
Solution Approach 2:
The first and second cooling units are merged into a single integrated cooling unit with coordinated cooling passages. The passages work together to provide cumulative heat exchange efficiency while each individual passage maintains a shorter length to reduce pressure drop. The merging of multiple short passages achieves the thermal performance of a long passage without the associated pressure loss.
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 reduces fluid pressure drop by half, decreases overall resistance by four times, and enhances thermal durability and structural stability against temperature changes and external impacts.
Implementation Method 1
the cooling unit 110 which cools the fluid supplied from the first manifold 120 by heat exchange action
Implementation Method 2
the first cooling fins 42 which come into contact with the first cooling passages 41 so as to emit heat
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a heat exchanger in a vehicle including a supply manifold which supplies fluid introduced from the outside while distributing the fluid to first and second cooling units. The first and second cooling units cool the fluid supplied from the supply manifold by heat exchange action. A first return manifold collects and discharges the fluid discharged from the first cooling unit and a second return manifold collects and discharges the fluid discharged from the second cooling unit.