Conformal Hull Heat Exchanger Using Steam Exhaust Forced Convection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Marine outboard coolers are restricted in placement due to natural convection heat exchange with seawater, leading to potential overheating and reduced efficiency, and are prone to blockage by seawater pollutants.
Innovation Solution
A steam-powered outboard conformal cooling system with a conformal heat exchanger and fluidic device that utilizes steam turbine exhaust for forced convection, allowing flexible cooler arrangement and enhanced heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If natural convection heat exchange is used between seawater and outboard cooler, then the system structure is simple, but the heat exchange efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces natural convection (passive thermal system) with forced convection using a fluidic device that utilizes steam turbine exhaust. The exhaust steam provides kinetic energy to drive seawater through the heat exchange chamber, transforming a purely thermal process into a combined thermal-mechanical system that achieves superior heat exchange efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow regime parameter from natural convection to forced convection by introducing steam turbine exhaust as a driving force. This parameter change fundamentally alters the heat transfer coefficient and enables high-efficiency heat exchange while maintaining system simplicity through waste heat utilization.
2Ease of operation
If outboard cooler is arranged at the sea chest, then the heat exchange path is direct, but the placement is restricted and blocks outboard space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the cooler arrangement from a traditional sea chest location to a conformal configuration mounted on the ship's hull surface. This dimensional change allows the cooler to utilize the hull's outer surface area, freeing up internal space while maintaining effective heat exchange through the conformal heat exchanger design that adapts to the hull's curvature.
Solution Approach 2:
The conformal heat exchanger employs a thin-walled structure that conforms to the ship's hull surface. This flexible shell design enables the cooler to be mounted on the external hull surface, maximizing placement flexibility and utilizing outboard space without interfering with internal ship operations or requiring dedicated sea chest locations.
3Device complexity
If seawater directly exchanges heat with outboard cooler through one grille, then the heat exchange is simple, but the cooler is easily blocked by pollutants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the seawater intake function from a single grille and distributes it through multiple intake ports arranged on the conformal heat exchanger surface. This extraction of the bottleneck function (single grille) and its redistribution to multiple access points reduces the risk of complete blockage and maintains heat exchange reliability even when some ports are obstructed by pollutants.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchange structure is segmented into multiple independent heat exchange tubes and multiple seawater intake ports distributed across the conformal surface. This segmentation ensures that blockage of individual ports or tubes does not compromise the entire system, as other segments continue to function, thereby improving overall reliability and anti-blockage 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
The system improves safety and reliability by utilizing outboard space efficiently, preventing pollutant blockage, and enhancing heat exchange efficiency through forced convection.
Implementation Method 1
the steam turbine is connected with the cooler through a steam pipe; While working, the cooling water in the cooler enters the cooling water intake chamber through the water intake pipe, and then enters the heat exchange tubes through the cooling water intake chamber, and then is cooled through heat exchange with outboard seawater
Implementation Method 2
cool steam exhaust discharged by the steam turbine
Implementation Method 3
the outboard seawater enters the seawater heat exchange chamber of the conformal heat exchanger, and then is heated by heat exchange with the cooling water in the heat exchange tubes
Implementation Method 4
the heat exchange between the existing outboard cooler and seawater is achieved by natural convection
Implementation Method 5
A steam-powered outboard conformal cooling system with a conformal heat exchanger and fluidic device that utilizes steam turbine exhaust for forced convection
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present application relates to the field of marine outboard cooling technology, and more particularly to a steam-powered outboard conformal cooling system. The steam-powered outboard conformal cooling system includes a steam turbine, a cooler and a conformal heat exchanger. The conformal heat exchanger includes a casing, a lower cap, an upper cap and multiple heat exchange tubes. The casing includes an outer shell plate provided outside a hull plate, the outer shell plate and the hull plate define a seawater heat exchange chamber. A first end of each of the heat exchange tubes is communicated with a cooling water intake chamber, a second end of the each of the heat exchange tubes is communicated with a cooling water discharge chamber, the cooling water intake chamber is communicated with the cooler through a water intake pipe, the cooling water discharge chamber is communicated with the cooler through a water discharge pipe. The present application makes full use of the outboard space for making the arrangement position of the cooler on a hull more flexible, and improves the safety and reliability of the heat exchange process of the system.