Conical Injection Element for Tube Bundle Heat Exchanger Fuel Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for engines, particularly in aerospace and rocket technology, face challenges such as energy inefficiency and fuel loss due to the need for compressors and condensers, and require repressurization of fuel tanks, which is energy-intensive and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A conically narrowing injection element for tube bundle heat exchangers that controls fluid pressure and mass flow, allowing for precise pressure relief and evaporation at the narrowest point, preventing premature evaporation and enabling efficient cooling without a compressor or condenser, using conical passages that swirl the fluid for improved heat exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a compressor refrigeration system is used to cool fuel, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the weight and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the compressor and condenser components from the refrigeration system, retaining only the essential heat exchange function through the tube bundle design. This removes the heavy mechanical compression equipment while maintaining cooling capability through direct evaporation and heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the fuel itself as the refrigerant, eliminating the need for separate refrigerants and compression systems. The fuel circulates through the tube bundle, absorbs heat, evaporates, and provides self-cooling without external mechanical intervention.
2Temperature
If a compressor refrigeration system is used to cool fuel, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the energy-intensive compressor and condenser components, retaining only the passive heat exchange function. The system relies on natural evaporation and heat transfer rather than mechanical compression, dramatically reducing energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel self-cools by circulating through the tube bundle, absorbing its own heat through evaporation. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for external power sources to drive compression and condensation cycles.
3Temperature
If pressure relief is used to cool propellant, then the cooling effect is achieved, but repressurization requires additional energy and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous circulation of fuel through the tube bundle, ensuring ongoing cooling without intermittent pressure relief and repressurization cycles. The continuous flow ensures steady-state cooling operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The fuel system self-regulates temperature through continuous circulation and evaporation in the tube bundle, eliminating the need for active pressure management systems and repressurization operations.
4Temperature
If conventional cooling systems are used, then cooling is achieved, but the device complexity increases due to additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential heat exchange function from conventional cooling systems, removing compressors, condensers, and complex control systems. The simplified tube bundle design performs all necessary cooling functions with minimal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The tube bundle structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: heat exchange, evaporation chamber, and fluid distribution system. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate components for each function, reducing overall system complexity.
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 solution provides low-loss, energy-saving fuel cooling by controlling pressure and evaporation in the tube bundle heat exchanger, maintaining efficient cooling without the need for additional power sources or energy-intensive repressurization, and ensures uniform temperature distribution and longer fluid residence time for effective heat exchange.
Implementation Method 1
This narrowest point acts as an injection orifice, where the resulting expansion of the liquid gas preferably causes it to transition into a gaseous state
Implementation Method 2
The conical narrowing of the passages allows for precise control of the pressure and mass flow rate of a fluid passing through them. In particular, pressure relief can be achieved precisely at the narrowest point
Implementation Method 3
Tube bundle heat exchangers are used for heat transfer between a warmer and a colder fluid
Implementation Method 4
These tubes are arranged inside an outer tube and consist at least partially of a material with high thermal conductivity
Implementation Method 5
using conical passages that swirl the fluid for improved heat exchange
Implementation Method 6
enables low-loss, energy-saving cooling of fuel
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
An injection element 10 according to the invention for a shell-and-tube heat exchanger has a plurality of passages 11 for dividing a fluid flow into a plurality of fluid flows, which each narrow conically towards one side of the injection element. A tube bundle heat exchanger 100 according to the invention comprises an injection element according to the invention. A method according to the invention serves to cool fuel for an engine. It includes passing the fuel through an outer tube 120 of a tube bundle heat exchanger 100 and feeding a liquid gas through a supply line 130 to an injection element 10 for a tube bundle arranged inside the outer tube 120 . The method further includes converting the liquefied gas into an evaporative gas by passing the liquefied gas through respective conical narrowing passages 11 of the injection element into tubes 110a, 110b of the tube bundle and discharging the evaporative gas from the tube bundle.