Cooling System Defrosting Using Coolant Rerouting Without Heater
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems face inefficiencies and high energy consumption when defrosting pipes due to frost buildup, requiring either prolonged ambient warming or costly heater-assisted defrosting.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with a defrosting unit and controller that reroutes coolant through a defrosting channel to rapidly warm the working fluid by thermal exchange, eliminating the need for a heater by adjusting the coolant's temperature for fast defrosting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the working fluid is cooled down to very low temperatures, then the cooling efficiency is improved, but frost builds up on the inner wall of the pipe causing flow rate reduction and potential blockage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary defrosting action by redirecting the coolant flow through the defrosting channel before the pipe becomes completely blocked. The controller detects frost accumulation conditions and activates the defrosting mode in advance, allowing the coolant to warm the pipe interior and prevent complete blockage, thereby maintaining continuous operational reliability.
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional defrosting methods are used by shutting down the system and waiting for ambient warming, then energy consumption is reduced, but the defrosting process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-defrosting by utilizing its own coolant circulation system. The controller redirects the coolant flow through the defrosting channel that passes along the pipe interior, allowing the coolant itself to serve the dual purpose of cooling the DUT and defrosting the pipe, eliminating the need for external heaters or system shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant circulation system is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the cooling medium for the DUT and the defrosting medium for the pipe. By controlling the flow direction through the switch between the cooling channel and defrosting channel, the same coolant system achieves both cooling and defrosting objectives without requiring separate systems.
3Productivity
If a heater is used to quickly warm up the working fluid for defrosting, then the defrosting efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-defrosting by utilizing its own coolant circulation system. The controller redirects the coolant flow through the defrosting channel that passes along the pipe interior, allowing the coolant itself to serve the dual purpose of cooling the DUT and defrosting the pipe, eliminating the need for external heaters or system shutdown.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes the operational parameters of the coolant circulation system by switching the flow direction through the switch between cooling and defrosting modes. It adjusts the coolant flow rate and temperature parameters to optimize defrosting efficiency while minimizing energy consumption, achieving rapid defrosting without requiring high-energy heater elements.
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
Enables rapid and energy-efficient defrosting of pipes without the use of a heater, maintaining system efficiency and reducing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
The coolant in the evaporator is functioned to thermally exchange with the working fluid flowing in the pipe and passing by the evaporator
Implementation Method 2
the temperature of the coolant passing through the evaporator is high and adjustable by means of the controller, so that the working fluid is warmed up by thermally exchange with the coolant passing through the evaporator
Data Source
AI summary
A cooling system includes a cooling device, a controller and a defrosting unit. The cooling device has a compressor, a condenser, an expander, an evaporator, a cooling channel and a coolant. The coolant is functioned in the evaporator to thermally exchange with a working fluid in a pipe. The controller is adapted for controlling the temperature of the working fluid by controlling the cooling device. The defrosting unit has a switch disposed on the cooling channel and located between the compressor and the condenser, and a defrosting channel connected with the switch. After passing through the switch, the coolant is optionally fed to anyone of the cooling channel and the defrosting channel. After flowing through the defrosting channel, the coolant passes through the evaporator and then flows back to the compressor. As a result, the cooling system is capable of fast defrosting without using a heater.