Counter-Flow Heat Exchanger With Drain-Free Condensate Reuse
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing energy recovery ventilation systems are inefficient in hot and humid climates, require complex drainage systems for condensate management, and are costly to manufacture and install, while also needing significant energy for dehumidification.
Innovation Solution
An energy recovery heat exchanger design where condensate from incoming outside air is directed to the exhaust air passages, enhancing latent effectiveness through evaporative cooling, eliminating the need for a drain connection by using a plastic housing with parallel inlet/outlet fittings and positive/negative pressure air movers to ensure secure air flow and condensate feedback, which can be controlled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If condensate is removed using traditional drainage systems, then condensate management is achieved, but manufacturing cost and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the drainage system entirely from the heat exchanger design. Instead of including traditional condensate drainage components (drains, pumps, or gravity-based slope structures), the invention removes this subsystem completely by redirecting condensate into the exhaust air stream for evaporation, thereby simplifying manufacturing and installation while maintaining effective condensate management
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger uses its own exhaust air stream to evaporate and remove condensate automatically. The system self-manages condensate without external drainage infrastructure by utilizing the existing exhaust airflow to carry away condensed water through evaporation, eliminating the need for separate drainage systems
2Productivity
If refrigeration systems are used to remove water content from incoming air, then dehumidification effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of condensate formation into a beneficial dehumidification mechanism. Instead of viewing condensate as waste that requires energy-intensive removal, the invention utilizes the condensate as a cooling medium that evaporates in the exhaust stream, providing free evaporative cooling and enhancing latent heat recovery while reducing the energy burden on refrigeration systems
Solution Approach 2:
The invention exploits the phase transition of water from liquid to vapor. Condensate collected from the incoming air stream is redirected to evaporate in the exhaust air stream, utilizing the latent heat of vaporization to cool and dehumidify the incoming air without requiring additional refrigeration energy
3Productivity
If condensate is fed back to exhaust passages for evaporation, then latent effectiveness is improved, but air flow isolation becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a restricted leakage path as an intermediary mechanism to manage the interaction between outside air and exhaust air flows. This controlled leakage path allows condensate to be forced from the outside air stream into the exhaust air stream while maintaining overall flow isolation, preventing contamination while enabling the desired condensate feedback for evaporative cooling
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
Significantly improves energy efficiency by reducing energy use in refrigeration systems, lowers manufacturing and installation costs, and minimizes maintenance needs by leveraging evaporative cooling and eliminating the need for a drain system, while maintaining effective performance in demanding climatic conditions.
Implementation Method 1
the condensate evaporates in the exhaust air and performs evaporative cooling to extract more water from the incoming air
Implementation Method 2
counter-flow heat exchanger
Data Source
AI summary
The heat exchanger includes a plastic multi-tube panel core and a solid plastic housing, with opposed-flow heat exchange and inlet-outlet extensions from only one side of the core. The multi-tube panels are spaced from one another by spacers positioned along the length of the panels. The spacers guide intake air in one direction along a sinuous path in the spaces between the panels, while exhaust air flows in the opposite direction through the tubes in the panels.