Cryogenic Wind Tunnel Nitrogen Recovery via Pressure Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies are inefficient in recovering low-temperature nitrogen discharged from cryogenic wind tunnels, as they require excessive energy and waste cooling power, and existing systems are not designed for this specific application.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic wind tunnel nitrogen recovery unit incorporating a nitrogen compressor expander system with a vacuum low-temperature tank and cryogenic vacuum pump, where low-temperature nitrogen is evacuated and reused through heat exchange, leveraging the boiling point reduction in a low-pressure environment to achieve efficient recovery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If low-temperature nitrogen is heated by high-temperature refractory or LPG combustion, then the nitrogen can be treated and discharged, but a large amount of energy is consumed and cooling power is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the nitrogen gas to achieve recovery. By reducing the pressure of the discharged nitrogen gas, the boiling point is lowered, allowing the nitrogen to be condensed and recovered at lower temperatures, thereby reducing the energy required for heating and treatment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition of nitrogen gas. By controlling pressure and temperature parameters, the nitrogen gas undergoes phase change from gaseous to liquid state, enabling recovery and reuse of the nitrogen, thus avoiding energy-wasting heating processes
2Object-affected harmful factors
If low-temperature nitrogen is heated by high-temperature refractory or LPG combustion, then the nitrogen can be treated and discharged, but cooling power is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful low-temperature nitrogen discharge into a beneficial resource. By using pressure reduction to lower the boiling point, the cold nitrogen gas is transformed into liquid nitrogen that can be stored and reused, turning the waste cooling power into a useful asset
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter to enable nitrogen recovery. By reducing pressure, the nitrogen condenses at lower temperatures, allowing the previously wasted cooling power to be captured and reused in the system
3Loss of substance
If existing nitrogen recovery systems are used for wind tunnel nitrogen, then recovery can be attempted, but the systems are not designed for this specific application and are ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes tailored to wind tunnel nitrogen characteristics. By adjusting pressure and temperature parameters specifically for the high-flow-rate, low-temperature nitrogen discharged from wind tunnels, the system achieves effective recovery where generic systems fail
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities to handle the varying conditions of wind tunnel nitrogen discharge. The system can adapt to different flow rates and temperature conditions by dynamically adjusting operational parameters, making it specifically suited for this application
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 effectively recovers low-temperature nitrogen, reducing energy consumption and manufacturing costs, while being structurally simple and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
evacuating the vacuum low-temperature tank using the cryogenic vacuum pump to achieve cold storage of the liquid nitrogen
Implementation Method 2
inject the low-temperature nitrogen discharged from the cryogenic wind tunnel circuit into the vacuum low-temperature tank to achieve the heat exchange recovery of the low-temperature nitrogen
Implementation Method 3
the nitrogen drawn by the vacuum pump is re-liquefied by the compressor-expander system
Implementation Method 4
another part of the high pressure nitrogen is expanded into the expander to provide cooling for the heat exchanger 2
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The present invention discloses a cryogenic wind tunnel nitrogen recovery unit and a recovery method belonging to the field of cryogenic wind tunnel technology. To effectively recover the low-temperature nitrogen released during cryogenic wind tunnel measurements, a nitrogen recovery system and a nitrogen compressor-expander system are constructed downstream of the cryogenic wind tunnel circuit, utilizing the property of reducing the liquid's boiling point at low pressure. The present invention is structurally simple, cost-effective, and easy to install, thus enabling the effective recovery of the low-temperature nitrogen released during wind tunnel measurements while significantly reducing the energy and costs associated with treating the low-temperature nitrogen after wind tunnel measurements.