Deep HVAC Coils with Built-in Self-Cleaning Foam Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
HVAC systems face inefficiencies and health risks due to fouled heat transfer coils, which are difficult to clean effectively, leading to increased energy consumption, reduced air quality, and the spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes.
Innovation Solution
Deep HVAC coils with built-in self-cleaning mechanisms that deliver combinations of water, surfactant, and enzymes as a foam or mist to penetrate and clean the coils, using a system that allows for automated and efficient cleaning without shutting down the HVAC system, reducing water usage and avoiding damage to the coils.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If coils are designed deeper to increase heat transfer surface area, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but coils become more prone to fouling and plugging
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cleaning actions by injecting cleaning foam into the coils during scheduled maintenance periods before fouling severely impacts performance. The controller automatically initiates cleaning cycles based on time intervals or operational hours, preventing fouling buildup rather than reacting to it after it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The HVAC system cleans its own coils using an integrated cleaning mechanism that injects foam through the existing coil structure. The system's own airflow and circulation mechanisms are utilized to distribute the cleaning solution throughout the deep coil passages, enabling the system to service itself without external intervention.
2Reliability
If pressure washing is used to clean coils, then fouling is removed, but the coils may be damaged and the system must be shut down
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning mechanism changes the physical state and delivery parameters of the cleaning agent by converting liquid cleaning solution into a foam state. This foam state allows the cleaning agent to be delivered at lower pressures that won't damage the coils, while still effectively penetrating and cleaning the deep coil passages. The foam expands to fill the coil volume and contacts all surfaces gently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the high-pressure mechanical washing process with a chemical cleaning approach using foam. Instead of relying on high-velocity water jets that can damage fins and tubes, the cleaning is achieved through chemical action of the foam on the fouling materials, combined with the foam's ability to penetrate and adhere to coil surfaces.
3Reliability
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then some fouling is removed, but deep interior surfaces of the coils remain inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system utilizes the porous and interconnected structure of the coil fin passages to distribute foam throughout the entire coil volume. The foam is injected at strategic locations and uses the natural porosity and connectivity of the coil structure to penetrate deep into the interior passages, reaching surfaces that are completely inaccessible to external washing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the dimensionality of cleaning agent delivery by injecting foam through the liquid-gas interface rather than attempting to wash from the external surface. The foam expands in three dimensions within the coil volume, contacting all internal surfaces from within the coil structure itself rather than trying to reach them from the outside.
4Use of energy by moving object
If coils are cleaned frequently to maintain efficiency, then energy consumption is reduced, but water usage and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical state of the cleaning agent from liquid to foam, which dramatically reduces the total volume of cleaning solution needed. The foam's air content allows it to expand and cover large surface areas with minimal liquid, reducing water consumption by a factor of 5-10 times compared to conventional liquid cleaning methods while maintaining the same cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller implements periodic cleaning cycles based on predetermined time intervals or operational hours, cleaning the coils only when necessary to maintain optimal performance. This scheduled maintenance approach balances energy efficiency with resource consumption, cleaning frequently enough to prevent energy waste from fouling but not so frequently as to unnecessarily consume water and maintenance resources.
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 enhances heat transfer efficiency, reduces energy consumption, improves indoor air quality, and allows for deeper coil designs, effectively removing biofilms and microorganisms, thereby mitigating the spread of harmful microbes and reducing maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
deliver combinations of water, surfactant, and enzymes as a foam or mist to penetrate and clean the coils
Implementation Method 2
deliver combinations of water, surfactant, and enzymes as a foam or mist to penetrate and clean the coils
Implementation Method 3
deliver combinations of water, surfactant, and enzymes as a foam or mist to penetrate and clean the coils
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are devices and systems for self-cleaning deep HVAC coils with built-in self-cleaning mechanisms and enhanced heat transfer, and methods of cleaning thereof. For example, some embodiments of a deep HVAC coil include a series of built-in self-cleaning mechanisms disposed among an array of heat transfer coils. Depending on the size and depth of the deep HVAC coil, the number of self-cleaning mechanisms may vary. The disposition and installation of self-cleaning mechanisms in the deep coil HVAC is configured to provide an even distribution and injection of a desired cleaning solution or foam which sufficiently covers an internal surface area of the deep HVAC coils and sufficiently fills an internal volume of the deep HVAC coils.