Device for producing a stream of air through a volume of liquid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for heating or cooling air using liquid, such as passing air through a curtain of liquid droplets or direct contact with a liquid volume, suffer from low energy output and low air flow rates, limiting their effectiveness in temperature and humidity control.
Innovation Solution
A device with an enclosure containing a volume of liquid and baffles to direct airflow, allowing high air flow rates while preventing liquid spray, featuring air injection below the liquid surface and temperature control mechanisms to manage humidity and temperature.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If air is injected directly into a volume of liquid to achieve high energy performance heat exchange, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but liquid spray and droplet spreading occur at the discharge opening
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge opening is divided into multiple openings, and baffles are positioned within the enclosure to segment the air flow path. This segmentation allows the air stream to be divided into smaller flows that pass through multiple discrete openings, reducing the velocity and energy of any single air jet that could carry liquid droplets outward, thereby preventing liquid spray while maintaining overall heat exchange efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
Baffles are introduced as intermediary elements between the liquid volume and the discharge opening. These baffles act as mediators that intercept and redirect liquid droplets generated during heat exchange, forcing them to change direction and return to the liquid volume or follow the air flow internally, preventing them from reaching the external environment
2Productivity
If air flow rate is increased to improve productivity, then air treatment capacity is improved, but liquid droplets are more easily driven to the discharge opening
Solution Approach 1:
The discharge opening is segmented into multiple smaller openings, and baffles are positioned to create multiple flow paths. This segmentation distributes the high air flow rate across several channels, reducing the local velocity and droplet-carrying capacity of each individual stream, thereby allowing high overall productivity without excessive liquid droplet spreading
Solution Approach 2:
Baffles are positioned at different heights and locations within the enclosure to create a three-dimensional flow pattern. This dimensional approach causes air and droplets to follow complex paths with multiple direction changes, increasing the likelihood that droplets will be redirected back into the liquid volume rather than reaching the discharge opening, even at high air flow rates
3Volume of stationary object
If enclosure volume is reduced to decrease device bulk, then device size is reduced, but air flow and heat exchange efficiency may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The enclosure is segmented into multiple compartments by baffles, creating a compact multi-chamber structure. This segmentation allows efficient use of space by arranging heat exchange pathways in a three-dimensional configuration rather than requiring a large single-volume enclosure, maintaining heat exchange efficiency while reducing overall device bulk
Solution Approach 2:
Baffles and flow channels are nested within the enclosure volume, with air flow paths arranged in a compact, space-efficient configuration. The nested structure allows multiple flow channels to occupy overlapping spatial regions, maximizing heat exchange surface area and flow path length within a minimized enclosure volume
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
The solution enables high energy performance heat exchange with controlled air flow and humidity, reducing the device's bulk and energy consumption while maintaining efficient liquid use, suitable for various applications including greenhouse heating and cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The use of the thermal conductivity and latent heat of a liquid, for example water, to heat or cool a stream of air by heat exchange between the liquid and the stream of air
Implementation Method 2
When the stream of air crosses through the volume of liquid, and in particular depending on how the air is injected in the volume of liquid, and depending on the air flow rate and the volume of liquid, more or less significant turbulence occurs in the volume of liquid that may cause spraying of drops that are driven by the stream of air
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for producing a stream of air (F′), wherein said device comprises an enclosure (10), which is intended for containing a volume of liquid (V), and which comprises at least one air-discharge opening (101), air-injection means (12) which make it possible to create and pass an incoming stream of air (F) from the outside of the enclosure into a volume of liquid (V) contained in the enclosure, by injecting said incoming stream of air (F) into said volume of liquid (V) underneath the surface of said volume of liquid (V), such that an outgoing stream of air (F′), treated by direct contact with the volume of liquid, is discharged from said enclosure by passing through the air-discharge opening (101) of the enclosure. The enclosure comprises one or more baffles (14; 14′; 14″) which are positioned between the volume of liquid (V) and said discharge opening (101), and which make it possible to circulate the stream of air (F′) exiting the volume of liquid until the discharge opening (101), causing same to undergo one or more changes of direction such as to prevent the spraying of liquid through the air-discharge opening (101).