Ejector-integrated heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing ejector refrigeration cycle faces challenges in varying the design of the ejector according to the sizes of the suction side and flow-out side evaporators, leading to difficulties in maintaining consistent refrigerant drawing capacity and coefficient of performance (COP), which affects the variety and efficiency of the heat exchanger.
Innovation Solution
An ejector-integrated heat exchanger is designed with multiple tube forming members, each containing an ejector, flow-out side refrigerant passage, and suction side refrigerant passage, allowing the number of ejectors to change with the number of tube forming members, thereby adjusting the nozzle size and refrigerant suction capacity to maintain consistent COP across different varieties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ejector design is changed according to the sizes of the suction side and flow-out side evaporators, then the refrigerant drawing capacity and COP can be optimized, but the variety of the evaporator becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into multiple tube forming members, each containing an integrated ejector. This segmentation allows the evaporator to be configured with different numbers of tube forming members (e.g., 1, 2, or 3) to create different varieties, while each individual ejector maintains a standardized design. The segmentation enables scalability without requiring custom ejector designs for each evaporator size.
Solution Approach 2:
The ejector is designed as a universal component that can be integrated into different numbers of tube forming members. By making the ejector design standardized and multi-applicable across different evaporator configurations, the same ejector design serves multiple functions in different evaporator varieties, eliminating the need for custom ejector designs for each evaporator size.
2Quantity of substance
If the number of tubes of the suction side evaporator increases, then the heat exchange capacity increases, but it becomes difficult for the ejector to equally draw refrigerant from all tubes
Solution Approach 1:
Each tube forming member has its own integrated ejector that draws refrigerant from its specific suction side refrigerant passage. This segmentation ensures that each ejector handles a localized refrigerant flow, making it easier to draw refrigerant equally from all tubes within that tube forming member. The segmentation prevents the complexity of drawing refrigerant from many tubes through a single ejector.
Solution Approach 2:
Each tube forming member is designed with local optimization, where the ejector is specifically configured for its associated suction side refrigerant passage. This local quality approach ensures that each ejector-tube combination is optimized for uniform refrigerant drawing, while the overall evaporator achieves high heat exchange capacity through the combination of multiple such optimized units.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ejector is integrated within the evaporator, then the mountability is improved, but the design flexibility of the ejector is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple tube forming members, each containing an integrated ejector. This segmentation allows the ejector to be integrated at the tube forming member level rather than at the entire evaporator level, preserving design flexibility at the module level while achieving ease of manufacture through modular assembly. Each tube forming member can be manufactured and tested independently before final assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows dynamic configuration by varying the number of tube forming members (e.g., 1, 2, or 3) to create different evaporator varieties. This dynamic approach enables the system to adapt to different application requirements while maintaining the integrated ejector structure, balancing mountability benefits with design flexibility through modular scalability.
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 design enables easy increase in the variety of the heat exchanger while limiting the decrease in performance, optimizing the ejector design for different capacities and reducing manufacturing costs by integrating the ejector within the evaporator.
Implementation Method 1
since a refrigerant evaporation pressure (refrigerant evaporation temperature) in the flow-out side evaporator can be higher than the refrigerant evaporation pressure in the suction side evaporator by pressure increasing effect of the diffuser portion
Implementation Method 2
pressure increasing effect of the diffuser portion
Implementation Method 3
a flow-out side refrigerant passage in which the refrigerant flowing out of the pressure increasing portion performs heat exchange while flowing
Data Source
AI summary
An ejector-integrated heat exchanger includes multiple tube forming members. The tube forming member includes an ejector, a flow-out side refrigerant passage, and a suction side refrigerant passage. The ejector includes a nozzle portion decompressing a refrigerant, a refrigerant suction port, and a pressure increasing portion in which the refrigerant drawn from the refrigerant suction port and the refrigerant jetted from the nozzle portion are mixed, a pressure of the mixed refrigerant being increased in the pressure increasing portion. In the flow-out side refrigerant passage, the refrigerant flowing out of the pressure increasing portion performs heat exchange while flowing. In the suction side refrigerant passage, the refrigerant that is to be drawn through the refrigerant suction port performs heat exchange while flowing. Multiple tube forming members are arranged such that the refrigerant flows in parallel with each other.