Electric Heater Flow Layout for High Output With Low Pressure Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical heating devices for motor vehicles, particularly in the context of electromobility, face challenges in achieving high heat output while maintaining a compact design without significantly increasing pressure loss and pump pressure within the circulation system.

Innovation Solution

The design incorporates at least two parallel circulation chambers separated by a compartment wall, with adjustable heating fin configurations and bypass flow paths to optimize heat transfer and reduce pressure loss, allowing for high heat output with minimal installation space and low system pressure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If heating ribs are arranged to form a meandering flow channel, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but pressure loss and pump pressure increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat outputVSAvoidpressure loss
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation chamber is divided into multiple parallel flow channels by partition walls, with heating ribs arranged in each channel. This segmentation allows the flow to be distributed across multiple paths, maintaining heat transfer efficiency while reducing the meandering effect and pressure loss in each individual channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heating ribs are arranged not only longitudinally but also transversely across the flow channel, creating a three-dimensional heat exchange structure. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases the heat transfer surface area without significantly extending the flow path length, thereby improving heat output while controlling pressure loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Power

If heating ribs extend transversely to the flow direction, then heat exchange surface is increased, but flow channel length and pressure loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat outputVSAvoidflow channel length
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The circulation chamber is divided into multiple parallel flow channels by partition walls, with heating ribs arranged in each channel. This segmentation allows the flow to be distributed across multiple paths, maintaining heat transfer efficiency while reducing the meandering effect and pressure loss in each individual channel.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Heating ribs are arranged not only longitudinally but also transversely across the flow channel, creating a three-dimensional heat exchange structure. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases the heat transfer surface area without significantly extending the flow path length, thereby improving heat output while controlling pressure loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Power

If multiple heating ribs are arranged next to one another, then heat output is increased, but device volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat outputVSAvoiddevice volume
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Heating ribs are arranged not only longitudinally but also transversely across the flow channel, creating a three-dimensional heat exchange structure. This multi-dimensional arrangement increases the heat transfer surface area without significantly extending the flow path length, thereby improving heat output while controlling pressure loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The heating ribs are nested within the flow channel structure, with partition walls integrating the support and separation functions. The compact arrangement allows multiple heating ribs to be positioned within the same volumetric envelope, increasing heat output without proportionally increasing device volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 configuration enhances heat transfer efficiency, achieving high heat output with reduced pressure loss and maintaining a compact design, suitable for electromobility applications.

Implementation Method 1

Heating ribs, each provided with a U-shaped recess, protrude into this circulation chamber... ensures that the temperature control medium to be heated flows around the boundary surface formed by the heating ribs

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The heating fins are provided in a substantially plate shape in series in an X-axis direction orthogonal to the Y-Z plane... good heat transfer is possible

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2884199B1Electric heating device
Publication Date: 2016.11.23 EBERSPACHER CATEM GMBH & CO KG
  • EP2884199B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2884199B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2884199B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an electrical heating device, in particular for heating a temperature-controlled medium in a motor vehicle, with a housing (2) which has pipe connections (10) for connecting pipes carrying the temperature-control medium and encloses a circulation chamber (14) into which Heating fins (22) protrude, each provided with a U-shaped recess (24) opening to a unitary connection chamber (30) which is connected from the circulation chamber (14) by a near the open ends of the U-shaped recesses (24) provided partition (12) is separated, wherein the heating ribs (22) extend essentially in a Y-Z plane and along an X-axis provided orthogonally thereto one behind the other and provided offset to one another and arranged alternately close to the wall, so that in the Circulation chamber (14) is formed a meandering flow channel (96). The present invention aims to create an electrical heating device of the type mentioned at the outset which, with a compact design, enables a high heat output, while at the same time taking into account the fact that the pressure loss within the circulation chamber (14) for the temperature control medium to be heated is not too high and Accordingly, the pump pressure and thus the system pressure within the circulation system does not have to be set too high above atmospheric pressure. To solve this problem, the present invention proposes that the heating ribs (22) and the walls (16, 18, 20) of the housing (2) surrounding the circulation chamber (14) are provided in such a way that the flow channel (19) the main flow (H) of the medium extending in the X-Y plane between the pipe connections (10).