Heat Exchanger End Cover Bypass for Oil Return and Cleaning
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Solution Overview
Problem
In central air conditioners, the initial small temperature difference between the water inlet and outlet pipes of a heat exchanger reduces oil return, affecting the normal operation of the system.
Innovation Solution
An end cover structure with a bypass pipeline and an adjusting member is introduced, allowing for adjustable communication between the water inlet and outlet pipes to manage pressure differences and facilitate cleaning operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the heat exchanger operates with small temperature difference between water inlet and outlet pipes, then the heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the oil return is reduced affecting normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass pipeline incorporates an adjusting member that allows dynamic control of the water flow path. During initial operation, the adjusting member opens the bypass to create a large temperature difference that enhances oil return. During normal operation, the bypass is closed to maintain small temperature difference for efficient heat exchange. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between heat exchange efficiency and oil return.
2Reliability
If the bypass pipeline is always open, then the oil return is improved, but the heat exchange performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The adjusting member enables the bypass pipeline to transition between open and closed states based on operational requirements. The bypass is opened only during initial operation to improve oil return, then closed during normal operation to maintain optimal heat exchange performance. This dynamic control prevents the contradiction from persisting.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass pipeline is designed to be activated preliminarily during the initial operation phase to establish proper oil return conditions. Once the system reaches normal operating conditions, the bypass is deactivated. This preliminary action ensures oil return is addressed before it becomes a problem, without compromising subsequent heat exchange efficiency.
3Reliability
If the bypass pipeline structure is added, then the oil return and cleaning functions are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass pipeline structure serves multiple functions: it improves oil return during initial operation, enables cleaning operations by allowing water to flow through the heat exchanger, and can be integrated into the existing end cover assembly. By making the bypass pipeline multi-functional, the increase in device complexity is justified by the multiple benefits it provides.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass pipeline is integrated with the end cover assembly, merging the bypass function with the existing structural components. The adjusting member is incorporated into the end cover, combining multiple functions (flow control, bypass activation, cleaning enablement) into a unified structure. This merging approach minimizes the increase in overall device complexity while achieving the desired functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An end cover structure and a water chiller. The end cover structure includes: an end cover body; a water inlet pipe, provided on the end cover body; a water outlet pipe, provided on the end cover body, the water outlet pipe and the water inlet pipe being provided independent of each other; a bypass pipeline in which two cavities are formed, one of the two cavities being communicated with the water inlet pipe, and the other being communicated with the water outlet pipe; and an adjusting member, movably provided in the bypass pipeline. The adjusting member is movable to adjust the communication between the two cavities.