Evaporator and Condenser Turbulence Control for Compact Heat Pumps
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heat pumps, the efficiency of evaporation and condensation is reduced due to layering in liquid layers, leading to limited heat transmission and the need for large cross-sectional areas in evaporators and condensers, which increases size and material requirements.
Innovation Solution
Implementing turbulence generators on evaporator and condenser surfaces to prevent layering and ensure even temperature distribution, and using laminarizers to make vapor streams laminar, enhancing evaporation and condensation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If turbulence generators are implemented on evaporator and condenser surfaces, then evaporation and condensation efficiency are significantly increased, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state of fluid flow from laminar to turbulent through the introduction of turbulence generators. This changes the heat transfer parameters significantly, increasing efficiency by disrupting the thermal boundary layer and enhancing mixing between liquid and vapor phases.
Solution Approach 2:
Turbulence generators and laminarizers serve as intermediary elements between the evaporator/condenser surfaces and the fluid flow. These intermediaries modify the flow characteristics without being the primary heat transfer surfaces themselves, allowing efficiency enhancement while maintaining modular device design.
2Power
If larger cross-sectional areas are used in evaporators and condensers to maintain sufficient power, then heat transmission efficiency is improved, but device size and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the flow regime parameter from laminar to turbulent, the heat transfer coefficient is significantly enhanced. This allows the same heat pump power to be achieved with a smaller cross-sectional area, as turbulent flow provides more effective heat transmission per unit area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates an optimized flow environment within the evaporator and condenser using turbulence generators and laminarizers. This controlled flow environment maximizes heat transfer efficiency, allowing compact design while maintaining sufficient power output.
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 approach significantly increases evaporation and condensation efficiency, allowing for smaller, more compact heat pump designs while maintaining performance, and reduces material usage and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of turbulence generators (40) which are implemented to generate turbulences in the operating liquid to be evaporated on the evaporator surface (80)
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of turbulence generators which are implemented to generate current turbulences in the operating liquid located on the condenser surface (80)
Implementation Method 3
a laminarizer (48) which is implemented to make a vapor current directed to the condenser surface laminar so that a vapor made laminar by the laminarizer impinges on the operating liquid
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporator or a condenser includes a surface on which the operating liquid is arranged. Further, turbulence generators are provided to generate turbulences in the operating liquid located on the operating surface. In the condenser, alternatively or additionally, a laminarizer is present to make the vapor stream laminar provided by the compressor. On the evaporator side, the evaporation efficiency is increased and, on the condenser side, the condenser efficiency is increased, which may be used for a substantial reduction in size without loss of power of these components, in particular for a heat pump for heating a building.