Falling-Film Evaporator Support Structure for Even Refrigerant Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional falling film type evaporators face issues with dry-out points on heat transfer tubes due to uneven refrigerant distribution, structural instability, and high manufacturing complexity, leading to reduced heat exchange performance and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A support structure comprising a housing with a distribution tray, vapor-liquid separator, and tube support system that maintains structural components horizontal and stable, simplifying installation and reducing dry-out points through a network of support frames, rail rods, and guides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a falling film type evaporator is used to reduce refrigerant amount and improve heat transfer efficiency, then thermal conductivity and heat exchange performance are improved, but structural complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty arises due to the need for distribution units and horizontal alignment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The distribution unit is divided into multiple modular components including a main body with multiple holes for refrigerant distribution, support legs for positioning, and separate alignment features. This segmentation allows for easier manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance while maintaining the falling film distribution function.
Solution Approach 2:
Support legs act as intermediary elements between the distribution unit and the heat transfer tubes, providing both mechanical support and alignment functionality. These legs include alignment features that mediate the positioning relationship between components, ensuring proper horizontal alignment without requiring complex structural elements.
2Manufacturing precision
If distribution units and structural components are kept horizontal to prevent dry-out points, then refrigerant distribution uniformity is improved, but manufacturing complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs are designed with equal length and identical structural features, creating an equipotential support system that naturally maintains horizontal alignment of the distribution unit. This approach achieves uniform refrigerant distribution through geometric symmetry rather than complex manufacturing tolerances or alignment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features integrated into the support legs and distribution unit enable self-alignment during assembly. The components automatically position themselves in the correct horizontal orientation through their own structural features, eliminating the need for external alignment tools or complex installation procedures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple structural components are added to maintain horizontal alignment, then structural stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support legs serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical support for the distribution unit, ensure horizontal alignment through their geometric design, facilitate assembly through integrated alignment features, and maintain structural stability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment features are merged directly into the support legs and distribution unit structure rather than being separate components. This integration combines support and alignment functions into unified elements, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining both structural stability and proper refrigerant distribution.
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 stabilizes the distribution tray and vapor-liquid separator, ensuring even refrigerant distribution and reducing dry-out points, thereby enhancing heat exchange performance and simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a vapor-liquid separator that is placed above the distribution tray and separates an introduced mixed refrigerant into a vapor refrigerant and a liquid refrigerant
Implementation Method 2
heat transfer tubes, and heat exchange can occur between the refrigerant and the chilled water as the refrigerant comes into contact with the heat transfer tubes
Implementation Method 3
an evaporator 5 for evaporating the refrigerant whose pressure is reduced by the expansion device 4
Implementation Method 4
refrigerant exchanges heat with outside air in the condenser 3 and exchanges heat with chilled water in the evaporator 5
Data Source
AI summary
An evaporator including a housing with a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet; heat transfer tubes contained in the housing, in which chilled water for heat exchange with refrigerant inside of the housing flows; at least one distribution tray placed apart from the heat transfer tubes and having a plurality of holes for distributing refrigerant over the underlying heat transfer tubes; a vapor-liquid separator that is placed above the distribution tray and separates an introduced mixed refrigerant into vapor refrigerant and liquid refrigerant and distributes the liquid refrigerant to the distribution tray; and at least one tube support with a plurality of holes for passing the heat transfer tubes through, that is placed inside of the housing and supports the distribution tray.