Expandable Heat Transfer Unit for Prefabricated Vessels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat transfer units for prefabricated vessels are either large and bulky, requiring costly vessel modification, or sectional and difficult to assemble, and lack sufficient heat transfer capabilities throughout the vessel.
Innovation Solution
A heat transfer unit comprising a central rod and peripheral rods that expand from a collapsed to a bowed position, allowing efficient insertion into prefabricated vessels and providing improved heat transfer through a connected heat transfer element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large bulky heat transfer units are used, then heat transfer capability is improved, but vessel manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer unit is divided into multiple sectional segments that can be individually manufactured and then assembled together within the prefabricated vessel. This allows the heat transfer capability to be maintained through multiple sections while avoiding the need to manufacture the entire vessel around a single large unit, thus reducing vessel manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat transfer unit is designed to be inserted into and nested within the prefabricated vessel after the vessel is already manufactured. This reverse approach allows the vessel to be made first, then the heat transfer unit to be installed inside, eliminating the need for costly and complex vessel modifications that would be required if large heat transfer units were integrated during vessel manufacturing.
2Reliability
If large sectional heat transfer units are used, then heat transfer capability is improved, but assembly difficulty and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat transfer unit sections are pre-assembled and configured outside the vessel before being installed as a complete unit. This preliminary assembly eliminates the need for difficult in-vessel assembly operations, allowing the pre-assembled unit to be simply inserted into the prefabricated vessel through an opening, thus greatly improving assembly ease while maintaining heat transfer capability.
3Ease of operation
If small heat transfer units are used, then ease of insertion is improved, but heat transfer capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple smaller heat transfer sections are combined and integrated into a single pre-assembled unit that can be inserted as one component. This merging approach maintains the insertion ease of smaller units while achieving the heat transfer capability of a larger unit by combining multiple heat transfer elements within the single insertable unit.
Data Source
AI summary
Vessel assemblies, heat transfer units for prefabricated vessels, and methods for heat transfer prefabricated vessel are provided. A heat transfer unit includes a central rod, and a plurality of peripheral rods surrounding the central rod and connected to the central rod. The plurality of peripheral rods are movable between a first collapsed position and a second bowed position, wherein in the second bowed position a midpoint of each of the plurality of peripheral rods is spaced from the central rod relative to in the first position. The heat transfer unit further includes a heat transfer element connected to one of the plurality of peripheral rods.