Extruded Serpentine Fluidic Passage for Compact Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid processing devices lack efficient designs for achieving high heat exchange performance and compactness, with limited surface-to-volume ratios and complex manufacturing processes.
Innovation Solution
The development of an extruded body with multiple elongated cells forming a serpentine fluidic passage, allowing for a high surface-to-volume ratio and efficient heat exchange, utilizing a multicellular honeycomb structure with interconnecting cells and plugs for fluidic pathways, and optimized sealing methods for robust and leak-free operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional fluid processing devices are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but heat exchange performance and surface-to-volume ratio are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple serpentine passages within an extruded body, dividing the fluid processing function into multiple parallel pathways. This segmentation increases the total surface area for heat exchange while maintaining a compact overall structure, resolving the contradiction between heat exchange performance and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional two-dimensional plate heat exchangers to three-dimensional serpentine passages within an extruded body. This dimensional change allows fluid to traverse through the volume of the extruded body in a serpentine pattern, dramatically increasing the surface-to-volume ratio and heat exchange performance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Volume of moving object
If compact design is pursued, then device size is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The extruded body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the structural housing, contains the serpentine passages, enables heat exchange, and facilitates fluid distribution. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components into a single manufacturable unit, achieving compactness without excessive manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the fluid passages from conventional straight or simple curved paths to optimized serpentine configurations within the extruded body. This parameter optimization maximizes surface area within the minimum volume while maintaining manufacturability through standard extrusion processes.
3Area of stationary object
If serpentine passage design is implemented, then surface-to-volume ratio increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the serpentine passage configuration directly into the extruded body structure during manufacturing. By combining the passage formation with the extrusion process itself, the complex serpentine geometry is achieved without requiring post-manufacturing assembly or complex tooling, thus increasing surface area while controlling device complexity.
4Temperature
If efficient heat exchange is achieved, then heat transfer area increases, but device volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention achieves efficient heat exchange in a compact volume by utilizing three-dimensional serpentine passages that traverse the entire volume of the extruded body. This dimensional approach allows the fluid to access the full volume for heat exchange, dramatically increasing the heat transfer area per unit volume compared to conventional two-dimensional designs.
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 enables high heat exchange performance in a compact device with a large surface-to-volume ratio, efficient fluid processing, and easy manufacturing, while maintaining durability and chemical inertness, suitable for various applications including reactors and heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
efficient heat exchange, large surface-to-volume ratio
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a device for processing fluids, the device comprising an extruded body having multiple elongated cells therein, the body having a first fluidic passage therethrough defined principally within at least some of said cells, the first fluidic passage having a longitudinally serpentine path back and forth along the at least some of said cells.