Foam Coil Substructure to Block Heat Exchanger Air Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gaps or openings between the cover and the coil of a heat exchanger reduce efficiency by allowing air to bypass the thermal transfer process, leading to increased power consumption by the fan to achieve desired heating or cooling.
Innovation Solution
A foam substructure is used to block air flow between the cover and the coil, minimizing air flow in these gaps and directing it across the coil for enhanced thermal energy transfer, thereby increasing the efficiency of the heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If gaps or openings are present between the cover and the coil, then manufacturing is easier and assembly is simpler, but air flow bypasses the thermal transfer process reducing heat exchanger efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies foam material with porous structure to fill the gaps between the cover and coil. The foam's cellular structure allows it to conform to irregular surfaces while blocking air flow paths, thus preventing energy loss without complicating manufacturing or assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction by combining the foam substructure with the existing heat exchanger components (cover and coil). This composite approach integrates the sealing function into the existing structure, maintaining ease of manufacture while eliminating energy loss through air bypass.
2Ease of operation
If gaps or openings are present between the cover and the coil, then assembly is simpler, but thermal energy transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The foam material's porous structure enables it to expand and fill irregular gaps effectively, maintaining ease of installation while blocking air flow that would otherwise bypass the thermal transfer process, thereby preventing thermal energy loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam substructure acts as an intermediary element between the cover and coil, filling the gap space and directing air flow through the intended thermal transfer path, thus maintaining operational simplicity while improving thermal efficiency.
3Device complexity
If air flow is allowed in the gap between the cover and the heat exchanger coil, then the system structure remains simple, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The foam substructure uses porous material to block air flow in the gap, preventing the fan from consuming additional power to compensate for bypass air, thus reducing power consumption without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the air flow blocking function from the main heat exchanger components and implements it through a separate foam substructure, maintaining the simplicity of the core device while eliminating the harmful effect of air bypass that increases power consumption.
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 foam substructure enhances the efficiency of the heat exchanger by reducing power consumption and improving thermal energy transfer by ensuring more air interacts with the coil, thus optimizing the heating or cooling process.
Implementation Method 1
A foam substructure is used to block air flow between the cover and the coil, minimizing air flow in these gaps
Implementation Method 2
liquid or primarily liquid refrigerant enters a heat exchanger and is evaporated to draw thermal energy from an air flow stream that is drawn over the heat exchanger coils
Implementation Method 3
liquid or primarily liquid refrigerant enters a heat exchanger and is evaporated to draw thermal energy from an air flow stream
Implementation Method 4
When used as a condenser, the refrigerant enters in a vapor phase (or a mixed phase) and is de-superheated, condensed, and sub-cooled in the condenser
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger system includes a heat exchanger coil, a base of a foam structure including a clamp with a first arm and a second arm, where the first arm and the second arm are configured to exert a clamping force against the heat exchanger coil, and a vertical member of the foam substructure coupled to the base and abutting a cover of the heat exchanger system, where the base and the vertical member are configured to block air flowing through the heat exchanger from flowing into a void between the heat exchanger coil and the cover.