Indirect Gas Cooler Ventilation via Brazed Plate Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing indirect gas coolers for internal combustion engines face inefficiencies due to entrained air in the liquid, which impairs heat exchange efficiency, and require additional components like small tubes for ventilation, increasing costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The ventilating member is formed by additional aligned plate openings creating a duct connected to the liquid space within the stack, eliminating the need for separate components and allowing for brazing integration, thus enhancing ventilation and reducing mechanical seals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a small tube or additional component is inserted for ventilation, then entrained air can be removed from the liquid, but device complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilating member is merged with the plate stack structure by forming it from further aligned plate openings that are integral to the brazed stack. This integration eliminates separate components and mechanical seals while maintaining effective ventilation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate openings serve dual functions: they act as both flow passages for the liquid and as structural elements forming the ventilating duct. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized components.
2Reliability
If a mechanical seal is used to connect the ventilating member, then sealing is achieved, but reliability decreases due to seal failures
Solution Approach 1:
The ventilating member is brazed directly into the plate stack as an integral part, eliminating the need for mechanical seals. The brazed connection provides both sealing and structural integrity through a single reliable joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical seal system is replaced with a brazed joint that uses thermal fusion to create a permanent, leak-free connection. This substitution eliminates mechanical wear and sealing failures.
3Ease of manufacture
If the ventilating member is integrated into the brazed stack, then manufacturing complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The plate stack is segmented into individual plates with pre-formed openings, allowing each component to be manufactured separately with standard precision. The assembly process then integrates these segments through brazing, distributing precision requirements across manufacturing and assembly stages.
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 configuration effectively removes entrained air, improves heat exchange efficiency, reduces costs by integrating the ventilating member into the brazed stack, and eliminates unreliable mechanical seals, enhancing the overall design and manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
the gas, for example compressed charge air for an internal combustion engine is cooled by means of a liquid, the air cooler being constructed from stacked pairs of plates with fins which are arranged in between, and being arranged in a housing, into which the gas flows, flows through the fins and leaves the housing again, said housing being in thermal exchange with the liquid which flows in the plate pairs
Implementation Method 2
having a ventilating member for discharging entrained air in the liquid
Implementation Method 3
The ventilating duct (7) is in a hydraulic connection (11) with a liquid space (10)
Data Source
AI summary
An indirect gas cooler is constructed from stacked pairs of plates with fins arranged in between. The stack is arranged in a housing into which the gas flows, flows through the fins, and leaves the housing again. The gas is in thermal exchange with the liquid that flows in the plate pairs and that is introduced into the plate pairs via at least one inlet and is discharged via at least one outlet. A ventilating member is provided in the stack for discharging entrained gases from the liquid. The ventilating member is formed from aligned plate openings which produce a ventilating duct that is hydraulically connected with a liquid space in the stack. The indirect gas cooler can be used to cool compressed charge air for an internal combustion engine.