Header-Pipe Bypass Structure for Lower-Resistance Heat Exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current heat exchangers exhibit varying heat exchange performances across different flow paths, with the first, second, and fourth flow paths having low performance and the third flow path performing better, necessitating an improvement in overall heat exchange efficiency.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a communicating passage with through holes in the first baffle of the first header pipe and an imperforate baffle in the third header pipe to directly connect the second space of the first header pipe with the third header pipe, allowing a portion of the refrigerant to bypass the first and second flow paths, thereby reducing flow resistance and enhancing fluid state parameters in the third flow path.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a baffle is provided inside the header pipe to divide all of the micro-channel flat tubes into a plurality of flow paths, then the heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the flow resistance increases and the overall heat exchange performance becomes uneven across different flow paths
Solution Approach 1:
The header pipe is segmented into multiple flow paths using baffles, allowing refrigerant to be distributed across different channels. This segmentation enables parallel heat exchange processes, improving overall heat exchange efficiency while managing flow resistance through multiple pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
A communicating passage is introduced as an intermediary element between the first and second flow paths. This passage allows refrigerant to bypass high-resistance sections and directly connect between header pipe segments, reducing overall flow resistance while maintaining the benefits of multiple flow paths.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the first baffle is an imperforate baffle to separate the first header pipe into first and second spaces, then the flow paths are clearly defined, but the refrigerant cannot directly communicate between spaces increasing flow resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The first header pipe is segmented into first and second spaces by the first baffle, creating distinct flow path sections. This segmentation provides structural stability and clear flow path definition while allowing controlled communication between sections.
Solution Approach 2:
A communicating passage is introduced as an intermediary element between the first and second spaces. This passage enables direct refrigerant communication between the segmented spaces, reducing flow resistance while maintaining the structural benefits of segmentation.
3Productivity
If refrigerant flows through multiple flow paths with different heat exchange performances, then comprehensive heat exchange is achieved, but the overall performance is limited by the low-performing paths
Solution Approach 1:
The communicating passage extracts or bypasses the low-performance flow paths by providing a direct connection between the first and second spaces. This allows refrigerant to skip the high-resistance sections and directly reach high-performance flow paths, improving overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
Different flow paths are designed with different characteristics, and the communicating passage is strategically placed to optimize refrigerant distribution. This local optimization ensures that refrigerant preferentially flows through high-performance paths while maintaining comprehensive heat exchange coverage.
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 design reduces overall flow resistance and increases heat exchange capacity, particularly in the third flow path, leading to improved overall heat exchange performance while maintaining constant refrigerant flow in the third and fourth paths, despite a slight decrease in performance in the first and second paths.
Implementation Method 1
a communicating passage for communicating the first space with the second space
Implementation Method 2
The corrugated or louvered fins are provided between adjacent micro-channel flat tubes to improve the heat exchange efficiency between the heat exchanger and the air
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat exchanger includes a first header pipe, a second header pipe, a third header pipe, a fourth header pipe and a plurality of flat tubes, the first header pipe is provided with a first space and a second space and a communicating passage for communicating the first space with the second space; when refrigerant flows from the first space of the first header pipe to the second header pipe along the flat tubes, a part of the refrigerant passes through the communicating passage and directly enters into the second space of the first header pipe. The present application has the following beneficial effects, since a small part of the refrigerant directly enters into the second space of the first header pipe through the communicating passage, an overall flow resistance of the heat exchanger according to the present application may be decreased to some extent. Besides, the flow quantity of the refrigerant in the third flow path is constant, however fluid state parameters may change, and the change of the fluid state parameters may greatly improve the heat exchange capacity of the third flow path, thereby improving the heat exchange performance of the heat exchanger on the whole.