Total Heat Exchange Element With Latent Heat Shielding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing total heat exchange elements experience reduced air flow and efficiency due to air flow disturbances caused by ridges and grooves, leading to suboptimal transfer of sensible and latent heat.

Innovation Solution

A total heat exchange element with a stacked body of alternating layers, incorporating partition members and spacing members with latent heat shielding members to manage air flow and enhance heat transfer efficiency, reducing air flow disturbance and pressure loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If ridges and grooves are provided in the passage to generate air flow disturbance, then latent heat transfer efficiency is improved, but air flow uniformity deteriorates causing reduced air flow through part of the passage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelatent heat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidair flow uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The passage cross-section is divided into multiple regions by providing multiple ridges and grooves, creating multiple disturbance zones that distribute air flow more uniformly across the passage while still generating sufficient turbulence for effective latent heat transfer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ridge and groove structure is configured with specific spacing and dimensions to create localized air flow disturbance only in regions where it is most effective for latent heat transfer, while maintaining smoother flow paths in other regions to preserve overall air flow uniformity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of energy

If air flow disturbance is increased to improve latent heat transfer, then vapor permeability is enhanced, but pressure loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelatent heat transfer efficiencyVSAvoidpressure loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Rather than creating continuous strong disturbance throughout the entire passage, the invention uses partial disturbance through strategically placed ridges and grooves that provide sufficient air flow disruption for effective latent heat transfer while minimizing overall pressure loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The ridge and groove dimensions, spacing, and orientation are optimized to achieve the minimum necessary disturbance for effective latent heat transfer, balancing vapor permeability enhancement with pressure loss reduction through precise parameter control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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-efficiency total heat exchange by optimizing sensible and latent heat transfer while minimizing air flow disturbance and pressure loss, improving overall heat exchange efficiency without increasing the element's size.

Implementation Method 1

a partition member between the first layer and the second layer... efficiently transfer the sensible heat by improving a heat transfer coefficient between the passages

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

efficiently transfer the latent heat by improving vapor permeability between the passages

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVapor permeability: Permeation

Implementation Method 3

a latent heat shielding member provided partly on the partition member to shield transfer of latent heat between the first air flow and the second air flow through the partition member

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVapor shielding: Diffusion Barrier

Data Source

PatentUS11486650B2Total heat exchange element, method of manufacturing total heat exchange element, and total heat exchanger

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A total heat exchange element includes a stacked body that is formed by alternately stacking a first layer provided with a first passage through which a first air flow passes and a second layer provided with a second passage through which a second air flow passes. The stacked body includes a partition member between the first layer and the second layer, a spacing member provided in the first layer and the second layer and maintaining a spacing between the partition members facing each other, and a latent heat shielding member provided partly on the partition member and shielding transfer of latent heat between the first air flow and the second air flow through the partition member.