Heat exchanger and production process
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers are inflexible in production and installation, require significant thermal insulators, and can only be tested after assembly, leading to production defects and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A compact heat exchanger design with a casing that includes two end walls and a peripheral part formed as a single body, featuring coaxial coiled tubes with a manifold connection system that allows for efficient heat transfer and flexible installation, eliminating the need for extensive thermal insulators and enabling pre-assembly testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If coiled tubes are packed between two opposite end walls of the casing, then thermal insulation is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into modular sections where the peripheral part and end walls can be separately manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows the casing to be produced in standardized configurations that can accommodate different tube arrangements without requiring custom-designed casings for each model.
Solution Approach 2:
The casing is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate heat exchangers of different thermal powers and configurations. The standardized peripheral part and end wall design allow the same casing type to be used across multiple models, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining adequate thermal insulation through consistent design features.
2Power
If the axial dimensions of the casing are determined by the axial dimensions of the coiled tubes, then heat exchange surface is optimized, but manufacturing flexibility and adaptability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The design allows for dynamic adjustment of the heat exchanger configuration within the standardized casing. The number of tube turns and axial dimensions can be varied to match different thermal power requirements while maintaining the same casing structure, enabling flexible production adaptation without compromising heat exchange surface optimization.
3Reliability
If testing is performed only after complete assembly, then structural integrity is ensured, but productivity and defect detection efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The design enables preliminary testing of the heat exchanger core components before final assembly into the complete casing. This preliminary action allows defects to be detected early in the production process, improving both productivity by avoiding rework of fully assembled units and reliability by ensuring structural integrity through subsequent final testing.
4Power
If multiple coiled tubes are used to increase heat exchange surface, then thermal power is improved, but device complexity and production cost deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple coiled tubes are arranged in a nested or compact configuration within the standardized casing, allowing increased heat exchange surface area without proportionally increasing device complexity. The tubes are positioned to maximize space utilization while maintaining a manageable structural configuration that simplifies production and assembly processes.
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 design achieves high thermal efficiency, reduces production and installation complexity, and allows for flexible configuration of heat exchanger units with different thermal powers using the same casing, enhancing cost-effectiveness and defect detection.
Implementation Method 1
the function of the heat exchanger is to transfer thermal energy between two fluids
Implementation Method 2
heat that develops following upon combustion and the latent condensation heat, contained in the combustion fumes
Implementation Method 3
the latent condensation heat, contained in the combustion fumes
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
A heat exchanger (1) has a heat-exchanger unit comprising one or more substantially coaxial coiled tubes (21-23) and a casing (2) for housing the heat- exchanger unit. The casing (2) has a first end wall (3), a second end wall (4), and a peripheral part (5) between the two end walls (3, 4). Each tube (21-23) has a first end (21a-23a) and a second end (21b-23b). The heat-exchanger unit is supported by the first end wall (3) of the casing (2), with the first end (21a-23a) and the second end (21b-23b) of each tube (21-23) that is located substantially at the first end wall (3) of the casing (2).