Heat Exchanger Coolant Duct Screen Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers for cooling charge air in internal combustion engines suffer from suboptimal coolant flow design, leading to 'dead zones' and coolant stagnation, which can cause boiling and reduce cooling capacity, especially in charge air coolers with countercurrent flow configurations.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a coolant duct with an outwardly directed embossment and a screen partially covering its opening, creating a throttling effect that influences coolant flow direction and resistance, ensuring better distribution and increased cooling capacity by optimizing coolant flow paths and pressure loss across the heat exchanger.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the coolant duct opening is fully open, then the coolant flow rate is high, but the coolant flow distribution is poor and dead zones occur
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is positioned at a specific location within the coolant duct opening, creating local flow resistance only at that position. This local modification redirects coolant flow into previously stagnant dead zones without significantly reducing the overall coolant flow rate through the heat exchanger.
2Area of stationary object
If the coolant flow path is extended, then the heat transfer area is increased, but the flow resistance increases and cooling capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The screen creates a three-dimensional flow redistribution pattern within the coolant duct, utilizing vertical and lateral flow components to access dead zones that are not reachable by simple linear flow paths, thereby increasing effective heat transfer area without extending the primary flow path length.
3Temperature
If the charge air temperature is high, then the cooling demand is high, but the coolant boils and cooling capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The screen is positioned to redirect coolant flow toward regions with higher temperatures before the coolant completes its circuit, ensuring that the coolant absorbs heat more effectively in the most critical areas first, preventing boiling even under high charge air temperature conditions.
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 enhances coolant flow distribution and heat absorption, reducing the likelihood of coolant boiling and improving overall cooling performance by directing coolant flow more effectively across the heat exchanger, particularly at regions with high temperatures.
Implementation Method 1
A gap is formed between an edge delimiting the opening and the screen... creating a throttling effect that influences coolant flow direction and resistance
Implementation Method 2
a heat transfer can be generated between the charge air and a coolant in a charge air cooler
Implementation Method 3
the charge air can be routed, for example, through tubes around which cooling air flows
Implementation Method 4
along an outer wall delimiting the housing a coolant duct is formed by an outwardly directed embossment
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) for cooling a flow of media, comprising a plurality of pipes (4). The pipes (4) are each received in a respective pipe base (2, 3) at the ends, and the pipes (4) are received in a housing (12) between the two pipe bases (2, 3), said housing being connected to the pipe bases (2, 3) in a fluid-tight manner. A coolant channel (13) is formed by a shaped region oriented outwards along an outer wall which delimits the housing (12) The coolant channel (13) has an opening (14) oriented in the direction of the inner volume of the housing (12), and the coolant channel (13) is in fluidic communication with the inner volume (23) of the housing (12) via said opening. The opening (14) is at least partly covered by a panel (5), and the panel (5) is arranged on the housing (12) outer wall surface oriented inwards, said outer wall having the coolant channel (13). A gap (18, 25) is formed between an edge (19), which delimits the opening (14), and the panel (5).