Heat Exchanger Inlet Core Plate Insulation for Hot Spot Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water cooled charge air coolers experience hot spot formation on the core plate due to high-temperature air entering the cooler, which heats the coolant to unacceptable temperatures, degrading its performance.
Innovation Solution
The placement of a thermally insulating material on the inlet core plate, which deviates the fluid from the tube walls and insulates the core plate, mitigating hot spot formation by forming a one-piece body with a gasket or the inlet header tank.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-temperature air enters the cooler, then the cooling performance is improved, but hot spot formation occurs on the core plate
Solution Approach 1:
An insulation plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the core plate and the inlet header tank. This insulation plate acts as a thermal mediator that prevents direct thermal contact, thereby eliminating hot spot formation while allowing the high-temperature air to continue flowing through the core plates for effective cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful thermal contact area is extracted and isolated by placing the insulation plate between the core plate and the inlet header tank. This extraction removes the source of hot spot formation (direct thermal contact) while preserving the useful cooling function of the core plates.
2Power
If the core plate is heated to high temperature, then the heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the coolant temperature increases to unacceptable levels
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation plate serves as a thermal barrier that mediates between the high-temperature core plate and the coolant. It allows the core plate to operate at high temperatures for efficient heat exchange while preventing excessive heat transfer to the coolant, thus maintaining coolant temperature within acceptable limits.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation plate is strategically positioned at the inlet core plate where hot spot formation occurs. This local application of thermal insulation specifically addresses the problem area without affecting the overall heat exchange efficiency of the core plates.
3Temperature
If an insulation plate is added to mitigate hot spots, then the coolant temperature is stabilized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation plate is merged with the gasket structure, forming a single integrated component. This merging approach adds the thermal insulation function without requiring a separate, complex assembly, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity while achieving coolant temperature stabilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation plate serves multiple functions: it acts as a thermal barrier to prevent hot spots, provides structural support, and can be integrated with sealing functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 solution effectively reduces the formation of hot spots, maintaining the coolant at a stable temperature and enhancing the performance of water cooled charge air coolers and other fluid-to-fluid heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
The insulation plate deviates the fluid from the tube walls and insulates the core plate thermally
Implementation Method 2
a second fluid, particularly a liquid coolant such as, for example, water or a water-based mixture, is designed to flow around the core 30 and through gaps between the tubes 31, and exchange heat with the first fluid flowing into the tubes 31
Implementation Method 3
Within each tube 31, there is arranged a respective finned plate 31a
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of parallel tubes (31) for conveying a fluid, inlet and outlet core plates (11, 21), each having a plurality of openings into which respective ends of the tubes are inserted in a fluid-tight manner, and inlet and outlet header tanks (13, 23) joined to the inlet and outlet core plates (11, 21), respectively, in a fluid-tight manner, the inlet and outlet header tanks cooperating with the inlet and outlet core plates to form a fluid inlet chamber and a fluid outlet chamber, respectively. An insulation plate (81) of thermally insulating material is arranged on the inlet core plate (11), the insulation plate comprising a frame portion (81a) and a plurality of bridge portions (81b) extending between opposite sides of the frame portion (81a), each of the bridge portions covering a respective area (11b) of the inlet core plate (11) between adjacent tubes (31).