Heat Exchanger Decongealing Bypass Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers face blockages due to media congealation at low temperatures, leading to back pressure and impaired performance, as the increased viscosity of lubricating oils restricts flow through small passages, and existing decongealing methods are inefficient, causing stagnation and ineffective thermal management.
Innovation Solution
A novel heat exchanger design featuring a decongealing path that spans the entire length of the exterior surfaces, utilizing a bypass valve and channels to distribute heated media over the matrix exterior, promoting even heat conduction and preventing stagnation, thereby enhancing the decongealing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the media bypasses the heat exchanger core through a relief valve, then the back pressure is relieved, but the media does not receive thermal management and the heat exchanger performance is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger system is segmented into two distinct flow paths: a core passage through the heat exchanger matrix for thermal management, and a bypass passage for pressure relief. The bypass passage includes a bypass valve that can be opened to relieve back pressure while allowing media to flow through a separate path that does not compromise the thermal exchange function.
Solution Approach 2:
A bypass valve acts as an intermediary component between the media flow and the heat exchanger core. When back pressure exceeds a threshold, the valve opens to divert excess media through the bypass passage, preventing core damage while maintaining the integrity of the thermal management function for the majority of media flow.
2Stress or pressure
If the media stagnates in the bypass path, then pressure relief is achieved, but decongealing of the heat exchanger core is ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The bypass passage is designed with specific local characteristics including heating elements or thermal coupling sections that provide localized heating to the media flowing through the bypass. This ensures that even when the bypass valve is open and media is diverting from the core, the media still receives thermal treatment that contributes to decongealing the heat exchanger core.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass passage maintains continuous thermal management action on the media even during pressure relief operations. Heating elements or thermal coupling in the bypass path ensure that the media is continuously warmed as it flows through the bypass, preventing stagnation and maintaining decongealing effectiveness throughout the entire bypass operation.
3Productivity
If the heat exchanger matrix has very small passages to increase surface area, then efficiency is improved, but media flow is restricted when viscosity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates a dynamically controllable bypass valve that responds to back pressure conditions. When media viscosity increases and flow through the small passages becomes restricted, the bypass valve automatically opens to provide an alternative flow path, dynamically adjusting the system operation to maintain media circulation despite the restricted core passages.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass passage provides an excessive or alternative flow path that becomes active when the core passages are insufficient due to high viscosity. This partial bypass action allows the system to maintain operational capability even when the primary heat exchange path is restricted, ensuring continuous media circulation and preventing complete flow blockage.
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 efficiently decongeals the heat exchanger core by maximizing contact with conductive materials, ensuring all layers are heated, reducing pressure drop, and restoring full functionality by eliminating stagnant areas and promoting thermal energy conduction across the matrix.
Implementation Method 1
distribute the heated primary media more effectively to promote decongealing of all layers. Preventing stagnation of the primary media will allow all the metal components to conduct heat through the heat exchanger core.
Implementation Method 2
A novel heat exchanger design featuring a decongealing path that spans the entire length of the exterior surfaces, utilizing a bypass valve and channels to distribute heated media over the matrix exterior
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger comprising a matrix with an interior and an exterior. The matrix has an input face and an output face and one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face. The primary media flows between the input face and the output face. The heat exchanger has a decongealing path that spans from an inlet across an entire length of the input face, spans the one or more exterior surfaces that span between the input face and the output face, and spans an entire length of the exterior output face to the outlet.