Heat Exchanger With Alternating Deflectors And Concave Constrictions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers for swimming pools face inefficiencies due to turbulence and accumulation zones, leading to inadequate heat transfer, and require a compact and space-saving design that optimizes energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The heat exchanger features deflection elements protruding alternately from opposite sides into the helical tube area, with an oval cross-section and concave constrictions, guiding the process water to extend dwell time and enhance heat transfer, while the helical tube is designed as a corrugated tube with a larger surface area to prevent deposits and turbulence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If baffle plates are arranged circularly over the inner casing to ensure turbulent flow, then heat transfer effectiveness is improved, but accumulation zones arise leading to insufficient heat transfer in individual areas
Solution Approach 1:
The inner casing is segmented by multiple deflection elements protruding from opposite sides, dividing the flow path into multiple zones. This segmentation prevents large accumulation zones while maintaining turbulent flow patterns, ensuring consistent heat transfer across different areas of the heat exchanger.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflection elements are arranged asymmetrically in an alternating sequence from opposite sides, creating a non-uniform flow pattern. This asymmetric arrangement prevents the formation of symmetric accumulation zones and ensures more uniform heat transfer distribution throughout the heat exchanger volume.
2Ease of operation
If spiral guide vanes are arranged to create laminar flow, then flow control is improved, but the first medium accumulates in the area of the helical tube and does not flow out sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection elements are positioned to dynamically alter the flow pattern as the first medium moves through the heat exchanger. This dynamic flow redirection ensures continuous movement of the medium through the helical tube area, preventing accumulation while maintaining controlled flow characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflection elements protrude into the hollow body interior, adding a third dimension to the flow control mechanism. This dimensional addition creates vertical flow components that prevent horizontal accumulation against the helical tube, ensuring adequate flow through the heating medium interface.
3Productivity
If the heating coil surface area is increased to improve heat transfer, then energy efficiency is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The helical tube is nested within the hollow body, maximizing the use of internal volume. The deflection elements are positioned within this nested structure to optimize flow paths without increasing the external dimensions, thereby achieving high heat transfer surface area within a compact volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The helical tube utilizes three-dimensional space by winding through the hollow body in a spiral path, effectively increasing the heat transfer surface area within the available linear dimensions. This dimensional utilization allows compact heat exchanger size while maintaining high energy efficiency.
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 significantly improves heat transfer efficiency by controlling flow rate and dwell time, reducing heat loss and energy consumption, and allows for a modular, compact, and corrosion-resistant structure suitable for various heating applications.
Implementation Method 1
the deflection elements that are present guide the process water to be heated in a targeted manner in the direction of the helical tube
Implementation Method 2
the bath water absorbs the heat from the heating medium, which consequently becomes cooler
Implementation Method 3
the first medium is fed through the elongate hollow body in countercurrent or cocurrent to a second medium
Implementation Method 4
flow acceleration being generated in the area of the constriction of the elongated hollow body
Implementation Method 5
pressure relaxation and thus lower flow velocities being generated in the expansion areas of the hollow body interior between the constrictions
Implementation Method 6
the helical tube is designed as a corrugated tube with a larger surface area to prevent deposits and turbulence
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 2a~2c
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (10) having an elongate hollow body with connections (12, 12', 13, 13') for the supply and discharge of a first and of a second medium, in which the first medium is guided through the elongate hollow body in a counterflow with respect to a second medium, and the second medium flows through a spiral tube (11) which extends longitudinally axially between the end sides of the hollow body, and wherein a plurality of deflecting elements (18) projects into the hollow body interior from the hollow body inner casing, which deflecting elements deflect the flow of the first medium. To improve efficiency, it is provided that the deflecting elements project in an alternating sequence from in each case opposite hollow body sides into the hollow body interior and into the region of the spiral tube, in such a way that said deflecting elements end between two spirals, and that the hollow body inner casing has, in sections, a plurality of concavely-shaped constrictions.