Integral Heat Exchanger Drain Assembly for Complete Condensate Drainage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers often suffer from incomplete drainage of condensed water due to non-ideal orientation during installation, leading to corrosion and freezing damage, which limits their lifespan and functionality.
Innovation Solution
An integral drain assembly is designed with non-linear passage walls and integrally formed drain walls using additive manufacturing, ensuring that condensed liquid is directed to a drain at the lowest point of each passage, allowing for effective gravitational drainage without altering the heat exchanger's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If heat exchanger orientation is fixed by installation constraints, then installation flexibility is improved, but drainage completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drain assembly is merged with the heat exchanger core structure, forming an integral unit where the drain walls are continuously connected to the passage walls. This integration ensures that regardless of the heat exchanger's installation orientation, the condensed liquid is always directed toward the drain outlet through the integrated passage structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The drain walls are positioned at non-linear portions of the passage walls, utilizing the three-dimensional space within the heat exchanger core. By creating drains at strategic locations along the passage walls rather than only at endpoints, the design accommodates various installation orientations while maintaining effective drainage through gravitational force.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional separate drain components are used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but drainage effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process merges the formation of passage walls and drain walls into a single additive manufacturing operation. The system deposits material to form both structures continuously, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing and assembly steps while ensuring precise geometric integration between passages and drains.
3Reliability
If drain walls are added to passages, then drainage completeness is improved, but structural complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The drain walls are positioned at non-linear portions of the passage walls, utilizing curved or angled sections of the passage structure. This approach leverages the existing geometric complexity of the heat exchanger passages to create effective drainage paths without adding significant additional structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive manufacturing process merges the creation of passage walls and drain walls into a single continuous structure. The passage walls and drain walls are formed as integral parts of the same component, sharing common material and geometric continuity, which reduces the number of separate parts and assembly operations.
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 solution ensures complete removal of condensed liquid, reducing corrosion and freezing risks, thereby enhancing the reliability and lifespan of heat exchangers and improving customer satisfaction by preventing damage and reducing replacement needs.
Implementation Method 1
a non-linear portion is provided. Although there may be multiple non-linear portions along the path of the passages 14, at least part of the non-linear portion 16 shown is located at a lowest point of the passage 14 when the heat exchanger 10 is in an installed position. More specifically, the lowest point of the passage 14 is positioned where gravity will ultimately draw any condensed liquid located within the passage 14.
Implementation Method 2
Heat exchangers often condense water when humid air is cooled.
Data Source
AI summary
An integral drain assembly for a heat exchanger includes a plurality of passage walls defining a plurality of passages, each of the passage walls having a non-linear portion. Also included is a drain wall integrally formed with at least one of the passage walls to define a drain for each of the plurality of passages, the drain wall located proximate the non-linear portion of each of the plurality of passage walls.