Heat Exchanger System with Self-Cleaning Filter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers in jet engine fuel circuits are prone to clogging due to impurities, leading to potential system failure, as existing designs either have large passage sections to prevent clogging, which reduces thermal performance, or smaller sections that increase clogging risks and require frequent maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger system incorporating a self-cleaning filter and bypass valve that filters impurities before they reach the heat exchanger, automatically cleaning the filter when pressure thresholds are met, thus preventing clogging and maintaining flow without the need for frequent maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the liquid passage sections are made smaller to improve thermal performance, then the thermal efficiency increases, but the risk of clogging due to impurities increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is positioned upstream of the heat exchanger to remove impurities before the liquid enters the narrow passage sections. This preliminary filtering action prevents clogging while allowing the use of smaller passage sections for improved thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter acts as an intermediary element between the liquid source and the heat exchanger. It mediates the conflict between small passage sections (for thermal performance) and clogging risk by removing impurities that would otherwise cause blockages.
2Reliability
If the liquid passage sections are made larger to prevent clogging, then the reliability improves, but the thermal performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By filtering the liquid beforehand, the system enables the use of smaller passage sections that would otherwise be too risky for clogging. The preliminary filtration action allows optimization of passage size for thermal performance without sacrificing reliability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If pins are added to the inner surfaces of tubes to increase thermal performance, then the heat transfer efficiency improves, but the wear from caught impurities increases leading to perforation
Solution Approach 1:
The filter removes impurities before they reach the heat exchanger tubes with pins. This preliminary action prevents impurities from being caught in the pins, eliminating the wear mechanism that would lead to tube perforation while allowing the pins to remain for enhanced heat transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter converts the potential harm of impurities causing wear into a benefit by removing them beforehand. The impurities that would otherwise damage the pinned tubes are eliminated, allowing the pins to provide their thermal performance benefit without the associated wear risk.
4Reliability
If the filter weave is made finer to improve filtration, then the impurity removal efficiency increases, but the head loss of the filter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The filter is designed with a specific weave that provides sufficient filtration to protect the heat exchanger while maintaining acceptable head loss. The bypass valve activates when head loss becomes excessive, providing a partial flow path that prevents complete system shutdown while still allowing filtration to occur during normal operation.
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 system allows for smaller liquid passage sections, reducing the risk of clogging and wear, enhancing thermal performance, and minimizing maintenance needs, ensuring continuous operation and reducing maintenance costs by eliminating the risk of impurity-induced failures.
Implementation Method 1
a self-cleaning filter with a liquid inlet and two liquid outlets, one being an outlet for filtered liquid and one being an outlet for non-filtered liquid
Implementation Method 2
the heat exchanger makes it possible to cool the oil
Implementation Method 3
Said fuel having a temperature lower than that of the oil (which heats in contact with the IDG), the heat exchanger makes it possible to cool the oil
Implementation Method 4
When the pressure at the inlet of the bypass valve, which increases, reaches a predefined threshold, the valve opens
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger system through which a liquid can flow, including a heat exchanger including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, a bypass valve including a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet, and a self-cleaning filter including a liquid inlet and two liquid outlets, one being an outlet for filtered liquid and one being an outlet for non-filtered liquid. The outlet for filtered liquid is connected to the inlet of the exchanger and the outlet for non-filtered liquid is connected to the inlet of the valve. The outlet of the heat exchanger is connected downstream of the outlet of the valve. A fuel circuit of an airplane jet engine can include such a system.