Heat Exchanger Fin Bulging Structure for Condensate Discharge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in air conditioners face inefficiencies due to retained condensed water on flat tubes and fins, as existing designs fail to actively discharge water droplets until gravity overcomes surface tension and static friction, leading to poor heat exchange performance.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring flat tubes and fins with strategically positioned notches and bulging portions, where the upper end edge of the bulging portion is higher than the lower end edge, facilitating the discharge of condensed water by balancing surface tension, gravity, and static friction forces, ensuring efficient water removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional flat fin structure is used, then the manufacturing is simple, but condensed water accumulates on the fin surface and blocks heat exchange
Solution Approach 1:
The fin surface is segmented into multiple regions with different heights, creating a stepped structure with flat portions and inclined portions. This segmentation allows condensed water to be guided from higher regions to lower regions, preventing accumulation and maintaining heat exchange performance while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the fin are given different local qualities: flat portions provide stable surfaces for heat exchange, while inclined portions provide pathways for water drainage. This local differentiation ensures that each region performs its specific function optimally, preventing water accumulation without compromising overall heat exchange efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If the bulging portion is designed with symmetric upper and lower end edges, then the manufacturing is easier, but condensed water flows intensively along one edge and drops onto adjacent tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The bulging portion is designed with asymmetric end edges where the upper end edge is positioned higher than the lower end edge. This asymmetry creates a controlled water flow path that guides condensed water along the inclined surface into the discharge groove, preventing intensive flow along a single edge and subsequent dripping onto adjacent tubes.
3Reliability
If the upper end edge of the bulging portion is positioned lower than the lower end edge, then the condensed water discharge is improved, but water flows intensively along the intermediate portion edge and may drop onto lower tubes
Solution Approach 1:
The solution moves from a two-dimensional symmetric design to a three-dimensional asymmetric design by positioning the upper end edge higher than the lower end edge. This dimensional change creates a controlled gradient that guides water flow along the inclined surface into the discharge groove, preventing uncontrolled flow onto adjacent tubes while maintaining effective discharge.
4Device complexity
If no bulging portion is provided, then the fin structure is simpler, but condensed water accumulates around flat tubes and blocks heat exchange
Solution Approach 1:
The bulging portion is designed to proactively guide condensed water away from the flat tube regions before accumulation can occur. By creating inclined surfaces that lead water toward discharge grooves, the structure performs preliminary water removal action, preventing heat exchange blockage without requiring complex additional components.
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 enhances the discharge of condensed water from both fins and flat tubes, improving heat exchange efficiency by preventing water from accumulating and flowing onto adjacent tubes, thus maintaining optimal performance.
Implementation Method 1
water droplets retained on lower surfaces of the flat tubes in a state where a surface tension, a gravity force, a static friction force, and the like are balanced
Implementation Method 2
the gravity force exceeds a force acting in a direction opposite to the direction of gravity such as the surface tension
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger includes: a plurality of flat tubes; a fin in which a plurality of notches are arranged side by side in a vertical direction, the fin having a plurality of intermediate portions and a connecting portion connecting the intermediate portions to each other; and a first bulging portion having an upper end edge and a lower end edge provided between a first notch and a second notch, the upper end edge being positioned in the intermediate portion and the lower end edge being positioned in the connecting portion. The upper end edge has a first upper end positioned on an intermediate portion side, and a second upper end positioned on a connecting portion side, the first upper end being positioned to be higher than the second upper end, or the first upper end being positioned at the same height as the second upper end.