Heat Exchanger Gyroid Partition Wall Turbulence
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers, such as those described in JP5293077B, face challenges in improving heat exchange efficiency due to insufficient study of turbulence in heat generating fluids and contact areas between fluids, limiting significant enhancements in energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a housing with first and second flow paths partitioned by a three-dimensional curved partition wall, utilizing a gyroid structure to increase contact area and promote turbulent flow, combined with counterflow directions and additive manufacturing for precise and cost-effective construction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional partition wall structure is used, then the device complexity is low and manufacturing is simple, but the heat exchange efficiency is insufficient due to limited contact area and lack of turbulence
Solution Approach 1:
The partition wall is designed with a three-dimensional curved surface shape instead of a flat surface. This curvature increases the contact area between the first and second fluids, promoting better heat exchange efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured using conventional techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall transitions from a two-dimensional flat surface to a three-dimensional curved surface. This dimensional change allows the partition wall to create more complex flow paths for the fluids, increasing turbulence and contact area without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
2Productivity
If the contact area between fluids is increased, then heat exchange efficiency improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The three-dimensional curved surface of the partition wall increases the contact area between fluids to improve heat exchange efficiency. The curvature is designed to be manufacturable using conventional techniques, avoiding overly complex geometries that would significantly increase manufacturing difficulty and cost.
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 design significantly enhances heat exchange efficiency by increasing contact area and promoting turbulent flow, leading to improved energy efficiency and cost-effective manufacturing of complex shapes.
Implementation Method 1
factors such as turbulence of a heat generating fluid (for example, exhaust gas) and a refrigerant (for example, cooling water) and a wall area where the heat generating fluid and the refrigerant come into contact with each other have not been sufficiently studied
Implementation Method 2
heat exchange is performed between the two fluids by heat transfer or the like via the partition wall
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger including: a first flow path configured to allow a first fluid to flow therethrough; a second flow path adjacent to the first flow path and configured to allow a second fluid to flow therethrough; and a housing accommodating the first flow path and the second flow path. The heat exchanger performs heat exchange inside the housing between the first fluid flowing through the first flow path and the second fluid flowing through the second flow path. Inside the housing, the first flow path and the second flow path are partitioned by a partition wall and form flow paths independent of each other, the partition wall has a three-dimensional curved surface shape, and the first flow path and the second flow path extend three-dimensionally.