Sequential Heat Exchanger Ventilation to Prevent Icing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat-exchanger type ventilation systems fail to operate effectively in extremely cold climates due to icing issues, leading to clogging and reduced heat exchange efficiency, and they often cause cold drafts and dew condensation.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a plurality of separate heat exchanger elements, where exhaust and intake airflow paths are switched sequentially to prevent ice buildup, allowing continuous heat exchange and ventilation by directing airflow through one element while the others deice and dry, ensuring accurate detection and prevention of icing conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single heat exchanger is used to exchange heat between exhaust air and intake air, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but ice formation clogs the airflow path in extremely cold climates
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple independent heat exchange units (first unit, second unit, third unit, etc.), each capable of operating independently. This segmentation allows the system to switch between units to prevent ice formation in any single unit from blocking the entire heat exchange process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic switching between different heat exchange units based on operating conditions, particularly outdoor temperature. When ice formation is detected or predicted in one unit, the system transitions to another unit, creating a periodic operation pattern that prevents continuous ice accumulation and maintains reliable heat exchange.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the intake airflow path is blocked to prevent ice formation, then ice clogging is avoided, but the ventilation function is lost
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the heat exchanger into multiple units with separate airflow paths, the system can isolate the ice-prone sections while maintaining open paths through other units. This allows ventilation to continue through non-iced units even when some units experience ice formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit acts as an intermediary that monitors ice formation conditions and switches airflow paths between different heat exchange units. This intermediary control mechanism prevents direct blocking of the intake path while maintaining ventilation function through alternative paths.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If only exhaust air is vented through the exhaust path to avoid ice formation, then ice clogging is prevented, but negative pressure causes cold drafts and dew condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented heat exchanger design with multiple independent units allows simultaneous operation of multiple units, enabling both exhaust and intake airflow to be maintained. This balance prevents negative pressure buildup that causes cold drafts and dew condensation while avoiding ice clogging through proper unit selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic switching between heat exchange units maintains a balance between exhaust and intake airflow. By coordinating the operation of multiple units in a periodic pattern, the system ensures that intake airflow is sufficient to counterbalance exhaust airflow, preventing negative pressure and its associated harmful effects.
4Reliability
If multiple heat exchanger units are used with sequential switching, then continuous heat exchange is maintained in cold climates, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple standardized units that can be configured in different arrangements. This segmentation enables continuous operation through switching between units while maintaining a modular structure that limits the increase in complexity through standardization and systematic arrangement of the units.
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 approach maintains continuous heat exchanging and ventilating operations in cold climates, preventing cold drafts and dew condensation, and ensures a comfortable living space by balancing exhaust and intake air effectively.
Implementation Method 1
exchanging heat between the exhaust airflow and the intake airflow
Implementation Method 2
heat exchanger for allowing exhaust airflow to move from inside a room to outdoors and intake airflow to move from the outdoors to the room
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchange ventilator includes a plurality of heat exchanger elements provided with a heat-exchanger exhaust airflow path and a heat-exchanger intake airflow path. Exhaust airflow and intake airflow are guided to pass through one of the plurality of heat exchanger elements, and the exhaust airflow and the intake airflow are switched to the next heat exchanger element in a sequential order when a state of the heat exchanger element comes to a predetermined condition set based on adverse influences of ice formation inside a heat-exchanger exhaust airflow path. The structure prevents the heat exchanger element from icing to avoid the adverse influences, thereby making it capable of exerting the fundamental heat exchanging and ventilating function continuously.