Heat exchanger including flue flow path guide system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional coil tube heat exchangers experience high pressure drops in flue flow, necessitating large and costly blowers, leading to increased energy consumption and noise levels.
Innovation Solution
A flue guide system is introduced that balances flue flow by varying the size of openings along the central axis of the coil, allowing flue flow to enter a centrally located space directly, reducing pressure drop and enhancing heat transfer by aligning apertures with coil loops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional coil tube heat exchanger design is used without flue flow guidance, then the structure is simple, but the pressure drop of flue flow is high requiring large blowers
Solution Approach 1:
A flue flow guide system is introduced as an intermediary component between the burner and the coil tubes. This guide system includes a guide body with flow guide surfaces that direct flue flow evenly across multiple coil loops, mediating the flow distribution and reducing pressure drop without requiring complex external structures
Solution Approach 2:
The flue flow guide system segments the single flue flow path into multiple directed paths corresponding to different coil loops. The guide body divides the incoming flue flow into separate streams that are distributed across the coil tube bundles, allowing parallel flow paths that reduce overall pressure drop
2Stress or pressure
If large blowers are used to push flue flow through the heat exchanger, then the pressure drop issue is resolved, but the procurement cost, power consumption, and noise level increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flue flow guide system enables the flue flow to self-distribute evenly across the coil loops through its geometric design. The guide surfaces and flow paths are configured to naturally direct the flow without requiring additional energy input from oversized blowers, allowing the system to serve itself in flow distribution
3Stress or pressure
If large blowers are used to overcome pressure drop, then flue flow moves through the heat exchanger, but the noise level increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flue flow guide acts as an intermediary that smooths and directs the flow transition, reducing turbulence and chaotic flow patterns that generate noise. By providing structured flow paths and guide surfaces, it mediates between the high-velocity burner outlet and the coil tube entrances, minimizing noise-generating flow disturbances
4Device complexity
If flue flow is not evenly distributed across coil loops, then the structure is simple, but the heat transfer efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flue flow guide system implements local quality by providing different flow guide characteristics for different regions. The guide surfaces and aperture configurations are tailored to direct flow specifically to individual coil loops or sections, ensuring each region receives appropriate flow distribution for optimal heat transfer efficiency
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 guide system reduces pressure drop and enhances heat transfer efficiency, enabling the use of smaller, less costly blowers and ensuring even heating across the coil surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
reducing pressure drop and enhancing heat transfer by aligning apertures with coil loops
Implementation Method 2
channel the flue flow from the burner through the path to heat the fluid flow before the flue flow entering the lumen of the guide system
Data Source
AI summary
A guide system including a top end, a bottom end, a lumen and a plurality of openings, the system is disposed within a coil lumen at the bottom end of the heat exchanger coil with the bottom end of the system extending beyond the bottom end of the coil in a direction from the top end to the bottom end of the coil, the system configured in a shape of the coil lumen and the openings are disposed on the bottom end of the system, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to channel the flue flow from a burner through a path to heat a fluid flow of the coil before entering the lumen of the system via the openings to avoid a pressure drop due to a tendency for the flue flow to follow a path defined by a shape of the bottom end of the coil.