Heat Exchanger Inlet Flow Deflection for Coolant Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers face challenges in reducing the risk of coolant boiling in the inlet area of hot exhaust gas, particularly due to non-uniform coolant distribution, which can lead to performance reduction and increased costs and installation space requirements.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design that integrates a flow deflection unit into the fluid inlet, allowing the coolant to flow at an angle to the longitudinal direction of the tubes, thereby ensuring uniform distribution and reducing boiling risk without additional installation space or costs, by using a flow limiting wall with a tapered cross-sectional area and strategically positioned fluid inlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a three-dimensional separator is integrated into the heat exchanger to ensure uniform coolant distribution, then the risk of coolant boiling is reduced, but the device complexity and manufacturing costs increase due to additional components and joining steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separator function with the existing heat exchanger housing by integrating a flow-deflecting structure directly into the housing wall. This eliminates the need for a separate three-dimensional separator component and its associated joining steps, while still achieving uniform coolant distribution and reducing boiling risk in the inlet area.
2Reliability
If an annular channel is designed at the coolant inlet to expand the housing cross-section, then uniform coolant distribution is achieved, but the installation space, manufacturing effort, and material usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of expanding the housing cross-section in the radial direction to create an annular channel, the patent deflects the coolant flow in the axial direction using a flow-deflecting structure integrated into the housing wall. This redirects the coolant flow parallel to the tube bundle without requiring additional radial space, thus avoiding increased installation volume while still achieving uniform distribution.
3Ease of manufacture
If the coolant flows perpendicular to the tube longitudinal direction, then the flow distribution is simplified, but the coolant boiling risk in the inlet area increases due to non-uniform distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local flow deflection at the coolant inlet area by integrating a flow-deflecting structure into the housing wall at the inlet side. This creates a localized change in flow direction that redirects coolant toward the inlet area of the tube bundle, ensuring uniform distribution where it is most needed without requiring global changes to the entire flow path or tube arrangement.
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 effectively reduces the risk of coolant boiling in the inlet area, enhancing heat transfer efficiency and maintaining performance while simplifying production and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a flow deflection unit (16) is integrated into the fluid inlet (12) for directing a flow direction (26) of the second fluid (10)
Implementation Method 2
transfer energy from the hot engine exhaust gases to a liquid engine coolant through heat transfer processes, thereby reducing the exhaust gas temperature
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~7
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) with a tube bundle (2) comprising a plurality of tubes (3) and with a housing (4) having a first end region (5) and a second end region (6), wherein the tubes (3) of the tube bundle (2) extend within the housing (4), wherein the tubes (3) are permeable to a first fluid (7) in a longitudinal direction (8) of the tubes (3) and thus form a first flow channel (9), wherein the first fluid (7) flows into the tubes (3) in one of the end regions (5, 6) of the housing (4) and flows out of the tubes (3) in the other of the end regions (5, 6) of the housing (4), wherein the tubes (3) are permeable to a second fluid (10) and thus form a second flow channel (11), wherein the housing (4) has a fluid inlet (12) for the second fluid (10) and a fluid outlet (13) for the second fluid (10) exhibits,wherein the fluid inlet (12) has an upstream section (14) and a downstream section (15), wherein the upstream section (14) serves to allow the second fluid (10) to flow into the fluid inlet (12) and wherein the downstream section (15) serves to allow the second fluid (10) to flow into the housing (4), wherein the downstream section (15) of the fluid inlet (12) has a flow diverting unit (16).