Protrusion-Bonded Heat Exchanger Plates for Strength and Corrosion
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of maintaining strength and reducing weight in heat exchangers with ultra-thin aluminum alloy plates, where local material thinning during processing affects structural integrity and increases corrosion risk.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring first and second plates with protrusions having varying thicknesses and heights, where the protrusion top portions are fixedly connected to ensure maximum thinning regions overlap, enhancing structural integrity and corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If conventional heat exchanger designs are used, then manufacturing and assembly are simpler, but cleaning access is difficult and maintenance is time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple independently removable manifolds (first manifold and second manifold) that can be separated from each other. This segmentation allows each manifold to be accessed and cleaned individually without disassembling the entire heat exchanger, solving the cleaning access problem while maintaining a manageable structure through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The manifolds are designed with movable connection elements (connection pipes with coupling mechanisms) that allow the manifolds to be dynamically assembled and disassembled. This dynamic configuration enables easy maintenance access during operation while maintaining structural integrity during normal operation, balancing ease of repair with device complexity.
2Loss of time
If heat exchanger manifolds are made accessible for cleaning, then maintenance time is reduced, but the risk of cross-contamination between hot and cold sides increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the heat exchanger into separately removable hot side manifold and cold side manifold, the design allows maintenance personnel to access and clean each side independently without exposing the other side to contaminants. This physical separation during maintenance operations eliminates cross-contamination risk while enabling efficient cleaning of both sides.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection pipes act as intermediary elements that can be selectively disconnected. When manifolds need cleaning, the connection pipes are removed as intermediaries, allowing separate access to each manifold. This intermediary mechanism enables independent maintenance while preventing direct contact between hot and cold sides that could cause cross-contamination.
3Ease of repair
If heat exchanger is designed as a single integrated unit, then structural integrity is maintained, but cleaning requires complete disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is segmented into modular components (first manifold, second manifold, heat exchange elements) connected by robust connection pipes. This segmentation allows partial disassembly for cleaning while maintaining the structural integrity of each component and its connections, eliminating the need for complete disassembly while preserving overall structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection pipes incorporate dynamic coupling mechanisms that provide strong, leak-proof connections during operation but allow easy assembly and disassembly during maintenance. This dynamic connection system maintains structural integrity during normal operation while enabling efficient cleaning access when needed.
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 range of maximum thinning regions, improving strength and corrosion resistance while maintaining lightweight and cost-effective construction.
Implementation Method 1
a first manifold (10) and a second manifold (20), each having a plurality of heat exchange elements (30)
Implementation Method 2
Heat exchanger (100), comprising a first manifold (10) and a second manifold (20), each having a plurality of heat exchange elements (30)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6
AI summary
A heat exchanger, comprising a first plate and a second plate, the first plate comprising a first base plate and a first protrusion, and the second plate comprising a second base plate and a second protrusion, wherein the thickness of the first base plate is H1, the height of the first protrusion is h1, and 0.2 ≤ H1/h1 ≤ 1; the thickness of the second base plate is H2, the height of the second protrusion is h2, and 0.2 ≤ H2/h2 ≤ 1; the thickness of the top of the first protrusion is less than that of a side portion of the first protrusion; the thickness of the top of the second protrusion is less than that of a side portion of the second protrusion; and the top of the first protrusion is fixed to the top of the second protrusion. According to the present application, the top of the first protrusion having a large amount of thinning is fixed to the top of the second protrusion having a large amount of thinning, thereby facilitating the improvement of the strength of the heat exchanger.