Heat Exchanger Plate With Ridges And Dimples For Pressure Drop Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plate heat exchangers face challenges in achieving mechanical stability and heat exchanging efficiency, particularly in larger condenser-type heat exchangers, while maintaining low pressure drop and minimizing refrigerant usage.
Innovation Solution
The design features a heat exchanger plate with protruding ridges defining parallel and open-ended channels on one surface and a plurality of protruding dimples between neighboring ridges on the opposing surface, optimizing heat transfer and mechanical stability while minimizing medium volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fishbone-shaped protrusion patterns are used to increase contact surfaces and media turbulence, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases and mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plate surface is segmented into distinct functional zones: protruding ridges that define parallel channels for one medium, and protruding dimples on the opposing surface for the second medium. This segmentation creates separate flow paths that reduce turbulence-induced pressure drop while maintaining adequate heat transfer surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
Different local surface features are applied to different media sides: ridges on one side and dimples on the other. This local quality differentiation optimizes each medium's flow characteristics independently, allowing smooth channel flow for one medium while providing turbulence enhancement for the other, thereby balancing heat transfer efficiency with acceptable pressure drop.
2Productivity
If fishbone-shaped protrusion patterns are used to increase contact surfaces, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but mechanical stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The plate is segmented with ridges and dimples that create structurally beneficial patterns. The ridges act as reinforcement ribs that increase mechanical stiffness, while the dimples provide localized stress distribution. This segmentation transforms the surface into a mechanically optimized structure rather than a continuous flat or uniformly patterned surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding dimples introduce curved surface features that enhance mechanical stability through geometric reinforcement. The curved geometry of dimples and ridges distributes stress more effectively than sharp angular features, improving the plate's resistance to deformation while maintaining heat transfer efficiency.
3Productivity
If conventional fishbone patterns are used, then heat transfer is improved, but it is difficult to minimize the amount of heat medium while maintaining efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from two-dimensional flat plate surfaces to three-dimensional surfaces with protruding ridges and dimples. This dimensional change creates volumetric heat transfer zones that increase the effective heat exchange surface area within a compact volume, reducing the amount of refrigerant needed while maintaining high heat transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern of ridges and dimples creates a porous-like structure with multiple flow channels and heat transfer surfaces packed into a small volume. This porous arrangement maximizes the heat exchange surface area per unit volume, allowing efficient heat transfer with minimal refrigerant quantity.
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 configuration provides a highly efficient and mechanically stable heat exchanger that maintains efficient condensing of refrigerant with minimal refrigerant usage, achieving effective heat transfer across a wide range of applications while managing pressure drop requirements.
Implementation Method 1
a plate for a heat exchanger between a first medium and a second medium... arranged to be in contact with the first medium... arranged to be in contact with the second medium
Implementation Method 2
these provide good thermal transfer due to large contact surfaces and media turbulence
Implementation Method 3
efficient condensing of the refrigerant... in condenser-type heat exchangers, such as in heat pumping and in particular refrigeration applications
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger includes a plurality of plates of a first and a second type. The plates of the second type have a shape which is substantially mirrored to the shape of the plates of the first type. The plurality of plates of the first and the second type are arranged in a stack on top of each other, with plates of the first and second type arranged alternatingly, with corresponding ones of dimples and ridges of adjacent plates come and stay into direct contact with each other, so that corresponding first and/or second surfaces of adjacent plates abut each other and so that flow channels for the first and second media are formed between the surfaces.