Heat Exchanger Plates With Parallel Grooves For Flow Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plate heat exchangers have limitations in thermal efficiency, particularly in achieving optimal heat exchange between fluids due to uniform disruption device arrangements and restricted heat exchange configurations, such as only enabling co-current heat exchange.
Innovation Solution
A pair of heat exchanger plates with parallel grooves on each plate, allowing for increased turbulence and heat exchange efficiency while maintaining a limited pressure drop, and enabling co-current, counter-current, or cross-current heat exchange configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If disruption devices are arranged uniformly on all plates to increase heat exchange, then thermal efficiency is improved, but pressure drop increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by providing disruption devices only on specific plates (first and third plates in the four-plate example) rather than uniformly on all plates. This selective placement increases heat exchange where needed while minimizing the overall pressure drop across the heat exchanger system.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the disruption devices into specific groups on particular plates rather than distributing them evenly across all plates. This segmentation allows the system to achieve enhanced thermal efficiency in critical zones while maintaining lower pressure drop overall.
2Temperature
If grooves are oriented at 45° to enable fluid stirring and increase heat exchange, then thermal efficiency is improved, but the heat exchanger is limited to co-current heat exchange only
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs asymmetry by orienting grooves at different angles on different plates (45° on first and third plates, 135° on second and fourth plates). This asymmetric arrangement enables the heat exchanger to support multiple heat exchange configurations (co-current, counter-current, cross-current) while maintaining enhanced thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces dynamic adaptability through the groove orientation design that can accommodate different heat exchange modes. The specific angular arrangements of grooves on different plates allow the system to dynamically adapt to various operational requirements including co-current, counter-current, and cross-current heat exchange configurations.
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 solution enhances thermal performance and reduces pressure drop, achieving improved heat exchange efficiency across various fluid flow configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The grooves thus form a relief allowing stirring of the fluids and thereby increasing heat exchange
Implementation Method 2
heat transfer between the high-temperature fluid and the low-temperature fluid through the agency of each plate
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention concerns a pair of heat exchanger plates, Each plate (A, B) comprises a central panel provided with at least one groove (101, 102) protruding into a channel defined by an inner volume (V) between the plates. Within the pair of plates (A, B), each groove (101) of first plate (A) is parallel to each groove (102) of second plate (B).