Heat exchanger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in combustion devices, such as water heaters, face issues with low thermal conductivity materials leading to decreased responsiveness and detection accuracy of temperature sensors due to small contact areas and potential contact failures between the sensor bracket and water pipes.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design where the sensor bracket is joined and fixed to the connecting portion of the heat-transfer pipes, ensuring surface contact and secure attachment, allowing for improved thermal conductivity and reliability of temperature detection even with low thermal conductive materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the sensor bracket is made of low thermal conductive material (such as stainless steel), then the structural strength and corrosion resistance are improved, but the temperature transmission to the sensor deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal conductive member (such as a copper plate or aluminum plate) as an intermediary between the water pipe and the sensor bracket. This mediator has high thermal conductivity to efficiently transmit temperature from the water pipe to the sensor, while the sensor bracket itself maintains its structural strength and corrosion resistance by being made of low thermal conductive material like stainless steel.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature detection system uses a composite structure combining materials with different properties: the sensor bracket is made of low thermal conductive material (stainless steel) for strength, while the thermal conductive member is made of high thermal conductivity material (copper or aluminum) for heat transmission. This composite approach allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
2Device complexity
If the contact area between the sensor bracket and water pipe is minimized, then the device complexity is reduced, but the temperature transmission efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductive member serves as an intermediary that expands the effective contact area for heat transmission without complicating the overall device structure. It provides a large surface area for thermal contact with the water pipe, ensuring efficient temperature transmission while maintaining a relatively simple device configuration.
3Device complexity
If the sensor bracket is directly attached to the water pipe, then the device complexity is reduced, but contact failure due to manufacturing and assembling errors increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductive member acts as a buffer and intermediary between the sensor bracket and the water pipe. It compensates for manufacturing tolerances and assembling errors by providing a larger, more forgiving contact surface, thereby reducing the risk of contact failure while maintaining relatively simple device attachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductive member provides beforehand cushioning against potential contact failures. By having this intermediate layer in place before assembly, the system is pre-protectioned against the effects of manufacturing and assembling errors that would otherwise cause direct contact failure between the sensor bracket and water pipe.
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
Enhances the responsiveness and detection accuracy of the temperature sensor by ensuring prompt and reliable transmission of water passage temperature, reducing the likelihood of contact failures and improving overall sensor performance.
Implementation Method 1
a thermal conductive member extending from the water passage to the temperature sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger (3) having a temperature sensor (16) detecting a temperature of a water passage (300) including heat-transfer pipes (32), (33), a connecting portion (34), an inlet pipe (11), and an outlet pipe (12), and a sensor bracket (6), wherein the sensor bracket (6) is joined and fixed to the connecting portion (34) in a state in which at least a part of a base portion (60) of the sensor bracket (6) forming a mounting surface of the temperature sensor (16) is in surface contact with a planar portion (340) provided in the connecting portion (34), and the temperature sensor (16) is secured to a joint portion (600) of the base portion (60) joined and fixed to the planar portion (340).