Heat Exchanger With Stacked Conductive Grids
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Solution Overview
Problem
Finned heat exchangers have limited performance due to the required minimum distance between fins, restricting the surface area for heat exchange and thus the amount of heat that can be transferred per unit time.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger with a heat-conducting structure composed of cohesively connected heat-conducting grids, which increases the surface area for heat exchange while maintaining mechanical stability, allowing for efficient heat transfer and flow through the structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If fins are spaced at minimum distance apart due to manufacturing requirements, then manufacturing is simplified, but the surface area available for heat exchange is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conduction structure is segmented into multiple individual heat conduction grids stacked together. Each grid can be manufactured separately with standard spacing, but when stacked and cohesively connected, they form a dense structure with significantly increased total surface area. This segmentation allows manufacturing simplicity to be maintained while achieving high surface area through the multiplication of multiple grids.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional fin structure to a three-dimensional stacked grid structure. By stacking multiple heat conduction grids in the vertical dimension and cohesively connecting them, the surface area is dramatically increased without compromising manufacturing feasibility. This dimensional approach allows the heat exchange surface to extend into the third dimension, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and surface area.
2Productivity
If the number of heat conduction grids is increased to increase surface area, then heat exchange performance is improved, but mechanical stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple heat conduction grids are cohesively connected through material bonding to form an integrated heat conduction structure. This merging of multiple grids maintains mechanical stability while increasing the total heat exchange surface area. The cohesive connection ensures that the stacked grids function as a unified structure, preventing individual grids from detaching or deforming under operational stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat conduction structure employs composite construction by stacking and cohesively connecting multiple heat conduction grids made from thermally conductive materials. This composite approach allows the structure to achieve both high surface area for heat transfer and sufficient mechanical stability, as the multiple bonded layers distribute mechanical loads and maintain structural integrity.
3Area of stationary object
If material thickness is reduced to allow more grids in limited space, then surface area increases, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat conduction structure is divided into multiple thin heat conduction grids stacked together. Each individual grid can have reduced material thickness to maximize surface area within limited space, but the stack as a whole achieves sufficient structural strength through the cumulative effect of multiple bonded layers. This segmentation allows thin individual components to collectively form a strong, high-surface-area structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple thin heat conduction grids are cohesively connected to form a composite structure that combines the advantages of thin individual grids (high surface area) with the strength of multiple layered components. The cohesive connection between grids provides structural reinforcement, allowing each grid to be thin while the assembled structure maintains adequate strength.
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 heat exchanger achieves improved performance by increasing the surface area for heat exchange and mechanical stability, enabling efficient heat transfer and flow with reduced material thickness and pressure losses, enhancing evaporation performance and heat transfer coefficients.
Implementation Method 1
the heat conduction structure contains at least two heat conduction grids which are materially connected to one another... heat can be transferred from or removed from the heat transfer surface... via the heat-conducting grids with great efficiency
Implementation Method 2
Heat can be transferred either from the first heat transfer medium to the second heat transfer medium or vice versa
Implementation Method 3
sensible and/or latent heat is supplied or from which sensible and/or latent heat is removed
Implementation Method 4
sensible and/or latent heat is supplied or from which sensible and/or latent heat is removed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1), comprising at least one tube (10) having a tube wall (100) and a heat-conducting structure (2) connected to the tube wall, wherein the heat-conducting structure (2) contains at least two heat-conducting grids (20) which are bonded to one another. The invention further relates to methods for using such a heat exchanger.