Heat Medium Temperature Control via Bypass Flow Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat medium heating-cooling apparatuses face challenges in accurately regulating the temperature of a reactor due to intensive heat intrusion from the heating unit or circulation pump, leading to inefficiencies in temperature control.
Innovation Solution
A heat medium heating-cooling apparatus with a bypass line and switching valve to divert the heat medium flow, combined with a double-element thermal sensing device and control units for precise temperature management, allowing separate control conditions for heating and cooling to suppress heat intrusion and enhance energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a heat medium heating unit is used to heat the heat medium, then the temperature control capability is improved, but heat intrusion occurs leading to reduced temperature regulation accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the heat medium flow path into multiple segments: a heating path through the heating unit and a bypass path avoiding it. The switching valve segments the flow to direct heat medium either through the heating unit or bypass, allowing selective application of heating to resolve the contradiction between temperature control capability and regulation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching valve acts as an intermediary device that mediates between the heating unit and the reactor temperature control. It controls whether heat medium passes through the heating unit or bypasses it, enabling precise regulation of heat input to eliminate temperature overshoot while maintaining control capability.
2Productivity
If intensive heating is applied to the heat medium, then the heating efficiency is improved, but temperature overshoot and instability occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the heat medium flow path based on real-time temperature conditions. The switching valve changes the flow configuration from intensive heating mode (through heating unit) to bypass mode as needed, allowing the system to adapt between high heating efficiency and temperature stability requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature measuring device provides feedback on the reactor temperature to the switching valve control system. This feedback mechanism enables the switching valve to respond to temperature changes and adjust the heat medium flow path accordingly, preventing temperature overshoot while maintaining heating efficiency when needed.
3Measurement precision
If a bypass line and switching valve are added to control heat medium flow, then temperature regulation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching valve serves multiple functions: it directs heat medium flow either through the heating unit or bypass, acts as a flow control mechanism, and provides a means for temperature regulation. This multi-functionality justifies the added component by consolidating several control functions into a single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The bypass line is pre-configured in the system design to provide an alternative flow path. This preliminary structural preparation allows the switching valve to quickly redirect flow without requiring complex real-time modifications, simplifying the control mechanism while improving temperature regulation accuracy.
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 effectively suppresses heat intrusion and improves temperature control efficiency by allowing separate control conditions for heating and cooling, ensuring high precision and energy efficiency without wasteful heating or cooling.
Implementation Method 1
a heat medium heating unit that heats the heat medium by an indirect heat exchange with a heating fluid
Implementation Method 2
a heat medium cooling unit that cools the heat medium by an indirect heat exchange with a cooling fluid
Implementation Method 3
a circulation pump and line that circulate the heat medium through the reactor, the heat medium heating unit, and the heat medium cooling unit
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a heat medium heating-cooling apparatus and a heat medium temperature control method, which can control the heat medium temperature stably and more efficiently. The heat medium heating-cooling apparatus includes a heat medium heating unit (12) as well as a bypass line (19) thereof with switching valves 20a, 20b switching the direction of a flow of the heat medium to the heat medium heating unit or the bypass line. Decisions are made based on the present temperature (PV) in a reactor (11), a preset target temperature (SV), stable temperature range (α) and control switching temperature (β). According to the resulted four decisions of “stable heating”, “stable cooling”, “inclined heating” and “inclined cooling”, the temperature control according to either of the heating control at a heating control unit or the cooling control at a cooling control unit is conducted.