Helical Refrigerant Coil Layout for Efficient Heating and Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating and cooling systems only improve energy efficiency during cooling, and not during heating.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a cooling-purpose coiled wide tube that subcools refrigerant before it reaches a coiled narrow tube, and a heating-purpose coiled wide tube that partially vaporizes refrigerant after it passes through a coiled narrow tube, both utilizing spin rotation to enhance refrigerant flow and efficiency, with the coiled narrow tubes having wider flow passages than conventional designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the refrigerant flow rate is increased through spin rotation, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs coiled (curved) tube configurations instead of straight tubes to induce spin rotation of the refrigerant. The curved geometry naturally generates centrifugal forces and rotational flow patterns that enhance heat exchange efficiency without requiring additional mechanical components. This geometric approach improves productivity while avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The coiled tube structure itself generates the spin rotation effect through its geometry alone, without requiring external actuators or complex flow control mechanisms. The refrigerant's own flow through the curved path creates the rotational motion that enhances heat exchange, making the system self-sufficient and avoiding additional complexity.
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 results in significant energy savings of up to 16% during cooling and maintains a higher refrigerant temperature during heating, improving overall energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the refrigerant undergoes a spin rotation and flows at an increased flow rate, which causes the refrigerant to be subcooled
Implementation Method 2
subcools refrigerant, which is discharged from the compressor and liquefied by the heat source side heat exchanger, with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically
Implementation Method 3
partially vaporizes refrigerant, which is discharged from the compressor and liquefied by the use side heat exchanger, with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically
Implementation Method 4
with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically
Implementation Method 5
a heating-purpose coiled wide tube that partially vaporizes the refrigerant, which has passed through the heating-purpose coiled narrow tube, with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a highly efficient heating and cooling system. The heating and cooling system is provided with a cooling-purpose heat exchange section that, during cooling, subcools refrigerant, which is discharged from a compressor and liquefied by a heat source side heat exchanger, with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically before the refrigerant reaches a pressure reducing device, and a heating-purpose heat exchange section that, during heating, partially vaporizes refrigerant, which is discharged from the compressor and liquefied by a use side heat exchanger, with an acceleration phenomenon of the refrigerant by rotating the refrigerant helically after the refrigerant has passed through the pressure reducing device and before the refrigerant reaches the heat source side heat exchanger, in which a heating-purpose coiled narrow tube of the heating-purpose heat exchange section has a flow passage that is formed to be wider than that of a cooling-purpose coiled narrow tube of the cooling-purpose heat exchange section.