Integrated Condenser-Evaporator for Coolant Supercooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat pumps face inefficiencies due to uncondensed coolant leaving the condenser, leading to distribution and pressure control issues, and excessive piping increases the risk of failure and heat losses.
Innovation Solution
A combined evaporator and condenser design with a connection between the evaporator portion and the expansion valve, utilizing stacked heat exchanger plates with pressed patterns for interplate flow channels, allowing for supercooling of the coolant before it enters the expansion valve, thereby reducing gas content and improving distribution and pressure control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional heat pump system uses separate condenser and evaporator components with extensive piping, then the system can handle basic heat exchange functions, but the risk of failure increases and heat losses occur due to excessive piping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the condenser and evaporator into a single integrated heat exchanger unit with stacked plates, where the coolant flows through interconnected channels within the same structure. This eliminates the need for separate components and extensive external piping, reducing failure points and heat losses while maintaining both condensing and evaporating functions.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the heat exchanger is designed for worst-case scenario temperatures, then the system can handle extreme conditions, but the cost and size of the heat exchanger become excessively high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates an active cooling system with a coolant circulation loop that includes a pump and temperature sensors. The system dynamically adjusts coolant flow rate and temperature based on real-time thermal conditions, allowing the heat exchanger to adapt to varying temperature requirements without being oversized for worst-case scenarios, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.
3Productivity
If supercooling of liquid coolant is implemented before the expansion valve, then the amount of liquid transforming into gas phase is reduced, but additional cooling mechanisms are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the supercooling function into the existing evaporator plates by utilizing the cold coolant from the evaporator outlet to pre-cool the liquid coolant before it reaches the expansion valve through internal heat exchange channels. This eliminates the need for separate supercooling equipment while improving evaporator efficiency by reducing flash gas formation.
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 design reduces the gas content in the coolant, mitigates distribution and pressure control issues, and decreases the need for large piping, resulting in a more efficient and stable heat pump system with reduced heat losses.
Implementation Method 1
a combined evaporator and condenser manufactured from a number of stacked heat exchanger plates provided with a pressed pattern of ridges and grooves for keeping the plates on a distance from one another for creating interplate flow channels
Implementation Method 2
compressed gaseous coolant exchanges heat with a heat carrier
Implementation Method 3
coolant exchanges heat with a low-temperature heat carrier
Implementation Method 4
the coolant condenses
Implementation Method 5
the coolant is evaporated under heat exchange with a low-temperature heat carrier
Implementation Method 6
the pressure (and hence the boiling point) of the coolant decreases
Data Source
AI summary
A combined evaporator and condenser (1100) is manufactured from a number of stacked heat exchanger plates (980) provided with a pressed pattern of ridges and grooves for keeping the plates on a distance from one another for creating interplate flow channels (1180, 1200). The evaporator portion (1120, 1150) of the combined evaporator and condenser (1100) has a coolant outlet connectable to an expansion valve (R), and a connection between the condenser portion and the expansion valve (R) runs through the evaporator portion.