Lobed Heat Exchanger Tubes With Removable Flow Redirector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Tubes with a lobar cross-section in liquid/gas heat exchangers suffer from inefficient heat transfer due to gas escaping around the axis and are difficult to clean, leading to clogging issues.

Innovation Solution

A tubular device with a removable rod-like flow redirection element inserted between lobe blending zones, redirecting fluid flow laterally and featuring rotated lobe sections to enhance turbulence and ease cleaning, combined with a series of such devices in a heat exchanger design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If tubes with a lobar cross-section are used to increase turbulence, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but gas escapes around the axis through blending zones, reducing heat transfer effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidheat transfer effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

A flow redirection element is introduced as an intermediary component between the hot gas and the tube walls. This element redirects the gas flow laterally toward the heat exchange channels, ensuring that the gas properly contacts the tube surfaces for heat transfer while maintaining the turbulent flow benefits of the lobar cross-section

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If tubes with a lobar cross-section are used to increase turbulence, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the tubes become difficult to clean and prone to clogging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange efficiencyVSAvoidcleanability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The flow redirection element is designed to be removable from the tube. This allows maintenance personnel to extract the element and access the internal channels for cleaning, solving the clogging problem while preserving the heat exchange efficiency benefits during normal operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Improves heat exchange efficiency by increasing turbulence and simplifies cleaning, resulting in a higher-yield liquid/gas heat exchanger compared to traditional designs.

Implementation Method 1

The particular shape of such tubes makes it possible to considerably increase the turbulence of the gas that has to cross them

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 2

a tubular device for the transit of a heat exchange fluid... designed to redirect laterally the flow of heat exchange fluid introduced in said tube toward the heat exchange channels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2236952B1Tubular device for the transit of a heat exchange fluid particularly for heat exchangers, and a liquid/gas heat exchanger, particularly for boilers,comprising a series of tubular devices

Publication Date: 2016.03.23 R I STAMPI ARTICOLI INDALI DI ZEN BORTOLO

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Figure 9

AI summary

A tubular device (10) for the transit of a heat exchange fluid, particularly for heat exchangers, of the type comprising a tube (11) that has at least one portion (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d) with a cross section (12) having a profile that is formed by a plurality of lobes (13, 14, 15) arranged in a substantially radial direction, and comprising a removable rod-like flow redirection element (16).