Membrane Evaporative Condenser for Bacterial Contamination Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling systems face inefficiencies and maintenance challenges due to the need for separate condensers and cooling towers, which require high flow rates, are prone to scale deposits, and pose health risks from bacterial contamination in water droplets.
Innovation Solution
A membrane evaporative condenser (MEC) with alternating condensation and evaporation channels, utilizing a selectively permeable membrane and a liquid evaporative medium conduit, which integrates heat transfer and mass transfer in a single component, reducing the need for separate cooling towers and minimizing bacterial contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a separate cooling tower is used for evaporative cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the condenser and cooling tower functions into a single integrated device. The condensation surface serves dual purposes: as a heat transfer surface for vapor condensation and as an evaporative cooling surface. Water is sprayed directly onto the condensation surface, merging the cooling tower's evaporative cooling function with the condenser's heat rejection function, thereby eliminating the need for separate cooling towers and reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The condensation surface is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a heat transfer surface for condensing vapor, a support structure for water spray distribution, and an evaporative cooling surface. This multi-functionality allows the single component to replace what would traditionally require separate condenser and cooling tower units, improving efficiency while reducing device complexity.
2Productivity
If high flow rates are used in conventional condensers, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but energy consumption and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes evaporative phase transition of water sprayed onto the condensation surface. As water evaporates from the liquid phase to vapor phase, it absorbs latent heat directly from the condensation surface, providing intense cooling without requiring high water flow rates. This phase change mechanism enables efficient heat transfer at lower flow rates compared to conventional sensible cooling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Water sprayed onto the condensation surface acts as an intermediary cooling medium. Instead of relying on high-volume air or water flow through the condenser, a thin film or spray of water on the condensation surface mediates the heat transfer process through evaporation, achieving efficient cooling with minimal fluid consumption and lower energy requirements.
3Temperature
If liquid water is used for evaporative cooling, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but scale deposits and bacterial contamination increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful aspect of using liquid water for evaporative cooling by removing the separate cooling tower component where water is exposed to ambient air and becomes contaminated with bacteria. In the integrated design, water is sprayed only onto the enclosed condensation surface and evaporates in a controlled manner, preventing exposure to environmental contaminants and eliminating the need for chemical treatment and maintenance.
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 MEC enhances efficiency by allowing saturation temperature to match wet-bulb temperature, reduces the need for high flow rates, and prevents bacterial contamination by eliminating airborne water droplets, while maintaining effective heat transfer and purifying non-potable water.
Implementation Method 1
the space between the MTMs of the LEM conduits or a terminal space between the MTM and a non-permeable wall of a terminal evaporation channel allows transport of a gaseous working fluid
Implementation Method 2
a selectively permeable membrane and a liquid evaporative medium conduit
Implementation Method 3
a condensation channel for condensation of a vapor to a liquid
Implementation Method 4
Phase change of heat transfer media is used to efficiently move heat energy
Implementation Method 5
heat transfer through a non-permeable surface
Data Source
AI summary
A membrane evaporative condenser (MEC) includes a repeating sequence of channels for evaporation and/or condensation are arranged, each sequence of channels includes a condensation channel for condensation of a vapor to a liquid, an evaporation channel, and zero to one hundred evaporation-condensation channels. The condensation channel has walls of a non-permeable material which exterior to the condensation channel share the wall with a liquid evaporative medium (LEM) conduit that contains a LEM. The LEM conduit includes a moisture transfer membrane (MTM), where the LEM can evaporate into an evaporation channel or an evaporation-condensation channel that can amplify the effect of the heat transfer for additional mass transfer.