Method for cooling compressed air and apparatus thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cooling and drying compressed air in manufacturing factories are inefficient, leading to tool failures and high operational costs due to the need for refrigeration-type air dryers and limited space for gas-liquid separation equipment.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus utilizing a vortex tube to generate cold and warm air, which are then adjusted in a pre-pressure vessel with a cooling tube or chamber to achieve stable, low-temperature, and dehumidified compressed air without the need for refrigeration, using a downstream air dryer for final purification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a refrigeration type air dryer is used to cool and dry compressed air, then the drying effectiveness is improved, but the equipment cost and operational cost become enormous
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the essential cooling function from the complex refrigeration cycle by isolating and utilizing only the heat exchange principle. A simple heat exchanger replaces the entire refrigeration system (compressor, condenser, expansion valve, evaporator), achieving the same drying effectiveness without the costly and complex refrigeration components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention copies the cooling effect achieved by refrigeration systems but implements it through a fundamentally simpler mechanism. Instead of replicating the complex refrigeration cycle, it uses a direct heat exchange process that produces equivalent cooling and drying results at a fraction of the cost.
2Temperature
If a refrigeration type air dryer is installed to cool compressed air, then the compressed air temperature is reduced, but the installation cost and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary heat exchange function from the refrigeration system, eliminating unnecessary components that occupy space. The simplified heat exchanger design requires minimal installation space while achieving the same temperature reduction effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, space-consuming refrigeration equipment with a simple, compact heat exchange system. This approach uses basic thermal principles rather than complex mechanical systems, significantly reducing both installation cost and space requirements.
3Temperature
If compressed air is cooled using a water cooling type aftercooler, then the air temperature is reduced, but the cooling water must be continuously cooled requiring additional refrigeration equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the cooling function from the water cooling system and implements it directly through air-to-air heat exchange in the heat exchanger. This eliminates the need for separate cooling water systems and their associated refrigeration equipment, simplifying the overall system while maintaining effective temperature reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger acts as an intermediary device that directly transfers heat from the compressed air to the surrounding environment or cooling medium without requiring complex water circulation systems. This intermediate heat exchange step achieves cooling without the need for additional refrigeration equipment.
4Reliability
If an air dryer is installed in the ejection duct for compressed air, then gas-liquid separation is achieved, but the installation space is limited and the equipment becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the cooling and drying functions into a single integrated heat exchanger unit. By combining these functions, the system achieves effective gas-liquid separation and temperature reduction without requiring separate large-scale equipment, thereby reducing installation space requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: cooling the compressed air, condensing moisture, and facilitating gas-liquid separation. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate dedicated equipment for each function, reducing overall installation space.
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 approach provides a cost-effective, space-efficient solution for cooling and drying compressed air, preventing tool failures by ensuring a stable and uniform air supply, reducing equipment and operational costs, and effectively meeting the demand for large quantities of cooled compressed air.
Implementation Method 1
a vortex tube for generating a cold air and warm air by the compressed air
Implementation Method 2
the warm air is introduced into a pre-pressure vessel disposed at an upstream side of the pressure vessel, the cold air is introduced into a cooling tube or cooling chamber which is disposed inside the pre-pressure vessel, the warm air is adjusted by cooling
Implementation Method 3
water vapor in the warm air within the pre-pressure vessel is condensed on a surface of the cooling tube or cooling chamber
Implementation Method 4
the condensed moisture owing to adiabatic expansion is discharged from a drain hole
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for cooling compressed air include the following. Compressed air is introduced into a vortex tube where cold air and warm air are generated. The cold air and warm air are introduced into a pressure vessel where the temperature and moisture of the compressed air are adjusted. The adjusted compressed air is fed to a downstream side of the pressure vessel. Before the generated cold air and warm air are introduced into the pressure vessel, the warm air is introduced into a pre-pressure vessel disposed at an upstream side of the pressure vessel. The cold air is introduced into a cooling tube or cooling chamber which is disposed inside the pre-pressure vessel which is disposed at the upstream side of the pressure vessel. The warm air is adjusted by cooling. The adjusted warm air is introduced into the pressure vessel from the pre-pressure vessel together with the cold air.