Method for exchanging heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers with multiple refrigerant passages suffer from complexity, increased dimensioning, and significant inactive zones, leading to reduced thermal efficiency and mechanical strength, especially when handling multiple refrigerant fluids with different temperatures.
Innovation Solution
The proposed heat exchange process involves configuring passages to allow multiple refrigerant fluids to circulate within the same passage, sharing longitudinal space and optimizing temperature overlaps to minimize inactive zones, thereby enhancing thermal efficiency and mechanical strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If separate passages of different types are provided for different refrigerants to optimize pinch, then thermal efficiency is improved, but device complexity and exchanger size increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple refrigerant flows into a single passage by dividing the passage into successive portions along the longitudinal direction. Each portion handles a different refrigerant stream, allowing multiple refrigerants to share the same passage space while maintaining optimized thermal exchange. This eliminates the need for separate passage types, reducing device complexity while preserving thermal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The single passage is designed to serve multiple functions by accommodating different refrigerant streams in different portions. The passage acts as a multi-functional channel that handles vaporization, condensation, and heat exchange for multiple refrigerants simultaneously, replacing the need for dedicated passage types for each refrigerant function.
2Loss of energy
If separate passages of different types are provided for different refrigerants to optimize pinch, then thermal efficiency is improved, but the exchanger size increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple refrigerant flows into a single shared passage with successive portions, the patent reduces the overall exchanger volume. The merging of passage functions eliminates redundant structural elements and reduces the total space required for heat exchange operations while maintaining optimized thermal performance.
3Loss of energy
If separate passages of different types are provided for different refrigerants, then pinch optimization is achieved, but inactive zones are created reducing mechanical strength
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates inactive zones by merging multiple refrigerant flows into a continuous single passage. The successive portions ensure that every section of the passage is actively engaged in heat exchange with either refrigerant stream, removing dead zones that would compromise mechanical strength and structural integrity.
4Ease of operation
If inlets and outlets are arranged successively along the length in order of increasing temperature, then fluid distribution is simplified, but inactive zones and reduced thermal efficiency occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the single passage into successive portions, each dedicated to a specific refrigerant flow. This segmentation allows multiple refrigerants to be introduced at different temperatures and positions along the passage while maintaining active thermal exchange throughout, avoiding the inactive zones created by conventional successive inlet arrangements.
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 results in a more compact, thermally efficient, and mechanically robust heat exchanger with reduced inactive zones, improving energy efficiency and reducing the exchanger's overall size and cost.
Implementation Method 1
A heat exchanger for such a method comprises series of passages for the flow of at least one refrigerant to be placed in heat exchange relationship with a heat-transfer fluid
Implementation Method 2
heat exchanges between the fluids can take place with or without phase change
Implementation Method 3
Several heat-transferring and refrigerating fluids, of different natures and/or characteristics, can circulate in the exchanger
Implementation Method 4
a stack of vaporization passages and condensation passages, some intended for example to vaporize refrigerant liquid
Implementation Method 5
the others to condense a calorigenic gas
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B(b)
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger (E1) comprising a plurality of plates (2) parallel to a longitudinal direction (z) and together defining a first series of passages (10) for the flow of at least one refrigerant (F1) intended to exchange heat with at least one calorigenic fluid (C), at least one passage (10) of the first series defined between two adjacent plates (2) comprising a refrigerant inlet (31) configured to introduce the refrigerant (F1) into a portion (100) of said passage (10) and a refrigerant outlet (41) configured to discharge the refrigerant (F1) from the portion (100). According to the invention, said at least one passage (10) of the first series further comprises at least one other refrigerant inlet (32) configured to introduce another refrigerant (F2) into another portion (200) of said passage (10) and at least one other refrigerant outlet (42) configured to discharge the other refrigerant (F2) from the other portion (200), said other inlets and outlets (32, 42) being arranged so that said at least one passage (10) is divided, in the longitudinal direction (z), into at least said portion (100) and said other portion (200).