Method for producing a series of at least a first and a second heat exchangers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Custom-built brazed-plate heat exchangers are costly and have long manufacturing lead times due to the need for bespoke materials, while standardized units either exceed or fall short of requirements, leading to inefficiencies in air separation units.
Innovation Solution
A method for producing heat exchangers with adaptable matrix units by partitioning fluid distribution tanks to adjust the number of passages for each fluid, allowing for post-manufacturing configuration to meet specific demands, using standardized matrix units that can be mass-produced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom-built heat exchangers are manufactured to meet specific demands, then adaptability to varying pressures and flow rates is improved, but production cost and manufacturing lead time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into modular components: standardized matrix units that can be mass-produced and configurable fluid distribution tanks that can be customized through partitioning. This segmentation allows the matrix units to be manufactured efficiently in advance while the tanks are adapted to specific requirements, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
Standardized matrix units are manufactured in advance before the final configuration is determined. This preliminary production of common components reduces lead time and cost, while the fluid distribution tanks are configured later to meet specific pressure and flow rate requirements, maintaining adaptability.
2Ease of manufacture
If standardized matrix units are used for mass production, then production cost and lead time are reduced, but the ability to meet specific pressure and flow rate requirements deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
While the matrix units are standardized for efficient mass production, the fluid distribution tanks are customized with specific partition configurations to meet local quality requirements of different applications. This allows standardized components to be combined with customized components, achieving both cost efficiency and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines static standardized matrix units with dynamically configurable fluid distribution tanks. The tanks can be partitioned in different ways to adapt to varying requirements, while the matrix units remain standardized for efficient production, creating a hybrid system that balances both needs.
3Productivity
If the number of matrix units is increased to meet demand, then production capacity is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized matrix units are designed to be universal and interchangeable, allowing the same unit to serve multiple configurations by changing the fluid distribution tanks. This multi-functionality means that fewer unique units are needed, reducing overall cost while maintaining production capacity.
4Ease of manufacture
If the number of matrix units is decreased to reduce cost, then manufacturing expense is reduced, but energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the number of matrix units, the system achieves cost reduction by optimizing the configuration of fluid distribution tanks through partitioning. This allows the same number of matrix units to be used, maintaining energy efficiency, while reducing the cost of customized tank components through standardized production methods.
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 reduces production costs and lead times by enabling flexible configuration of heat exchangers to match varying demands, while maintaining consistent interfaces and energy efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
passages suited to allowing at least a first fluid, a second fluid and a third fluid to flow through the matrix unit, so that the third fluid can heat or be heated by the first and second fluids
Implementation Method 2
at least a first fluid, a second fluid and a third fluid to flow through the matrix unit
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for producing a series of at least a first and a second plate and fin heat exchanger, each having at least one fluid distribution tank capping at least some of the openings of the matrix unit and which is connected to a pipe, the tank is partitioned into several compartments using at least one partition, so as to distribute the number of openings assigned to a first fluid and to a second fluid, the partition being designed to divide the tank into several compartments which are each connected to a pipe for the passage of the first fluid or of the second fluid and which each communicate with a number of openings that varies according to the configuration adopted by the at least one partition, for the exchanger of the series.