Micro-Core Heat Exchanger Pleating for Integrated Wet-Dry Passages
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing small micro-core heat exchangers is challenging due to difficulties in connecting inlet and outlet manifolds to the narrow wet and dry flow passages, and conventional methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a hydrophobic material roll with flocking and embossing to create air flow guiding structures, forming slits along fold lines, and accordion pleating to form alternating wet and dry passages, which automatically aligns and seals the plates, allowing for efficient production of compact heat exchanger cores.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If individual plates are stacked and aligned manually to form heat exchanger cores, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but production time and labor requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual plates are combined into a single continuous sheet structure that is formed and sealed as one integrated component. The method merges the stacking, aligning, and sealing operations into a single continuous process, eliminating the need for manual handling of multiple separate plates while maintaining precise alignment through the forming process itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical stacking and aligning process is replaced with a forming process that uses controlled deformation and sealing to achieve precise plate alignment. The continuous sheet is formed into the desired plate configuration and sealed in place, substituting labor-intensive mechanical assembly with a more efficient forming and sealing system.
2Volume of moving object
If sheet spacing is reduced to create compact micro-cores, then the heat exchanger size is reduced, but manufacturing difficulty increases due to connection challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet and outlet manifolds are integrated directly into the continuous sheet structure rather than being separate components that need to be connected to narrow passages. This merging of functions into a single formed structure eliminates the connection challenges associated with manual assembly of compact micro-cores.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous sheet serves multiple functions simultaneously: it forms the heat exchange plates, defines the flow passages, provides structural support, and integrates the manifold connections. This multi-functionality reduces manufacturing complexity despite the compact size, as a single forming process achieves what would otherwise require multiple separate components and assembly steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional plate stacking methods are used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but production time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The method changes the fundamental parameter of plate configuration from discrete stacked plates to a continuous formed sheet. This parameter change enables automated production while maintaining design flexibility, as the continuous sheet can be formed into various plate configurations and patterns through the forming process, replacing time-consuming manual assembly with efficient forming operations.
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 method enables precise alignment and sealing of heat exchanger plates, reducing production time and labor, while ensuring consistent performance and adaptability to various materials, facilitating the use of micro-core heat exchangers in evaporative coolers and other heat exchange systems.
Implementation Method 1
providing a flock material on at least a partial surface area of at least one side of the hydrophobic material to render the flocked surface area wettable
Implementation Method 2
embossing the hydrophobic material to form air flow guiding structures therein
Implementation Method 3
accordion pleating the hydrophobic material to form alternating wet and dry passages
Data Source
AI summary
An indirect evaporative cooler core is manufactured from a continuous sheet of hydrophobic material. Flocking is provided on at least a partial surface area of at least one side of the sheet, to render the flocked surface area wettable. Air flow guiding structures are formed upon at least one of the first side and the second side of the sheet. Fold lines are defined in the sheet defining plates extending between adjacent fold lines. Slits are formed along the fold lines. Accordion pleating the sheet at the fold lines forms alternating wet and dry passages between the plates, the wet passages formed between opposing wettable surfaces, the dry passages formed between non-flocked surfaces, and the accordion pleating causes the slits in the folds to open and form air inlets and outlets in communication with the air flow passages.