Parallel Evaporator-Absorber Layout for Tilt-Stable Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchange and heat transfer devices with nozzle-type evaporator/absorber assemblies suffer from low performance/volume ratio and are sensitive to vehicle acceleration and tilting, leading to premature mixing of refrigerant fluids.
Innovation Solution
The device incorporates opposing planar and parallel reference surfaces for the evaporator and absorber units, with porous materials and gravity-assisted flow to slow down vaporized refrigerant transfer, reducing pressure sensitivity and tilting effects, and eliminating the need for nozzles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If nozzle-type evaporator/absorber assembly is used, then fluid contact surface is increased and absorption is promoted, but performance/volume ratio becomes very low and device becomes sensitive to vehicle acceleration and tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous wick materials in both the evaporator and absorber units to replace nozzle-type assemblies. The porous structure provides extensive internal surface area for efficient fluid contact and absorption while maintaining a compact overall device volume. This resolves the contradiction by achieving high absorption efficiency through the porous medium's internal geometry without requiring complex external nozzle structures.
2Speed
If nozzle-type evaporator/absorber assembly is used, then fluid jets are produced, but fluid jets are susceptible to disruption by vehicle acceleration or tilting causing untimely mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the evaporator and absorber units with opposing reference surfaces that are substantially parallel and positioned at the same gravitational potential level. This equipotential arrangement ensures that liquid refrigerant and absorbing fluid flows along the porous wick materials under balanced gravitational conditions, making the system insensitive to vehicle acceleration or tilting. The parallel opposing surfaces create symmetric flow paths that prevent premature mixing regardless of vehicle orientation.
3Productivity
If vaporized refrigerant fluid transfers quickly between evaporator and absorber, then heat transfer efficiency is high, but pressure of vaporized refrigerant flow increases detrimentally
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from rapid one-dimensional vapor transfer to a controlled two-dimensional diffusion process by positioning evaporator and absorber units with opposing parallel surfaces. The vaporized refrigerant diffuses through the porous wick material in a controlled manner across the surface area, maintaining lower pressures while achieving efficient heat transfer through the extended contact area provided by the porous structure.
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 design enhances the performance/volume ratio and ensures stable operation by minimizing pressure increases and fluid mixing issues during vehicle acceleration and tilting, resulting in a more efficient and reliable heat transfer process.
Implementation Method 1
the liquid refrigerant fluid being evaporated in an evaporator portion of the assembly
Implementation Method 2
then absorbed in an absorber portion of the assembly by the absorbing fluid-enriched mixture
Implementation Method 3
the binary mixture is heated in the generator portion so as to cause vaporization of a portion of the refrigerant fluid, which is dissolved therein (desorption of the refrigerant fluid)
Implementation Method 4
refrigerant fluid vapor and a refrigerant fluid-depleted (absorbing fluid-enriched) liquid mixture is obtained at the output of the generator portion. This refrigerant fluid is condensed in the condenser portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchange and heat transfer device comprises an evaporating/absorbing arrangement connected to a binary mixture flow circuit containing a first refrigerant fluid and a second absorbing fluid. The refrigerant fluid is evaporated in the evaporator part of the arrangement and subsequently absorbed in the absorber part by an absorbing fluid-enriched mixture. The evaporating/absorbing arrangement comprises at least two oppositely disposed reference surfaces defining evaporation and absorption components, respectively, an evaporator mass for supplying the liquid refrigerant fluid to the reference surface of the evaporation component and an absorber mass for supplying the absorbing fluid-enriched mixture to the reference surface of the absorption component.