Parallel-Fin Heat Exchange Component with Shorter Heat Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combustion-type heaters suffer from low heat utilization due to small contact areas and long conduction distances in heat recovery apparatuses, limiting their energy conservation and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchange component with parallel fins forming non-communicating longitudinal and horizontal through channels, featuring heat collection and dissipation surfaces, and optionally bumps or dimples, to increase contact areas and reduce conduction distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a heat collection rod is used to conduct heat from flue gas to a heat exchange surface, then heat recovery function is implemented, but the contact area between the heat collection rod and flue gas is small, limiting heat conduction efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a one-dimensional heat collection rod to a multi-dimensional fin structure with surfaces extending in multiple directions. The fins create both longitudinal and horizontal through channels, allowing flue gas to contact heat collection surfaces from multiple spatial dimensions, dramatically increasing the effective contact area between the heat collection medium and flue gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat collection medium is segmented into multiple parallel fins rather than using a single solid rod. This segmentation creates numerous exposed surfaces that can simultaneously contact flue gas, increasing the total heat collection area while maintaining structural integrity through the fin configuration.
2Length of moving object
If a heat collection rod conducts heat to an end part and then to a heat exchange surface, then heat transfer is achieved, but the conduction distance of heat in the heat collection medium is long, reducing heat conduction efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the sequential end-to-end conduction path by creating a distributed heat collection structure. Heat can be transferred directly from any point on the fin surfaces to adjacent heat exchange surfaces, reducing the maximum conduction distance from the entire rod length to much shorter local distances across the thin fin thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heat collection function from the interior of a solid rod and relocates it to the exposed surfaces of thin fins. This allows heat to be collected directly at the surface level where flue gas contacts the fins, eliminating the need for heat to conduct through the entire rod length to reach collection points.
3Area of stationary object
If a heat collection rod is used for heat recovery, then heat reuse is achieved, but the contact area between the heat collection rod and the heat exchange surface is small, limiting heat transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses thin fin structures with large surface areas relative to their volume. The fins are positioned to maximize contact with both flue gas and heat exchange surfaces simultaneously, creating extensive heat transfer interfaces in multiple spatial dimensions rather than relying on a single contact point or small area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs thin fin structures that act as flexible heat transfer media. These thin fins provide large surface areas for heat collection from flue gas while maintaining close proximity to heat exchange surfaces, maximizing the contact area between the heat collection medium and the heat exchange surface for efficient heat transfer.
4Loss of energy
If conventional heat recovery apparatus is used, then secondary heat recovery is achieved, but heat utilization remains low due to limited contact areas and long conduction distances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a multi-dimensional heat recovery system with fins extending in multiple directions and forming through channels. This allows flue gas to flow through and contact heat collection surfaces extensively, maximizing heat extraction from the flue gas and improving overall heat recovery efficiency compared to conventional rod-based systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat recovery system is segmented into multiple parallel fins that independently collect heat from flue gas. This segmentation increases the total heat collection area and creates multiple parallel heat transfer paths, improving the overall rate of heat recovery and reducing energy loss in the exhaust flue gas.
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
Enhances heat conduction efficiency by increasing contact areas and shortening conduction paths, improving heat recovery and utilization in combustion-type heaters.
Implementation Method 1
the fin is a thin sheet that conducts the heat from one surface to the other surface, to shorten a heat conduction distance
Implementation Method 2
One surface of the fin is used as a heat collection surface to collect heat in flue gas, to increase a contact area between the flue gas and the heat collection surface
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to the field of heating, and provides a heat exchange component, a heat exchanger, and a waste heat collection apparatus. The heat exchange component includes at least three fins. The fins are arranged in parallel. Starting from the first fin, every two adjacent fins are used as one group, and two longitudinal or horizontal edges of each group of fins are hermetically connected to form a longitudinal or horizontal through channel. Starting from the second fin, every two adjacent fins are used as one group, and two horizontal or longitudinal edges of each group of fins are hermetically connected to form a horizontal or longitudinal through channel. The longitudinal through channel and the horizontal through channel are not communicated with each other. The heat exchanger includes the foregoing heat exchange component. The waste heat collection apparatus includes the foregoing heat exchanger. Therefore, the following effects are implemented: A contact area between a heat source and a heat collection medium is increased, a conduction distance of heat in the heat collection medium is shortened, a contact area of a heat output surface is increased, and heat conduction efficiency of the heat exchange component is integrally improved.