Efficient indirect electrical heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for heating fluids in pipelines are often technically complex or require significant effort to implement, and there is a need for a simpler and more economical solution that can be applied in various industrial processes.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a pipeline with an electrically conductive medium heated by Joule heat generated from an electric current, allowing for indirect heating of the feedstock through a current-conducting medium, which can be arranged around or within the pipeline, and utilizing single-phase or multi-phase alternating or direct current sources for temperature control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If direct heating methods are used to heat feedstock in pipelines, then heating efficiency is improved, but device complexity and implementation effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electrically conductive medium as an intermediary substance that circulates between the heat source and the feedstock. This medium absorbs heat from the heated pipeline sections and transfers it to the feedstock, enabling efficient indirect heating while avoiding the complexity of direct heating systems. The intermediary medium facilitates heat transfer without requiring direct contact between the heating element and the feedstock.
2Measurement precision
If complex heating devices are implemented to achieve precise temperature control, then temperature control precision is improved, but ease of manufacture and implementation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs temperature sensors positioned along the pipeline that automatically detect temperature variations and feed this information to the control unit. The control unit autonomously adjusts the heating power of individual pipeline sections based on real-time temperature data, enabling precise temperature control without requiring complex manual intervention or sophisticated manufacturing. Each section serves itself by monitoring and adjusting its own heating parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipeline is divided into multiple independently controllable heating sections, each equipped with its own heating element and temperature control. This segmentation allows precise local temperature control along different portions of the pipeline, achieving high temperature control precision while maintaining relative simplicity in manufacturing and implementation, as each section can be independently optimized and maintained.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional heating systems are used, then implementation is straightforward, but energy efficiency and temperature range capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes electrically conductive media with specific electrical and thermal properties that enable efficient energy transfer. By selecting media with optimized parameters (electrical conductivity, heat capacity, flow characteristics), the system achieves high energy efficiency and the capability to reach temperatures up to 1700°C, far exceeding conventional heating systems, while maintaining ease of manufacture through the use of standard electrical components and simple circulation mechanisms.
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
The solution provides a technically simple and economical method for heating feedstocks to temperatures ranging from 200°C to 1700°C, enabling precise temperature control and efficient energy use in processes such as endothermic reactions, preheating, and chemical transformations.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one voltage source is configured to generate an alternating electrical current in the current-conducting medium, which heats the pipeline by Joule heat which is generated when the electrical current passes through the current-conducting medium
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c
Figure 2
AI summary
Proposed is a device (110) comprising at least one pipeline (112) for receiving at least one feedstock. The device (110) has at least one current-conducting medium (129). The device (110) has at least one current or voltage source (126) which is configured to generate an electrical current in the current-conducting medium (129), which heats the pipeline (112) by means of Joule heating which is produced when the electrical current passes through the current-conducting medium (129).