Plate Evaporator Control with Multi-Injector Fluid Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evaporator systems, particularly plate heat exchangers, face challenges in efficiently controlling and distributing fluid supply, leading to uneven evaporation and reduced efficiency, especially at part load conditions, which affects energy consumption and compressor performance.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic control system for evaporators comprising injector arrangements, sensor arrangements, and a controller that individually evaluates each fluid passage to optimize fluid supply based on temperature, pressure, and liquid content measurements, ensuring operation towards a set-point superheating value.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single valve controls fluid supply to the evaporator, then the device complexity is reduced, but the fluid distribution uniformity across multiple plate interspaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is divided into multiple independently controllable plate interspaces, each with its own valve. This segmentation allows individual fluid supply control to each interspace, ensuring uniform fluid distribution across all plate interspaces while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Each plate interspace is equipped with local sensors and control valves that independently regulate fluid supply based on local conditions. This local quality approach ensures that each interspace receives optimal fluid distribution tailored to its specific operational state, improving overall uniformity.
2Ease of operation
If the evaporator operates without individual passage control, then the ease of operation is improved, but the energy efficiency deteriorates due to incomplete evaporation
Solution Approach 1:
Temperature sensors are installed in each plate interspace to provide real-time feedback on evaporation status. The controller uses this feedback to dynamically adjust valve openings, ensuring complete evaporation in each interspace. This automated feedback loop maintains high energy efficiency while keeping the system easy to operate through centralized control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts valve openings based on real-time sensor data from each plate interspace. This dynamic control ensures optimal fluid distribution and complete evaporation under varying operating conditions, maximizing energy efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity through automated adaptation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are installed in each plate interspace, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The evaporator is segmented into multiple plate interspaces, each equipped with its own temperature sensor and control valve. This segmentation enables precise local measurement and control in each interspace while keeping the overall system complexity manageable through modular architecture. Each module can be independently optimized and maintained.
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 system enhances the overall performance of the evaporator by optimizing fluid distribution, reducing energy consumption, and allowing for the use of smaller compressors, while ensuring complete evaporation and minimizing liquid content reaching the compressor.
Implementation Method 1
a first fluid, such as a cooling agent, is introduced into the valve in liquid form but expands when leaving the valve due to the pressure drop into a partly evaporated fluid
Implementation Method 2
expands when leaving the valve due to the pressure drop into a partly evaporated fluid
Implementation Method 3
a plate heat exchanger, this may by way of example include a plate package, which includes a number of first and second heat exchanger plates
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger including a plate package (P), which includes a number of first and second heat exchanger plates (A, B) which are joined to each other and arranged side by side in such a way that first and second plate interspaces (1) are formed. At least two injectors are provided, each injector being arranged to supply a first fluid to at least one of the first plate interspaces (1) in the at least one plate package (P) and at least one valve is arranged to control the supply of the first fluid to the at least two injectors.