Plate Heat Exchanger Base Plate Segmentation and Soldering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plate heat exchangers are heavy, difficult to manufacture, and require extensive soldering, leading to material and weight inefficiencies, as well as potential manufacturing distortions and faults.
Innovation Solution
A plate heat exchanger with a base plate constructed from two interconnected, lightweight aluminum panels, where one panel is flat and the other has elevations for positioning and stiffening, with a partially open edge for air escape during soldering, and heat exchanger plates soldered only along the edge and at turbulence contours, reducing material usage and solder requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a solid base plate is used for the plate heat exchanger, then the structural strength is sufficient, but the weight is high and manufacturing is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The base plate is divided into two separate plates: a first plate providing structural support and a second plate with elevation structures providing positioning and stiffening functions. This segmentation allows each plate to be optimized independently, reducing overall weight while maintaining strength
Solution Approach 2:
The second plate is designed with elevation structures that extend in the direction toward the heat exchanger plates, adding a vertical dimension to the base plate construction. This dimensional change provides stiffening and positioning functions without requiring increased material thickness, thus reducing weight
2Strength
If the entire surface of the heat exchanger plate is soldered to the base plate, then the connection is strong, but the manufacturing process is complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The soldering process is extracted from being a full-surface operation to being concentrated only at critical locations: the peripheral edge and the turbulence contour area. This extraction maintains necessary connection strength while dramatically reducing manufacturing complexity and time
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniform soldering across the entire surface, the invention applies soldering locally at specific areas where thermal and mechanical connections are most critical: along the peripheral edge and at the turbulence contour, optimizing both strength and manufacturing efficiency
3Stability of the object's composition
If a solid base plate with thickness of 5mm is used, then the structural rigidity is sufficient, but the material usage and weight are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The thick solid base plate is segmented into two thinner plates (each approximately 0.5 to 1.0 mm thick) with different functional characteristics, reducing total material usage from 5mm equivalent to approximately 1.5mm while maintaining rigidity through the elevation structures
Solution Approach 2:
The second plate incorporates elevation structures that extend vertically toward the heat exchanger plates, adding structural rigidity in the vertical dimension without requiring increased material thickness in the horizontal planes, thus reducing overall material consumption
4Manufacturing precision
If flat soldering is performed across the entire base plate surface, then complete coverage is achieved, but distortions and manufacturing faults occur
Solution Approach 1:
The soldering operation is extracted from continuous full-surface application to discrete localized application at the peripheral edge and turbulence contour areas, eliminating the thermal distortion problems associated with extensive flat soldering while maintaining adequate connection coverage
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying solder across the entire surface (excessive action), the invention applies solder partially only at critical locations where thermal and mechanical connection is most needed, avoiding the distortions caused by excessive heating while maintaining manufacturing quality
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 results in a significantly lighter, more rigid, and cost-effective plate heat exchanger with reduced material and weight, improved manufacturing efficiency, and enhanced cooling capacity, while minimizing distortions and faults.
Implementation Method 1
the at least two plates connected to one another to form the base plate are made of aluminum and soldered to one another by means of an aluminum solder
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
AI summary
The exchanger (1) has a set of heat exchanger plates (4) arranged in a stack-like manner between a slab (2) and a base plate (3). The heat exchanger plates are rotatably soldered with one another over edges in a fluid tight manner, where the heat exchanger is connected with a component i.e. internal combustion engine, over the base plate. The base plate is constructed by two interconnected plates. Plates of the base plate are soldered with one another in a planar manner, where one of the plates and the neighboring heat exchanger plates are soldered with one another in a linear manner. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a plate heat exchanger.