Pleated ERV Core Structure for Low Pressure Drop Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat and humidity exchangers, particularly in Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) cores, face challenges such as bulkiness, inefficiency in enthalpy exchange, high pressure drop, and reliance on spacers that impede heat and moisture transfer and increase pressure drop.
Innovation Solution
The development of ERV cores with pleated water-permeable membranes that form self-supporting structures without spacers, allowing multi-dimensional transfer of moisture and heat, and utilizing manifold sections for improved flow distribution and support, reducing pressure drop and increasing membrane surface area per unit volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If planar plate-type heat and humidity exchangers use rigid corrugated spacers to maintain sheet spacing and define airflow channels, then the structural stability is improved, but the pressure drop increases and heat and moisture transfer efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the rigid corrugated spacers from the exchanger structure, extracting the harmful element that caused pressure drop and reduced transfer efficiency. The membrane sheets are designed to self-support through their own structural properties, eliminating the need for spacers that blocked heat and moisture transfer pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs flexible membrane sheets that can maintain their structural integrity and define airflow channels through their own flexibility and arrangement, replacing rigid spacers with thin film structures that allow better heat and moisture transfer while maintaining structural stability.
2Device complexity
If conventional ERV cores use stacked planar membrane plates with spacers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the enthalpy exchange efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional planar membrane plates to a three-dimensional pleated configuration. The pleats create multiple layers and surfaces within a compact volume, dramatically increasing the membrane surface area available for enthalpy exchange without significantly increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The pleated membrane structure nests multiple exchange surfaces within each other, creating a compact multi-layered configuration that maximizes the membrane surface area per unit volume, thereby enhancing enthalpy exchange efficiency in a space-efficient manner.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If ERV cores use pleated water-permeable membranes without spacers, then the pressure drop is reduced and membrane surface area per unit volume increases, but the structural support requirement becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The pleated membrane structure utilizes the flexibility and structural properties of thin films to self-support without rigid spacers. The pleats provide inherent structural reinforcement while maintaining water permeability and reducing pressure drop across the exchanger.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite membrane structures that combine multiple material layers with different properties, creating a self-supporting pleated configuration that provides both structural integrity and optimal water vapor permeability for heat and moisture transfer.
4Adaptability or versatility
If planar plate-type ERV cores are designed for scalability, then the adaptability to different applications is improved, but the compactness and transfer efficiency are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The pleated configuration allows the exchanger to achieve high membrane surface area within a compact volume by utilizing the third dimension. The pleats fold multiple layers of membrane into a space-efficient structure that maintains scalability while improving compactness and transfer efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested pleated structure allows multiple membrane layers to be compacted into a small volume, enabling scalable design that adapts to different application requirements while maintaining high surface area-to-volume ratio for efficient heat and moisture transfer.
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 approach results in more compact, efficient energy recovery with improved heat and moisture transfer rates, reduced pressure drop, and enhanced scalability, outperforming conventional ERV cores in both heat and moisture transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Many such devices involve the use of a water-permeable membrane across which heat and moisture may be transferred between fluid streams flowing on opposite sides of the membrane
Implementation Method 2
heat and humidity are transferred between the streams via the membrane
Data Source
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Figure 3~4A
AI summary
A heat and humidity exchanger has example application in exchanging heat and water vapour between fresh air entering a building and air being vented from the building. The heat and humidity exchanger has a self-supporting core formed from layered sheets (710, 720) of a moisture-permeable material. Plenums (750) are arranged to direct fluid streams into and out of the core. The plenums (750) may be on opposing sides of the core to permit counterflow exchange of heat and water vapour. The plenums (750) are attached to the core along opposite edges of the sheets (710, 720).