Portable Heat Exchanger Isolation for High-Rise Temporary Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional temporary heating systems for construction and renovation in high-rise buildings face challenges due to the need for high-pressure liquid circulation, which is costly and impractical, especially when using steam heat sources, and existing systems are not designed to handle elevated pressures safely.
Innovation Solution
A portable heat exchanger system that isolates the hot fluid source from the heating circuit, allowing the use of any hot fluid source, including steam, and enables high-pressure circulation without affecting the primary circulation loop, using flexible conduits and secondary pumps to distribute heated liquid to remote units, while maintaining a conventional liquid heater at low pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional circulating liquid heating systems are used in high-rise buildings, then the liquid heater can be located at ground level for ease of fuel delivery and system setup, but the system requires high-pressure circulation to reach upper floors which increases system complexity and safety requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent circulation loops: a low-pressure primary loop for the liquid heater at ground level, and a high-pressure secondary loop for distributing heated liquid to upper floors. This segmentation allows each part to operate at appropriate pressure levels, reducing overall system complexity and safety requirements while maintaining ease of fuel delivery at ground level.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger acts as an intermediary between the primary and secondary circulation loops. It transfers thermal energy from the low-pressure primary loop to the high-pressure secondary loop without requiring the liquid heater to operate at high pressure, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity.
2Stress or pressure
If the liquid heater is designed to operate at high pressure to supply upper floors, then high-pressure circulation is achieved, but the liquid heater must meet regulated safety specifications and be regularly inspected like boilers and pressure vessels
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system is segmented into a low-pressure primary loop containing the liquid heater and a high-pressure secondary loop for distribution. The liquid heater operates only in the primary loop at low pressure, avoiding the need to meet expensive boiler and pressure vessel safety specifications, while still achieving high-pressure circulation in the secondary loop through the heat exchanger intermediary.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger serves as an intermediary that decouples the pressure requirements of the liquid heater from the distribution system. It allows the liquid heater to operate at low pressure without safety regulations while enabling the secondary loop to operate at high pressure for efficient distribution to upper floors.
3Device complexity
If a single circulation loop is used, then the system is simpler, but the hot fluid source cannot be isolated from the heating circuit preventing use of steam or other high-pressure sources
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation system is segmented into two independent loops connected by a heat exchanger. This allows the primary loop to be configured for specific hot fluid sources (steam, hot water, etc.) while the secondary loop handles distribution, providing versatility in hot fluid source selection without significantly increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger provides universal interface between different hot fluid sources and the heating distribution system. It enables the system to accept various hot fluid sources (steam, hot water, other fluids) in the primary loop while maintaining a standardized secondary distribution loop, thus achieving adaptability without proportionate increase in complexity.
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
Enables efficient and safe temporary heating in high-rise buildings by allowing the use of high-pressure steam heat without re-designing the liquid heater, reducing costs and ensuring safety compliance, and providing versatility in heating distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a portable heat exchanger operative to transfer heat from a hot fluid circulating in a primary circulation loop thereof to a heated liquid circulating in a secondary circulation loop
Data Source
AI summary
A temporary heating apparatus comprises a portable heat exchanger which transfers heat from a hot fluid circulating in a primary circulation loop thereof to a heated liquid circulating in a secondary circulation loop thereof. The heat exchanger is connectable to a hot fluid source such that hot fluid from the hot fluid source circulates through the primary circulation loop. A portable remote heating unit comprises a fluid coil releasably connected by flexible conduits to the secondary circulation loop, and a secondary pump is connected to the flexible conduits and the secondary circulation loop to pump heated liquid through the secondary circulation loop, flexible conduits, and the fluid coil of the remote heating unit. The heat exchanger isolates the heating circuit from the hot fluid source, allowing the use of steam as the hot fluid source, and further allowing high pressures in the heating circuit, such as encountered in tall buildings.