Protruded Resistance Heating Element for Faster Exhaust Gas Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exhaust gas treatment systems, such as catalytic converters, require a minimum temperature to function effectively, which is often not achieved during engine warm-up or at low power operation, leading to inefficient catalytic conversion due to low exhaust gas temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A heating device with a resistance element featuring protrusions on its base body to enhance heat transfer, allowing for increased surface area and improved heat exchange with the gas flow, thereby raising gas temperature efficiently and reducing thermal stress on the heating element.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional flat heating element is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the heat transfer surface area is limited and heat transfer efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the flat two-dimensional heating surface into a three-dimensional structure by adding protrusions that extend into the gas flow. This dimensional change increases the heat transfer surface area without significantly complicating the manufacturing process, as the protrusions can be formed through simple extrusion or molding of the base body.
Solution Approach 2:
The heating element's surface is segmented into multiple protrusions rather than remaining as a single flat surface. This segmentation creates multiple discrete heat transfer zones that increase the overall surface area available for heat exchange with the gas flow, while each individual protrusion maintains a relatively simple geometric form.
2Productivity
If the heating element operates at high temperature to heat the gas flow quickly, then the heating efficiency is high, but the thermal stress on the heating element increases and service life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By extending the heating surface into the third dimension through protrusions, the heating element achieves greater heat transfer efficiency without needing to operate at excessively high temperatures. The increased surface area allows for more effective heat exchange, enabling the element to maintain lower operating temperatures while still achieving the desired heating rate, thereby reducing thermal stress and extending service life.
3Area of stationary object
If the heating element is designed with complex geometry to maximize heat transfer, then the heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention achieves increased surface area through simple extrusion or molding of protrusions from the base body, rather than requiring complex assembly of multiple components. This approach maintains manufacturing simplicity while effectively increasing the heat transfer surface area, as the protrusions can be formed in a single manufacturing step using conventional processes.
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 protrusions increase the surface area for heat transfer, enabling faster gas temperature increase, extending the heating element's service life and reliability while maintaining low material and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
the heating element can be heated up through resistive heating
Implementation Method 2
The protrusion increases the surface area available for heat transfer between the gas flow and the resistance element, such that heat can more effectively be transferred from the resistance element to the gas flow
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a heating device (40) for heating a gas flow comprising a heating element (1) adapted to enable heat exchange to the gas flow, wherein the heating element (1) comprises at least one resistance element (10) comprising a plate-shaped base body (20), the base body (20) comprising opposite first and second surfaces (21, 22) connected by opposite third and fourth surfaces (23, 24), wherein the heating element (1) is connectable to a source of electrical power, such that the heating element (1) can be heated up through resistive heating. Improved heat transfer characteristics and increased service life of the heating device (40) are achieved in that the resistance element (10) comprises at least one protrusion (30) protruding from the first and/or the second surface (21, 22) of the base body (20).