Reforming System Refrigerant Circulation Heat Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing engine cooling systems require significant modifications and larger water pumps when integrated with vaporizing and cooling devices for effective heat exchange, leading to increased complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A reforming system that includes a vaporizer, a reformer, an air supplier, a fuel gas supplier, a heater, a cooler, and a circulation passage with a pump to circulate refrigerant for efficient heat exchange between the vaporizer and cooler, maintaining a constant refrigerant temperature using a temperature adjuster.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If engine cooling water is used for heat exchange in the vaporizer and cooler, then heat exchange function is achieved, but the water pump size increases and system modification becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces engine cooling water as an intermediary medium to transfer heat between the vaporizer and cooler. The cooling water circulates through both components, absorbing heat from the vaporizer and releasing it to the cooler, thereby enabling heat exchange without direct thermal coupling between these components and avoiding the need for a larger dedicated water pump
Solution Approach 2:
The engine cooling water system is made multi-functional by having it serve both its original cooling function and the additional heat exchange function between vaporizer and cooler. This allows the existing cooling water pump to be utilized for dual purposes, avoiding the need for an additional or larger pump
2Loss of energy
If a circulation passage with pump is added for refrigerant circulation, then heat exchange efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the refrigerant circulation function with the existing engine cooling water circulation system. The circulation passage for refrigerant is integrated with the cooling water pathway, allowing both refrigerant and cooling water to flow through the same circulation loop, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency without significantly increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation pump utilizes the existing engine cooling water flow to drive refrigerant circulation through the vaporizer and cooler. The system is designed so that the cooling water circulation naturally facilitates refrigerant movement, reducing the need for additional active pumping mechanisms and minimizing system 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
This configuration enables efficient heat exchange in the vaporizer and cooler with a simple system design, reducing the need for significant modifications and lowering costs, while maintaining efficient operation.
Implementation Method 1
The refrigerant at high-temperature is supplied to the vaporizer so that the liquid fuel is vaporized by heat exchange with the refrigerant at high-temperature in the vaporizer
Implementation Method 2
the liquid fuel is vaporized by heat exchange with the refrigerant at high-temperature in the vaporizer, which produces fuel gas and decreases the temperature of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 3
liquid fuel is vaporized by heat exchange with the refrigerant at high-temperature in the vaporizer
Implementation Method 4
the refrigerant at low-temperature is supplied to the cooler so that the reformed gas is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant at low-temperature, which increases the temperature of the refrigerant
Implementation Method 5
the reformed gas is cooled by heat exchange with the refrigerant at low-temperature
Data Source
AI summary
A reforming system includes a vaporizer configured to vaporize liquid fuel to produce fuel gas; a reformer configured to reform the fuel gas produced by the vaporizer to produce a reformed gas containing hydrogen; an air supplier configured to supply air to the reformer; a fuel gas supplier configured to supply the fuel gas to the reformer; a heater configured to increase a temperature of the reformer; a reformed gas flow passage through which the reformed gas produced by the reformer flows; a cooler disposed in the reformed gas flow passage and configured to cool the reformed gas; a circulation passage connecting the vaporizer with the cooler and through which refrigerant flows through the vaporizer and the cooler; and a circulation pump disposed in the circulation passage and configured to circulate the refrigerant through the circulation passage.