Rotatable Heat Exchange Unit for Adaptable Piping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchanging apparatuses face challenges in installation and maintenance due to the need for long legs, increased piping man-hours, and the use of sealing materials, especially when the heat exchange fluid discharge port is located on the underside or opposite side of the case, leading to higher costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus allows for the adjustment of the heat transfer medium inlet and outlet directions to match the discharge port's direction by rotating the heat exchange unit 180 degrees, eliminating the need for sealing materials and reducing the number of parts, thereby simplifying installation and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the heat exchange fluid discharge port is formed on the underside or opposite side of the case, then the heat exchange function is achieved, but the installation man-hours and piping cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchange unit is designed to be rotatable within the case, allowing dynamic repositioning of the heat transfer medium inlet and outlet. This enables the system to adapt to different piping configurations without requiring multiple fixed designs, thereby reducing installation time and cost while maintaining heat exchange functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The orientation parameters of the heat transfer medium inlet and outlet are made changeable through the rotatable design. By adjusting the angular position of the heat exchange unit, the system can accommodate various piping arrangements, eliminating the need for increased installation man-hours associated with fixed opposite-side discharge configurations.
2Reliability
If the heat exchange fluid discharge port is formed on the underside of the case, then the heat exchange function is achieved, but the apparatus height and piping cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable heat exchange unit allows the discharge port orientation to be dynamically adjusted to a side-wall position rather than fixed at the underside. This reduces the required apparatus height by eliminating the need for long support legs, while maintaining effective heat exchange through optimized fluid flow paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The discharge port position is shifted from the vertical dimension (underside requiring leg support) to the horizontal dimension (side wall). This dimensional transition reduces the apparatus height requirement while preserving heat exchange functionality through alternative spatial arrangement.
3Reliability
If sealing materials are used to seal the lid member and case opening, then the heat exchange unit can be housed, but the number of parts increases and maintenance becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is extracted from the lid member-case interface and relocated to dedicated sealing structures at the heat transfer medium inlet and outlet. This removes the need for sealing materials between the lid and case, reducing the number of parts while maintaining sealing reliability through specialized sealing elements positioned where they are more accessible for maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing structures are integrated into the heat transfer medium circulation pipe assembly, allowing the sealing function to serve itself through the natural connection interfaces. This self-integrating design eliminates separate sealing materials and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining effective sealing.
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 reduces manufacturing, management, and installation man-hours, lowers costs, and simplifies maintenance by allowing for adaptable piping conditions and eliminating the need for sealing materials, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective heat exchanging apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
exchanging heat between a heat transfer medium (refrigerant or heat medium) flowing through a heat transfer medium circulation pipe and the heat exchange fluid
Implementation Method 2
the heat exchange fluid flows down by its dead weight along an outer surface of the heat exchange fluid circulation pipe in the form of a liquid film
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
The aim of the present invention is to provide one type of heat exchanging apparatus that can adapt for differences in piping conditions at an installation site, reducing man-hours for manufacturing, management and installation for cost reduction. In the heat exchanging apparatus 1 including a case 10 open upward, a heat exchange unit 20 housed in the case 10, and a storage tank 30 arranged at an upper section of the case 10. A heat transfer medium inlet 21a and a heat transfer medium outlet 21b are open in the same direction at both ends of a heat transfer medium circulation pipe 21. A heat exchange fluid discharge port 13 for discharging heat exchange fluid having dropped in the case 10 is formed on one of side walls 10A of the case 10 either in the same direction as or in the opposite direction to the opening direction of the heat transfer medium inlet 21a and the heat transfer medium outlet 21b so that the heat exchange unit 20 can be vertically taken in and out of the case 10.