Rotating Conduit Deaerator for Flexible Air Conditioning Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deaerators for air conditioning installations are bulky, limited in installation positions due to vertical orientation requirements, and prone to fluid losses at high flow rates, restricting their versatility and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A compact deaerator design featuring a cylindrical container with flow-disturbing fins and a rotating conduit system, allowing for flexible installation and operation in any orientation, with a float mechanism to manage air separation and fluid flow, preventing fluid loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional deaerator design is used, then air removal function is achieved, but the device becomes bulky and installation position is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit is made rotatable relative to the container, allowing the deaerator to adapt to different installation orientations. This dynamic configuration enables the device to be installed in various positions without requiring a bulky design for each specific orientation, thus resolving the contradiction between adaptability and volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The deaerator is designed with a universal structure that can function in multiple installation positions through the rotatable conduit. This multi-functional design allows a single compact device to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized units for different orientations, achieving versatility without increasing volume.
2Productivity
If the air relief valve operates at high flow rates, then air is effectively removed, but fluid loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The float mechanism provides feedback control for the air relief valve. As air bubbles accumulate and reduce fluid density, the float responds by adjusting the valve opening to maintain optimal air removal while preventing excessive fluid loss. This feedback system allows the deaerator to handle high flow rates efficiently without proportional increases in fluid loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The deaerator utilizes changes in fluid density parameters caused by air bubble accumulation to control the air relief valve operation. By monitoring density changes through the float mechanism, the system adjusts air release rates to match actual air content, maintaining high air removal efficiency while minimizing fluid loss even at high flow rates.
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 deaerator effectively removes air bubbles from fluid, ensuring optimal installation performance without noise, corrosion, or mechanical damage, while being compact, versatile, and reliable, with reduced fluid loss and increased stability.
Implementation Method 1
a reticulated metal structure that creates swirling motions to promote the release of air bubbles
Implementation Method 2
a float mechanism to manage air separation and fluid flow
Implementation Method 3
The bubbles combine together and increase in volume until the hydrostatic thrust is such as to overcome the force of adhesion to the metal structure. These bubbles then rise up to the high part of the deaerator
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~7
AI summary
A deaerator (10) for deaerating a fluid in an air conditioning installation has a valve body formed by a container (13) containing an air relief valve (18-21) and further consisting of a conduit (25) for connecting to the installation; the conduit (25) is sealingly connected to the container (13) by a union (23) so as to be able to rotate around the container (13); in the conduit (25) and in the union (23) fluid intercepting and guiding elements (26,27,31) are provided for conveying the delivery fluid to the container (13) and from here conveying the deaerated return fluid to the conduit (25); flow disturbing elements (17,30) are further provided for separating the air from the fluid and driving the air relief valve (18-21). The deaerator (10) is compact, versatile and reliable.