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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary heat pumps suffer from high construction complexity, impaired rotor dynamics due to mechanical connections of individual components, and low efficiency, necessitating a design that combines low construction effort with high efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A rotor design integrating compression and expansion ducts, along with heat transfer ducts, into stacked rotor plates connected via diffusion bonding, forming a compact rotor element that stabilizes against rotational forces and simplifies production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If individual components (heat exchangers, compression ducts, expansion ducts) are mechanically connected in the prior art rotary heat pump, then the device can perform heat exchange and compression/expansion functions, but the construction complexity increases and rotor dynamics are impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat exchangers, compression ducts, and expansion ducts into a single integrated rotor element. The heat exchanger plates are directly connected to the compression and expansion ducts without mechanical fasteners, forming one monolithic component that rotates as a single unit. This eliminates the mechanical connections between individual components, reducing construction complexity while improving rotor dynamics and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor element serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a heat exchanger for thermal energy transfer, as compression ducts for pressurizing the working medium, and as expansion ducts for expanding the working medium. This multi-functional integration reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall construction while maintaining all necessary functions.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used in the prior art rotary heat pump, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the number of sealing points increases and production becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
By combining the heat exchanger plates with the compression and expansion ducts into a single rotor element, the patent eliminates the need for separate sealing components between these parts. The integrated design reduces the number of sealing points from multiple interfaces between separate components to minimal sealing requirements within the monolithic structure, simplifying production and assembly.
3Temperature
If discrete heat exchangers are used in the prior art rotary heat pump, then heat exchange can occur between working medium and heat transfer medium, but the available heat exchanger surface area is limited and rotor dimensions become large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where the compression ducts and expansion ducts are integrated within the heat exchanger plate structure. The working medium flows through channels formed by the heat exchanger plates themselves, allowing the compression and expansion processes to occur within the heat exchange surfaces. This nesting maximizes the heat exchanger surface area within a compact rotor volume, improving heat exchange efficiency while reducing overall dimensions.
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 design achieves favorable rotor dynamics, reduces the need for balancing, allows for smaller dimensions, and enhances efficiency by integrating essential process steps within the rotor plates, enabling lower pressure losses and higher efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a number of compression ducts in which a working medium, in particular a gas, preferably a noble gas, is guided away from the rotational axis to increase the pressure due to the centrifugal force
Implementation Method 2
a number of expansion ducts in which the working medium is guided towards the rotational axis to reduce the pressure due to the centrifugal force
Implementation Method 3
a number of first heat transfer ducts for the working medium and a number of second heat transfer ducts for a heat transfer medium, in particular a liquid, so that heat is transferred between the working medium flowing in the first heat transfer ducts and the heat transfer medium flowing in the second heat transfer ducts
Data Source
AI summary
Rotor, in particular a rotary heat pump, including a rotational axis, a number of compression ducts in which a working medium, in particular a gas, preferably a noble gas, is guided away from the rotational axis to increase the pressure due to the centrifugal acceleration, a number of expansion ducts in which the working medium is guided towards the rotational axis to reduce the pressure due to the centrifugal acceleration, a number of first heat transfer ducts for the working medium and a number of second heat transfer ducts for a heat transfer medium, in particular a liquid, so that heat is transferred between the working medium flowing in the first heat transfer ducts and the heat transfer medium flowing in the second heat transfer ducts, a number of first (10) and second rotor plates including the compression ducts, the expansion ducts, the first heat transfer ducts for the working medium and the second heat transfer ducts for the heat transfer medium, wherein the first and second rotor plates are connected to each other along their main planes of extension.