Sectional Heat Exchanger with Variable-Height Ribs to Prevent Boiling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sectional heat exchangers used in boilers often experience boiling issues due to inefficient heat transfer, which affects their performance and capacity.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates intermediate and end segments with varying rib heights in flue gas flow channels and additional rows of pins to enhance heat exchange, preventing boiling by optimizing heat transfer between flue gas and water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat exchanger design is used, then manufacturing is simpler, but boiling occurs due to inefficient heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the rib heights within the flue gas flow channels. Specifically, ribs are configured with different heights (first height and second height) at different positions to create localized variations in heat transfer characteristics. This non-uniform rib structure optimizes heat distribution in specific areas to prevent boiling while maintaining overall system reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments including a first segment, second segment, and intermediate segments. Each segment contains flue gas flow channels with ribs that can have different height configurations. This segmentation allows independent optimization of heat transfer in different regions, enabling prevention of boiling through localized structural variations.
2Productivity
If uniform rib structure is used, then manufacturing is easier, but heat transfer efficiency is insufficient causing boiling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by configuring ribs with different heights (first height and second height) at different positions within the flue gas flow channels. This localized variation in rib structure optimizes heat transfer efficiency in specific regions where it is most needed to prevent boiling, while the overall segmented design maintains manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetry by introducing ribs with non-uniform heights rather than a uniform rib structure. The first ribs have a first height and the second ribs have a second height, creating an asymmetric pattern that enhances turbulence and heat transfer efficiency in the flue gas flow channels, thereby improving productivity.
3Reliability
If simple heat exchange mechanism is used, then device complexity is lower, but boiling prevention is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances boiling prevention through local quality by configuring ribs with varying heights within the flue gas flow channels. The first ribs and second ribs have different heights that create localized heat transfer optimization zones, improving reliability for boiling prevention without requiring a complete redesign of the entire heat exchange mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is segmented into multiple sections (first segment, second segment, intermediate segments), each with flue gas flow channels containing ribs of different heights. This segmentation allows the heat exchange mechanism to address boiling prevention in a distributed manner across multiple zones, improving reliability while keeping individual segment complexity manageable.
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 effectively prevents boiling in water flow channels, improving the efficiency and capacity of sectional heat exchangers by modifying the heat exchange mechanism with horizontal rows of ribs and pins, ensuring consistent and enhanced heat transfer.
Implementation Method 1
each comprise a horizontal row of ribs extending into the flue gas flow channel in order to increase heat exchange from the flue gas to the water to be heated
Implementation Method 2
increase heat exchange from the flue gas to the water to be heated
Implementation Method 3
each comprise a plurality of rows of pins extending in the flue gas channel to increase heat transfer
Implementation Method 4
increase heat transfer
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
A sectional heat exchanger for a condensing heat cell comprises two end segments and one or more than one intermediate segment(s). The one or the more than one intermediate segment(s) and the two end segments are assembled in the heat exchanger. A combustion chamber is provided in the sectional heat exchanger. Each of the one or the more than one intermediate segment(s) comprises at least one water flow channel for water to be heated. Between each two consecutive segments at least one flue gas flow channel is provided, extending from the combustion chamber. The one or the more than one intermediate segment(s) each comprise a horizontal row of ribs extending into the flue gas flow channel in order to increase heat exchange from the flue gas to the water to be heated. Ribs at the two outer sides of the horizontal row of ribs have a larger height than ribs in the middle of the row of ribs. With height of the rib is meant the dimension of the rib in the vertical direction of the sectional heat exchanger. The more than one intermediate segment(s) each comprise a plurality of rows of pins extending in the flue gas channel to increase heat transfer.