Heat pump apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat pump apparatuses face high manufacturing and work costs due to the need for high-precision bending of sheet metal parts in shell heat exchangers, which also suffer from scale deposition issues requiring frequent replacement.
Innovation Solution
A heat pump apparatus with a shell heat exchanger divided into segments that can be easily removed and replaced, featuring a helical conduit around the compressor shell, reducing manufacturing costs and work costs associated with maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the shell heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments, then the ease of replacement is improved and work cost is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to multiple joining portions
Solution Approach 1:
The shell heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments (first segment, second segment, third segment) that can be independently removed and replaced. Each segment is connected to adjacent segments through joining portions, allowing modular replacement without replacing the entire heat exchanger assembly.
2Reliability
If high-precision bending of sheet metal parts is used to form the shell heat exchanger, then the heat transfer efficiency is improved, but the manufacturing cost significantly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shell heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments that can be manufactured separately and then assembled. This segmentation allows for simpler manufacturing processes for each individual segment while maintaining the overall heat transfer efficiency through proper joining of the segments.
3Strength
If the shell heat exchanger is made as a single integrated unit, then the structural strength is improved, but the work cost for replacement increases when scale deposition occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The shell heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments connected by joining portions. Each segment maintains sufficient structural strength for its function, and the joining portions are designed to provide adequate connection strength. When scale deposition requires replacement, only the affected segment(s) need to be replaced rather than the entire heat exchanger, reducing work cost.
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 solution reduces both manufacturing and work costs for the shell heat exchanger while maintaining efficient heat transfer, and allows for easier replacement without the need for complex sheet metal bending, thus addressing scale deposition issues.
Implementation Method 1
a shell heat exchanger including a helical conduit wound around an outer circumference of the shell, the shell heat exchanger being configured to transfer heat of the shell to a heating medium flowing through the conduit
Data Source
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AI summary
A heat pump apparatus includes: a compressor (2) including a cylindrical shell (2a), the compressor (2) being configured to compress a refrigerant; and a shell heat exchanger (23) including a helical conduit wound around the outer circumference of the shell (2a), the shell heat exchanger (23) being configured to transfer heat of the shell (2a) to a heating medium flowing through the conduit. The shell heat exchanger (23) includes: a plurality of segments (23b, 23c); and joining portions configured to connect end portions of adjacent segments (23b, 23c) to each other. The segments (23b, 23c) each at least partially have an arc-like shape along the outer circumference of the shell (2a) when viewed from the axial direction of the shell (2a). The segments (23b, 23c) are removable in the radial direction of the shell (2a) when the joining portions are separated.