Self cleaning heat exchanger device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat exchangers in refrigeration systems are prone to pollution from dust and debris, leading to reduced efficiency and potential breakdowns, requiring frequent manual cleaning which is costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A self-cleaning heat exchanger device with rotatable cleaning fluid dispensing members that can selectively clean individual portions of the heat exchanger without stopping the refrigeration circuit, using fans to enhance airflow and a control unit to manage the cleaning process, allowing for efficient and cost-effective maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual cleaning is performed periodically, then heat exchanger efficiency is restored, but maintenance costs and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger performs self-cleaning automatically through a cleaning system that dispenses cleaning fluid and uses airflow to remove contaminants. The control unit monitors heat exchanger performance and triggers cleaning operations autonomously without requiring manual intervention, thereby restoring efficiency while reducing maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning system proactively removes contaminants before they significantly degrade heat exchanger performance. The control unit monitors conditions and initiates cleaning operations in advance, preventing efficiency loss rather than merely restoring it after breakdown.
2Reliability
If the heat exchanger is cleaned manually, then contaminants are removed, but the refrigeration circuit must be stopped resulting in loss of productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger cleans itself automatically while the refrigeration circuit continues to operate. The cleaning system is integrated into the operational system, allowing simultaneous cleaning and refrigeration operations without requiring shutdowns.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration circuit maintains continuous operation during the cleaning process. The cleaning fluid is dispensed and airflow is applied without interrupting the refrigeration cycle, ensuring uninterrupted productivity while maintaining heat exchanger cleanliness.
3Reliability
If cleaning fluid is dispensed to the air outlet side, then the entire surface is cleaned reliably, but the cleaning system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of cleaning the air inlet side where contaminants first accumulate, the system dispenses cleaning fluid to the air outlet side. The airflow then carries the cleaning fluid backward through the heat exchanger channels, enabling complete surface coverage including areas that would be difficult to reach from the inlet side.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing refrigeration airflow (pneumatic force) to distribute the cleaning fluid throughout the heat exchanger channels. The airflow naturally carries the cleaning fluid from the outlet side back through the channels, providing comprehensive cleaning without requiring complex pumping or distribution systems.
4Productivity
If fans are used to enhance airflow, then cleaning efficiency is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fans serve dual functions: they enhance airflow for improved heat exchange during normal operation, and they provide additional airflow to carry cleaning fluid through the heat exchanger during cleaning operations. This multi-functionality allows cleaning efficiency improvement without requiring separate dedicated cleaning fans that would increase energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The refrigeration fans that already exist in the system are utilized for the cleaning process. These fans are activated or adjusted to provide enhanced airflow during cleaning operations, eliminating the need for additional cleaning-specific fans and the associated energy 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 enables reliable and automatic cleaning of the entire heat exchanger surface, reducing maintenance costs and energy consumption, while maintaining the refrigeration system's efficiency even during peak dust seasons.
Implementation Method 1
allowing the fluid to flow through the heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
using fans to enhance airflow
Implementation Method 3
using fans to enhance airflow
Implementation Method 4
heat exchange with the environment
Implementation Method 5
heat exchanger 4 which extends basically horizontally
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A self cleaning heat exchanger device (2a; 2b) comprises at least one heat exchanger (4) having an air inlet side (5a) and an air outlet side (5b); at least one fan (6a, 6b, 6c) arranged adjacent the air outlet side (5b) of the heat exchanger (4) and configured for sucking air through the at least one heat exchanger (4); and at least one cleaning fluid dispensing member (81-89; 91-93) being arranged between the air outlet side (5b) of the at least one heat exchanger (4) and the at least one fan (6a, 6b, 6c). The at least one cleaning fluid dispensing member (81-89; 91-93) comprises at least one fluid dispensing opening (10) which is configured for dispensing a cleaning fluid onto the at least one heat exchanger (4), in particular onto the air outlet side (5b) of the at least one heat exchanger (4) and which extends along and is rotatable around an axis that extends substantially parallel to the air outlet side (5b) of the at least one heat exchanger (4) in order to distribute the cleaning fluid over the at least one heat exchanger (4), in particular over the air outlet side (5b) of the at least one heat exchanger (4).