Stacked Plate Heat Exchanger for Low-Resistance Condensing Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional condensing type heat exchangers have a complex installation structure due to separate components and limited heat transfer area, leading to increased volume and reduced heat exchange efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger with a simplified assembly structure formed by stacking plates to integrate sensible and latent heat units, featuring combustion gas pass-through units at the lower portion of the latent heat unit to reduce flow resistance and noise, and maximizing heat transfer area by forming long flow paths for the heating medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the blower is disposed above the housing and the sensible heat exchanger and latent heat exchanger are sequentially installed inside the housing, then the heat exchange function is provided, but the volume of the heat exchanger is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the blower, sensible heat exchanger, and latent heat exchanger into a single compact unit where the blower is disposed at the lower portion and the heat exchangers are stacked above it, eliminating the need for separate housing and reducing overall volume while maintaining all heat exchange functions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a sequential vertical arrangement to a stacked plate configuration where multiple heat exchanger plates are arranged in layers, allowing combustion gas to flow through multiple channels in a compact three-dimensional space, thereby reducing volume while preserving heat exchange capability
2Volume of stationary object
If the heat exchange pipe is wound around the burner in the form of a coil, then the volume is minimized, but the installation structure becomes complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the heat exchanger into multiple separate plate units, each with defined flow channels, that can be independently assembled and stacked. This segmentation simplifies installation compared to a single complex coiled structure while maintaining compact volume through the stacked configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The stacked plate structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides heat exchange surfaces, defines combustion gas flow channels, and creates structural support, eliminating the need for separate housing and installation components while maintaining minimal volume
3Device complexity
If the flow path of the heating medium is short, then the structure is simplified, but the heat transfer area between the heating medium and combustion gas cannot be widely secured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the heating medium flow path by routing it through multiple stacked plate channels in sequence, effectively increasing the total heat transfer area within a compact structure. The heating medium flows through channels in different plate layers, creating a long serpentine path without requiring additional horizontal space
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests multiple flow channels within the stacked plate structure, where the heating medium sequentially passes through channels in different plates, effectively packing a long flow path into a compact three-dimensional arrangement that maximizes heat transfer area while maintaining structural simplicity
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 integrated structure reduces noise and vibration, minimizes flow resistance, and enhances heat exchange efficiency by securing a larger heat transfer area between the heating medium and combustion gas.
Implementation Method 1
a sensible heat unit (200A) configured to surround an outer side of a combustion chamber (C), configured with an area at one side of a plate, and configured to heat the heating medium using sensible heat of the combustion gas generated by combustion of the burner (100)
Implementation Method 2
a latent heat unit (200B) configured with an area at the other side of the plate, and configured to heat the heating medium using latent heat of water vapor contained in the combustion gas which undergoes heat exchange in the sensible heat unit (200A)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a heat exchanger enabling the reduction of the number of components constituting the heat exchanger, the simplification of the coupling structure thereof, and also, the decrease of combustion gas flow resistance and the minimization of noise and vibration generation, the heat exchanger being provided with a heat exchange unit having heating medium flow channels through which a heating medium flows and combustion gas flow channels through which combustion gas combusted in the burner flows to be alternately formed and adjacent to each other in spaces between a plurality of plates, wherein the heat exchange unit comprises: a sensible heat unit which surrounds the outer side of a combustion chamber, is formed of one side area of the plates, and heats the heating medium by using sensible heat of combustion gas generated by the combustion of the burner; and a latent heat unit which is formed of the other side area of the plates, and heats the heating medium by using latent heat of water vapor included in combustion gas that has finished undergoing heat exchange in the sensible heat unit, wherein bent flange units are formed on the edges of the plurality of plates, and in a state where the flange units of neighboring plates overlap, certain areas among the edges of the plurality of plates have formed thereon combustion gas pass-through units having combustion gas flowing through the combustion gas flow channels pass therethrough.