Steam Generator Vacuum-Driven Air Flow Heat Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas water steam generators have low thermal efficiency due to heat dissipation and a small flame contact area, resulting in thermal efficiency below 80% for large-size burners or heated water vessels with flat bottoms.
Innovation Solution
A steam generator design featuring a steam chamber with a plurality of tubes and a heat transfer section connected to a combustion chamber, where a vacuum source draws heated air through the tubes to efficiently transfer heat to the fluid, increasing the thermal efficiency by reusing heat not used for steam generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a conventional gas burner is used to heat water from below, then the structure is simple, but the thermal efficiency is low due to heat dissipation and small flame contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The water vessel bottom is segmented into multiple convex heating surfaces arranged in an array, increasing the flame contact area from a single point to multiple distributed contact points. This segmentation allows the burner flames to contact multiple convex surfaces simultaneously, significantly improving thermal efficiency while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The heating surface transitions from a conventional flat 2D plane to a 3D array of convex surfaces extending upward into the combustion zone. This dimensional change allows flames to contact the convex surfaces from multiple angles and positions, maximizing heat transfer area and reducing heat dissipation losses
2Power
If a large-size gas burner is used, then the heating capacity increases, but the thermal efficiency decreases due to increased heat dissipation
Solution Approach 1:
The large burner is segmented into multiple smaller convex heating surfaces distributed across the water vessel bottom. Each convex surface acts as an independent heating zone, allowing flames to maintain intimate contact with each surface. This segmentation prevents the heat dissipation problems associated with large single-zone burners while maintaining high overall heating capacity
Solution Approach 2:
Each convex heating surface has optimized local geometry tailored for maximum flame contact and heat transfer. The local quality of each heating zone is enhanced independently, ensuring efficient heat transfer at each contact point while the collective arrangement maintains high heating capacity
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 design enhances thermal efficiency by ensuring that heat is effectively transferred to the fluid, raising the steam generator's efficiency and reducing energy loss, thereby improving steam production.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum source draws heated air through the tubes
Implementation Method 2
transfer heat to the fluid
Implementation Method 3
when the burner generates a heated air mixture in the combustion chamber
Implementation Method 4
heat transfer section air passage so as to heat fluid passing through the heat transfer section
Data Source
AI summary
A steam generator including a steam chamber defining an enclosed fluid chamber with a plurality of tubes passing through the steam chamber, a combustion chamber defining a closed fluid chamber and an air channel coupled to a burner, and a heat transfer section defining a closed fluid chamber and an air passage in fluid communication with a vacuum source, in which the burner generates a heated air mixture, the vacuum source draws the heated air mixture from the combustion chamber air channel, through the steam chamber plurality of tubes and through the heat transfer section air passage so as to heat fluid passing through the heat transfer section, the steam chamber and the combustion chamber fluid chamber.