Temperature Sensor Bracket for Heat Exchanger Freeze Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water heating apparatuses are prone to freezing in low-temperature environments, leading to potential damage due to water freezing in pipes and wind-chill effects, where reverse introduction of low-temperature air through exhaust holes can lower the temperature of heat exchangers below critical levels.
Innovation Solution
A bracket is designed to securely position a temperature sensor between flow passage caps in a heat exchanger, allowing it to accurately measure the temperature of the housing, which is then used by a processor to control the burner operation to prevent freezing. The bracket includes a coupling part and a bent body to bring the sensor into close contact with the caps, ensuring effective temperature measurement and enabling timely burner activation to maintain operational temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a temperature sensor is installed to monitor heat exchanger temperature, then freezing protection capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components and installation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor is nested within the bracket structure, which is itself integrated into the heat exchanger assembly. The bracket contains the sensor and positions it precisely between flow passage caps, creating a compact nested arrangement that minimizes additional space and component count while maintaining effective temperature monitoring capability
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket structure automatically positions and secures the temperature sensor in the correct location between flow passage caps without requiring separate mounting operations. The bent configuration of the bracket self-adjusts to bring the sensor into close contact with the heat exchanger housing, eliminating the need for additional adjustment mechanisms or complex installation procedures
2Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is positioned to accurately measure heat exchanger temperature, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates due to complex bracket configuration
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into functional segments: a coupling part for attachment to the heat exchanger housing and a bent body portion for sensor positioning. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the coupling part for easy attachment and the bent body for precise sensor placement between flow passage caps, improving both manufacturability and measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket employs a bent structure with curved geometry that naturally conforms to the space between flow passage caps. This curvature allows the sensor to be positioned at the optimal measurement point while maintaining a compact form factor that is easier to manufacture than rigid angular configurations, as the bent structure can be formed through simple bending operations
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 effectively prevents water heating apparatuses from freezing by accurately monitoring temperatures and activating the burner when necessary, thus protecting the apparatus from damage caused by freezing conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a temperature sensor brought into close contact with an area between two flow passage caps adjacent to each other among the plurality of flow passage caps to obtain a temperature
Implementation Method 2
a burner that causes a combustion reaction
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of tubes through which heating water flows, a housing having an interior space in which the plurality of tubes are disposed and through which a combustion gas passes, the housing including a plurality of flow passage caps connected with distal ends of the plurality of tubes to cause the heating water to flow through the flow passage caps, a temperature sensor brought into close contact with an area between two flow passage caps adjacent to each other among the plurality of flow passage caps to obtain a temperature, and a bracket coupled to the housing to bring the temperature sensor into close contact with the area between the adjacent two flow passage caps.