Thermal appliance and method for optimizing the heat exchange thereof
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal devices with alternating primary fluid flow experience inefficient heat exchange due to directional changes and non-constant fluid movement, leading to heat losses and instability in magnetocaloric devices.
Innovation Solution
The thermal device is designed with an odd number of closed primary circuits where the primary fluid flow is phased out of synchronization between circuits, ensuring continuous motion and stable flow rates through unidirectional connections and a specific flow rate profile, optimizing heat exchange by maintaining primary fluid flow in the heat exchanger without interruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the primary fluid circulates in an alternating back-and-forth movement through the heat exchanger, then the thermal energy can be exchanged with the secondary fluid, but the heat exchange efficiency deteriorates due to non-constant flow rates and stopping moments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple primary circuits (at least two circuits) into a single heat exchanger system. By coordinating the alternating flow cycles of different circuits, the system ensures that when one circuit is stopping or reversing, another circuit maintains continuous flow through the heat exchanger. This merging approach eliminates idle times and maintains stable overall flow rate, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency while preserving the beneficial alternating flow characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous useful action by designing the system so that the heat exchanger receives continuous primary fluid flow from multiple coordinated circuits. The alternating cycles of different circuits are phased such that the aggregate flow never stops or becomes zero, eliminating idle moments where heat exchange would be inefficient. This ensures the heat exchanger operates continuously at optimal performance.
2Temperature
If the primary fluid changes direction of circulation in the heat exchanger, then the thermal gradient can be established in magnetocaloric materials, but heat losses increase due to idle times when flow stops
Solution Approach 1:
By merging multiple primary circuits with coordinated alternating cycles into a single heat exchanger system, the patent ensures continuous flow through the heat exchanger. This eliminates idle times when flow would stop and cause heat losses to ambient temperature, while still allowing each circuit to establish thermal gradients in magnetocaloric materials during its alternating cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinated alternating cycles of multiple circuits ensure that the heat exchanger continuously receives primary fluid flow, eliminating idle moments. This continuous action prevents heat losses that would occur during stopping periods, while the alternating nature of individual circuits maintains the necessary thermal gradients for magnetocaloric operation.
3Device complexity
If a single primary circuit uses alternating flow, then the device structure can be simplified, but the heat exchange becomes unstable due to jerky movement and direction changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple primary circuits into a coordinated system sharing a common heat exchanger. This approach maintains the structural simplicity of individual alternating circuits while combining their outputs to create stable, continuous flow through the heat exchanger. The coordination of alternating cycles eliminates the instability and jerky movement problems of single-circuit systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry in the timing and phasing of alternating cycles between different circuits. By offsetting the start times and flow patterns of multiple circuits, the system transforms the symmetric alternating pattern (which causes instability) into an asymmetric coordinated pattern that produces smooth, continuous aggregate flow, thereby improving heat exchange stability.
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
This configuration stabilizes the primary fluid flow, enhancing heat exchange efficiency and reducing heat losses by maintaining constant flow rates and continuous motion within the heat exchanger, thereby optimizing the transfer of thermal energy between the primary and secondary fluids.
Implementation Method 1
These thermal devices exploit the magnetocaloric effect (EMC) of certain materials, which consists of a variation in their temperature when they are subjected to a magnetic field.
Implementation Method 2
the efficiency of the heat exchange between the primary fluid and the fluid of the external application called secondary fluid
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a thermal appliance (10) comprising an uneven number of closed primary circuits (P10,i, N ≥ 3, i ϵ [1,N]) each containing at least two outlet points (A10,i, B10,i) which are connected in series to at least one exchange zone (E10), and through which a primary fluid circulates in an alternating cycle of period T comprising two displacement phases of a half-period T/2 of identical flow rate and identical volume but in opposite directions. The primary fluid circulation cycle is phase-shifted by T/2N between each of said primary circuits (P10,i). The inlet of said exchange zone (E10) is connected as a one-way connection to one of the outlet points of each of the primary circuits and the outlet of said exchange zone is connected as a one way connection to the other outlet points of said primary circuits so that the sum of the flow rates of heat-transfer fluid entering said exchange zone (E10) is always greater than zero. Another subject of the invention is a method for optimizing the heat exchange of such a thermal appliance (10).