Tunnel Drying Device with Segmented Recirculating Heating Units
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drying devices for vehicle bodies face challenges in maintaining consistent temperatures within process chambers, leading to temperature fluctuations and potential condensation issues, which can affect the quality of the paint surface and increase energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
A device where the combined volume flow of fresh air and exhaust air is heated in circulating air heating units and then divided into chamber supply air and lock supply air, allowing for individual temperature and air volume adjustments in each tunnel section, using a mixing device to regulate temperatures and prevent condensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If fresh air is heated and mixed with exhaust air in recirculating air heating units, then temperature consistency in process chambers is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional heating units and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The drying device is divided into multiple tunnel sections, with each section equipped with its own recirculating air heating unit. This segmentation allows independent temperature control in each section, ensuring consistent temperatures throughout the entire process chamber while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
Each recirculating air heating unit is specifically configured to heat fresh air locally before mixing it with exhaust air in its corresponding tunnel section. This local heating approach enables precise temperature control in each section, addressing temperature consistency requirements without requiring a single complex centralized system
2Use of energy by moving object
If air volume flow rates are adjusted individually in each tunnel section, then energy consumption is reduced, but control precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control of air volume flow rates in each tunnel section, allowing the fresh air and exhaust air mixture ratios to be adjusted independently based on local temperature requirements. This dynamic adjustment optimizes energy consumption by heating only the necessary amount of fresh air in each section while maintaining precise temperature control through the recirculating heating units
3Object-affected harmful factors
If exhaust air is recirculated and mixed with fresh air, then condensation is prevented, but the system requires additional mixing devices and heat exchangers
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the potentially harmful effect of cold fresh air (which could cause condensation) into a benefit by heating it in recirculating air heating units before mixing. The exhaust air, which contains thermal energy, is also utilized beneficially by mixing it with the heated fresh air, thereby preventing condensation while efficiently utilizing available thermal resources
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculating air heating units act as intermediaries between the fresh air supply and the process chambers. These units heat the fresh air and facilitate its mixing with exhaust air, serving as a mediating system that prevents condensation while managing the complexity of temperature and humidity control through dedicated heating and mixing components
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 approach ensures consistent air temperatures across the process chamber, improving paint quality and reducing energy consumption by allowing for precise temperature control and adjustable air volume flows, minimizing condensation and maintaining the air curtain's effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
each recirculating air heating unit comprises a heat exchanger in which heat energy can be transferred from a hot primary air to chamber supply air
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The device (1) has multiple tunnel portions (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) comprising an air outlet (10, 11) and an air inlet (12, 13) and attached with an air circulating heating unit (9). Chamber exhaust air (16) is supplied through the air outlet of the portions, and the air circulating heating unit is provided with a heat exchanger. A fresh air intake (21) and/or mixing device are attached with the air circulating heating unit, and fresh air (22) is supplied to the air circulating heating unit through the fresh air intake. The mixing device is provided for mixing the fresh air with the exhaust air. An independent claim is also included for a method for drying a work piece.