Two-Stage Vortex Tube Assembly for Low-Pressure Seat Climatization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vortex tubes require high pressure and flow rates to generate significant temperature differentials, making them inefficient for low-pressure and low-flow rate applications such as seat climatization.
Innovation Solution
A vortex tube assembly with a cylindrical vortex chamber and a coaxial air circulation chamber, featuring a compressed air inlet with a tangential outlet port that maintains air momentum, allowing efficient vortex generation at low pressures and flow rates, and includes a vortex generator with veins for separating air into hot and cold streams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If compressed air is sprayed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vortex generation chamber, then high pressure is required to generate necessary air speed and temperature differentials, but this configuration is undesirable for applications like seat climatization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a pre-vortex chamber that performs preliminary vortex generation before air enters the main vortex generation chamber. This preliminary action creates pre-rotating air that reduces the pressure required in the main chamber to achieve the same temperature differential, thereby resolving the contradiction between temperature differential and operating pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The vortex generation process is divided into two separate stages: a pre-vortex chamber for initial rotation and a main vortex generation chamber for temperature separation. This segmentation allows each chamber to be optimized for its specific function, with the pre-vortex chamber reducing the pressure burden on the main chamber while maintaining effective temperature differentials.
2Temperature
If conventional vortex tubes are used, then high flow rates are required to achieve significant cooling or heating effects, but this reduces efficiency for low-flow applications
Solution Approach 1:
The pre-vortex chamber performs preliminary rotation of the air stream before it enters the main vortex generation chamber. This preliminary action increases the rotational momentum of the incoming air, allowing the main chamber to achieve effective temperature separation at lower flow rates, thereby improving efficiency for low-flow applications while maintaining temperature differential.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow parameters by introducing a two-stage vortex generation process that increases rotational velocity in the pre-vortex chamber. This parameter change allows the system to achieve effective temperature separation at lower main chamber flow rates, resolving the contradiction between temperature differential and flow rate for low-flow applications.
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 enables efficient separation of air into hot and cold streams at reduced pressures and flow rates, improving the efficiency of the device for applications like seat heating and cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
a compressed air inlet coupled in fluid communication to the vortex chamber for generating a pre-vortex in an inflow of compressed air in a direction of flow of the main vortex
Implementation Method 2
separate the rotating column of air into hot and cold air streams, the proportions and temperatures of which can be varied over a wide range
Implementation Method 3
Compressed air entering an air inlet is directed toward the vortex generation chamber to create a rotating column of air
Data Source
AI summary
Two-stage vortex tube assemblies including an internal vortex generation chamber for generating a main vortex and a compressed air inlet having a tangential outlet port for creating a pre-vortex in an inflow of compressed air in a direction of flow of the main vortex. The two-stage vortex assemblies may be utilized in low pressure and low flow applications such as seat climatization, local heating or cooling, etc. Further disclosed are seat constructions and seat climatization systems utilizing a two-stage vortex tube as a single source for heating or cooling.