Variable Height Plate Heat Exchanger Channels
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plate heat exchangers require significant refrigerant mass and lack optimal thermodynamic efficiency, particularly in heat pump and refrigeration systems, due to inefficient heat transfer and channel volume usage.
Innovation Solution
The profiling of heat transfer plates to create alternating first and second flow channels with varying channel heights along the flow path, allowing for adaptive cross-sections based on the fluid's state change from liquid to gas and vice versa, optimizing heat transfer and minimizing refrigerant mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the channel volume of the heat exchanger is reduced to minimize refrigerant mass, then refrigerant usage decreases, but heat transfer efficiency deteriorates due to insufficient flow cross-section
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the channel height variable along the flow path instead of constant. The channel height increases or decreases in different sections to adapt to the changing volume of the refrigerant as it undergoes phase changes (evaporation or condensation). This dynamic adaptation allows the heat exchanger to maintain optimal heat transfer efficiency throughout the entire flow path while using minimal refrigerant mass, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing refrigerant quantity and maintaining heat transfer productivity.
2Productivity
If the channel height is increased to improve heat transfer efficiency, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but refrigerant mass increases due to larger channel volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the local quality principle by creating different channel heights in different local sections along the flow path. Specifically, the channel height is increased in sections where the refrigerant volume is larger (such as during evaporation) and decreased in sections where the refrigerant volume is smaller. This localized adaptation of channel dimensions allows optimal heat transfer efficiency in each section without unnecessarily increasing the overall refrigerant mass, thus resolving the contradiction between local heat transfer performance and global refrigerant quantity.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional plate heat exchangers are used with uniform channel dimensions, then manufacturing is simple, but thermodynamic optimization is insufficient leading to inefficient heat transfer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the parameter changes principle by varying the channel height parameter along the flow path instead of maintaining a uniform dimension. The channel height is designed to increase or decrease in different sections to match the thermodynamic state changes of the refrigerant. This parameter variation optimizes heat transfer efficiency throughout the heat exchanger while still using standard plate heat exchanger manufacturing techniques, thus resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and thermodynamic optimization.
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 enhances heat transfer efficiency and reduces refrigerant usage by adapting flow cross-sections to the fluid's state, achieving better thermodynamic optimization and minimizing refrigerant mass in heat exchangers.
Implementation Method 1
heat exchange occurs between the two fluids
Implementation Method 2
the first fluid and then the second fluid flow alternately through successive spaces in the plate stack
Implementation Method 3
when it changes its state of matter from liquid to gaseous
Implementation Method 4
when it changes its state of matter from gaseous to liquid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger device and a fluid circuit. The plate heat exchanger device comprises a stack of heat transfer plates (21, 22, ...) which are connected to each other by sealing at the edges and are profiled and stacked such that alternating first flow channels (31) for a first fluid and second flow channels (32) for at least a second fluid are formed in the stack (1) in one stacking direction, and that the plate stack forms a first plate heat exchanger (11) in which heat exchange can take place between the first fluid and the second fluid. The channel height of the first flow channels (31), measurable locally from the bottom to the top of each channel, increases or decreases along a flow path of the first fluid.