Water Heat Exchanger Flow Path Design for Clogging Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water heat exchangers face issues with increased pressure loss and clogging due to reduced flow-path cross-sectional areas, which can lead to reduced thermal conductivity and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The water heat exchanger design features first and second layers with flow paths that have larger cross-sectional areas near the outlets, reducing the likelihood of clogging and maintaining thermal conductivity by minimizing flow velocity reductions, while also allowing for smooth flow of refrigerant with increased gas components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the flow-path cross-sectional area is reduced to make the heat exchanger compact, then the heat exchanger can be made more compact, but pressure loss increases and flow paths may clog
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path cross-sectional area is made non-uniform along the flow direction, with a larger area at the outlet end and a smaller area at the upstream end. This local variation in geometry allows the outlet portion to resist clogging while the upstream portion maintains compact dimensions, resolving the contradiction between compactness and clogging resistance.
2Productivity
If the flow-path cross-sectional area is reduced to improve heat exchange efficiency, then thermal conductivity improves, but flow velocity decreases causing clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is designed with varying cross-sectional area along the flow direction, creating different local conditions: the upstream portion has smaller area for compactness while the outlet portion has larger area to maintain flow velocity and prevent clogging, thus resolving the contradiction between heat exchange efficiency and clogging resistance.
3Device complexity
If the flow-path cross-sectional area is reduced to make the device compact, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow path is designed with a simple monotonic variation in cross-sectional area along the flow direction, avoiding complex geometries while achieving the desired performance. This approach reduces device complexity and makes manufacturing more feasible compared to complex multi-dimensional variations.
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 design effectively suppresses pressure loss and clogging while minimizing thermal conductivity reductions, enhancing the operational efficiency of the heat exchanger.
Implementation Method 1
a water heat exchanger including a first layer and a second layer that are stacked upon each other, and exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
When a first fluid is to be heated by a second fluid, first flow paths (11) are formed so that a flow-path cross-sectional area of a first-fluid outlet vicinity (11a) positioned in a vicinity of an outlet for the first fluid is larger than a flow-path cross-sectional area of an upstream-side portion (11b) disposed upstream of the first-fluid outlet vicinity. When the first fluid is to be cooled by the second fluid, second flow paths (21) are formed so that a flow-path cross-sectional area of a second-fluid outlet vicinity (21a) positioned in a vicinity of an outlet for the second fluid is larger than a flow-path cross-sectional area of an upstream-side portion (21b) disposed upstream of the second-fluid outlet vicinity.