Air-Cooled Heat Exchanger X-Brace Drive Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air-cooled heat exchangers face challenges in achieving weight reduction and strength increase while maintaining structural integrity and reducing complexity, which is essential for secure, economical transport and material cost savings.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of an X-brace assembly that mounts a direct drive fan motor to support columns using radially extending leg members, with a fan positioned within a fan ring and a high-efficiency transverse flux motor to reduce weight and enhance structural rigidity, allowing for a more integrated and efficient fan drive system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If indirect drive with belt or chain is used, then fan can be driven by motor, but drive assembly weight and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the belt/chain drive components (sheaves, sprockets, belts, chains) from the system and replaces them with a direct-drive motor assembly that integrates the motor and fan hub into a single unit, eliminating unnecessary intermediary components
Solution Approach 2:
The motor and fan hub are merged into a single integrated direct-drive assembly where the motor shaft directly connects to the fan hub, combining previously separate components (motor, drive mechanism, fan hub) into one unified unit that reduces weight and complexity
2Reliability
If traditional fan mounting is used, then fan can be supported, but structure weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fan hub is integrated directly with the motor assembly, eliminating the need for separate fan mounting brackets and support structures. The motor housing serves as both the motor enclosure and the fan support structure, reducing overall weight while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The motor housing serves multiple functions: it encloses the motor components, provides structural support for the fan hub, and acts as part of the overall heat exchanger framework, eliminating the need for dedicated separate support components
3Weight of stationary object
If direct drive fan motor is implemented, then drive weight is reduced, but motor mounting structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor mounting structure is merged with the heat exchanger support columns and cross-bracing system. The motor assembly is directly mounted to the existing structural framework, eliminating the need for separate mounting brackets, bolts, and fastening hardware
Data Source
AI summary
An air-cooled heat exchanger includes a plenum with a fan ring positioned adjacent to the plenum. Support columns support the plenum and the fan ring on a support surface. An X-brace assembly includes a motor mount with leg members extending radially from the motor mount. Each of the leg members is connected to a single corresponding one of the support columns so that the leg members extend between the motor mount and the support columns. A motor including a drive shaft is mounted to the motor mount of the X-brace assembly. A fan having fan blades is mounted to the drive shaft of the motor. The fan is positioned within the fan ring between the motor and the fan ring opening.