Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F13/00—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing
  • F28F13/06—Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D7/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
  • F28D7/10—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically
  • F28D7/103—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
  • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
  • F28F9/026—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits
  • F28F9/027—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits in the form of distribution pipes
  • F28F9/0275—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits in the form of distribution pipes with multiple branch pipes

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to a method of heat transfer and a heat exchange device therefor, and more particularly to a vortex heat transfer method and a vortex heat exchange device therefor.
• Heat exchangers are devices that transfer heat between fluids of different temperatures. Heat exchangers are widely used in industries of all types, e.g., power generation, chemical processing, food, metallurgy, energy, aerospace and aeronautics, air-conditioning and refrigeration, automotive, and other types of manufacturing. Since such a wide range of industries use heat exchangers, various types of heat exchangers are available.
• Equation 1 suggests that by increasing A, ⁇ T, or h, in any combination, Q will increase. In actual applications, however, it is usually difficult to increase A greatly because of the size and costs of the heat exchanger is predefined by its application. It is also difficult to increase ⁇ T because the average temperature differential must conform to the application conditions. Because of these restraints, most heat exchangers primarily rely on improvements in the heat transfer coefficient. Accordingly, heat exchangers have evolved from the double-pipe, to the tube-and-shell, the finned plate (cross-flow) , the tube inserts, and to the recent impulse flow heat exchanger.
• present invention to provide a method of heat transfer and a device therefor that varies the flow and amount of fluid proceeding through the device.
• the present invention provides a method of heat transfer between ⁇ 30 fluids of different temperatures.
• the method tangentially introduces another fluid into a separate channel so that it proceeds through the device in an opposite direction relative to the selected direction along a vortex pattern.
• the method can also provide for recycling the fluids through the device or varying the flow and amount of fluid through the device. By recycling and varying the flow and amount of fluids through the device, the method can adjust to changing circumstances and increase the heat exchanged between the fluids.
• the vortex heat exchange device using the method of heat transfer described above comprises a plurality of tubes each of a different diameter and each disposed concentrically relative to one another to define a plurality channels.
• Fluids of different temperatures are tangentially introduced into the channels of the device through inlets. Each inlet is tangential to the channel so that the fluid flows through the annular channel in the desired vortex pattern. Furthermore, the direction of the vortex for the fluids are either counter or parallel to one another.
• the fluids proceed through the device in their pattern and are emitted from the channels through multiple outlets.
• the temperatures of the fluids change according to the path and the time of the fluids through the device.
• the device can recycle the fluids within the device or vary the flow and amount of fluids that flow into and out of the device.
• a refrigerant e.g, CFC
• the present invention provides an air cooler/heater comprising at least two concentric tubes that define an outer channel and inner channel .
• the outer channel may be partitioned into two outer channels.
• the first outer channel has an inlet and a tangential outlet to introduce and emit air, respectively.
• the second outer channel has a tangential inlet and a tangential outlet to introduce and emit air, respectively. Air flows through both outer channels in a vortex pattern.
• the inner channel has one inlet and outlet, and the air flows through the channel in a vortex pattern.
• the tube between the outer and the inner channel comprises multiple panels of insulation and thermoelectric sheets.
• the thermoelectric sheets are heavily doped to create an excess or deficiency of electrons to achieve the Peltier effect when current is supplied to the sheets. Accordingly, heat is absorbed from the air at the cold junction and heat is emitted into the air at the hot junction. Therefore, as the air proceeds through the air cooler/heater, the air in the inner channel is cooled by the thermoelectric sheets and by the heat exchange caused by the vortex pattern, and the air in the outer channel is heated by the thermoelectric sheets and by the heat exchange caused by the vortex pattern.
• the present invention lends itself to incorporation into a rada'tor, preheater or similar device that can be used in an automobile or other industrial applications. .
• FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a multichannel recirculatory vortex heat exchanger embodying the principles of the present invention
• FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the multichannel recirculatory vortex heat exchanger taken along the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;
• FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary frontal view of the multichannel recirculatory vortex heat exchanger taken along the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;
• FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of a air cooler/heater embodying the principles of the present invention.
• FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the inlets and outlets of the multichannel recirculatory heat exchanges taken along the line 5-5 in FIGURE 1.
• the present invention is based on supplements to Newton's Law of Cooling, which will provide a detailed analysis of the design of the heat exchanger.
• the supplemented equation is:
• tn is the mass flow rate of the fluid
• C p is the fluids specific heat at constant pressure
• -nC p is the thermal capacity of the fluid
• T out and T ⁇ n are the outlet and inlet fluid temperatures, respectively
• s is the flight distance along the flow path
• S is the total distance
• t is the time
• r is the total residence time of the fluid in the device
• ds, dt, ⁇ , ⁇ t are differential or minor changes of s and t
• dT/ds is the rate of change of temperature along the flow path
• dT/dt is the rate of change of temperature over time.
• Q can be increased by increasing any combination of the values ⁇ C p l dT/ds, dT/dt, S or r. Accordingly, there are benefits of using fluids with large thermal capacities, long flight patterns and long residence times. These objects can be accomplished by using a vortex heat exchanger or a recirculatory vortex heat exchanger.
• a large temperature gradient dT/ds or dT/dt along the flow directions is realized by improving the heat transfer between the fluids and the walls of the heat exchanger. For maximum improvement in heat exchange, increases should occur in all of the above parameters while not reducing another parameter.
• the present invention employs a vortex pattern for the fluids to proceed through.
• the present invention envisions recycling fluids through the vortex. Recycling fluids allows the device to be of any size depending on the application of the heat exchanger as well as accommodate a larger range of input temperature differences.
• the present invention provides a way to regulate the flow rate and the amount proceeding through the vortex of the device at any time. This feature allows the heat exchanger to adjust to the whole system under different conditions, such as start up and shut down.
• the heat transfer coefficient is proportional to the velocity V of the fluids in the vortex through the heat exchange device, where:
• the velocity is determined by:
• i r is the mass flow rate of recycled fluid
• m is the mass flow rate of fluid coming to (or leaving from) the vortex heat exchanger and the total mass flow rate through the recirculatory vortex heat exchanger will be m (1+ ⁇ ) , which is an o_-fold increase. Accordingly, the advantage of the recirculatory vortex heat exchanger can be demonstrated:
• h RVHE is the heat transfer coefficient for the recirculatory heat exchanger.
• FIGURE 1 there is shown therein a vortex heat exchange device, generally indicated at
• the vortex heat exchange device 10 comprises four basic components: (1) multiple concentric tubes 12; (2) multiple channels 14 defined by the tubes 12; (3) multiple inlets 16 into the channels; and (4) multiple outlets 22 from the channels.
• the tubes 12 can be of any material that allows the transfer of heat between the channels 14.
• the tubes are of different diameters and disposed concentrically relative to one another. In this way, the channels 16 are defined between the tubes 12.
• the channels 14 are annularly unobstructed from one end to the other because the walls of the tubes are smooth. Accordingly, there are no hindrances for the fluids within device 10 as the fluids proceed from the inlets 16 to the outlets 18.
• FIGURE 1 shows eight tubes forming eight channels 14. The number of tubes can change, however, thereby changing the number of channels.
• the channels 16 are divided into two sets.
• the first set, generally indicated at 18, is for a fluid of one initial temperature
• the second set, generally indicated at 20, is for a fluid of another initial temperature.
• the inlets 16 for each set are on opposite sides of the device 10.
• the inlets 16 are also arranged so that the fluids alternate between the channels 14. Thus, a fluid at one temperature runs in a channel next to a fluid at another temperature.
• Each inlet 16 is tangential to the channel
• FIGURE 2 it introduces a fluid to .as shown in FIGURE 2.
• This tangential arrangement between the inlets 16 and the channels 14 forces the fluid to flow through the channel 14 in a vortex pattern as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 2.
• the inlets 16 are positioned at opposite ends of device 10 so that the vortex's direction of a fluid at one temperature is counter to the vortex's direction of the other fluid.
• the counter directions of the fluids is also shown in FIGURE 2.
• the vortex pattern increases both the path the fluid uses as it proceeds through the channel 14 and the residence time of the fluid in the channel.
• outlets 22 are positioned and are attached to the second set of channels 14. The outlets 22 allow the fluids that flow through the channels in a vortex pattern.
• the inlets 16 there are two sets of outlets, generally indicated at 24 and 26.
• the first set 24 is for fluid of one temperature
• the second set 26 is for fluid of another temperature.
• the connectors 28 connect the first set of channels to the second set of channels. Accordingly, a channel with an inlet is connected to a channel with an outlet so that a fluid can flow through the device 10.
• the connectors 28 are tangential to both sets of the channels. Accordingly, the fluids proceed through the second set of channels in a vortex pattern similar to the pattern in the first set of channels but in the opposite sense.
• the connectors 28 are arranged so that the alternating pattern of fluids created by the arrangement of the inlets 16 is maintained in the channels with the outlets.
• the different temperatures between the two fluids cause a heat transfer according to the formulas given above.
• the total distance of each fluid is governed by its vortex path, and the total residence time of the fluid is determined by the amount of time it takes the fluid to proceed through its vortex path. Because there are no obstructions in the channels 14 , the path and time of the fluids in the vortex are not adversely affected.
• the concentric arrangement of the tubes and the smooth walls of the channels define a pure annular path between the tangential inlet and the complementary tangential outlet.
• each set of inlets 18 and 20 are connected by common inlets 30 and 32, respectively.
• the common inlet 30 of first set is connected to a source for a fluid at one temperature.
• the common inlet 32 of the second set is connected to a source for a fluid at another temperature.
• Within each common inlet 30 and 32 there is a first vane 34. Vanes 34 are movable within the common inlet. Because they are movable, the rate and amount of fluid flowing from the common inlets 30 and 32 into the inlets 16 can be regulated.
• each set of outlets 24 and 26 are joined . by common outlets 36 and 38, respectively. Within each common outlet 36 and 38, there is a second vane 40.
• Common inlets 30 and 32 and common outlets 36 and 38 are connected by recycle connectors 42 and 44, respectively.
• Recycle connectors 42 and 44 allow fluids to continue to flow through the device for longer periods of time thereby also creating longer distances within the device.
• a third vane 46 Within each recycle connector 42 and 44 is a third vane 46.
• Third vanes 46 are movable thereby allowing the flow and amount of fluid recycled in device 10 to be regulated.
• a lower 40 may be necessary to cause fluid to be recycled between common inlets 30 and 32 and common outlets 36 and 38 through recycle connectors 42 and 44.
• a blower 48 may be necessary to cause fluid to be recycled between common inlets 30 and 32 and common outlets 36 and 38 through recycle connectors 42 and 44.
• the air cooler/heater device is a vortex heat exchange device, described above, which uses thermoelectric sheets in one of the tubes.
• the thermoelectric sheets are used because they provide cooling within the device using the Peltier effect.
• the Peltier effect is the transformation of heat into electrical energy or electrical energy into heat at the junction of dissimilar conducting materials.
• semiconductor materials are used by doping the semiconductors with an excess or deficiency of electrons which create n-type and p-type materials.
• the amount of heat absorbed or emitted by the thermoelectric sheets is directly proportional to the current and the Peltier coefficient.
• the current to the thermoelectric materials is provided by a power source..
• the Peltier coefficient depends on the material used, which is most often bismuth telluride.
• the thermoelectric properties can be enhanced with various dopants of electrons. To further increase the pumping capacity of the thermoelectric sheets, multiple couples can be put into series or parallel.
• FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of an air cooler/heater device, generally indicated at 100, utilizing the vortex heat exchanger described above and the thermoelectric plates arranged for the Peltier effect.
• the air cooler/heater is comprised of several components: a) multiple concentric tubes 102, 104 and 106; b) multiple channels 108, 110 and 112 defined by the tubes 102, 104 and 106; c) multiple inlets 114, 116 and 118 into the channels 108, 110 and 112; d) multiple outlets 120, 122 and 124 out of the channels 108, 110 and 112; e) insulation 126; f) thermoelectric sheets 128, and g) a power supply 130.
• Inner tube 102 surrounds the power supply 130.
• the middle tube 104 comprises alternating panels of the insulation 126 and the thermoelectric sheets 128.
• the thermoelectric sheets 128 are positioned so that the flow of electrons in the sheets 128 is from the channel which is cooling the air, to the channel which is warming the air. In other words, the cold junction absorbs the heat from the channel which is cooling the air and the hot junction pumps heat into the channel which is heating the air.
• the thermoelectric sheets 128 are arranged so that the inner channel
• thermoelectric sheets 128 are connected to the power supply 130 by leads 132 and is connected on the side of the sheets that is warming the air.
• the two outer annular channels 108 and 110 are separated by partition 134, which connects the outer tube 106 to the middle tube 104.
• Ambient air is introduced into outer channel 108 by the inlet 114, and ambient air is introduced into outer channel 110 by the inlet 116. Air exits outer channel 108 through outlet 120, and air exits outer channel 110 through the outlet 122.
• Ambient air is introduced into inner channel 112 by the inlet 118, and air exits inner channel 112 through the outlet 124.
• the arrows in FIGURE 4 within the channels indicate the direction of the air into the channels, through the vortex pattern and out of the channels.
• the vortex patterns in the channels 108, 110 and 112 are created by a variety of methods. One method is to have the inlets tangential to the channels as described above and seen with inlet 116. It is also possible to have swirlers 134 positioned within the channels 108, 110, and 112 to create the desired pattern. These swirlers 134 are driven by a motor 136 that is also powered by the power supply 130. Another method of creating the vortex pattern of air is to position guide vanes 138 within the channels 108, 110, and 112. Guide vanes 138 initialize the vortex pattern of the air through the channels. The vortex pattern and heat transfer are supplemented by multiple spiral fins 140 and 142 within the channels 108, 110 and 112.
• the air cooler/heater 100 heats ambient air in the outer channel and cools ambient in the inner channel .
• the cooling and heating is aided by the presence of the thermoelectric sheets as described above. Therefore, cool air is emitted from outlet 124, and warm air is emitted from outlets 120 and 122.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

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• 1994
  • 1994-02-07 US US08/192,742 patent/US5394937A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1994-03-03 AU AU64420/94A patent/AU6442094A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1994-03-03 WO PCT/US1994/001911 patent/WO1994020807A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1994-06-17 TW TW083105492A patent/TW255009B/zh active

Patent Citations (7)

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