On-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger

• US 5,615,733 A
• Filed: 05/01/1996
• Issued: 04/01/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Helio-Compatic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Helio-Compatic Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Ming-Chia
• Primary Examiner(s): Ford, John K.
• Application Number:
  US08/641,574
• Time in Patent Office: 335 Days
• Field of Search: 165/11.1, 165/95, 374/7, 374/43, 374/112
• US Class Current: 165/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 19/00 Preventing the formation of deposits or corrosion, e.g. by using filters or scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 27/00 Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus control arrangements in general G05

Abstract

A on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger which includes a plurality of temperature sensors adapted to detect the temperatures of cold water and hot water at respective water inlets and water outlets, a flowrate detector adapted to detect the flow rate of cold water, an A/D converter adapted to convert detected temperature signals and flowrate signal into corresponding digital signals, and a microprocessor adapted to calculate total heat transmission rate subject to the data obtained from the A/D converter and to calculate the heat transmission constant of the heat exchanging tube inside the heat exchanging chamber, then to store the calculated data in a memory for use as a reference value for the calculation of a next heat transmission rate so as to further calculate the heat transmission rate and thickness of fouling of the heat exchanging tube by comparing the latest coefficient of heat transmission with the previous coefficient of heat transmission, permitting the calculated result to be shown through an output device such as a monitor, the change of coefficient of heat transmission being caused by the deposit of fouling in the inside wall of the heat exchanging tube.

Claims

1. A on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger monitoring system comprising:

a heat exchanging chamber for the performance of a heat exchanging process, having one heat exchanging tube passing therethrough, a hot water inlet, and a hot water outlet, said heat exchanging tube having a cold water inlet at one end, and a cold water outlet at an opposite end;

a heat source installed in said heat exchanging chamber outside said heat exchanging tube, and controlled to heat said heat exchanging tube through water passing through said heat exchanging chamber;

a first temperature sensor T1 installed in said hot water inlet;

a second temperature sensor T2 installed in said hot water outlet;

a third temperature sensor T3 installed in said cold water outlet;

a fourth temperature sensor T4 installed in said cold water inlet;

a flowrate detector installed in said heat exchanging tube outside said exchanging chamber to detect the flow rate of water W passing through said heat exchanging tube;

an analog-to-digital converter connected to said temperature sensors and said flowrate detector to convert detected temperature signals and flowrate signal into corresponding digital signals; and

a microprocessor connected to said analog-to-digital converter, said microprocessor being connected with a data output device, a memory, and a data input device;

wherein after receiving digital data from said analog-to-digital converter, said microprocessor computes the heat transmission rate subject to the heat transmission equation stored in said memory that total heat flow rate Q is directly proportional to heat transmission area A and temperature difference of object DT, and indirectly proportional to thickness of object DX, i.e., ##EQU5## in which;

"-";

heat transmission from high temperature toward low temperature

Q;

coefficient of heat conductivity

K;

heat transmission constant

A;

heat transmission area

DT;

temperature difference at heat transmission surface

DX;

thickness of heat transmission surface so as to obtain the total heat flow rate as;

##EQU6## and to obtain the total heat transmission rate as;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Q2=W×

C×

.increment.T . . . (2)

in which;

Q2;

total heat absorption capacity

W;

weight of heat absorbing liquid

C;

specific heat of heat absorbing liquid

.increment.T;

temperature difference before and after heat absorption (T3, T4);

if the temperature difference between the two opposite ends of the heat exchanging tube before and after heat absorption is .increment.T=T4-T3, the weight or flow rate of cold water is W, and the specific heat is C, thus the total heat absorption capacity is;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">Q2=WC(T4-T3);

according to the aforesaid equations (1) and (2), if Q1=Q2, thus the heat transmission constant K0 of the heat exchanging tube 10 is;

##EQU7## the K0 value thus obtained is stored in said memory for use as a reference value for the calculation of a next heat transmission rate by said microprocessor;

because the inside wall of said heat exchanging tube will produce a fouling resistance when it is covered with fouling causing the value of the coefficient of heat transmission to drop, thus the heat transmission rate and the thickness of fouling of said heat exchanging tube can be calculated by comparing the latest coefficient of heat transmission with the previous coefficient of heat transmission K0, said microprocessor outputting, responsive to said coefficient of heat transmission, at least one of an indication or a control action.

2. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein further comprising an area type flow meter mounted in said heat exchanging tube outside said heat exchanging chamber for visually checking the flow rate and velocity of the flow of water passing through.

3. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is connected to a printer, and a personal computer through a RS-232 interface, so that the data of the temperature signals detected by said temperature sensors T1, T2, T3, T4, the flow rate signal detected by said flowrate detector, the calculated heat transmission constant can be automatically printed out through said printer.

4. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said heat source is an electric heater.

5. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein a solenoid valve is installed in said hot water inlet and controlled by said microprocessor to control the passage of said hot water inlet.

6. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein a float valve is mounted inside said heat exchanging chamber to automatically control the water level.

7. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is connected to a heating control switch, a warning device, and a timer through a control port thereof, so that said microprocessor drives said warning device to give a warning signal and stops the operation of the system when the operation of the system is abnormal.

8. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said heat source is a low-pressure saturated evaporator.

9. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said output device is a monitor.

10. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said output device is a printer.

11. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said output device is a recorder.

12. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said output device is a magnetic tape driver.

13. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said input device is a keyboard.

14. The on-line monitoring system of a simulated heat-exchanger of claim 1 wherein said input device is a light pen.