Method and controller for preventing formation of droplets in a heat exchanger

1. A method of preventing formation of droplets in a heat exchanger, in which a second medium transfers heat to a first medium, said method being performed by a controller and comprising:

receiving a first temperature value (T 1 ), from a first temperature unit, of a temperature at a first position of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger,

receiving a pressure value (P), from a pressure sensor unit, of a pressure of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger,

receiving a second temperature value (T 2 ), from a second temperature unit, of a temperature of the second medium entering the heat exchanger,

receiving a third temperature value (T 3 ), from a third temperature unit, of a temperature of the second medium exiting the heat exchanger,

calculating a boiling point temperature value (T B ) based on the pressure value (P) and heat exchanger parameters,

determining a first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) between the second temperature value (T 2 ) and the first temperature value (T 1 ),

determining a second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) between the third temperature value (T 3 ) and the boiling point temperature value (T B ),

generating a flow control signal, for controlling a flow of the first medium into the heat exchanger, based on the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ), the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) and the first temperature value (T 1 ), and

sending the flow control signal to a regulator device for controlling the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow control signal is generated such that the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a fourth temperature value (T 4 ), from the first temperature unit, of a temperature at a second position of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger,

wherein the determining of the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) further comprises determining, as the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ), a temperature difference between the second temperature value (T 2 ) and either one the first temperature value (T 1 ) and the fourth temperature value (T 4 ).

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger parameters comprise at least one of the following parameters including: type of medium used as the first medium, type of medium used as the second medium, pressure(s) and flows in the heat exchanger, ambient temperature, a selected overheating temperature ΔT overheat , and a differential temperature of the second medium between an inlet port and an outlet port of the heat exchanger.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

8. A controller for preventing formation of droplets in a heat exchanger, in which a second medium transfers heat to a first medium, the controller comprising a processor and memory, configured to store instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:

receive a first temperature value (T 1 ), from a first temperature unit, of a temperature at a first position of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger,

receive a pressure value (P), from a pressure sensor unit, of a pressure of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger,

receive a second temperature value (T 2 ), from a second temperature unit, of a temperature of the second medium entering the heat exchanger,

receive a third temperature value (T 3 ), from a third temperature unit, of a temperature of the second medium exiting the heat exchanger,

calculate a boiling point temperature value (T B ) based on the pressure value (P) and heat exchanger parameters,

determine a first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) between the second temperature value (T 2 ) and the first temperature value (T 1 ),

determine a second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) between the third temperature value (T 3 ) and the boiling point temperature value (T B ),

generate a flow control signal, for controlling a flow of the first medium into the heat exchanger, based on the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ), the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) and the first temperature value (T 1 ), and

send the flow control signal to a regulator device for controlling the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

9. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further caused to generate the flow control signal such that the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

10. The controller of claim 9 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

11. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further caused to receive a fourth temperature value (T 4 ), from the first temperature unit, of a temperature at a second position of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger, and determine, as the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ), a temperature difference between the second temperature value (T 2 ) and either one the first temperature value (T 1 ) and the fourth temperature value (T 4 ).

12. The controller of claim 11 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

13. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further caused to calculate the boiling point temperature value (T B ) based on at least one of the following heat exchanger parameters including: type of medium used as the first medium, type of medium used as the second medium, pressure(s) and flows in the heat exchanger, ambient temperature, a selected overheating temperature ΔT over-heat , and a differential temperature of the second medium between an inlet port and an outlet port of the heat exchanger.

14. The controller of claim 13 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

15. The controller of claim 8 , wherein the first temperature difference (ΔT 1 ) and the second temperature difference (ΔT 2 ) are inversely proportional in a range of 0-6° C. and the first temperature value (T 1 ) is directly proportional in a range of 70-115° C. to the flow of the first medium in the heat exchanger.

16. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having a computer program comprising computer program code recorded thereon, the computer program, when executed on a processor, causing the processor to implement the method according to claim 1 .