Heat exchanging unit, a heat exchanging system and a method of determining failure of a control valve therein

A heat exchange unit, characterized in that it comprises:

• a first flow path;
• and
• a second flow path at least partially located within the first flow path to exchange heat with the first flow path, one of the inlet and the outlet of the second flow path being connected to a main flow path of an external heat exchange system through a control valve;
• a first temperature sensor at the inlet of the first flow path to sense a first temperature T1;
• a second temperature sensor at the outlet of the first flow path or at the second flow path within the first flow path to sense a second temperature T2;
• and
• a processor configured to determine whether the control valve fails according to the difference between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2 when the heat exchange unit is connected to the main flow path;
• wherein the second temperature sensor is provided on the second flow path within the first flow path to sense a middle second temperature T21, and the processor determines whether the control valve operates normally based on comparing the magnitude relationship between the absolute value of T1-T21 and the absolute value of T21-T3 when the control valve is in open or closed state,
• when the control valve is in open state, |T1-T21|<|T21-T3| and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails;
• and
• when the control valve is closed state, |T1-T21|≥T21-T3| and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails, wherein the third temperature T3 is the fluid temperature of the main flow path, the processor has a port to receive the third temperature T3.

A method for determining the failure of a control valve in a heat exchange system including a heat exchange unit, the heat exchange unit including:

• a first flow path;
• and a second flow path at least partially located within the first flow path to exchange heat with the first flow path, one of the inlet and the outlet of the second flow path being connected to a main flow path of the heat exchange system through the control valve;
• characterized in that the method includes:
• obtaining a first temperature T1 at the inlet of the first flow path;
• obtaining a second temperature T2 at the outlet of the first flow path or at the second flow path within the first flow path;
• and determining whether the control valve fails according to the difference between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2;
• wherein the method comprises:
• obtaining an outlet second temperature T22 at the outlet of the first flow path, and determining whether the control valve fails by comparing the magnitude relationship of the absolute values of T1-T22 and the predetermined temperature T0 when the control valve is in open or closed state,
• when the control valve is in open state, |T1-T22|<T0 and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails;
• and
• when the control valve is in closed state, |T1-T22|≥T0 and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails.

A method for determining the failure of a control valve in a heat exchange system including a heat exchange unit, the heat exchange unit including:

• a first flow path;
• and a second flow path at least partially located within the first flow path to exchange heat with the first flow path, one of the inlet and the outlet of the second flow path being connected to a main flow path of the heat exchange system through the control valve;
• characterized in that the method includes:
• obtaining a first temperature T1 at the inlet of the first flow path;
• obtaining a second temperature T2 at the outlet of the first flow path or at the second flow path within the first flow path;
• and
• determining whether the control valve fails according to the difference between the first temperature T1 and the second temperature T2;
• wherein the method comprises:
• obtaining a middle second temperature T21 at the second flow path within the first flow path, and determining whether the control valve operates normally by comparing the magnitude relationship of the absolute value of T1-T21 and the absolute value of T21-T3 when the control valve is in open or closed state,
• when the control valve is in open state, |T1-T21|<T21-T3| and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails;
• and
• when the control valve is in closed state, |T1-T21|≥T21-T3| and lasts for a predetermined time, it is determined that the control valve fails, wherein the third temperature T3 is the fluid temperature of the main flow path.