Plate heat exchanger for heating or cooling bulk solids

A bulk solids heat exchanger comprising:

• an inlet for receiving bulk solids;
• a plurality of flat heat transfer plate assemblies arranged in banks with the heat transfer plate assemblies of each bank arranged parallel to each other, each of the heat transfer plate assemblies comprising:
• a flat first sheet having a plurality of channels extending along a surface thereof, the channels formed by removal of material from a surface of the first sheet such that the channels do not extend through the entire thickness of the first sheet;
• and
• a flat second sheet bonded to the first sheet, wherein a majority of the surface of the first sheet is bonded to the second sheet to enclose the channels between the first sheet and the second sheet, the first sheet and the second sheet together having a first through hole extending from one side of the heat transfer plate assembly to an opposing side of the heat transfer plate assembly, near a first side edge of the heat transfer plate assemblies and in fluid communication with first ends of the channels, and a second through hole extending from the one side of the heat transfer plate assembly to the opposing side of the heat transfer plate assembly, near a second side edge of the heat transfer plate assembly and in fluid communication with second ends of the channels to facilitate flow of the fluid through the first through hole, through the channels, and through the second through hole, wherein the channels are spaced apart and separate from each other along an entire length thereof from the first through hole to the second through hole;
• a plurality of flat spacers including flat first and flat second spacers disposed between adjacent parallel heat transfer plate assemblies within each bank, to space the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies and space parallel and flat center portions of the heat transfer plate assemblies apart to facilitate the flow of the bulk solids from the inlet, along vertical flow paths between the parallel and flat center portions of the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies, the spacers including holes extending therethrough, the first spacers and the second spacers each including a linear top edge with vertically extending side edges, wherein the linear top edge of the first spacers and the linear top edge of the second spacers are parallel to and aligned with top edges of the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies,
• wherein the heat transfer plate assemblies and spacers in each bank are coupled together such that the first through holes of the heat transfer plate assemblies and holes of the first spacers form a first fluid manifold, and the second through holes and holes of the second spacers form a second fluid manifold in each bank, and the plurality of channels of each of the heat transfer plate assemblies extend from the first fluid manifold to the second fluid manifold.

A bank of heat transfer plate assemblies for use in a bulk solids heat exchanger, the bank of heat transfer plate assemblies comprising:

• a plurality of flat heat transfer plate assemblies arranged parallel to each other, each of the heat transfer plate assemblies comprising:
• a flat first sheet having a plurality of channels extending along a surface thereof, the channels formed by removal of material from a surface of the first sheet such that the channels do not extend through the entire thickness of the first sheet;
• and
• a flat second sheet bonded to the first sheet, wherein a majority of the surface of the first sheet is bonded to the second sheet to enclose the channels between the first sheet and the second sheet, the first sheet and the second sheet together having a first through hole extending from one side of the heat transfer plate assembly to an opposing side of the heat transfer plate assembly, near a first side edge of the heat transfer plate assembly and in fluid communication with first ends of the channels, and a second through hole extending from the one side of the heat transfer plate assembly to the opposing side of the heat transfer plate assembly, near a second side edge of the heat transfer plate assembly and in fluid communication with second ends of the channels to facilitate flow of the fluid through the first through hole, through the channels, and through the second through hole, wherein the channels are spaced apart and separate from each other along an entire length thereof from the first through hole to the second through hole;
• a plurality of flat first spacers and flat second spacers disposed between adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies arranged in parallel, and spacing parallel and flat center portions of the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies apart to facilitate flow of bulk solids along vertical flow paths between the parallel and flat center portions of the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies, the first spacers and the second spacers including holes extending therethrough,
• wherein the first spacers and the second spacers each include a linear top edge with vertically extending side edges, the linear top edge of the first spacers and the linear top edge of the second spacers extending parallel to and aligned with top edges of the adjacent heat transfer plate assemblies, and
• wherein the heat transfer plate assemblies and the first spacers and the second spacers in the bank are coupled together such that the first through hole of each of the heat transfer plate assemblies and holes of the first spacers form a first fluid manifold, and the second through hole of each of the heat transfer plate assemblies and the second spacers form a second fluid manifold, and the plurality of channels of each of the heat transfer plate assemblies extend from the first fluid manifold to the second fluid manifold.