# US 12,222,174 B2 · Heat transfer plate with heat transfer ridges having varying width

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- Number: US 12,222,174 B2
- Document ID: US12222174B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/769,463
- Filed: 2020-11-04
- Published: 2023-05-25
- Granted: 2025-02-11
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-26
- Assignees: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
- Applicants: Alfa Laval Corporate AB
- Inventors: Mattias Norén
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12222174B2

## CPC

- F28D 9/005: {the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media}
- F28F 3/042: {in the form of local deformations of the element}
- F28D 9/0043: {the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another}
- F28F 3/046: {the deformations being linear, e.g. corrugations}
- F28F 3/083: {capable of being taken apart}
- F28F 2250/10: Particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)

## Abstract

A heat transfer plate includes a heat transfer area provided with a heat transfer pattern having elongate alternately arranged heat transfer ridges and valleys, a respective top portion of the ridges extending in a top plane and a respective bottom portion of the valleys extending in a bottom plane. The heat transfer ridges include ridge contact areas within which the ridges are arranged to abut an adjacent first heat transfer plate. Within at least half of the heat transfer area, the top portions of the ridges have a first width w1, and the bottom portions of the valleys have a second width w2, w1≠w2. The top portion of a number of first heat transfer ridges of the heat transfer ridges, within a respective first ridge contact area of the ridge contact areas, has a third width w3, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3<w1, and, if w1<w2 then w3>w1.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat transfer plate for a plate heat exchanger, the heat transfer plate having a transverse center axis and comprising a first distribution area, a heat transfer area and a second distribution area arranged in succession along a longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate extending perpendicular to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, the heat transfer area being provided with a heat transfer pattern differing from a pattern within the first and second distribution areas, the first distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along an upper borderline, and the second distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along a lower borderline, wherein the heat transfer pattern comprises elongate alternately arranged heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys extending obliquely in relation to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, a respective top portion of the heat transfer ridges extending in a top plane and a respective bottom portion of the heat transfer valleys extending in a bottom plane, which top and bottom planes are parallel to each other, a center plane extending half-way between, and parallel to, the top and bottom planes defining a border between the heat transfer ridges and the heat transfer valleys, wherein the heat transfer ridges comprise ridge contact areas within which the heat transfer ridges are arranged to abut an adjacent first heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, and the heat transfer valleys comprise valley contact areas within which the heat transfer valleys are arranged to abut an adjacent second heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, wherein, within at least half of the heat transfer area, the top portions of the heat transfer ridges have a first width w1, and the bottom portions of the heat transfer valleys have a second width w2, a width of the top and bottom portions being measured perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys, and w1≠w2, at least one of w1 and w2 being constant, the top portion of a number of first heat transfer ridges of the heat transfer ridges, within a respective first ridge contact area of the ridge contact areas, having a third width w3, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3<w1, and, if w1<w2 then w3>w1, the heat transfer ridges including several heat transfer ridges in which: i) one section of the heat transfer ridge is within the at least half of the heat transfer area with the top portion having the width w1; and ii) another section of the heat transfer ridge is outside the at least half of the heat transfer area with the top portion having the width w3.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3≥w2, and, if w1<w2 then w3≤w2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein w1>w2, and wherein the bottom portion of a number of first heat transfer valleys of the heat transfer valleys, within a respective first valley contact area of the valley contact areas, has a fourth width w4, and w2<w4.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein w4≤w3.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein, with reference to a cross section through, and perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of, the heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys, the first heat transfer ridges, within the first ridge contact areas, and the first heat transfer valleys, within the first valley contact areas, are symmetrical with respect to said center plane.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein each of the first heat transfer valleys extend from one of said upper and lower borderlines.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein, for each of the first heat transfer valleys, the first valley contact area is the valley contact area arranged closest to one of said upper and lower borderlines.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein the first valley contact areas are comprised in a respective end portion of the first heat transfer valleys, the respective end portion extending from one of said upper and lower borderlines and has a constant width within the bottom portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein an absolute position, with respect to the longitudinal and transverse center axes of the heat transfer plate, of a respective one of the first ridge contact areas arranged within an upper right quarter, upper left quarter, lower right quarter, and lower left quarter, respectively, of the heat transfer plate, is at least partly overlapping with an absolute position, with respect to the longitudinal and transverse center axes of the heat transfer plate, of a respective one of the first valley contact areas arranged within a lower left quarter, lower right quarter, upper left quarter and upper right quarter, respectively, of the heat transfer plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein a mirroring, across the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, of a position of one of the first valley contact areas arranged within an upper half of the heat transfer plate, is at least partly overlapping with a position of one of the first valley contact areas arranged within a lower half of the heat transfer plate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein a mirroring, across the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, of a position of one of the first ridge contact areas arranged within an upper half of the heat transfer plate, is at least partly overlapping with a position of one of the first ridge contact areas arranged within a lower half of the heat transfer plate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein each of the first heat transfer ridges extends from one of said upper and lower borderlines.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein, for each of the first heat transfer ridges, the first ridge contact area is the ridge contact area arranged closest to said one of said upper and lower borderlines.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the first ridge contact areas are comprised in a respective end portion of the first heat transfer ridges, which end portion extends from one of said upper and lower borderlines and has a constant width within the top portion.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower borderlines are non-straight.

### Claim 16

A heat transfer plate for a plate heat exchanger, the heat transfer plate having a transverse center axis and comprising a first distribution area, a heat transfer area and a second distribution area arranged in succession along a longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate extending perpendicular to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, the heat transfer area being provided with a heat transfer pattern differing from a pattern within the first and second distribution areas, the first distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along an upper borderline, and the second distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along a lower borderline, wherein the heat transfer pattern comprises elongate alternately arranged heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys extending obliquely in relation to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, a respective top portion of the heat transfer ridges extending in a top plane and a respective bottom portion of the heat transfer valleys extending in a bottom plane, which top and bottom planes are parallel to each other, a center plane extending half-way between, and parallel to, the top and bottom planes defining a border between the heat transfer ridges and the heat transfer valleys, wherein the heat transfer ridges comprise ridge contact areas within which the heat transfer ridges are arranged to abut an adjacent first heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, and the heat transfer valleys comprise valley contact areas within which the heat transfer valleys are arranged to abut an adjacent second heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, wherein, within at least half of the heat transfer area, the top portions of the heat transfer ridges have a first width w1, and the bottom portions of the heat transfer valleys have a second width w2, a width of the top and bottom portions being measured perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys, and w1≠w2, the top portion of a number of first heat transfer ridges of the heat transfer ridges, within a respective first ridge contact area of the ridge contact areas, having a third width w3, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3<w1, and, if w1<w2 then w3>w1, wherein the first ridge contact areas are comprised in a respective end portion of the first heat transfer ridges, which end portion extends from one of said upper and lower borderlines, the heat transfer ridges including several heat transfer ridges whose top portions each have: i) one section having the width w1; and ii) another section having the width w3.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 16, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3≥w2, and, if w1<w2 then w3≤w2.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 16, wherein w1>w2, and wherein the bottom portion of a number of first heat transfer valleys of the heat transfer valleys, within a respective first valley contact area of the valley contact areas, has a fourth width w4, and w2≤w4.

### Claim 19

A heat transfer plate for a plate heat exchanger, the heat transfer plate having a transverse center axis and comprising a first distribution area, a heat transfer area and a second distribution area arranged in succession along a longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate extending perpendicular to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, the heat transfer area being provided with a heat transfer pattern differing from a pattern within the first and second distribution areas, the first distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along an upper borderline, and the second distribution area adjoining the heat transfer area along a lower borderline, wherein the heat transfer pattern comprises elongate alternately arranged heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys extending obliquely in relation to the transverse center axis of the heat transfer plate, a respective top portion of the heat transfer ridges extending in a top plane and a respective bottom portion of the heat transfer valleys extending in a bottom plane, which top and bottom planes are parallel to each other, a center plane extending half-way between, and parallel to, the top and bottom planes defining a border between the heat transfer ridges and the heat transfer valleys, wherein the heat transfer ridges comprise ridge contact areas within which the heat transfer ridges are arranged to abut an adjacent first heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, and the heat transfer valleys comprise valley contact areas within which the heat transfer valleys are arranged to abut an adjacent second heat transfer plate in the plate heat exchanger, wherein, within at least half of the heat transfer area, the top portions of the heat transfer ridges have a first width w1, and the bottom portions of the heat transfer valleys have a second width w2, a width of the top and bottom portions being measured perpendicular to a longitudinal extension of the heat transfer ridges and heat transfer valleys, and w1≠w2, the top portion of a number of first heat transfer ridges of the heat transfer ridges, within a respective first ridge contact area of the ridge contact areas, having a third width w3, wherein, if w1>w2 then w3<w1, and, if w1<w2 then w3>w1, the first heat transfer ridges in which the top has the third width w3 extend from one of said upper and lower borderlines, several of the heat transfer ridges having the top portions within the at least half of the heat transfer area and possessing the width w1 also including a section outside the at least half of the heat transfer area and possessing the width w3.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The heat transfer plate according to claim 19, wherein w1 and w2 are constant.