Heat exchange block, method for manufacturing same, heat exchanger equipped with such a block and method for implementing same

A heat exchanger, comprising:

• an enclosure having a lower cover, an upper cover, and a peripheral casing;
• and
• at least one heat exchange block arranged between the lower cover and the upper cover, each heat exchange block including:
• a body formed of graphite and having a cylindrical shape with a circular cross-section,
• longitudinal channels formed in the body along a longitudinal direction of the heat exchange block for flow of a process fluid, each longitudinal channel in the longitudinal channels continuously extending between two opposite front faces while opening onto the front faces, and
• transverse channels formed in the body along a transverse direction of the heat exchange block for flow of a service fluid, each transverse channel in the longitudinal channels continuously extending between two opposite transverse faces while opening onto said transverse faces,
• a first inlet for flow of the process fluid into the longitudinal channels;
• a second inlet for flow of the service fluid into the transverse channels;
• a first outlet for flow of the process fluid from the longitudinal channels;
• second outlet for flow of the service fluid from the transverse channels,
• wherein at least one front face includes a recess so that the at least one front face delimits:
• a central homogenization bowl operable to homogenize a temperature of the constitutive material of the heat exchange block, the central homogenization bowl defining a central reference surface,
• a peripheral seat operable to receive a sealing mechanism, the peripheral seat protruding upstream with respect to the central homogenization central bowl along the longitudinal direction, the peripheral seat defining a peripheral reference surface,
• a transition portion which extends between the peripheral seat and the central homogenization bowl, and
• a peripheral distance between the peripheral reference surface and a facing wall of a most adjacent transverse channel in the transverse channels, the peripheral distance being greater to a central distance between the central reference surface and the facing wall of a closest transverse channel in the transverse channels, the peripheral distance and the central distance being considered along the longitudinal direction of the block, wherein a ratio between the peripheral distance and the central distance is greater than 2.