Heat exchange assembly

#The present invention relates to a heat exchange assembly, and more particularly to a plate heat exchange assembly which may be optionally utilized as a liquid-to-gas heat exchanger, a low-flow internally-cooled liquid-desiccant absorber, a liquid-desiccant regenerator or an evaporatively-cooled fluid cooler.

#Heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems regulate ambient conditions within buildings for comfort. Such systems provide control of the indoor environment in a given space to create and maintain desirable temperature, humidity, and air circulation, for the occupants. One important component found in such systems is a heat exchanger which is a device used for transferring heat from one medium to another without allowing the media to mix.

#One type of heat exchanger comprises a plurality of plates arranged in a spaced apart relationship by spacers. The space between adjacent plates provides a flow path for a heat transfer fluid. Each of the plates comprises a double walled board of metal or plastic, the walls being spaced-apart by partitions that form a plurality of internal passages therein. The partitions defining the internal passages provide a fluid flow path for a second heat transfer fluid. Examples of the use of such heat exchangers and details of their construction and operation are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,638,900 and 6,079,481, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

#The following drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention as encompassed by the claims forming part of the application.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a heat exchange assembly in accordance with the present invention;

#FIG. 2 is a partial exploded assembly view of the heat exchange assembly of FIG. 1;

#The present invention is generally directed to a heat exchange assembly constructed in a manner for efficiently and effectively transferring thermal energy between an isolated first fluid flowing through a plurality of spaced apart plates via a fluid manifold coupled at each end of the plurality of plates, and second and/or third fluids passing through the space between adjacent plates. The heat exchange assembly is constructed from a light-weight material and adapted to provide reliable and efficient heat transfer. Optionally, the heat exchange assembly may be configured to operate as an internally-cooled liquid-desiccant absorber for regulating the water content of a fluid flowing over the surface of the liquid desiccant, a liquid-desiccant regenerator adapted for expelling moisture in the liquid desiccant to an air stream passing over the surface of the liquid desiccant, or an evaporatively-cooled fluid cooler for removing heat from the fluid flowing internally within the plates.

#In contrast to the heat exchangers that are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,915, the ends of the plates do not have to be inserted into openings in the manifolds, yet there is still only one manifold piece attached to each end of the plate. In contrast to the solar heat exchanger described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,153, the manifold pieces also function as spacers that provide the desired gap between plates.

#The heat exchange assembly provides generally for a heat transfer fluid flowing through a plurality of plates, each plate having first and second ends, and one or more internal passages extending between the first and second ends. An end-piece member is fluidly coupled to each end of the plate for directing fluid flow within the passages of the plate. The plates isolate the heat transfer fluid from the external fluid medium, while maintaining a heat exchange relationship therebetween. The plate forming the passages therein are preferably made from profile board or similar materials, corrugated board, tube sheets, stamped sheets, thermoformed sheets, and the like, each of which can be easily constructed from rigid corrosion-resistant materials such as plastic polymer material, corrosion-resistant metal, and the like.