Double-wall vented brazed heat exchanger
AssigneeITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
InventorGary A. Crawford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A double-wall heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange plate pairs. Each heat exchange plate pair forms a double-wall structure including two heat exchange plates that are at least partially separated by a leak space. At least one weep hole is disposed through the plurality of heat exchange plate pairs and intersects the leak spaces of the plurality of plate pairs to channel leaking fluid from the leak spaces to a location outside of the heat exchanger. The at least one weep hole is positioned on a surface of the heat exchanger at a location that is spaced from a side boundary of the heat exchanger thereby enabling an operator of the heat exchanger to observe a leakage on the surface of the heat exchanger.
Claims20
A double-wall heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of heat exchange plate pairs, each heat exchange plate pair forming a double-wall structure comprising two heat exchange plates that are at least partially separated by a leak space;
- and
- at least one weep hole that is disposed through the plurality of heat exchange plate pairs and intersects the leak spaces of the plurality of plate pairs to channel leaking fluid from the leak spaces to a location outside of the heat exchanger,
- wherein the at least one weep hole is positioned on a surface of the heat exchanger at a location that is spaced from a side boundary of the heat exchanger thereby enabling an operator of the heat exchanger to observe a leakage on the surface of the heat exchanger.
A double-wall heat exchanger comprising:
- a plurality of heat exchange plate pairs, each heat exchange plate pair forming a double-wall structure comprising two heat exchange plates that are at least partially separated by a leak space;
- at least one fluid port defined through each plate pair within which a heat exchange fluid is distributed either into or out a fluid channel that is defined between adjacent plate pairs, wherein two adjacent plate pairs are mated together along a boundary edge of the at least one fluid port;
- a port vent groove defined between the two adjacent plate pairs at a location surrounding the boundary edge of the at least one fluid port, wherein the port vent groove intersects and is in fluid communication with a leak space of one of the two adjacent plate pairs;
- and
- at least one weep hole that is disposed through the plurality of heat exchange plate pairs and intersects the leak spaces of the plurality of plate pairs to channel leaking fluid within one of the leak spaces or the port vent groove to a location outside of the heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.