Compact heat-exchanger for fluids

A heat exchanger for fluids comprising the combination of:

• an outer cylindrical casing formed of a shell made of relatively thick metal sheet capable of withstanding the mechanical stresses due to pressure forces developed during operation of the heat exchanger,
• a series of generally coaxial heat-exchange surfaces housed inside said casing shell and defining therebetween axially-extending fluid flow passageways, and heat-exchange surfaces being formed of relatively thin metal sheet incapable by itself of withstanding said mechanical stresses,
• spacer means mechanically interconnecting said casing shell and surfaces to buttress the same against each other for transferring said mechanical stresses to said casing shell,
• two opposite end closures respectively fitted at the opposite ends of said casing shell and defining therewith an overall enclosure containing said fluid flow passageways,
• fluid inlet and outlet union means on both said end closures,
• transverse partition means extending within said end closures from the axis to the periphery thereof and engaging the thin edges of said heat-exchange surfaces, to define at least two separate end manifolds communicating with said fluid flow passageways, each manifold further communicating with a respective one of said union means,
• a first set of arcuate obturators plugging one end of every other fluid flow passageway at one of said end manifolds, and
• a second set of arcuate obturators plugging one end of the other fluid flow passageways at another of said end manifolds,
• said first and second sets of arcuate obturators being in staggered formation and defining with said fluid flow passageways, manifolds and union means at least two mutually segregated paths of said fluids in heat-exchange relationship, and
• said arcuate obturators being of an excessive length with respect to the strict plugging function thereof relative to the corresponding manifold and substantially overriding said transverse partition means to extend beyond the same in the other manifold.