Combined filter and heat exchanger

An arrangement for simultaneously filtering a first medium and effecting a heat exchange between said first medium and a second medium, comprising a filter section and a heat-exchange section, of which the filter section includes a substantially cylindrical tubular filter element (2) and the heat-exchange section has also a substantially cylindrical tubular form and the filter section and the heat-exchange section are located mutually coaxially within an outer casing (1) having a cylindrical peripheral wall (1a ) and end walls (1b, 1c) connected to respective axial ends of said peripheral wall, said outer casing being provied with a first inlet (8) and a first outlet (4) for said first medium and with a second inlet (10) and a second outlet (12) for said second medium, characterized in that the heat-exchange section is located coaxially outwardly of the filter element (2) in an annular space defined between the filter element and the cylindrical casing wall (1a) and includes a substantially cylindrical, liquid-impervious partition wall (5) which subdivides said space into two separate chambers (6, 7), of which the first chamber (6) is located between the partition wall (5) and the filter element (2) and is arranged to be passed through by said first medium, whereas the second chamber (7) is located between the partition wall (5) and the cylindrical casing wall (1a) and communicates with said second inlet (10) and said second outlet (12) for said second medium so as to be passed through by said second medium, said first chamber (6) incorporating a large number of flow channels for said first medium extending in a peripheral direction close to said partition wall (5) and a smaller number of axially extending main flow channels of a first kind (18) and a second kind (20) located alternately at a pripheral distance from one another, said main channels communicating with all said peripherally extending flow channels and being separated from one another by a substantially cylindrical sleeve (21) inserted between the peripherally extending flow channels and the outer surface of the filter element (2) and surrounding the filter element (2), said substantially cylindrical sleeve (21) defining on its radially outwardly facing side said axial main channels of a first kind (18) and separating them from the outer surface of the filter element (2) and defining on its radially inwardly facing side said axial main channels of a second kind (20), which extend along the outer surface of the filter element (2) and communicate with said peripherally extending flow channels through openings (22) provided in said sleeve (21), a flow passage being provided at one axial end of said tubular filter element (2) between a space enclosed by the filter element and said main channels of a first kind (18), said flow passage including pressure relief valve means (23, 24) for opening said flow passage only when the pressure drop across the filter element (2) for said first medium exceeds a predetermined value, and said first inlet (8) and said first outlet (4) being provided in the casing end wall (1c) at the opposite axial end of the filter element (2) and communicating with either of said main channels of a first kind (18) and said space enclosed by the filter element (2).