Plate heat exchanger, a method of producing a plate heat exchanger and means for performing the method
AssigneeAlfa-Laval Thermal AB
InventorMagnus Kallrot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A permanently united plate heat exchanger normally comprises a plate package (1) having two end plates (3, 4) and several heat transferring plates (5) which are arranged therebetween. The end plates (3, 4) and the heat transferring plates (5) are permanently united, for instance by brazing, to a plate package the end plates of which have altogether four openings to form inlets and outlets for two heat exchange fluids. Two or more plate packages (1, 2) may be coupled together to form a plate heat exchanger. Preferably, plate packages of this kind are produced which have different numbers of heat transferring plates (5, 8).
Claims14
Plate heat exchanger for heat exchange between two pressurized fluids, comprising a first plate package (2) having two end plates (6, 7) and several thin heat transferring plates (8) arranged therebetween, each of the heat transferring plates having a heat transferring portion provided with spacing means to create flow passages between adjacent plates and an edge portion extending therearound, the heat transferring plates (8) further having through ports aligned with each other to form four port channels (9-12) which extend through the plate package, two of which port channels (9, 11) communicate only with the flow passages in every second plate interspace, one on each side of the heat transferring portions of the heat transferring plates, and the other two port channels (10, 12) communicate only with the flow passages in the other plate interspaces, one on each side of said heat transferring portions, the end plates (6, 7) and the heat transferring plates (8) being permanently connected with adjacent heat transferring plates both along the edge portions of the heat transferring plates and at several places distributed across their heat transferring portions in a way such that the plate package thereby is kept together against pressures exerted by the pressurized fluids on the heat transferring plates in the plate interspaces, and at least one end plate having openings, which are arranged for through flow of said two fluids and each of which communicates with one port channel, characterized in
- that the plate heat exchanger comprises at least one further plate package (1) of substantially the structure defined for said first plate package (2),
- that the plate packages (1, 2) are arranged in a way such that two (4, 6) of their end plates with openings for the two pressurized fluids--one end plate of each plate package--are situated opposite to each other and are so sealingly connected with each other around each of their openings that each of the heat exchange fluids is allowed to flow from one plate package into the other,
- that the plate packages are held together by members (16), which are arranged to take up pressure forces caused during operation of the plate heat exchanger by said pressurized fluids in the port channels (9-14) of the plate packages and striving at separating the plate packages from each other, but which members are insufficient to replace said permanent connection between the plates in each plate package for holding the plates together against the action of the pressurized fluids in the plate interspaces, and
- that at least one (7) of the other end plates (3, 7) of the plate packages has openings for through flow of heat exchange fluid.
Method of producing a plate heat exchanger for heat exchange between two pressurized fluids, comprising a plate package (2) having two end plates (6, 7) and several thin heat transferring plates (8) arranged therebetween and each having a heat transferring portion provided with spacing means for creating flow passages between adjacent plates, and an edge portion extending therearound, the heat transferring plates (8) further having through ports aligned with each other for forming four port channels (9-12) extending through the plate package, two (9, 11) of which port channels communicate only with the flow passages in every second plate interspace, one on each side of the heat transferring portions of the heat transferring plates, and the two other port channels (10, 12) communicate only with the flow passages in the other plate interspaces, one on each side of said heat transferring portions, the end plates (6, 7) and the heat transferring plates (8) being permanently united with adjacent heat transferring plates both along the edge portions of said adjacent heat transferring plates and at several places distributed across their heat transferring portions in a way such that the plate package thereby is kept together against pressures exerted by the pressurized fluids in the plate interspaces, and at least one of said end plates having openings arranged for through flow of said two fluids and communicating each with one port channel, characterized in that:
- two end plates (4, 6) of two prefabricated plate packages (1, 2) of the defined structure, one end plate of each plate package, are placed opposite to each other and connected with each other around each of their openings, so that each of the two heat transferring fluids is permitted to flow from one plate package (2) into the other,
- the plate packages are connected with each other by means of members (16) able to take up pressure forces which during operation of the plate heat exchanger are caused by said pressurized fluids in the port channels (9-14) of the plate packages and striving at separating the plate packages from each other, but which members are insufficient to replace said permanent connection between the plates in each plate package for keeping the plates together against the action of the pressurized fluids in the plate interspaces, and
- at least one plate package, which has in each of its end plates four openings each communicating with one port channel, is used for the production of the plate heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.