Distributor for plate heat exchangers

In a heat exchanger having stacked plate elements joined together so as to form first and second sets of channels, each of the first and second sets of channels being sealed so as to be structured and arranged to contain a respective fluid therein, the channels of the first set being interspaced with the channels of the second set, each of the first set and the second set having an inlet and an outlet that communicates with the respective channels of the set, the inlet being formed by openings in the plate elements, comprising:

• a) a distributor located in the inlet of the first set;
• b) the first set inlet having a first end and a second end, the heat exchanger having a fitting located adjacent to the first end of the first set inlet, the fitting being structured and arranged to be coupled to a fluid conduit;
• c) the distributor comprising a first end and a second end, the distributor first end being located in the first end of the first set inlet and the distributor second end being located in the second end of the first set inlet, the distributor forming a passage in the first set inlet that extends from the first set inlet first end to the first set inlet second end and that allows communication between the fitting and the channels of the first set, the passage being larger at the distributor first end than at the distributor second end;
• d) the first set inlet second end being unperforated by the distributor second end, the distributor second end bearing on one or more of the openings in the plate elements at the inlet second end;
• e) the first end of the distributor bearing on one or more of the openings in the plate elements at the inlet first end.