Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
  • F28D9/0031—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other
  • F28D9/0043—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
  • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
  • F24H1/00—Water heaters, e.g. boilers, continuous-flow heaters or water-storage heaters
  • F24H1/22—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating
  • F24H1/38—Water heaters other than continuous-flow or water-storage heaters, e.g. water heaters for central heating with water contained in separate elements, e.g. radiator-type element
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F3/00—Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements
  • F28F3/02—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations
  • F28F3/04—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations the means being integral with the element
  • F28F3/042—Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations the means being integral with the element in the form of local deformations of the element
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F3/00—Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements
  • F28F3/08—Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning
  • F28F3/086—Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning having one or more openings therein forming tubular heat-exchange passages
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2250/00—Arrangements for modifying the flow of the heat exchange media, e.g. flow guiding means; Particular flow patterns
  • F28F2250/10—Particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media
  • F28F2250/104—Particular pattern of flow of the heat exchange media with parallel flow

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved heat exchanger.
• the present invention relates to a heat exchanger of the plate type, for a device for recovering the heat of the exhaust fumes of a boiler normally used in a domestic or industrial environment.
• boilers are thermal apparatuses traditionally used for heating water in a heating circuit or else water to be used by the users for personal requirement.
• a boiler traditionally comprises a combustion chamber, housed in the proximity of which is a heat exchanger, generally referred to as primary heat exchanger, in order to carry out heating of the service water.
• the fumes produced following upon the phenomenon of combustion possess, as is known, a high thermal energy that advantageously can be recovered for the purpose of pre-heating the water entering the primary heat exchanger.
• This enables limitation of the amount of fuel consumed in so far as the thermal jump required becomes smaller, given the same final temperature required of the service water leaving the boiler.
• devices referred to as “fume-heat recovery devices” or sometimes also as “economizers” are traditionally used. They usually comprise heat exchangers, also referred to as “secondary heat exchangers", located within the boiler along the path used for exhaust of the combustion fumes outwards.
• the secondary heat exchanger is constituted by a battery of tubes housed in a container inside the casing of the boiler.
• the tubes are internally traversed by the service water and are externally lapped by the combustion fumes conveyed within the container by means of a fan.
• the thermal energy of the fumes is transferred from the fumes to the service water.
• the solution illustrated envisages the use of a partition wall that separates the inlet of the fumes from the outlet, enabling them to follow a predefined path.
• plate heat exchangers of a known kind present some drawbacks that derive from the modalities of production and assembly commonly adopted.
• Plate heat exchangers of a known type envisage, in fact, the provision of a dual distribution circuit for bringing the two fluids into thermal contact with one another.
• each plate is in general equipped with at least four openings, provided, alternately, for inlet/outlet of the first fluid (for example, the combustion fumes) and for the passage, in the two directions, of the second fluid (for example, water).
• Each of said openings is provided with appropriate connection collars, which extend in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plates so that corresponding to the juxtaposition of the plates is the formation of passages between one chamber and the other for the aforesaid fluids.
• the main aim of the present invention is to provide a plate heat exchanger, which will enable the drawbacks just referred to above to be overcome.
• a purpose of the present invention is to provide a plate heat exchanger that may be obtained with a limited number of components that can easily be assembled together.
• Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a plate heat exchanger that will present a high degree of reliability and that will guarantee an efficient heat exchange between combustion fumes and water, designed for service uses.
• a further purpose of the present invention is to provide a plate heat exchanger that will be easy to integrate in a heat-recovery device or economizer, in a boiler for domestic or industrial use.
• the least important purpose of the present invention is to provide a plate heat exchanger that will present a relatively simple structure and that will be relatively easy to produce industrially at competitive costs.
• the plate heat exchanger envisages the creation of just one distribution circuit for bringing the fluids of the heat exchanger into thermal contact with one another, minimizing, for each plate, the number of openings for passage of fluids.
• the plates are coupled together so as to form just one circuit for the circulation of a first fluid, for example water, in a plurality of chambers.
• a second fluid for example the combustion fumes of a boiler, is brought into thermal contact with the first fluid by means of a series of lateral gaps made in the structure of the heat exchanger and alternating with said plurality of chambers. Said gaps develop in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the plates of the heat exchanger.
• Figures Ia-Ib are schematic illustrations of a first perspective view and a second perspective view of a first embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the present invention
• Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the present invention
• Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of a first cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of Figures Ia-Ib;
• Figure 4 illustrates an enlarged detail of Figure 3
• Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a second cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of Figures Ia-Ib;
• Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged detail of Figure 5
• Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of a third cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger of Figures Ia-Ib;
• Figure 8 illustrates an enlarged detail of Figure 7
• FIG. 9 illustrates an enlarged detail of the heat exchanger of Figure 2.
• Figures 10a- 10b are schematic illustrations of a first and a second perspective view of a heat-exchanger element in the heat exchanger of Figures Ia-Ib;
• Figures 1 Ia-I Ib are schematic illustrations of a first and a second perspective view of a first plate of the heat-exchanger element of Figures 10a- 10b;
• Figures 12a- 12b are schematic illustrations of a first perspective view and a second perspective view of a second plate of the heat-exchanger element of Figures 10a- 10b;
• Figures 13 a- 13b are schematic illustrations of a first perspective view and a second perspective view of a heat-exchanger element in the heat exchanger of Figure 2;
• Figures 14a- 14b are schematic illustrations of a first perspective view and a second perspective view of a first plate of the heat-exchanger element of Figures 13a- 13b;
• FIGs 15 a- 15b are schematic illustrations of a first perspective view and a second perspective view of a first plate of the heat-exchanger element of Figures 13a- 13b.
• a plate heat exchanger according to the present invention in both of the embodiments 1, 1' described in what follows, comprises a plurality of heat- exchanger elements 2 that are defined by a first plate 3 and a second plate 4, the structure of which will be described in greater detail in what follows.
• the plates 3 and 4 are joined together to form a chamber 5 for circulation of a first fluid, for example water.
• the plates 3 and 4 moreover define a portion of an inlet header 6 and a portion of an outlet header 7 of said first fluid.
• the heat-exchanger elements 2 are set alongside one another and joined together, and define a plurality of gaps 8 for passage of a second fluid, which is for example constituted by the combustion fumes of a boiler.
• a second fluid which is for example constituted by the combustion fumes of a boiler.
• One of the peculiarities of the heat exchanger of the present invention is that it has an inlet section 10 and an outlet section 11 of the second fluid substantially orthogonal to the plates 3 and 4.
• the heat exchanger of the present invention presents a very simple structure.
• the plates are joined to provide just one circuit for circulation, constituted by the various chambers 5 connected together through the inlet header 6 and two outlet header 7, which develop along two mutually parallel axes perpendicular to said plates.
• the water (which in general constitutes the first heat-exchange fluid) enters the heat exchanger through the header 6, fills the chambers 5, traversing them from left to right, and comes out of the heat exchanger through the outlet header 7.
• the second heat-exchange fluid normally constituted by the combustion fumes of a boiler, enters the heat exchanger 1 through the inlet section 10, traverses the gaps 8 (from right to left in the heat exchanger 1 of
• the first, inlet, header 6 of the first fluid is positioned in the proximity of the outlet section 11 of the second fluid, whilst the second, outlet, header 7 is positioned in the proximity of the inlet section 10 of the second fluid.
• the first and second plates 3, 4 have a substantially rectangular geometry.
• the first plate 3 has a first surface of contact 30 with the first fluid and a second surface of contact 31 with the second fluid. Furthermore, said first plate 3 has a first hole 32 and a second hole 33 for passage of said first fluid.
• the second plate 4 has a third surface of contact 40 with the first fluid and a fourth surface of contact 41 with the second fluid. Moreover defined on the surface of the second plate 4 are a third hole 42 and a fourth hole 43 for passage of the first fluid.
• the holes 32, 33, 42 and 43 are substantially of the same dimensions and are positioned so that, when the plates are set on top of one another and joined, their axes will be substantially coincident, thus providing a channel for passage of the first fluid perpendicular to the surface of the plates.
• the holes 32 and 33 are positioned, respectively, in the proximity of a first edge 310 and a second edge 320 of the first plate, said edges 310, 320 being set opposite to one another.
• the holes 42 and 43 of the second plate 4 are, respectively, positioned in the proximity of a first edge 410 and a second edge 420, set opposite to one another, of said second plate 4.
• the first edges 310, 410 of said first and second plates 3, 4 advantageously define the outlet section 11 of the second fluid, whilst the second edges 320, 420 define the inlet section 10 of the second fluid.
• the first plate 3 has a third edge 330 and a fourth edge 340, set opposite to one another, bent in the direction of the same surface.
• the edges 330 and 340 are bent in the direction of the surface 30 and form with said surface 30 an angle greater than 90°.
• the second plate 4 has a third edge 430 and a fourth edge 440, set opposite to one another, bent in the direction of the same surface (in this case the surface 41) and forming with said surface 41 an angle greater than 90°.
• the coupling between two plates to form a heat-exchanger element 2 is such that the edges 330 and 340 of one plate come to couple together by means of superposition with the edges 430, 440 of an adjacent plate.
• the first plate 3 has a third edge 330 and a fourth edge 340, set opposite to one another but not bent ( Figures 14a- 14b).
• the plate 3 has, in a position corresponding to the surface 31 , in contact with the second fluid, one or more reliefs 311 projecting in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface 31.
• Said reliefs 311 are particularly useful for facilitating coupling of two heat-exchanger elements 2, superimposed on one another.
• the second plate 4 has a third edge 430 and a fourth edge 440, set opposite to one another, bent in the direction of the same surface (in this case, the surface 41) and forming with said surface 41 an angle greater than 90°.
• the second internal plate comprises also inner edges 410a, 420a, 430a, 440a, respectively parallel to the edges 410, 420, 430 and 440, to define a seat 40a designed to facilitate coupling of the plate 4 with the plate 3 to form a heat-exchanger element 2.
• the inner edges of the seat 40a are designed to couple, respectively, with the edges 310, 320, 330, and 340 of the plate 3.
• the union between the different plates 3-4 is very simple and at the same time very effective. As may be seen, in fact, the union between the plates 3-4 is obtained simply by setting them alongside one the another. The sealed fixing can then be obtained with traditional techniques, for example welding or brazing.
• the first hole 32 and the second hole 33 of the first plate 3 preferably have, respectively, a first edge 321 and a second edge 331 that develop from said second surface 31 of contact with said second fluid.
• the third hole 42 and fourth hole 43 have, respectively, a third edge 421 and a fourth edge 431 that develop from said fourth surface 41 of contact with said second fluid.
• edges 321, 331, 421, 431 are such that, when the various plates and the various elements are joined together to form the heat exchanger, the edge 321 of the hole 32 of the first plate 3 will come to fit into the edge 421 of the hole 42 of the second plate 4. In the same way, the edge 331 of the hole 33 of the first plate 3 will come to fit into the edge 431 of the hole 43 of the second plate 4.
• the coupling and union of the edges 321 and 421, projecting respectively from the surfaces of contact 31 and 41 with the second fluid enables provision of a channel that will set two successive chambers 5 in communication, passing through the gaps 8.
• the inlet header 6 for the first fluid is defined through the union of the edges 321 and 421.
• the coupling and union of the edges 331 and 431 enables a further channel to be obtained, which sets two successive chambers 5 in communication, thus defining the outlet header 7 of the first fluid.
• the sealed fixing in a position corresponding to the edges can then be obtained with traditional techniques, for example welding or brazing.
• the heat exchanger according to the invention in both of the embodiments 1 and 1 ', comprises a terminal closing plate 300, which closes one end of the headers 6 and 7.
• the other end of the headers is, instead, normally connected to the boiler system.
• the headers 6 and 7 can be provided with closing means, for example threaded plugs, located at one end thereof.
• closing means for example threaded plugs
• at least one of the plates 3-4 will be provided with ribbings. Said ribbings, which can be obtained, for example, by drawing, have the primary function of increasing the surface of heat exchange and of creating preferential paths of flow of the heat-exchange fluids.
• the surfaces of the first plate 3 are substantially plane, whilst the surfaces of the second plate 4 are provided with a plurality of ribbings 450, oriented so as to maximize the heat exchange and create a preferential path, in particular for the first heat-exchange fluid within the chambers 5.
• the heat exchanger 1 and 1 ' according to the present invention in both of the embodiments proposed, enables the pre-set purposes to be achieved.
• the heat exchanger according to the present invention has a very simple structure that renders it easy and inexpensive to produce at an industrial level.
• the modularity of said structure moreover enables convenient sizing of the heat exchanger according to any type of boiler- system requirement.
• the heat exchanger according to the invention at the same time ensures an effective heat exchange between combustion fumes and water thanks to the relatively large surface of heat exchange available and to the movement in counter-current of the two fluids.
• the passage of the second fluid through the gaps described previously enables, on the one hand, a considerable reduction in the head losses and on the other facilitates the integration of the device for recovery of heat in a boiler for domestic or industrial use.
• the compact and simple structure of the heat exchanger according to the invention enables a considerable reduction in the costs for the materials used, as well as for machining and assembly in its industrial production as compared to traditional heat exchangers.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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• 2007
  • 2007-03-16 IT IT000043A patent/ITTV20070043A1/it unknown
• 2008
  • 2008-03-13 EP EP08717738A patent/EP2122287A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-03-13 WO PCT/EP2008/052994 patent/WO2008113740A1/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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