EP2406571B1 - A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger - Google Patents
A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2406571B1 EP2406571B1 EP10707203.5A EP10707203A EP2406571B1 EP 2406571 B1 EP2406571 B1 EP 2406571B1 EP 10707203 A EP10707203 A EP 10707203A EP 2406571 B1 EP2406571 B1 EP 2406571B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- heat exchanger
- plate
- plates
- fold
- manufacturing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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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
- F28D9/0025—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 being formed by zig-zag bend plates
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D—WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- B21D53/00—Making other particular articles
- B21D53/02—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers
- B21D53/04—Making other particular articles heat exchangers or parts thereof, e.g. radiators, condensers fins, headers of sheet metal
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F2220/00—Closure means, e.g. end caps on header boxes or plugs on conduits
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F2230/00—Sealing means
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F2245/00—Coatings; Surface treatments
- F28F2245/04—Coatings; Surface treatments hydrophobic
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
- F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
- F28F2275/00—Fastening; Joining
- F28F2275/12—Fastening; Joining by methods involving deformation of the elements
- F28F2275/122—Fastening; Joining by methods involving deformation of the elements by crimping, caulking or clinching
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger. It further relates to a plate heat exchanger manufactured using said method.
- Heat exchanging equipment is widely used for changing or maintaining the temperatures of machinery, buildings, components and the like. Basically, such equipment operate by conveying heat energy from one place to another, either by removing heat from an object to be cooled down or by transferring heat to an object to be warmed up.
- the basic principle of most heat exchangers is to transfer heat between two or more fluids.
- the heat transfer takes place mainly due to the temperature gradient, as the respective fluids are moving towards thermal equilibrium.
- heat can move faster to and from the contact surface if the heat convection in the fluid is increased.
- a way to increase the convection within fluids is to design the heat exchanger so that the fluid flows are turbulent, as the convection is highly dependent on the turbulence level of the respective fluid.
- the manufacturing method needs to ensure that the heat exchangers possess a certain strength to be able to sustain the pressure from the fluid flows.
- it is advantageous to manufacture the strongest possible heat exchangers.
- it is relevant to prevent leakage of dangerous process fluids such as refrigerants to the surroundings, which could result in hazardous contamination and system malfunctions.
- heat exchangers should be manufactured from a material that enables a high degree of heat transfer. Further on, this material needs to be resistant to chemical reactions with the fluids it is to convey.
- a plate heat exchanger is a frequently used type of heat exchanger that uses profiled plates in order to transfer heat between two fluids.
- the plate heat exchanger is normally manufactured by stacking a plurality of profiled heat exchanger plates, coupling them suitably and subsequently applying sealant in order to avoid that the two media mix and hence decrease the efficiency of the heat exchanger. Coupling and sealing of the individual plates may by way of example be done by gluing or welding. Alternatively, the coupling of the individual plates may by done by punching suitable flaps on the plates.
- WO 2007071253 discloses such an arrangement where plates are provided with foldable flaps.
- said methods entail use of fairly thick plates. This is required since the plates need to sustain the strain caused by said methods of plate coupling. Consequently, the material consumption increases. This contributes to increase the costs of manufacturing the heat exchanger.
- Document EP 0167 993 representing the closet prior art to the subject-matter of claims 1 and 11, discloses a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 1 and a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 11.
- an objective of the present invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger.
- Yet another objective of the present invention is to reduce the material consumption used in connection with the manufacture of the plate heat exchanger.
- Another objective is to provide the plate heat exchanger manufactured using said method.
- the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger, said method comprising the steps of providing a first heat exchanger plate, covering the first heat exchanger plate with at least a second heat exchanger plate, folding portions of the two heat exchanger plates together along at least a section of at least one border associated with said plates to form a fold, applying a sealant said sealant being applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates.
- Border should here be construed as the extreme peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plate.
- the joint made in this manner constitutes a physical obstacle for the fluid that flows between said plates. This may contribute significantly, in conjunction with the inherent design of the heat exchanger, to isolate the desired parts of the heat exchanger from the surroundings as said joints may be part of the lateral surface of the heat exchanger.
- Said lateral surface should be construed as extending circumferentially and being substantially perpendicular to the heat exchanger plates.
- a simplified joining of the plates may be achieved since use of additional tools and means in order to join the adjacent plates is made superfluous.
- a sealant may be applied externally to at least a part of the said lateral surface in order to provide a tight seal between the desired parts of the heat exchanger and the surroundings. This sealant may also provide additional mechanical stability to the heat exchanger.
- Said method may further comprise that at least said first and second heat exchanger plate are being part of an uninterrupted strip of material.
- the stacking of the plates is simplified.
- the risk of a leak on the lateral surface of the heat exchanger may be greatly reduced due to the inherent properties of the manufacturing method. As an advantage, a more robust heat exchanger may be obtained.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least a part of an outer surface of the at least one fold with indentations.
- recesses are created on the outer surface of the fold. These recesses may contribute to prevent the unfolding of the said fold. The unfolding may occur due to the elevated internal pressure of the fluids in the heat exchanger. As an advantage, a more robust heat exchanger may be obtained.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least one surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates with an end plate.
- End plates may be positioned on any part of the lateral surface or on the top respectively bottom surface of the heat exchanger.
- the heat exchanger may acquire increased mechanical stability as well as protection from undesirable external influences.
- Said folding may be carried out by means of at least one roll. In this way the portions of the two plates may be jointly folded. Thus, the folding may be achieved in a controlled and precise manner.
- Said first fold may be essentially cylinder-shaped with the diameter that is preferably between 1,5 mm and 2,5 mm, more preferred between 1,7 and 2,3 mm and most preferred between 1,9 and 2,1 mm.
- the fold since said fold may be positioned at the respective fluids inlet into the heat exchanger, the fold may be used to regulate the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger.
- an increased efficiency of the heat exchanger may be obtained.
- noise levels generated by the operating heat exchanger may be reduced.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least one heat exchanger plate with a hydrophobic coating.
- an improved corrosion protection of the heat exchanger may be obtained.
- the useful life of the heat exchanger may be prolonged.
- the heat exchanger may require reduced maintenance.
- Said method may further comprise the step of bringing in contact a portion of the first heat exchanger plate with a portion of the second heat exchanger plate along at least a part of at least a first border whereby said step may be carried out by means of clamping means.
- said step may be carried out by means of clamping means.
- Said method may further comprise the step of arranging a first border of the first heat exchanger plate with an offset to a first border of the second heat exchanger plate. In this way, at one plate end, the lower positioned plate extends beyond the plate that is positioned on top of it. Consequently, the first border of the first and the second plate are not aligned. As an advantage, appropriate folding is facilitated.
- Said offset may preferably be between 0,5 and 1,5 mm, more preferred between 0,7 and 1,3 mm and most preferred between 0,8 and 1,2 mm.
- the invention relates to a plate heat exchanger comprising at least three stacked heat exchanger plates, wherein two adjacent plates are interconnected along at least a part of at least one border associated with said plates by a fold, said fold being constituted of peripheral portions of said adjacent plates, and wherein a sealant is applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said at least three stacked heat exchanger plates.
- Border should here be construed as the extreme peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plate.
- the joint made in this manner and positioned in the peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plates constitutes a physical obstacle for the fluid that flows between said plates. This may contribute significantly, in conjunction with the inherent design of the heat exchanger, to isolate the desired parts of the heat exchanger from the surroundings as said joints may be part of the lateral surface of the heat exchanger.
- Said lateral surface should be construed as extending circumferentially and being substantially perpendicular to the heat exchanger plates.
- the thickness of the heat exchanger plate may preferably be less than 110 microns, more preferred less than 100 microns and most preferred less than 95 microns. Standard plate joining techniques such as welding would typically require relatively thick plates.
- the joining of the plates may be performed by using a portion of the respective plate. This allows for use of thinner heat exchanger plates. As an advantage, significant reductions in material consumption may be achieved.
- the plates made in a thinner material allow for a greater amount of fluid to enter the heat exchanger. This, in turn, may reduce the pressure drop in the heat exchanger.
- additional plates may be incorporated while maintaining the external dimensions of the heat exchanger. In this way, an increased surface area suitable for heat exchange may be achieved while pressure drop in the heat exchanger remains constant.
- Said plate heat exchanger may be a countercurrent plate heat exchanger. Due to its inherent properties said heat exchanger may be able to maintain a nearly constant gradient between two substantially equal fluid flows. In this way, significant temperature changes of the respective fluid may be achieved. This may be useful when said plate heat exchanger is used for e.g. air conditioning appliances.
- Said plate heat exchanger may have the fold that is essentially cylinder-shaped and the ratio between the diameter of the said fold and the vertical distance between the adjacent plates is preferably less than 1.5, more preferred less then 1.25, and most preferred less then 1.1.
- Fig 1 is a schematic drawing of a plate heat exchanger 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- the schematically shown plate heat exchanger 2 is of the countercurrent type. Accordingly, the two fluids move in opposite directions.
- the plate heat exchanger 2 comprises a stack of mutually spaced plates. Number of plates may vary from around 50 to several hundreds, depending on the application.
- a hot fluid inlet 6 and a hot fluid outlet 8 are positioned adjacent one another at the hot end 10 of the heat exchanger 2.
- a cold fluid inlet 12 and a cold fluid outlet 14 are in turn positioned adjacent one another at the cold end 16 of the heat exchanger 2.
- Plate heat exchangers are used for heat exchange between fluids. From the respective inlet, the flow of the two fluids is distributed into a plurality of channels (not shown), wherein a channel adapted for transport of one fluid is normally sandwiched between two channels that are conveying the other fluid.
- the incoming hot fluid exchanges heat directly with already heated incoming cold fluid. This is done in order to additionaly increase the outlet temperature of the incoming cold fluid before said fluid exits the heat exchanger at the hot end. Obviously, the temperature of the incoming hot fluid is reduced in this process and said incoming hot fluid that has been cooled down subsequently exits the heat exchanger at the cold end 16. Analoguosly, the incoming cold fluid exchanges heat directly with already cooled down incoming hot fluid. Ideally, the process of heat transfer takes place along the entire length of the heat exchanger 2 in order to obtain the largest possible heat exchange.
- Fig 2a-2d illustrate different steps of the method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- the suitably profiled heat exchanger plates 4, 5 are stacked on eachother.
- the positioning of the individual plates needs to be executed with considerable precision, since it affects the subsequent manufacturing steps.
- the plates are part of an uninterrupted strip of material 18.
- plates 4, 5 may be provided separate from eachother prior to stacking.
- a subsequent step illustrated in a cross-sectional, close-up view in fig 2b , the adjacent plates 4, 5 are brought into contact. Said bringing in contact is carried out by means of clamping means (not shown).
- Said clamping means may come in a variety of forms. In one embodiment, it is at least one gripping jaw. Typically, said gripping jaw is positioned in the plate sections where borders of the plates 22, 23 meet eachother. In this way, by engaging the jaw with the peripheral portions 20, 21 of the adjacent plates 4, 5, it is achieved that the peripheral portions of the two plates 20, 21 abut eachother prior to folding. Said gripping jaw remains engaged throughout the joint folding of the peripheral portions 20, 21 of the plates 4, 5.
- the size of the engagement zone is typically a few square milimeters.
- a border of the first heat exchanger plate 22 is arranged with an offset 24 to a corresponding border of the second heat exchanger plate 23. Consequently, the first border 22, 23 of the first and the second plate 4, 5 are not aligned.
- the size of the offset 24 is usually around 1 mm, although other values are envisageable.
- said folding may be performed by means of at least one roll (not shown).
- the fold 26 is, in one embodiment, essentially cylinder-shaped. Its diameter is typically around 2 mm. Since said fold 26 normally is situated at the respective fluids inlet into the heat exchanger, the fold may be used to regulate the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger.
- a sealant 28 is applied to the fully assembled heat exchanger 2.
- Said sealant 28 is normally applied to at least a part of a lateral surface 29 constituted by the heat exchanger plates. Purpose of the sealant 28 is to prevent any fluid leakage from the heat exchanger 2. Consequently, a tight seal is thereby achieved between the process fluids and the surroundings.
- a hot melt with a temperature of around 200 °C is used, but other sealing alternatives are envisageble.
- the folding is performed in a controlled and precise manner.
- Fig 3a-3d illustrate, by means of a cross-sectional view, different steps of the plate folding process according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- extreme peripheral portions 20, 21 of the adjacent plates 30, 32 are, as mentioned above with reference to fig 2b , at first, brought in direct contact with each other by means of a gripping jaw (not shown). Furthermore, a border 22 of the upper heat exchanger plate 30 is arranged with an offset to a corresponding border 23 of the lower heat exchanger plate 32. Thus, at one plate end, the lower plate 32 extends beyond the plate that is positioned on top of it 30. Consequently, the borders 22, 23 of the first and the second plate 4, 5 are not aligned.
- a bending of the section of the peripheral portion 20 of the lower plate 32 is executed.
- this bending may be done by means of a first rotating roll (not shown) that engages portion of said lower plate.
- Said roll is usually made in stainless steel.
- the rotating roll exerts a pressure on the lower plate 32, achieving thereby adequate bending of the plate portion 20.
- a further bending of the section of the peripheral portion 20 of the lower plate 32 and an initial bending of the peripheral portion 21 of the upper plate 30 is executed. Analoguosly to what has been stated above, this bending may be done by means of a second rotating roll (not shown) that simultaneously engages portions 20, 21 of both plates 30, 32.
- the rotating rolls are enabled to travel along the peripheral portion of the adjacent plates. Furthermore, successive bending of the peripheral portions 20, 21 of the plates 30, 32 is initiated by the first roll and continued and also eventually completed by the subsequent rolls. For satisfactory folding, it is important that the heat exchanger plates 30, 32 are parallel and plane during the entire folding process.
- Number of rolls employed in the folding process may vary, depending on the size of the plates 30, 32 as well as size of the fold. Said rolls may be made in a variety of materials. Other means of folding than rotating rolls are equally conceivable.
- Fig 4a is a cross-sectional view of peripheral portions 20, 21 of the adjacent plates 30, 32 comprising a fold 26 that has been described above, with reference to fig 3a - 3d .
- the extreme peripheral portions 20, 21 of the adjacent plates 30, 32 are folded together in order to create said fold 26.
- the fold 26 has a circular cross-section, but other shapes, such as elliptical, are equally conceivable.
- size of the fold 26 depends on the distance between two adjacent heat exchanger plates 30, 32. In general, shape and size of the fold 26 are dependent on the application field of the heat exchanger. Further on, next to the folded portion of the two plates, there is a portion of the respective plate 30, 32 where the two plates are brought into direct contact with eachother.
- Fig 4b is a front view of the fold shown in Fig 4a .
- the outer surface 35 of the fold 26 is provided with recesses 36.
- Recess pattern may vary according to the requirements of use.
- Said recesses 36 may, by way of example, be made using a roll (not shown) oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the fold 26.
- the purpose of the recesses 36 is to prevent the unfolding of said fold 26. The unfolding may occur due to the elevated internal fluid pressure in the heat exchanger.
- Fig 5 is a perspective view of an air-air countercurrent heat exchanger 37 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- said heat exchanger 37 has hexagonal longitudinal cross-section.
- the heat exchanger 37 is constituted of a plurality of stacked and suitably profiled heat exchanger plates.
- a suitable sealant 28, such as hot melt is applied to at least a part of a lateral surface 29 constituted by the heat exchanger plates.
- said sealant 28 may also be applied to the portions of the lateral surface 29 where, according to this embodiment, folding is not performed.
- the hot melt ensures that the fluid flow channels are hermetically sealed off from the surroundings.
- the mutually parallel lateral sides 38, 40, both of them provided with folds along the plate borders, are used as inlet and the outlet of the respective fluid.
- An end plate 42 is mounted on the top surface 44 of the assembled heat exchanger 37. Its purpose is to provide additional mechanical stability as well as protection against undesirable external influences.
- Heat exchanger plates are normally made in a material with high heat conductivity, such as aluminium or steel. Alternatively, a polymer material is used. For some applications heat exchanger plates may be provided with a hydrophobic coating that could be achieved by means of a polymer foil. Alternative longitudinal cross-sections are conceivable. End plates may be mounted on any of the surfaces of the heat exchanger as well as on any portion of the lateral surface.
- Primary application field for the plate heat exchanger according to the present invention is the heat exchange between two gases, in particular air, but even other media such as steam or liquid should be envisaged, whereas slight modifications of the original design might be required.
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Abstract
Description
- The present invention generally relates to a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger. It further relates to a plate heat exchanger manufactured using said method.
- Heat exchanging equipment is widely used for changing or maintaining the temperatures of machinery, buildings, components and the like. Basically, such equipment operate by conveying heat energy from one place to another, either by removing heat from an object to be cooled down or by transferring heat to an object to be warmed up.
- The basic principle of most heat exchangers is to transfer heat between two or more fluids. The heat transfer takes place mainly due to the temperature gradient, as the respective fluids are moving towards thermal equilibrium. Secondly, heat can move faster to and from the contact surface if the heat convection in the fluid is increased. A way to increase the convection within fluids is to design the heat exchanger so that the fluid flows are turbulent, as the convection is highly dependent on the turbulence level of the respective fluid.
- The manufacturing method needs to ensure that the heat exchangers possess a certain strength to be able to sustain the pressure from the fluid flows. The higher the pressure a heat exchanger can sustain, the more versatile it is in application. Thus, it is advantageous to manufacture the strongest possible heat exchangers. Furthermore, for some heat exchanger applications it is relevant to prevent leakage of dangerous process fluids such as refrigerants to the surroundings, which could result in hazardous contamination and system malfunctions.
- Furthermore, heat exchangers should be manufactured from a material that enables a high degree of heat transfer. Further on, this material needs to be resistant to chemical reactions with the fluids it is to convey.
- Typically, turbulent flow increases the pressure loss in the heat exchanger, which increases the amount of energy needed to circulate the fluid. Hence, the heat exchanger design must balance the need for turbulence with the need to keep the pressure loss low. In the current art this balance is sought by rather complex designs of heat exchangers. The complex design needed to give the heat exchangers the required set of properties imposes undesirable constraints to the manufacturing method.
- A plate heat exchanger is a frequently used type of heat exchanger that uses profiled plates in order to transfer heat between two fluids. The plate heat exchanger is normally manufactured by stacking a plurality of profiled heat exchanger plates, coupling them suitably and subsequently applying sealant in order to avoid that the two media mix and hence decrease the efficiency of the heat exchanger. Coupling and sealing of the individual plates may by way of example be done by gluing or welding. Alternatively, the coupling of the individual plates may by done by punching suitable flaps on the plates.
WO 2007071253 discloses such an arrangement where plates are provided with foldable flaps. - Above-mentioned methods of plate coupling as well as use of different sealants render heat exchanger manufacturing difficult.
- Furthermore, said methods entail use of fairly thick plates. This is required since the plates need to sustain the strain caused by said methods of plate coupling. Consequently, the material consumption increases. This contributes to increase the costs of manufacturing the heat exchanger.
- Document
EP 0167 993 , representing the closet prior art to the subject-matter of claims 1 and 11, discloses a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 1 and a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 11. - In view of the above, an objective of the present invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger.
- Yet another objective of the present invention is to reduce the material consumption used in connection with the manufacture of the plate heat exchanger.
- Another objective is to provide the plate heat exchanger manufactured using said method.
- In view of at least these objects, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger, said method comprising the steps of providing a first heat exchanger plate, covering the first heat exchanger plate with at least a second heat exchanger plate, folding portions of the two heat exchanger plates together along at least a section of at least one border associated with said plates to form a fold, applying a sealant said sealant being applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates.
- By achieving first fold along at least the section of at least one border associated with said plates, a tight joint between the adjacent plates may be obtained. Border should here be construed as the extreme peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plate. The joint made in this manner constitutes a physical obstacle for the fluid that flows between said plates. This may contribute significantly, in conjunction with the inherent design of the heat exchanger, to isolate the desired parts of the heat exchanger from the surroundings as said joints may be part of the lateral surface of the heat exchanger. Said lateral surface should be construed as extending circumferentially and being substantially perpendicular to the heat exchanger plates. Once said joints form lateral walls of the heat exchanger an increased structural stability of said heat exchanger may be achieved. Furthermore, a simplified joining of the plates may be achieved since use of additional tools and means in order to join the adjacent plates is made superfluous. Subsequently, a sealant may be applied externally to at least a part of the said lateral surface in order to provide a tight seal between the desired parts of the heat exchanger and the surroundings. This sealant may also provide additional mechanical stability to the heat exchanger.
- Said method may further comprise that at least said first and second heat exchanger plate are being part of an uninterrupted strip of material. In this way, the stacking of the plates is simplified. Further on, the risk of a leak on the lateral surface of the heat exchanger may be greatly reduced due to the inherent properties of the manufacturing method. As an advantage, a more robust heat exchanger may be obtained.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least a part of an outer surface of the at least one fold with indentations. In this way, recesses are created on the outer surface of the fold. These recesses may contribute to prevent the unfolding of the said fold. The unfolding may occur due to the elevated internal pressure of the fluids in the heat exchanger. As an advantage, a more robust heat exchanger may be obtained.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least one surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates with an end plate. End plates may be positioned on any part of the lateral surface or on the top respectively bottom surface of the heat exchanger. As an advantage, the heat exchanger may acquire increased mechanical stability as well as protection from undesirable external influences.
- Said folding may be carried out by means of at least one roll. In this way the portions of the two plates may be jointly folded. Thus, the folding may be achieved in a controlled and precise manner.
- Said first fold may be essentially cylinder-shaped with the diameter that is preferably between 1,5 mm and 2,5 mm, more preferred between 1,7 and 2,3 mm and most preferred between 1,9 and 2,1 mm. In this way, since said fold may be positioned at the respective fluids inlet into the heat exchanger, the fold may be used to regulate the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger. As an advantage, by suitably sizing the fold, an increased efficiency of the heat exchanger may be obtained. Furthermore, by suitably shaping and positioning the fold, noise levels generated by the operating heat exchanger may be reduced.
- Said method may further comprise the step of providing at least one heat exchanger plate with a hydrophobic coating. Hereby, an improved corrosion protection of the heat exchanger may be obtained. As an advantage, the useful life of the heat exchanger may be prolonged. Furthermore, the heat exchanger may require reduced maintenance.
- Said method may further comprise the step of bringing in contact a portion of the first heat exchanger plate with a portion of the second heat exchanger plate along at least a part of at least a first border whereby said step may be carried out by means of clamping means. In this way, it may be achieved that the peripheral portions of the two plates abut eachother prior to folding. Appropriate folding is hereby facilitated.
- Said method may further comprise the step of arranging a first border of the first heat exchanger plate with an offset to a first border of the second heat exchanger plate. In this way, at one plate end, the lower positioned plate extends beyond the plate that is positioned on top of it. Consequently, the first border of the first and the second plate are not aligned. As an advantage, appropriate folding is facilitated.
- Said offset may preferably be between 0,5 and 1,5 mm, more preferred between 0,7 and 1,3 mm and most preferred between 0,8 and 1,2 mm.
- According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a plate heat exchanger comprising at least three stacked heat exchanger plates, wherein two adjacent plates are interconnected along at least a part of at least one border associated with said plates by a fold, said fold being constituted of peripheral portions of said adjacent plates, and wherein a sealant is applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said at least three stacked heat exchanger plates.
- This allows, as has been discussed above in view of the method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger, that a tight joint between two adjacent plates may be obtained. Border should here be construed as the extreme peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plate. The joint made in this manner and positioned in the peripheral portion of the heat exchanger plates constitutes a physical obstacle for the fluid that flows between said plates. This may contribute significantly, in conjunction with the inherent design of the heat exchanger, to isolate the desired parts of the heat exchanger from the surroundings as said joints may be part of the lateral surface of the heat exchanger. Said lateral surface should be construed as extending circumferentially and being substantially perpendicular to the heat exchanger plates. Once said joints form lateral walls of the heat exchanger an increased structural stability of said heat exchanger may be achieved. Furthermore, a simplified joining of the plates may be achieved since use of additional tools and means in order to join the adjacent plates is made superfluous. Subsequently, a sealant may be applied externally to at least a part of the said lateral surface in order to provide a tight seal between the desired parts of the heat exchanger and the surroundings. This sealant may also provide additional mechanical stability to the heat exchanger.
- The thickness of the heat exchanger plate may preferably be less than 110 microns, more preferred less than 100 microns and most preferred less than 95 microns. Standard plate joining techniques such as welding would typically require relatively thick plates. By introducing the inventive plate heat exchanger, the joining of the plates may be performed by using a portion of the respective plate. This allows for use of thinner heat exchanger plates. As an advantage, significant reductions in material consumption may be achieved. Furthermore, the plates made in a thinner material allow for a greater amount of fluid to enter the heat exchanger. This, in turn, may reduce the pressure drop in the heat exchanger. As an alternative, due to reduced plate thickness, additional plates may be incorporated while maintaining the external dimensions of the heat exchanger. In this way, an increased surface area suitable for heat exchange may be achieved while pressure drop in the heat exchanger remains constant.
- Said plate heat exchanger may be a countercurrent plate heat exchanger. Due to its inherent properties said heat exchanger may be able to maintain a nearly constant gradient between two substantially equal fluid flows. In this way, significant temperature changes of the respective fluid may be achieved. This may be useful when said plate heat exchanger is used for e.g. air conditioning appliances.
- Said plate heat exchanger may have the fold that is essentially cylinder-shaped and the ratio between the diameter of the said fold and the vertical distance between the adjacent plates is preferably less than 1.5, more preferred less then 1.25, and most preferred less then 1.1. By adequately sizing the fold with reference to the distance between adjacent plates, the occurrence of undesirable turbulence in the plate heat exchanger may be significantly reduced. As an advantage, the efficiency of the plate heat exchanger may be increased.
- Other objectives, features and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following detailed disclosure, from the attached claims as well as from the drawings.
- Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step, etc]" are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.
- The above, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be better understood through the following illustrative and non-limiting detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, with reference to the appended drawings, where the same reference numerals will be used for similar elements, wherein:
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Fig 1 is a schematic drawing of a plate heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
Fig 2a-2d illustrate different steps of a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
Fig 3a-3d illustrate, by means of a cross-sectional view, different steps of a plate folding process according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
Fig 4a is a cross-sectional view of peripheral portions of the adjacent plates comprising a fold; -
Fig 4b is a front view of the fold shown inFig 4a ; -
Fig 5 is a perspective view of an air-air countercurrent heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention; -
Fig 1 is a schematic drawing of aplate heat exchanger 2 according to one embodiment of the present invention. - The schematically shown
plate heat exchanger 2 is of the countercurrent type. Accordingly, the two fluids move in opposite directions. Theplate heat exchanger 2 comprises a stack of mutually spaced plates. Number of plates may vary from around 50 to several hundreds, depending on the application. According to one embodiment of the present invention, ahot fluid inlet 6 and a hot fluid outlet 8 (indicated by arrow) are positioned adjacent one another at thehot end 10 of theheat exchanger 2. Analoguosly, a coldfluid inlet 12 and a cold fluid outlet 14 (indicated by arrow) are in turn positioned adjacent one another at thecold end 16 of theheat exchanger 2. - The transfer of heat between the two fluids takes place via plates. In order to maximize the heat transfer between two fluids the plates are profiled since this contributes to an increased indirect contact surface between the fluids. Heat exchanger becomes more efficient if this contact surface is maximised.
- Plate heat exchangers are used for heat exchange between fluids. From the respective inlet, the flow of the two fluids is distributed into a plurality of channels (not shown), wherein a channel adapted for transport of one fluid is normally sandwiched between two channels that are conveying the other fluid. In the countercurrent heat exchanger comprising the
hot end 10 and thecold end 16 and being schematically shown infig 1 the incoming hot fluid exchanges heat directly with already heated incoming cold fluid. This is done in order to additionaly increase the outlet temperature of the incoming cold fluid before said fluid exits the heat exchanger at the hot end. Obviously, the temperature of the incoming hot fluid is reduced in this process and said incoming hot fluid that has been cooled down subsequently exits the heat exchanger at thecold end 16. Analoguosly, the incoming cold fluid exchanges heat directly with already cooled down incoming hot fluid. Ideally, the process of heat transfer takes place along the entire length of theheat exchanger 2 in order to obtain the largest possible heat exchange. -
Fig 2a-2d illustrate different steps of the method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention. - In a first step, illustrated in
fig 2a , the suitably profiledheat exchanger plates material 18. - As an alternative,
plates - In a subsequent step, illustrated in a cross-sectional, close-up view in
fig 2b , theadjacent plates plates peripheral portions adjacent plates plates peripheral portions plates heat exchanger plate 22 is arranged with an offset 24 to a corresponding border of the secondheat exchanger plate 23. Consequently, thefirst border second plate - In a following step, illustrated in a cross-sectional, close-up view in
fig 2c , the folding of theplate portions fig 3a - 3d . By way of example, said folding may be performed by means of at least one roll (not shown). Thefold 26 is, in one embodiment, essentially cylinder-shaped. Its diameter is typically around 2 mm. Since saidfold 26 normally is situated at the respective fluids inlet into the heat exchanger, the fold may be used to regulate the flow of the fluid into the heat exchanger. - In a subsequent step, illustrated in
fig 2d , asealant 28 is applied to the fully assembledheat exchanger 2. Saidsealant 28 is normally applied to at least a part of alateral surface 29 constituted by the heat exchanger plates. Purpose of thesealant 28 is to prevent any fluid leakage from theheat exchanger 2. Consequently, a tight seal is thereby achieved between the process fluids and the surroundings. By way of example a hot melt with a temperature of around 200 °C is used, but other sealing alternatives are envisageble. - By supplying
heat exchanger plates material 18, the stacking of the plates is simplified. Further on, the risk of fluid leakage originating from thelateral surface 29 of theheat exchanger 2 may be greatly reduced due to the inherent properties of the manufacturing method. Thus, a morerobust heat exchanger 2 may be obtained. - By using said gripping jaw, appropriate folding is facilitated. Furthermore, by providing an offset 24 between the adjacent plates the folding of the
peripheral portions - By executing the folding by means of at least one roll, the folding is performed in a controlled and precise manner.
- By suitably sizing the
fold 26, an increased efficiency of theheat exchanger 2 may be obtained. Furthermore, by suitably shaping thefold 26, noise levels generated by the operatingheat exchanger 2 may be reduced. - By applying said
sealant 28, an additional mechanical stability to theheat exchanger 2 may be provided. -
Fig 3a-3d illustrate, by means of a cross-sectional view, different steps of the plate folding process according to one embodiment of the present invention. - As it may be seen in
fig 3a , extremeperipheral portions adjacent plates fig 2b , at first, brought in direct contact with each other by means of a gripping jaw (not shown). Furthermore, aborder 22 of the upperheat exchanger plate 30 is arranged with an offset to a correspondingborder 23 of the lowerheat exchanger plate 32. Thus, at one plate end, thelower plate 32 extends beyond the plate that is positioned on top of it 30. Consequently, theborders second plate - In a subsequent step of the folding process, illustrated in
fig 3b , a bending of the section of theperipheral portion 20 of thelower plate 32 is executed. As stated above, this bending may be done by means of a first rotating roll (not shown) that engages portion of said lower plate. Said roll is usually made in stainless steel. As a consequence of the direct contact with the plate the rotating roll exerts a pressure on thelower plate 32, achieving thereby adequate bending of theplate portion 20. - In a following step of the folding process, illustrated in
fig 3c , a further bending of the section of theperipheral portion 20 of thelower plate 32 and an initial bending of theperipheral portion 21 of theupper plate 30 is executed. Analoguosly to what has been stated above, this bending may be done by means of a second rotating roll (not shown) that simultaneously engagesportions plates - In a subsequent step of the folding process, illustrated in
fig 3d , and very similar to the step described infig 3c , the sequential plate folding is completed. Afold 26 is thereby achieved. - As explained above, in order to render possible the plate folding, the rotating rolls are enabled to travel along the peripheral portion of the adjacent plates. Furthermore, successive bending of the
peripheral portions plates heat exchanger plates - Number of rolls employed in the folding process may vary, depending on the size of the
plates -
Fig 4a is a cross-sectional view ofperipheral portions adjacent plates fold 26 that has been described above, with reference tofig 3a - 3d . - As it may be seen, the extreme
peripheral portions adjacent plates fold 26. In one embodiment, thefold 26 has a circular cross-section, but other shapes, such as elliptical, are equally conceivable. Furthermore, size of thefold 26 depends on the distance between two adjacentheat exchanger plates fold 26 are dependent on the application field of the heat exchanger. Further on, next to the folded portion of the two plates, there is a portion of therespective plate -
Fig 4b is a front view of the fold shown inFig 4a . - As it may be seen, the
outer surface 35 of thefold 26 is provided withrecesses 36. Recess pattern may vary according to the requirements of use. Said recesses 36 may, by way of example, be made using a roll (not shown) oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of thefold 26. The purpose of therecesses 36 is to prevent the unfolding of saidfold 26. The unfolding may occur due to the elevated internal fluid pressure in the heat exchanger. -
Fig 5 is a perspective view of an air-aircountercurrent heat exchanger 37 according to one embodiment of the present invention. - As it may be seen, said
heat exchanger 37 has hexagonal longitudinal cross-section. As described in connection withFig 1 , theheat exchanger 37 is constituted of a plurality of stacked and suitably profiled heat exchanger plates. Further on, as stated above, asuitable sealant 28, such as hot melt, is applied to at least a part of alateral surface 29 constituted by the heat exchanger plates. Thus, saidsealant 28 may also be applied to the portions of thelateral surface 29 where, according to this embodiment, folding is not performed. The hot melt ensures that the fluid flow channels are hermetically sealed off from the surroundings. In this embodiment, the mutually parallellateral sides end plate 42 is mounted on thetop surface 44 of the assembledheat exchanger 37. Its purpose is to provide additional mechanical stability as well as protection against undesirable external influences. - Heat exchanger plates are normally made in a material with high heat conductivity, such as aluminium or steel. Alternatively, a polymer material is used. For some applications heat exchanger plates may be provided with a hydrophobic coating that could be achieved by means of a polymer foil. Alternative longitudinal cross-sections are conceivable. End plates may be mounted on any of the surfaces of the heat exchanger as well as on any portion of the lateral surface.
- General operating principle of the heat exchanger according to said embodiment of the present invention has been described with reference to
fig 1 . - Primary application field for the plate heat exchanger according to the present invention is the heat exchange between two gases, in particular air, but even other media such as steam or liquid should be envisaged, whereas slight modifications of the original design might be required.
- The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.
Claims (14)
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger (2) said method comprising the steps of- providing a first heat exchanger plate (4),- covering the first heat exchanger plate (4) with at least a second heat exchanger plate (5),- folding portions of the two heat exchanger plates (4,5) together along at least a section of at least one border associated with said plates to form a fold (26)- applying a sealant, said sealant being applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates,characterized in that said fold (26) has an elliptical cross-section.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to claim 1, whereby at least said first and second heat exchanger plate are being part of an uninterrupted strip of material.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, said method further comprising the step of providing at least a part of an outer surface of the fold with indentations.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, said method further comprising the step of providing at least one surface constituted by said heat exchanger plates with an end plate.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, whereby said folding is carried out by means of at least one roll.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, whereby said fold is essentially cylinder-shaped with the diameter that is preferably between 1,5 mm and 2,5 mm, more preferred between 1,7 and 2,3 mm and most preferred between 1,9 and 2,1 mm.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, said method further comprising the step of providing at least one heat exchanger plate with a hydrophobic coating.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, said method further comprising the step of bringing in contact a portion of the first heat exchanger plate with a portion of the second heat exchanger plate along at least a part of at least a first border whereby said step is carried out by means of clamping means.
- A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger according to any of the preceding claims, said method further comprising the step of arranging a first border of the first heat exchanger plate with an offset to a first border of the second heat exchanger plate.
- A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to claim 9, whereby said offset is preferably between 0,5 and 1,5 mm, more preferred between 0,7 and 1,3 mm and most preferred between 0,8 and 1,2 mm.
- A plate heat exchanger (2) comprising at least three stacked heat exchanger plates, wherein two adjacent plates (4, 5) are interconnected along at least a part of at least a first border associated with said plates by a fold (26), said fold being constituted of peripheral portions of said adjacent plates, and wherein a sealant is applied to at least a part of a lateral surface constituted by said at least three stacked heat exchanger plates, characterized in that said fold (26) has an elliptical cross-section.
- A plate heat exchanger according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of the heat exchanger plate is preferably less than 110 microns, more preferred less than 100 microns and most preferred less than 95 microns.
- A plate heat exchanger according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said heat exchanger is a countercurrent heat exchanger.
- A plate heat exchanger according to any of the claims 11 - 13, wherein said fold is essentially cylinder-Shaped and the ratio between the diameter of the said fold and the vertical distance between the adjacent plates is preferably less than 1.5, more preferred less then 1.25, and most preferred less then 1.1.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DKPA200900310 | 2009-03-09 | ||
PCT/DK2010/000026 WO2010102625A2 (en) | 2009-03-09 | 2010-03-08 | A method of manufacturng a heat exchanger |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2406571A2 EP2406571A2 (en) | 2012-01-18 |
EP2406571B1 true EP2406571B1 (en) | 2013-06-12 |
Family
ID=42728857
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP10707203.5A Not-in-force EP2406571B1 (en) | 2009-03-09 | 2010-03-08 | A method of manufacturing a heat exchanger |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2406571B1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2010102625A2 (en) |
Family Cites Families (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
SE7508256L (en) * | 1975-07-18 | 1977-01-19 | Munters Ab Carl | WAY TO PRODUCE A HEAT EXCHANGER BODY FOR RECOVERY EXCHANGERS |
US4179781A (en) * | 1976-07-26 | 1979-12-25 | Karen L. Beckmann | Method for forming a heat exchanger core |
ATE34835T1 (en) * | 1984-07-12 | 1988-06-15 | Fischbach Gmbh & Co Kg | PLATE CONSTRUCTED HEAT EXCHANGER. |
DK200600137A (en) | 2005-12-21 | 2007-06-22 | Petersen Peder Vejsig | Heat exchanger in thin profiled sheets |
-
2010
- 2010-03-08 WO PCT/DK2010/000026 patent/WO2010102625A2/en active Application Filing
- 2010-03-08 EP EP10707203.5A patent/EP2406571B1/en not_active Not-in-force
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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WO2010102625A2 (en) | 2010-09-16 |
EP2406571A2 (en) | 2012-01-18 |
WO2010102625A3 (en) | 2011-04-14 |
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