Heat exchange – Flow passages for two confined fluids – Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
Patent
1993-08-23
1995-11-14
Schwadron, Martin P.
Heat exchange
Flow passages for two confined fluids
Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
165170, F28F 314
Patent
active
054657857
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to heat exchangers of the kind generally known as plate-fin heat exchangers, though they also have some similarities to the shell-tube type.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fluid passages in plate-fin heat exchangers are defined by partitions of a metal which has a satisfactorily high coefficient of heat transfer, so that when a high temperature fluid is passed through some passages and low temperature fluid is passed through further passages which are adjacent thereto, there results a cooling of the originally high temperature fluid, by heat conduction through the thickness of the partitions into the cool fluid. Efficiency of heat exchange is boosted by inclusion in the fluid flow passages of so-called "fins", which may in fact be corrugated members, dimples, grooves, protuberances, baffles or other turbulence promoters, instead of fins as such.
Plate-fin heat exchangers offer significant advantages over shell-tube heat exchangers in terms of weight, space, thermal efficiency and the ability to handle several process streams--i.e. several streams of heat exchange media--at once. However, most current plate-fin heat exchanger technology is centred on a brazed matrix construction using aluminium components and is therefore limited to low pressure and low temperature operation. Even using other materials, such as stainless steel, operational pressure limits (say, 80-90 bar) apply because of brazing as the method of fabrication.
Our prior patent applications EP90308923.3 and GB9012618.6 disclose alternative ways of manufacturing plate-fin heat exchanger elements which help to avoid the above problems and allow greater flexibility in their design. Among other things, they describe a method of manufacturing heat exchange plate elements in which metal (e.g. titanium or stainless steel) sheets are stacked together and selectively diffusion bonded to each other before being superplastically deformed to a final hollow shape defining internal passages, which can incorporate integrally formed "fins". Use of superplastic deformation in the manufacturing process enables the generation of high volume fractions of hollowness in a heat exchanger element. The result is a high integrity, low weight heat exchanger element. For example, use of titanium alloy materials to produce heat exchanger elements by the diffusion bonding and superplastic forming route enables their operation at pressures in excess of 200 bar and at temperatures up to 300.degree. C., whereas stainless steel materials enable even better performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to facilitate easy manufacture and assembly of heat exchangers incorporating matrices of such superplastically formed/diffusion bonded heat exchanger plate elements.
According to the present invention, a plate-fin type of heat exchanger for facilitating exchange of heat between at least two process streams, comprises; apart relationship, streams through the metal jacket to and from the matrix of heat exchange plate elements, the first flow passage means being defined between adjacent plate elements; least a second process stream, and and outlet means being connected to the second flow passage means and to the inlet and outlet manifold means for flow of at least the second process stream therethrough; sheets having a superplastically expanded internal core structure defining heat exchange flow passage means for at least the second process stream.
Preferably, the plate elements have edge portions which are thin relative to portions of the plate elements having the expanded internal core structure, adjacent plate elements being held in position in the matrix relative to each other by serrated bar means which engage the thin edge portions of the plate elements.
Preferably, at least the inlet manifold means for at least the second process stream is detachable from the metal jacket means, the heat exchanger matrix being removable from the metal Jacket means together with the inlet manifold means.
The
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Adderley Colin I.
Fowler John O.
Wignall Michael F.
Leo L. R.
Rolls-Royce plc
Schwadron Martin P.
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