Heat exchange – Flow passages for two confined fluids – Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
Patent
1994-03-28
1995-10-31
Leo, Leonard R.
Heat exchange
Flow passages for two confined fluids
Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
165 78, F28F 308
Patent
active
054621127
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger of the kind comprising a package of heat transferring plates, two end plates between which the package of heat transferring plates are kept together, at least two, preferably at least four, threaded bolts, and nuts or the like in threading engagement each with one of said bolts, the bolts and nuts being arranged for movement of one of said two end plates towards or away from the other end plate.
When used for certain applications a plate heat exchanger of this kind may need to be opended relatively often, e.g. once every day, for inspection and/or cleaning of the heat transferring plates. This means that either the above said bolts or the nuts have to be rotated, so that the end plates and thus the heat transferring plates may be moved away from each other, often as much as 50 centimeters or more.
Such rotation of the bolts or the nuts--in connection with opening of the heat exchanger as well as in connection with restoring of it for operation--means a heavy, time consuming and not quite simple work. It is true, particularly in connection with large plate heat exchangers, that electrically or pneumatically operated tools are used for the rotation, but a tool of this kind has to be moved often between the different bolts or nuts--particularly at the beginning of an opening operation and at the end of a restoring operation--in order that the bolts and end plates will not be subjected to all too uneven loads or stresses. In connection with compression of the package of heat transferring plates it is also important that each one of the bolts or nuts is rotated exactly so much that the end plates in their operating positions will be situated in parallell with each other. If not so, leakage may come up between the heat transferring plates.
The present invention has for its object to provide an apparatus substantially facilitating opening of a plate heat exchanger and restoring of it for operation.
For this purpose it is suggested a plate heat exchanger of the initially defined kind, which is characterized by a flexible endless drive member, such as a tooth belt or the like, which partly surrounds and engages by rotational driving engagement each one of said bolts, or each one of said nuts, and a motor in driving engagement with the drive member for simultaneous rotation of all the bolts or nuts.
By means of such a device the plate heat exchanger may be rapidly and simply opened to a desired degree and, with the same rapidity and simplicity, restored for operation after inspection or Cleaning of the heat transferring plates. Only at one place along the package of heat transferring plates the distance between end plates has to be checked in connection with the compression of the package, because during this compression the end plates all the time are kept in parallel with each other. Through the simultaneous rotation of all the bolts or nuts much time can be saved in connection with opening and restoring of the plate heat exchanger. Further, it is made sure thereby that the bolts and the end plates are subjected to a uniform load or stress during the whole compression of the package of heat transferring plates.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bolts extend as draw bolts between the end plates, and the bolts have bolt heads which are arranged to bear directly or indirectly against one of the end plates, said nuts being arranged to bear directly or indirectly against the other end plate. In this embodiment the bolt heads as well as the nuts are preferably coupled to the respective end plates in a way such that they are prevented from moving axially away therefrom during operation of the drive member. Hereby, the end plates in connection with opening of the plate heat exchanger may be moved away from each other to a desired degree, while they are kept parallel with each other, just by driving of the drive member by means of the said motor.
In another embodiment of the invention the bolts are placed between a part of the heat exchanger frame and an
REFERENCES:
patent: 1754857 (1930-04-01), Harrison
patent: 2300663 (1942-11-01), Fette
patent: 2621028 (1952-12-01), Newhall
patent: 2639126 (1953-05-01), Newhall
Alfa-Laval Food Engineering AB
Leo Leonard R.
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