Heat exchange – Flow passages for two confined fluids – Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-21
2001-02-06
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Flow passages for two confined fluids
Interdigitated plural first and plural second fluid passages
C165S916000, C123S1960AB, C123S041330, C184S104300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182748
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a plate heat exchanger, and in particular a plate heat exchanger with a serpentine fluid flow path.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Housingless plate heat exchangers are known, for example, from German Laid-Open Application 41 25 222 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,199, and are proposed therein as water-cooled oil coolers. U.S. Patent No. 4,708,199 shows several different connection variants and flow patterns through the oil cooler. A common feature of all variants is that the heat exchanger plates are arranged so that the passage openings in the heat exchanger plates form channels that pass through the stack of heat exchanger plates, through which a medium enters or leaves. On entry, the medium is distributed to the individual flow channels between the plates connected to the channels, in order to be collected at the output in the corresponding outlet channel before it leaves the heat exchanger. The flow channels between the plates alternate. A flow channel for oil, for example, is followed by a flow channel for water and so forth. The advantage of such a heat exchanger consists of its compact design, and that only two different types of heat exchanger plates are necessary.
However, for many applications, these heat exchangers have unduly low heat exchange performance, because the flow path through the heat exchanger is short. Moreover, the two types of heat exchanger plates have significant differences in shaping, which is a manufacturing drawback.
There is also a heat exchanger with a housing, in which a stack of two plates is arranged. In this heat exchanger one medium flows through the flow channels into the two plates, and the other medium flows into the housing and then through flow channels arranged between the two plates. It is known in such heat exchangers that the media can be made to flow in serpentine fashion through the heat exchanger by arranging baffles, or the like, in the flow channels. However, such heat exchangers are too costly to manufacture, are much more material-intensive and are therefore heavier than the heat exchangers of the aforementioned type at comparable performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the present invention, a plate heat exchanger includes a plurality of spaced plates secured together to form a stack having a plurality of fluid flow channels and a first plurality of passages. The channels are divided into at least first and second groups, the channels in the first group spaced from one another by the channels in second group. Each passage in the first plurality of passages extends between adjacent plates through one of the channels in the second group of channels. Each successive passage in the first plurality of passages is in fluid communication with successive channels in the first group of channels, and is offset from each preceding passage in the first plurality of passages such that fluid flowing through the first group of channels and the first plurality of passages follows a serpentine pattern through the stack.
In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of spaced plates may include a second plurality of passages. Each passage in the second plurality of passages extends between adjacent plates through one of the channels in the first group of channels. Each successive passage in the second plurality of passages is in fluid communication with successive channels in the second group of channels and is offset from each preceding passage in the second plurality of passages such that fluid flowing through the second group of channels and the second plurality of passages follows a serpentine pattern through the stack.
In a further preferred embodiment, each plate may have a first nipple extending from the plate on a first side with an opening therethrough, and a second nipple extending from the plate on a second side with an opening therethrough. The first nipple of one of the plates abuts the second nipple of an adjacent plate with the openings aligned so as to define one of the passages of the first and second pluralities of passages. One of the first and second nipples of each plate may have a beveled end to be accepted within the opening of one of the first and second nipples of an adjacent plate.
In another preferred embodiment, each plate may have at least two nipples extending from the plate on a first side and at least two nipples extending from the plate on a second side. In at least one (possibly each) of the plates, all but one of the nipples have an opening therethrough. Also, each of the plates may have a marking tab, and the at least one of the plates has a marking tab different from the marking tabs of other plates.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the plate heat exchanger includes a first end plate and a second end plate. The first end plate is attached to a first end of the stack having an inlet in fluid communication with one of the first and second groups of channels and an outlet in fluid conmnunication with the other of the first and second groups of channels. The second end plate is attached to a second end of the stack having an inlet in fluid communication with the other of the first and second groups of channels and an outlet in fluid communication with the one of the first and second groups of channels.
In still another preferred embodiment, each plate has a circular base plate with a hole through the center of the circular base, a central flange extending from a first side of the base plate about the periphery of the hole, and an external flange extending from the first side of the base plate about the periphery of the base plate. The central and external flanges of adjacent plates abut each other with the plates secured together to form the stack. The central and external flanges of adjacent plates are secured together to limit flow of fluid into and out of the first group of channels except through the first plurality of passages and into and out of the second group of channels except through the second plurality of passages.
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Brost Viktor
Kehr Martin
Lazarus Ira S.
McKinnon Terrell
Modine Manufacturing Company
Wood Phillips VanSanten Clark & Mortimer
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