Heat exchanger for high purity fluid handling systems

• US 20030188539A1
• Filed: 04/03/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Integrated Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Applied Integrated Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Abras, Alexei D., Taghipour, Saeed
• Granted Patent: US 6,782,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/162 using electrical energy supply
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 4/02 Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 21/04 reversible
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/0034 using liquid heat storage material
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/0041 the conduits for only one medium being tubes having parts touching each other or tubes assembled in panel form F28D7/0008, F28D7/0058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/062 the heat-exchange apparatus employing tubular conduits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

A novel heat exchanger includes a thermal reservoir and a tube, the tube having straight sections and corrugated bends, and being in thermal contact with the thermal reservoir. The thermal reservoir has a first plate and a second plate fixed to the first plate. The first plate has a channel formed therein with straight sections to receive the straight sections of the tube, and curved sections for receiving the corrugated sections of the tube. The second plate has a channel formed therein as well that is complementary to the channel of the first plate. The heat exchanger is heated by one or more cartridge heaters. In a particular embodiment, two thermal reservoirs are fixed to one another and the cartridge heaters are disposed in channels formed therebetween. Optionally the thermal reservoirs can be heated or cooled by thermoelectric chips, and can include one or more heat sinks.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:

a thermal reservoir; and

a tube in thermal contact with said thermal reservoir, said tube having corrugated bends formed therein.

2. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said tube is formed from a plastic.

3. A heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein said tube is formed from perfluoroalkoxy (PFA) plastic.

4. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said tube maintains structural integrity at temperatures exceeding 250 degrees Celsius.

5. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said tube is chemically inert.

6. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said tube comprises a plurality of straight sections and a plurality of corrugated sections.

7. A heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein said straight sections of said tube are disposed parallel to one another.

8. A heat exchanger according to claim 7, wherein the spacing between adjacent edges of two of said parallel straight sections of said tube is less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of said tube.

9. A heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein said thermal reservoir comprises at least one plate, having at least one channel formed therein for thermally engaging at least a portion of said tube.

10. A heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein said channel comprises a plurality of straight sections and a plurality of curved sections.

11. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein said curved sections of said channel have a larger diameter than said straight sections to accept said corrugated bends of said tube.

12. A heat exchanger according to claim 10, wherein said straight sections of said channel are formed parallel to one another.

13. A heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the spacing between two of said parallel straight sections of said channel is less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of said channel.

14. A heat exchanger according the claim 9, wherein said thermal reservoir further comprises a second plate, coupled to said first plate, said second plate having at least one channel complementary to said channel of said first plate formed therein for thermally engaging at least a portion of said tube.

15. A heat exchanger according to claim 14, wherein said complementary channel of said second plate comprises straight sections and curved sections.

16. A heat exchanger according to claim 15, wherein said curved sections of said complementary channel have a larger diameter than said straight sections of said complementary channel to accept said corrugated bends of said tube.

17. A heat exchanger according to claim 15, wherein said straight sections of said complementary channel are formed parallel to one another.

18. A heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the spacing between two of said parallel straight sections of said complementary channel is less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of said complementary channel.

19. A heat exchanger according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said first plate and said second plate define a recess for receiving a heater.

20. A heat exchanger according to claim 19, wherein said recess comprises a bore in said first plate or said second plate.

21. A heat exchanger according to claim 19, wherein said recess comprises a bore between said first plate and said second plate.

22. A heat exchanger according to claim 19, further comprising a cartridge heater disposed in said recess.

23. A heat exchanger according to claim 14, further comprising a plurality of thermoelectric chips thermally coupled to said first plate.

24. A heat exchanger according to claim 23, further comprising a heat sink coupled to said plurality of thermoelectric chips.

25. A heat exchanger according to claim 24, wherein said heat sink comprises a cooling plate adapted to facilitate a cooling fluid flowing therethrough.

26. A heat exchanger according to claim 14, wherein said thermal reservoir further comprises:

a third plate having at least one channel formed therein; and

a fourth plate, fixed to said third plate, said fourth plate having a channel formed therein complementary to said channel of said third plate; and

wherein

said heat exchanger further comprises a second tube, having corrugated bends, disposed in said channel of said third plate and said channel of said fourth plate.

27. A heat exchanger according to claim 26, further including at least one heater disposed between said second plate and said third plate.

28. A heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein said heater comprises a cartridge heater disposed in a bore formed between said second plate and said third plate.

29. A heat exchanger according to claim 26, further comprising:

a first plurality of thermoelectric chips, in thermal contact with said thermal reservoir, disposed on a side of said first plate opposite of said channel of said first plate; and

a second plurality of thermoelectric chips, in thermal contact with said thermal reservoir, disposed on a side of said fourth plate opposite said channel of said fourth plate.

30. A heat exchanger according to claim 29, further comprising a heat sink thermally coupled to at least a portion of said thermoelectric chips.

31. A heat exchanger according to claim 30, wherein said heat sink comprises at least one cooling vessel, said cooling vessel adapted to facilitate a cooling fluid flowing therethrough.

32. A heat exchanger according to claim 31, wherein said heat sink comprises:

a first cooling vessel coupled to said first plurality of thermoelectric chips; and

a second cooling vessel coupled to said second plurality of thermoelectric chips.

33. A heat exchanger according to claim 32, wherein said first cooling vessel is in fluid communication with said second cooling vessel.

34. A heat exchanger according to claim 26, wherein said tube is in fluid communication with said second tube.

35. A heat exchanger according to claim 26, wherein said second plate and said third plate are formed integrally as a single plate.

36. A heat exchanger comprising:

a first plate having at least one channel formed therein, said channel having straight sections and curved sections;

a tube having straight sections and corrugated sections, said straight sections of said tube disposed in said straight sections of said channel of said first plate, and said corrugated sections of said tube disposed in said curved sections of said channel of said first plate;

a second plate coupled to said first plate, said second plate having at least one channel complementary to said channel of said first plate for accepting said tube;

a third plate coupled to said second plate, said third plate having at least one channel formed therein, said channel having straight sections and curved sections;

a second tube having straight sections and corrugated sections, said straight sections of said second tube disposed in said straight sections of said channel of said third plate, and said corrugated sections of said tube disposed in said curved sections of said channel of said third plate;

a fourth plate coupled to said third plate, said fourth plate having at least one channel complementary to said channel of said third plate for accepting said second tube; and

at least one heater thermally coupled to one of said plates.

37. A heat exchanger according to claim 36, wherein said heater comprises a cartridge heater disposed in a channel formed between two of said plates.

38. A heat exchanger according to claim 36, wherein said second plate and said third plate are formed integrally as a single plate.

39. A heat exchanger comprising:

a first plate having a plurality of straight channels formed therein, said straight channels arranged parallel to one another;

a tube having straight sections and corrugated sections, each of said straight sections of said tube being disposed in one of said channels of said first plate, and said corrugated sections of said tube being disposed outside said first plate, the spacing between each of said channels of said first plate being less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of said tube;

a second plate coupled to said first plate, said second plate having a plurality of channels complementary to said straight channels of said first plate for thermally engaging said straight sections of said tube;

a third plate coupled to said second plate, said third plate having a plurality of straight channels formed therein, said channels of said third plate being arranged parallel to one another;

a second tube having straight sections and corrugated sections, each of said straight sections of said tube being disposed in one of said channels of said third plate, and said corrugated sections of said second tube being disposed outside said third plate, the spacing between each of said channels of said third plate being less than or equal to 1.5 times the diameter of said second tube;

a fourth plate coupled to said third plate, said fourth plate having a plurality of channels complementary to said plurality of channels of said third plate for thermally engaging said straight sections of said second tube;

a first plurality of thermoelectric chips in thermal contact with a side of said first plate opposite said channels of said first plate;

a second plurality of thermoelectric chips in thermal contact with a side of said fourth plate opposite said channels of said fourth plate;

a first heat sink coupled to said first plurality of thermoelectric chips; and

a second heat sink coupled to said second plurality of thermoelectric chips.

40. A heat exchanger according to claim 39, wherein said second plate and said third plate are formed integrally as a single plate.

41. A heat exchanger according to claim 39, further including at least one heater disposed between two of said plates.

42. A heat exchanger according to claim 39, wherein said first tube is in fluid communication with said second tube.

43. A heat exchanger according to claim 39, wherein said first heat sink and said second heat sink are cooling vessels in fluid communication with one another.