COUNTERFLOW HEAT EXCHANGER

• US 20110303400A1
• Filed: 06/09/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PB Heat LLC (Noritz Corporation)
• Original Assignee: PB Heat LLC (Noritz Corporation)
• Inventors: SCEARCE, David A.
• Application Number:
  US13/156,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20110303400A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/164
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 1/32 with vertical sections arranged side by side
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 8/00 Fluid heaters characterised by means for extracting latent heat from flue gases by means of condensation
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 8/006 Means for removing condensate from the heater
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0007 Water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0012 the apparatus having an annular form
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0043 the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/00 Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]

Abstract

A counterflow heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanger elements in a stacked, spaced-apart arrangement forming a plurality of inter-element passages. Each element has fluid passages formed between facing sections of a first plate and a second plate. A first-fluid passage has an outer passage circumscribing an inner passage in fluid communication with the outer passage. An inlet-port traversing passage in fluid communication with the outer passage, an outlet-port traversing passage in fluid communication with the inner passage and a second-fluid traversing passage circumscribed by the inner passage traverse the first and second plates. A first-fluid inlet header includes the inlet-port traversing passage of each element. A first-fluid outlet header includes the outlet-port traversing passage of each element. A second-fluid inlet passage in fluid communication with the plurality of inter-element passages includes the second-fluid traversing passage of each element.

Claims

7-1. The counterflow heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of heat exchanger elements are spaced-apart by a plurality of transfer seals coupled to the inlet-port traversing passages and the outlet-port traversing passages.

11. A heat exchanger element comprising:

a first plate adjacent a second plate;

a first-fluid passage formed between facing sections of the first plate and the second plate, the first-fluid passage comprising an outer passage circumscribing an inner passage in fluid communication with the outer passage;

an inlet port traversing the first and second plates, the inlet port in fluid communication with the outer passage;

an outlet port traversing the first and second plates, the outlet port in fluid communication with the inner passage; and

a second-fluid passage traversing the first and second plates, the second-fluid passage circumscribed by the inner passage.

12. The counterflow heat exchanger element according to claim 11, wherein the outer passage, the inner passage and the second-fluid passage are generally concentric.

13. The counterflow heat exchanger element according to claim 11, wherein the element has a generally circular shape and the outwardly facing surfaces of each element have raised, radially-oriented dimples arranged and configured to allow generally uniform radial flow of a fluid over the surfaces.