PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER WITH DUAL FLOW PATH

• US 20190316847A9
• Filed: 11/28/2017
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carrier Corporation (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Alahyari, Abbas A., Whiton, John H., Pearson, Matthew Robert
• Application Number:
  US15/824,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20190162478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/005 the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0093 Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2215/04 Assemblies of fins having different features, e.g. with different fin densities
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/046 the deformations being linear, e.g. corrugations
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/08 Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning

Abstract

A plate heat exchanger includes a plurality of main plates stacked to define a first cavity to direct a first fluid therethrough and a second cavity to direct a second fluid therethrough, the second fluid different from and kept separated from the first fluid, and an intermediate plate located in the second cavity between adjacent main plates, the second fluid directed across both sides of the intermediate plate.

Claims

1. A plate heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of main plates stacked to define a first cavity to direct a first fluid therethrough and a second cavity to direct a second fluid therethrough, the second fluid different from and kept separated from the first fluid; and

an intermediate plate located in the second cavity between adjacent main plates, the second fluid directed across both sides of the intermediate plate.

2. The plate heat exchanger of claim 1, further comprising one or more surface enhancements disposed at the intermediate plate to induce vortices in the second fluid.

3. The plate heat exchanger of claim 2, wherein the one or more surface enhancements are one or more of material deformation at the intermediate plate or material removal from the intermediate plate.

4. The plate heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the main plates include a plurality of ridges and troughs, defining at least one main plate peak and at least one main plate valley.

5. The plate heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein the intermediate plate includes a plurality of ridges and troughs, defining at least one intermediate plate peak and at least one intermediate plate valley.

6. The plate heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein a pitch between adjacent intermediate plate peaks differs from a pitch between adjacent main plate peaks.

7. The plate heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the pitch between adjacent intermediate plate peaks is greater than a pitch between adjacent main plate peaks.

8. The plate heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the pitch between adjacent intermediate plate peaks is greater than a pitch between adjacent main plate peaks.

9. The plate heat exchanger of claim 4, wherein an amplitude between adjacent intermediate plate peaks and intermediate plate valleys differs from an amplitude between adjacent main plate peaks and main plate valleys.

10. The plate heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein the amplitude between adjacent intermediate plate peaks and intermediate plate valleys is greater than an amplitude between adjacent main plate peaks and main plate valleys.

11. The plate heat exchanger of claim 9, wherein the amplitude between adjacent intermediate plate peaks and intermediate plate valleys is less than an amplitude between adjacent main plate peaks and main plate valleys.

12. The plate heat exchanger of claim 1, further comprising a second intermediate plate disposed in the first cavity.

13. The plate heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a first flow direction of the second fluid at a first side of the intermediate plate is the same as a second flow direction of the second fluid at a second side of the intermediate plate.

14. The plate heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein a first flow direction of the second fluid at a first side of the intermediate plate is different from a second flow direction of the second fluid at a second side of the intermediate plate.

15. A plate heat exchanger comprising:

a plurality of main plates stacked to define a first cavity to direct a first fluid therethrough and a second cavity to direct a second fluid therethrough, the second fluid different from and kept separated from the first fluid, each main plate of the plurality of main plates including a plurality of ridges and troughs, defining at least one main plate peak and at least one main plate valley; and

an intermediate plate located in the second cavity between adjacent main plates, the intermediate plate including a plurality of ridges and troughs, defining at least one intermediate plate peak and at least one intermediate plate valley;

wherein one or more of a pitch between adjacent intermediate plate peaks differs from a pitch between adjacent main plate peaks or an amplitude between adjacent intermediate plate peaks and intermediate plate valleys differs from an amplitude between adjacent main plate peaks and main plate valleys.

16. The plate heat exchanger of claim 15, wherein the pitch between adjacent intermediate plate peaks is greater than a pitch between adjacent main plate peaks.

17. The plate heat exchanger of claim 15, wherein the amplitude between adjacent intermediate plate peaks and intermediate plate valleys is greater than an amplitude between adjacent main plate peaks and main plate valleys.

18. The plate heat exchanger of claim 15, further comprising one or more surface enhancements disposed at the intermediate plate to induce vortices in the second fluid.

19. The plate heat exchanger of claim 18, wherein the one or more surface enhancements are one or more of material deformation at the intermediate plate or material removal from the intermediate plate.