Heat exchanger and method of manufacturing a heat exchanging member of a heat exchanger

• US 6,032,730 A
• Filed: 09/08/1997
• Issued: 03/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamoto, Shinji, Doi, Akira, Akita, Hiroyuki, Arai, Hidemoto, Sugiyama, Yoichi, Kaga, Kunihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US08/925,465
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 165/166, 165/167, 165/170, 165/157, 165/54, 29/890.03, 29/890.052, 29/890.039, 29/890.038
• US Class Current: 165/166
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/006 using an air-to-air heat exchanger F24F12/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0037 the conduits for the other heat-exchange medium also being formed by paired plates touching each other F28D9/0043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2250/108 with combined cross flow and parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 Heat recovery units
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4935 Heat exchanger or boiler making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49366 Sheet joined to sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49389 Header or manifold making

Abstract

A heat exchanger, in which an alternating flow of supply air and exhaust air are supplied in opposite directions between a plurality of stacked heat exchanging members, is characterized in that the heat exchanging members each is composed of a first paper member having a moisture permeability and corrugated in the width direction and having flat portions at the longitudinally opposite ends flattened under pressure, and a pair of second paper members having one end joined to the flat portions and the other end side extending flatly in the longitudinal direction to define a header defining portion for defining a header portion, so that the number of the parts can be decreased and the assembly can be made easier, whereby a heat exchanger with an improved productivity can be provided. A method for manufacturing a heat exchanger is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger in which an alternate flow of supply air and exhaust air are supplied in opposite directions between a plurality of stacked heat exchanging members, each of said heat exchanging members comprising a paper member having a moisture permeability, said paper members comprising a corrugated portion which is corrugated in the width direction and header defining portions for defining header portions including flattened, continuous predetermined length portions of the corrugated portion at each of the longitudinally opposite ends of the corrugated portion formed under pressure.

2. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flat plate-like partitioning paper member interposed between said heat exchanging members.

3. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said header defining portions held by a shape holding member.

4. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paper members have a thermal bonding property.

5. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contacting portion of the opposite flow portion of the heat exchanging member and the partition paper member is joined together except for one portion.

6. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein said paper members comprise said first paper member further comprising flat portions at the longitudinally opposite ends of said corrugated portion flattened under pressure, and a pair of second paper members having one end joined to said flat portions and the other end extending flatly in the longitudinal direction to define said header defining portions for defining a header portions.

7. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a flat plate-like partitioning paper member interposed between said heat exchanging members.

8. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein said second paper members have a thermal bonding property.

9. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 8, wherein a paper containing chemical fibers is used.

10. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein circumference of the opposite flow portion of the stacked heat exchanging members is wound with an adhesive tape.

11. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein said header portions are formed by sealing the end portions of neighboring header defining portions by a thermoplastic material with a predetermined clearance held therebetween.

12. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, wherein said header portions are formed by folding at least one of the end portions of neighboring header defining portions and stacking over the other end portion to seal therebetween.

13. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 12, wherein the end portion of each of the header defining portions is folded such that it is sloped along the direction of flows of intake air and exhaust air.

15. A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the corrugations have edges which define a continuous surface in a direction transverse to the corrugations.

14. A heat exchanger in which an alternate flow of supply air and exhaust air are supplied in opposite directions between a plurality of stacked heat exchanging members, each of said heat exchanging members comprising a first paper member having moisture permeability and corrugated in the width direction and comprising flattened, continuous portions extending outwardly in the longitudinal direction from said corrugated portion at the longitudinally opposite ends of said corrugated portion formed under pressure, and a pair of second paper members having one end joined to said flat portions and the other end extending flatly in the longitudinal direction to define header defining portions for defining header portions.