HEAT / ENTHALPY EXCHANGER ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION

• US 20160161198A1
• Filed: 07/11/2014
• Published: 06/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Wind Limited
• Original Assignee: West Wind Limited
• Inventors: Riendeau, Marcel
• Granted Patent: US 10,415,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/04 of sheet metal
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 15/26 heat exchangers or the like making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/02 Combined thermoforming and manufacture of the preform
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/082 by shaping between complementary mould parts
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/105 Twin sheet thermoforming, i.e. deforming two parallel opposing sheets or foils at the same time by using one common mould cavity and without welding them together during thermoforming B29C51/267, B29C49/0691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/14 using multilayered preforms or sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/265 Auxiliary operations during the thermoforming operation B29C51/42, B29C51/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 51/32 having cutting means
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0085 Copolymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/256 Sheets, plates, blanks or films
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/001 the layers being loose
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/18 Heat-exchangers or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/047 Perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/12 characterised by using adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 37/203 One or more of the layers being plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/04 Punching, slitting or perforating
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/12 Deep-drawing
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0015 Heat and mass exchangers, e.g. with permeable walls
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/18 : by applying coatings, e.g. radiation-absorbing, radiation-reflecting; by surface treatment, e.g. polishing
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/06 : of plastics material
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 21/08 : of metal
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2255/08 : pressed; stamped; deep-drawn
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/02 : by using bonding materials brazing F28F2275/04; by embedding elements in particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/04 : by brazing brazing heat exchangers B23K1/0012
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2275/06 : by welding welding heat exchangers B23K2101/14
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 3/02 : Elements or assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with recesses, with corrugations F28F3/08 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods, plate elements and heat/enthalpy exchangers. a) perforating an unformed plate element with defined outer dimensions in any desired area and in any desired dimension; b) covering at least one side of the unformed plate element with a thin polymer film with latent energy exchange characteristics and; c) forming the plate element into a desired shape and a pattern of corrugations and/or embossing. The operations b) and c) may be performed in a different order. For instance, when the plate element is made out of plastic, b) may be performed before c) whereas, when the plate element is made out of aluminum (or plastic), c) may be performed before b). Operations a) and/or b) and/or c) may also, in certain embodiments, be combined.

Claims

1. Method for the production of enthalpy exchanger elements comprising the steps of:

a. perforating a flat plate element according to a predetermined perforation pattern within the plate outer dimensions;

b. applying to at least one side of the plate element a thin polymer film with water vapor transmission characteristics; and

c. forming the plate element into a desired shape exhibiting a corrugation pattern, whereby the polymer film is formed into the same corrugation pattern shape as that of the plate element.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the plate element is a plastic foil.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plate is perforated using at least one of needles, pins, die and punch, laser, or the like.

4. Method according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that steps b) and c) are performed simultaneously.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the polymer film is bonded, preferably heat bonded, to the plate element during the forming step of the plate element.

6. Method according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the polymer film is made of a sulfonated copolymer, preferably a block copolymer.

7. Method according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the spatial frequency of any corrugations running in parallel within the corrugation pattern and/or the perforation density, defined by a number of perforations per unit area, is varied, preferably in border areas, to improve frost resistance.

8. Enthalpy exchanger element, preferably produced using the method as defined in any of claims 1 to 7, including a plate element with a shape exhibiting a predetermined perforation pattern and a predetermined corrugation pattern, wherein at least one side of the plate element is covered by a thin polymer film with water vapor transmission characteristics.

9. Enthalpy exchanger element according to claim 8, characterized in that the thin polymer film is bonded, preferably heat bonded, to the plate element.

10. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the perforated area of the plate element includes corrugated or embossed surface areas.

11. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the width of corrugations in the border areas of the plate element is larger than the width of corrugations in the middle area of the plate element and/or the perforation density, defined by a number of perforations per unit area, in a border area of the plate element is larger than in the middle area of the plate element.

12. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the corrugations are oriented to guide a fluid flow.

13. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the perforations are openings of diverse shapes and sizes with a surface area no less than 50% of the plate surface.

14. Enthalpy exchanger with at least three plates like enthalpy exchanger elements fixed to each other in parallel orientation to form two fluid paths allowing fluids to flow there through, characterized in that the plate like heat exchanger elements are elements according to any one of the claims 8 to 13.

15. Enthalpy exchanger according to claim 14, characterized in that the enthalpy exchanger elements are fixed to each other by means of welding such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding, or by means of chemical solutions such as solvent or glue.

16. Method for the production of enthalpy exchanger elements comprising steps of:

perforating a flat plate element according to a predetermined perforation pattern within the plate outer dimensions;

forming the plate element into a desired embossing pattern and geometrical shape; and

applying to at least one side of the plate element a polymer film with water vapor permeation characteristics.

17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that the plate element is a metal foil, preferably aluminum foil.

18. Method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the plate is perforated using at least one of pins, die and punch, laser, or the like.

19. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 16 to 18, characterized in that the forming in away of embossing and the cutting to geometrical shape in step b) is performed according to progressive stamping techniques on a metal stamping press with dies and tools.

20. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 16 to 19, characterized in that the polymer film is made of a block copolymer.

21. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 16 to 20, characterized in that the polymer film is bonded, preferably heat bonded, to the formed plate element.

22. Enthalpy exchanger element, preferably produced using the method as defined in any one of claims 16 to 21, including a plate element with a shape exhibiting a predetermined perforation pattern, wherein at least one side of the plate element is covered by a thin polymer film with water vapor transmission.

23. Enthalpy exchanger according to claim 22, characterized in that the plate element is made of metal foil, preferably aluminum foil.

24. Enthalpy exchanger according to claim 22 or claim 23, characterized in that the border areas of the plate element are not perforated.

25. Enthalpy exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 24, characterized in that the shape of the plate element exhibits an embossing pattern.

26. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 25, characterized in that the thin polymer film is bonded, preferably heat bonded, to the plate element.

27. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 26, characterized in that the plate element has a border non-perforated area which allows gastight connection to another similar plate element.

28. Enthalpy exchanger element according to any one of the preceding claims 22 to 27, characterized in that the perforations are openings of diverse shapes and with a surface area no less than 50% of the plate surface.

29. Enthalpy exchanger with at least three plates, like enthalpy exchanger elements, fixed to each other as a stack to form two fluid paths allowing fluids to flow there through, characterized in that said plates are elements according to any one of the claims 22 to 28.

30. Enthalpy exchanger according to claim 29, characterized in that the enthalpy exchanger elements are fixed to each other using at least one of folding, crimping and gluing processes.