Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F3/00—Plate-like or laminated elements; Assemblies of plate-like or laminated elements
  • F28F3/08—Elements constructed for building-up into stacks, e.g. capable of being taken apart for cleaning
  • F28F3/10—Arrangements for sealing the margins
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
  • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
  • F28D9/0031—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other
  • F28D9/0043—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another
  • F28D9/005—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by paired plates touching each other the plates having openings therein for circulation of at least one heat-exchange medium from one conduit to another the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
  • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
  • F28F2230/00—Sealing means

Definitions

• the invention refers to a heat exchanger plate for a plate heat exchanger, wherein the plate includes a heat transfer area and a border area, which is located outside the heat transfer area and which extends along and delimits the heat transfer area.
• the invention also refers to a plate heat exchanger including a plurality of such plates.
• the invention refers to a method for manufacturing a heat exchanger plate, including the steps of: providing a sheet, cutting and forming the sheet to a heat exchanger plate with a heat transfer area, which has a number of open portholes, and a border area, which is located outside the heat transfer area and which extends along and delimits the heat transfer area,
• SE-B-548 806 discloses a plate heat exchanger with such heat exchanger plates.
• the heat exchanger plates are kept together to a plate package by means of tie bolts.
• Today heat exchanger plates are manufactured by pressing to a desired shape and by cutting for removing unwanted portions, for instance the portholes.
• the gaskets which are used between the heat exchanger plates in the plated heat exchanger, are manufactured separately, for instance by compression moulding or injection moulding.
• the gaskets are usually manufactured in any re I t i ve y ⁇ ha rr d ⁇ r u b b e r ⁇ m a te r i a l ⁇ ⁇ su ch-a s-n i t r i I e—HP-D M-o l u o r i n e rubber. Thereafter, the complete gasket is attached to the complete heat exchanger plate.
• the gasket is attached to the heat exchanger plate by gluing.
• the gasket may also include various guide members, for instance so called T-tabs, which extend outwardly from the gasket and which are pressed to attachment in corresponding grooves in the heat exchanger plate.
• T-tabs so called guide members
• Previous gaskets usually had a substantially rectangular cross-section shape whereas gaskets in recent years have been given a roof-like, acute cross-section shape for the upper surface of the gasket, i.e. the surface which faces and abuts the adjacent heat exchanger plate.
• DE-A-23 59 978 discloses a plate heat exchanger of another type with plates of glass or any similar silicate material. Between the plates along the edges, strings of a combined sealing and adhesion material including silicon are provided. These strings are arranged successively in such a way that first strings and distance pieces are applied on a first plate.
• a second plate is applied to the ai sta n ⁇ ce ⁇ i e ce s and 1 h e ⁇ f i r st-str i n g s ⁇ -S e co n d-st r i n g s-a n d-d i sta n ce pieces are then applied to the second plate, whereupon a third plate is applied to the second strings etcetera.
• the sealing and adhesion material is cured, whereupon the distance pieces are removed.
• DE-A-39 05 066 discloses a heat exchanger module with thin metal foils that are stacked on each other with intermediate distance elements including an edge member and a fabric.
• the edge member includes sealing means, which may consist of different polymer materials such as for instance silicon caoutchouc, thermoplastic resins etcetera.
• the object is to simplify the manufacturing of plate heat exchangers and remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages.
• the initially defined heat exchanger plate which is characterised in that a curable polymer material is applied to and cured on the border area in such a way that it extends along the whole or parts of the border area and is arranged to form a gasket for tight abutment against an adjacent plate in the plate heat exchanger.
• the plate may be manufactured in an easy manner by applying the polymer material in a viscous uncured state to the plate in the border area and thereafter curing the material.
• a heat exchanger plate on which the polymer material is fixedly attached to the border area and which may be provided adjacent to another such plate in a plate package is obtained.
• the mounting of the previously used complete gaskets may thus be dispensed with.
• the manufacturing may in an easy manner be automatised since the viscous polymer material may be applied by r ⁇ ear ⁇ s ⁇ Ofar ⁇ o bot:
• the curable polymer material includes silicon, which has good sealing properties. Silicon also has a high adhesion capability to the underlying heat exchanger plate.
• the curable polymer material may include Liquid Silicon Rubber, LSR.
• the curable polymer material after curing forms a lower, substantially plane surface, which is attached directly to the border area. Thus a good adhesion to the border area of the underlying plate is ensured.
• the curable polymer material may after curing include an upper surface which in a cross-section has a softly curved, convex shape. By such a convex shape, a tight abutment against the adjacent plate is ensured.
• This abutment will due to the convex shape have an approximately linear shape.
• the convex shape also contributes to a relatively small risk that the gasket will be attached to the adjacent plate, in particular in comparison with the adhesion to the border area of the underlying plate also after a long time of use.
• the plate package may thus in an easy manner be dismounted.
• the curable polymer material includes a first component and a second component, which are mixed to an applicable polymer mixture.
• Such curable polymer materials may be stored during a long time before the components are mixed.
• Such curable polymer materials may be given desired properties regarding adhesion capability, viscosity, hardness after curing etcetera.
• the applicable polymer mixture is before curing highly viscous, wherein the polymer mixture may be applied in an easy manner.
• the applicable polymer mixture may have a viscosity which amounts to between 300 and 800 Pas (Pascal x second). By such a viscosity, it may be ensured that the polymer mixture maintains a desired shape before the curing and until the curing is finished.
• the border area includes a bottom surface along substantially the whole border area and at least a first side surface which extends along the whole border area and between the bottom surface and the heat transfer area.
• the first side surface may be broken in the sense that a break arises where the corrugation of the heat transfer area reaches the first side surface.
• the first side surface forms an angle to the bottom surface. In such a way a marked path for the polymer material is formed.
• the border area may also include a second side surface which extends along the whole border area outside the bottom surface, wherein the second side surface forms an angle to the bottom surface.
• the polymer material will thus be enclosed between the side surfaces and kept in the desired position also after a long time of use of the plate heat exchanger.
• the heat exchanger plate may also include an edge area, which is located outside the border area and which extends around and delimits the border area, wherein the second side surface extends between the bottom surface and the edge area.
• the initially defined plate heat exchanger which includes a package of heat exchanger plates of the type defined above.
• Such heat exchanger plates may in an easy manner be mounted to a plate package of the plate heat exchanger, wherein the plate package is kept together by means of tie bolts or any similar members.
• the object is also achieved by the initially defined method which is characterised by the step of: application of a curable polymer material to the border area in such a way that it extends along the whole or parts of the border area, and curing the polymer material for forming of a gasket for tight abutment against an adjacent plate in the plate heat exchanger.
• the curable polymer material includes a first component and a second component, wherein the method substantially immediately before said application includes the step of mixing the two components to an applicable preferably highly viscous polymer mixture.
• the first component may include silicon, for instance LSR, and possibly a catalyst, and the second component silicon, for instance LSR, and an activator, for instance in the form of a cross-linking agent, wherein the percentages of the two components in the polymer mixture are substantially equal.
• the viscosities of the two components are advantageously substantially equal.
• the curable polymer material may be applied by means of an automatic handling device arranged to carry a nozzle for the discharge of the polymer material and for guiding the nozzle along the border area.
• the curable polymer material may be cured at a raised temperature, for instance between 150 ° C and 250 ° C.
• the polymer material may be cured during a curing time which amounts to at least 0,5 h.
• Fig 1 discloses schematically a side view of a plate heat exchanger according to the invention.
• Fig 2 discloses schematically an elevation view of the plate heat exchanger in Fig 1 .
• Fig 3 discloses schematically an elevation view of the heat exchanger plate of the plate heat exchanger in Fig 1.
• Fig 4 discloses a cross-sectional view along the line IV-IV in Fig
• Fig 5 discloses schematically a handling device for the application of a polymer material to the plate in Fig 3.
• Figs 1 and 2 disclose a plate heat exchanger 1 including a plate package 2 with heat exchanger plates 3 that are arranged adjacent to each other.
• the package is provided between two end plates 4 and 5.
• the end plates 4 and 5 are pressed against the plate package 2 and each other by means of tie bolts 6 extending through the end plates 4 and 5.
• the tie bolts 6 include threads and the plate package 7 may thus be compressed by threading nuts 7 onto the tie bolts 6 in a manner known per se.
• four tie bolts 6 are indicated. It is to be noted that the number of tie bolts may vary and be different in different applications.
• the plate heat exchanger 1 also includes two inlet members 8 and two outlet members 9.
• the inlet and outlet members 8, 9 extend through one of the end plates 5 and the plate package 3.
• the plates 3 are in a manner known per se provided with portholes 10, see Fig 3, and compression-moulded in such a way that every second interspace between adjacent heat exchanger plates 3 communicate with a first pair of inlet and outlet members 8, 9 whereas every other interspace between adjacent heat exchanger plates 3 communicates with the other pair of inlet and outlet members 8, 9.
• Such a separation of the interspaces may be obtained by pressing the plates in such a way that the area around the portholes 10 substantially is positioned at a middle plane of the heat exchanger plate 3.
• the portholes 10 may also be surrounded by gaskets for obtaining this separation of the interspaces. These gaskets are to be explained more closely below.
• Fig 3 discloses an elevation view of a heat exchanger plate 3.
• the heat exchanger plate 3 is manufactured of a metal sheet, preferably stainless steel, and includes a substantially central heat exchanger area 20 in which the portholes 10 mentioned above are provided.
• the heat transfer area 20 is in a manner known per se provided with a corrugation 21 , which is obtained through compression-moulding of the metal sheet.
• the corrugation 21 is merely indicated schematically as extending diagonally over the heat transfer area 20. It is to be noted that the corrugation 21 may include significantly more complex extensions of the ridges and valleys, for instance along the herringbone pattern known per se. Also substantially completely plane plates may be used within the scope of this invention.
• the heat exchanger plate 3 also includes a border area 22 which is located outside the heat transfer area 20 and which extends around and delimits the heat transfer area 20.
• the heat exchanger plate 3 also includes an edge area 23 which is located outside the border area 22 and which extends around and delimits the border area 22.
• the border area 22 includes a bottom surface 25 which extends along substantially the whole border area 22 and a first side surface 26 which extends along the border area 22 and between the bottom surface 25 and the heat transfer area 20, and a second side surface 27 which extends along the whole border area 22 between the bottom surface 25 and the edge area 23.
• the first side surface 26 may be broken where the corrugation of the heat transfer area 20 reaches the first side surface 26.
• the border area 22 thus, in the embodiment disclosed, has a groove-like design with a trapezoid-like shape in a cross-section.
• Each heat exchanger plate 3 includes a gasket 30 which is provided in the border area 22 and which thus extends along the heat transfer area 20.
• the gasket 30 extends along substantially the whole border area 22 with the exception of four interruptions, which form drainage passages 34 in the proximity of the two portholes 10.
• Fig 4 discloses a cross- sectional view of the gasket 30.
• the gasket 30 includes a substantially plane lower surface 31 which abuts the substantially plane bottom surface 25 of the border area 22.
• the gasket 30 may also abut and be supported by the side surfaces 26, 27 of the border area 22.
• the gasket 30 also exhibits an upper surface 32 which in a cross-section has a softly curved, convex shape. Consequently, the gasket 30 in the mounted plate package 2 with the upper surface 32 abuts an adjacent heat exchanger plate 3' with a force concentration along a centre line.
• the gasket 30 is formed by a curable polymer material.
• the polymer material is supplied in the border area in an uncured state as a highly viscous polymer mixture with a viscosity which amounts to between 300 and 800 Pas, preferably 450-650 Pas.
• a viscosity which amounts to between 300 and 800 Pas, preferably 450-650 Pas.
• Fig 5 discloses schematically an automatic handling device for application of the polymer material.
• the handling device includes a robot arm 40 with a gripping member 41 which holds an application member 42.
• the application member 42 includes a mixing chamber 43 and a nozzle 44 for discharge of the polymer material.
• the robot arm 40 may in a manner known per se be programmed to follow a determined movement pathTTn ' thts ⁇ case ⁇ along-the-indicated-border- area 22.
• the curable polymer material includes suitably silicon and in the embodiment disclosed Liquid Silicon Rubber, LSR, is used.
• the polymer material is provided as a first component, including LSR and possibly a catalyst, and a second component including LSR and an activator, for instance in the form of a cross-linking agent.
• the two components are supplied to the mixing chamber 43 via a respective supply conduit 45, 46, and are thus mixed in the mixing chamber 43 substantially immediately before the polymer mixture is supplied to the heat exchanger plate 3 via the nozzle 44. After the application of the polymer mixture, the polymer mixture is cured.
• the curing may be performed in room temperature during a relatively long time period, but is preferably performed in a curing oven at a temperature of between 150°C and 250 ° C, for instance about 200 ° C.
• the curing time may amount to between 30 min and 2 hours, for instance about 1 hour.
• the gasket 30 has a suitable hardness which permits tight abutment against the plate 3' provided thereabove without the risk of strong adhesion to the plate 3' provided thereabove.
• the gasket 30 is fixedly attached to the underlying plate 3.
• Each heat exchanger plate 3 may also, as mentioned above, include a gasket 50 delimiting two of the portholes 10. Furthermore, a further gasket 51 may be arranged around each porthole 10 immediately in the proximity of the edge of the porthole 10. These gaskets 50 and 51 may be manufactured in the same way and substantially at the same time as the gasket 30. The gaskets 50 and 51 thus have the same properties as the gasket 30.
• the heat exchanger plate 3 may be used in various plate heat exchanger applications and include fewer or more than the-porthole ⁇ -disclosedT-Furthermore— theHnvention-is-applicable-to plate heat exchangers without portholes, wherein the inlet members and the outlet members may connect to different sides of the plate package.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
• Gasket Seals (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

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ID=20288649

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (20)

Family Cites Families (15)

• 2002
  • 2002-07-29 SE SE0202333A patent/SE524751C2/sv unknown
• 2003
  • 2003-07-07 EP EP03771523A patent/EP1552237A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-07-07 US US10/523,236 patent/US20050269058A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-07-07 JP JP2004524432A patent/JP4246702B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-07-07 AU AU2003248167A patent/AU2003248167A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-07-07 WO PCT/SE2003/001186 patent/WO2004011868A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2003-07-07 CN CNB038184095A patent/CN100442001C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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