FR2744204A1 - Heat exchanger, e.g. for heating swimming pool water - Google Patents

Abstract

The heat exchanger consists of a housing which is basically cylindrical in shape. It comprises an inlet and an outlet for the primary fluid and end flanges (22) to close the housing and through which tubes carrying the secondary fluid pass. Each of the flanges is made from a synthetic rubber, such as ethylene rubber and polypropylene. Each flange is in the shape of a circular plate with parallel lips (22e,22f) round the edge of each face. One set of the flange lips fits against the end of the cylindrical housing and the other against the end of a conical cover (30). The cover fits over it and is fixed in place by a threaded ring (40). Between each rubber plate and end cover there is a reinforcing plate (23).

Description

 The present invention relates to a heat exchanger, a condenser / evaporator and a heater. Such a heat exchanger is for example a water / water exchanger intended to be used in the heating circuit of a swimming pool. Likewise, the evaporator can be used in a refrigerating machine allowing seawater to pass through. As for the condenser, it can be the condenser of a heat pump also used for heating swimming pool water. As for the heater, it is of the electric type used more particularly for heating swimming pool water.

 More particularly, the invention relates to a heat exchanger of the type with a bundle of straight and mutually parallel tubes, consisting of a body of generally cylindrical shape which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the primary fluid and whose end sections are provided with flanges closing said body and through which said tubes pass, mouths for supplying and leaving the secondary fluid being respectively provided at the ends of said body.

 The object of the invention is to provide the structure of a body of such an exchanger so that it can be used in the preparation of a condenser / evaporator device or a heater, possibly with minor modifications.

 More specifically, the object of the invention is to provide for the mounting of an exchanger provided with such a body.

 In order to achieve these aims, the exchanger according to the invention is of the type which is described above in which each flange formed in a material of the rubber type consists of a circular plate, each of the faces of which has on its periphery a set of circular and mutually parallel lips, said flange being designed to rest, by one of said sets of lips, on a radial surface of the corresponding end section of said body, each mouth comprising an end section provided with a radial front surface provided to rest on the other set of yeasts from said flange, a nut being provided to be screwed onto the external wall of each end section of said body, said nut being provided with means for tightening said mouth against said flange so that said flange is clamped between said mouth and said body.

 The invention therefore also relates to an evaporator / condenser device consisting of a body of generally cylindrical shape which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the primary fluid and the end sections of which are provided with capsules closing said body. , one of said capsules being provided for mounting a coil in said body.

 As previously mentioned, said device has a substantially identical body and therefore capable of being suitable for an exchanger such as that which has just been described. Therefore, each capsule is provided to rest on a radial surface of the corresponding end section of said body, a nut being provided to be screwed onto the external wall of each end section of said body, said nut being provided with means to clamp said capsule against said body, a seal being provided between said flange and said end section of said body.

 Likewise, the invention also relates to a heater constituted by a body of generally cylindrical shape which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid to be heated and whose end sections are respectively provided with a flange and of a capsule closing said body, said flange being provided for mounting electrical resistors in the form of a pin.

 According to an essential characteristic of said heater, it comprises a substantially identical body and therefore capable of being suitable for an exchanger such as that which has just been described. Said flange is also a flange of identical structure and is mounted on said body in a manner identical to the flange of the exchanger previously described. Said capsule is then provided to rest on a radial surface of the corresponding end section of said body, a nut being intended to be screwed onto the external wall of each end section of said body, said nut being provided with means for clamping said capsule against said body, a seal being provided between said flange and said end section of said body, a wall being provided inside the internal volume of said body so as to divide said volume into two chambers, said wall having an opening for the passage of said fluid to be heated.

 According to another characteristic of the exchanger according to the invention, each mouth has on its end section a lug intended to penetrate a groove provided in the end section of said body so as to immobilize said mouth in rotation during screwing of the nut on the body. I1 advantageously comprises reinforcing plates which are respectively mounted between a flange and a mouth, said reinforcing plates being able to comprise at least one stiffener.

 According to another characteristic of the exchanger of the invention, each flange is pierced with holes for the passage of said tubes of the tube bundle, said holes being provided with at least one lip.

 According to another characteristic of the condenser / evaporator apparatus of the invention, said capsule has two holes for the passage of the inlet and outlet tubes of said coil, said holes comprising, on the one hand, a threaded part for mounting a screw pierced in its center with a hole housing a sleeve, on the other hand, a frustoconical part in which is housed in a joint, said sleeve, when screwing said screw, pressing the joint which then comes into contact with the corresponding coil tube.

The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of an exchanger according to the invention,
Fig. 2 is a sectional view of one end of an exchanger according to the invention, the various elements making it up being ready to be mounted,
Fig. 3 is a front view of a flange according to the invention,
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an exchanger / evaporator device according to the invention,
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a capsule according to the invention,
Fig. 6 illustrates the mounting of a tube of a coil on a capsule of an exchanger / evaporator device according to the invention, and
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a heater according to the invention.

 The exchanger shown mounted in FIG. 1 essentially consists of a body 10 of generally cylindrical shape, the end sections 11 of which are also cylindrical, are threaded over a length of a few centimeters. The body 10 is advantageously made of a moldable plastic material, for example by injection. Advantageously, this material is a polyamide, loaded with glass particles.

 The cylindrical body 10 is provided with a fluid inlet 12 and a fluid outlet 13 respectively constituted by sleeves coming directly from molding, the ends provided with threads are thus designed to be able to receive appropriate pipes for the transport of the primary fluid. . The latter therefore enters via the inlet 12 inside the volume generated by the body 10, is heated there as will be seen later and leaves the exchanger via the outlet 13.

 Inside the body 10, is mounted the heat exchange system 20 which essentially consists of a bundle of rectilinear tubes 21 mounted parallel to each other, by their ends, in holes drilled in flanges 22. The tubes 21 are for example made of stainless steel or titanium.

 In Fig. 2 which shows one end of the exchanger according to the invention ready to be mounted, it can be seen that each flange 22 consists of a circular plate 22a on one face of which protrude several studs 22b slightly frustoconical in number equal to the number of bundles of tubes of tubes 21. Each stud 22b is pierced with a hole 22c which passes right through the flange 22.

 As can be seen in Fig. 1, each tube of the bundle 21 is pressed lightly into the hole 22c of the corresponding stud 22b and passes through the flange 22. Each hole 22c is provided with annular lips 22d, for example three in number, of diameter slightly less than the diameter of the hole 22c. These drunks 22d pinch the outer surface of the tube 21 which has the effect of ensuring sealing between the secondary circuit to which the exchanger is connected and the interior volume of the exchanger.

Each flange 22 is formed from a material of the natural or synthetic rubber type. Advantageously, a thermoplastic elastomer, such as an ethylene and propylene rubber, has been used, for example the ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM). More specifically, we used the one sold under the brand
Santoprene (R) by Monsanto.

 As can be seen in Fig. 1, during assembly, the circular plate 22a is provided to penetrate inside an annular opening housing 14 formed on the internal wall of the end section 11 of the body 10. This housing 14 is also visible in FIG. 2. The peripheral part of the face of the flange 22 which includes the studs 22b rests in the bottom of the housing 14 as illustrated by an arrow A, said bottom constituting a radial bearing surface. This peripheral part comprises a set of circular lips 22e parallel to each other, which, being in contact with the bottom of the housing 14, seal the interior volume of the body 10 with the exterior. We see in Fig.3 the studs 22b, the nuts 22c and the lips 22e. We also see the distribution of these elements on the flange 22.

 A reinforcing plate 23 is provided to rest on the face of the flange 22 which is opposite to that which includes the studs 22b. It is advantageously provided with at least one stiffener 23a. This plate 23 is pierced with holes 23b which correspond to the holes 22c of the flange 22 and which allow the passage of the tubes 21.

 The function of this plate 23 is to avoid deformation of the flange 22 under the influence of the pressure of the secondary liquid which circulates in the internal volume of the body 10.

 The exchanger of the invention also comprises a mouth 30 which has, at a first end, an end section 31 of generally cylindrical shape and a sleeve 32 whose outer surface is threaded so as to be able to be connected to pipes secondary fluid. It will be noted that, in the embodiment shown, the sleeve 32 is of smaller diameter than that of the end section 31 so that said section 31 and said sleeve 32 are connected to each other by a frustoconical part 33 This comprises means 34 provided for the possible fixing of a measuring rod (not shown), for example of temperature or flow.

 During assembly, the radial front face 31a of the section 31 of the mouth 30 rests on a peripheral part 22f of the plate of the flange 22 as shown by an arrow B. This peripheral part 22f is symmetrical with the part 22e and is, like the latter , provided with a set of circular lips which are parallel to one another and which, being in contact with the front face 31a of the mouth 31, ensure sealing between the secondary circuit and the outside.

 The section 31 of the mouth 30 comprises, on its internal face, an annular housing 31b which is intended to house the reinforcing plate 23, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

Nuts 40, for example having means 41, such as flats, for placing a tightening key, are threaded on their internal diameter so that they can be respectively screwed onto the external surface of the end sections 11 of the body 10, as illustrated by an arrow C. Each nut 40 has, on one of its faces, an annular rim 42 folded towards its axis. This rim 42 has an internal face 42a which is intended, as can be seen in FIG. 1 and as illustrated by an arrow D at the
Fig. 2, to rest on a shoulder 31d of the end section 31.

 To block the mouth 30 when it is mounted on the body 10 and to prevent its rotation when tightening the assembly with the nut 40, a lug 31c has been provided which is intended to penetrate, to be blocked therein, in one of the grooves 15 on the internal surface of the section 11 of the body 10. The body 10 has four grooves 15 so that it is possible to choose the position of the mouth 30 between four different angular positions depending on the mounting of the envisaged exchanger.

 It will be noted that in the embodiment shown, the mouth 30 is coaxial with the cylindrical body 10 so that the secondary fluid pipes leave the exchanger in directions which are coaxial and opposite.

 The tubes of the bundle of tubes 21 pass through holes which are drilled in discs 50 of truncated circular shape so that, on an obtuse angle, for example of the order of 1200, their peripheral edges are in contact with the internal wall of the body 10, the truncated edge 51 being distant from said internal wall which forms a passage for the primary fluid. The plates 50 placed in staggered rows (the edges 51 are alternately turned first in the direction opposite to that of the feed 12, then in the same direction as the feed and so on ...). Thus, the primary fluid follows, in the body 10, the path shown by the arrows E in FIG. 1. The plates 50 therefore form baffles for the primary fluid which has the effect of forcing the fluid to come and lick all the tubes of the bundle 21, which it would not do without baffles preferring to circulate along the tubes of the bundle 21 which are closest to the feed 12 and the exit 13.

Two spacers 24 (only the bottom one is visible at the
Fig. 1) are arranged in contact with the internal wall of the body 10 diametrically opposite one another, as can be seen on the medallion of FIG. 1. They include rectangular notches 24a in which are embedded rectangular notches 52 of the plates 50, said notches 52 being mounted perpendicular to the notches 24a. In this way, the plates 50 are firmly held.

 The assembly of the exchanger according to the invention is as follows.

 The bundle of tubes 21 is first mounted in the set of holes 22c of one of the flanges 22 (arrow F in FIG. 2). The plates 50 are then threaded into the bundle of tubes 21 and the spacers 24 are placed, as described above.

 The assembly thus formed is placed in the body 10 so that the flange 22 considered comes to be housed in one of the housings 14 of the body 10 and that the set of tubes 21 is located inside the body 10.

 It will be noted that the body 10 being symmetrical with respect to a median transverse plane, the order of assembly of the flanges 22 is immaterial.

 The second flange 22 is then mounted on the ends of the tubes 21 so that said flange 22 rests in the other housing 14 of the body 10.

 One sets up one of the reinforcing plates 23 which then rests on the external face of the flange considered. The nut 40 is placed on the frustoconical part 33 of a mouth 30, then the annular part 31 of the latter is placed in abutment on one of said flanges 20.

The nut 40 is screwed onto the corresponding thread of the body 10, which has the effect of enclosing the circular plate 22a of the flange 22 between the front face 31a of the section 31 of the mouth 30 and the bottom of the housing 14 of the body 10.

 The same is done for the other reinforcing plate 23, the other nut 40 and the other mouth 30. The assembly is thus completed and the exchanger is ready to operate.

 The total passage section in the tubes 21 is equal to the inlet or outlet section of the outlets 30. Thus, the exchanger of the invention therefore does not create a pressure drop on the circuit to which it is connected.

 There is shown in FIG. 4 a condenser / evaporator device according to the invention which uses a body 10 of the same constitution as the body 10 of the exchanger according to the invention.

 This body 10 therefore comprises two end sections 11 threaded respectively intended to receive nuts 40 also of the same constitution as the nut 40 of the exchanger.

 The body 10 contains a double helix coil 70 in which a heat transfer fluid circulates. As for the primary fluid, it circulates between the supply 12 and the fluid outlet 13 while licking the coil 70. The coil 70 is for example made of titanium or stainless steel.

 It will be noted that a ferrule (not shown) can be provided inside the coil 70.

 The body 10 is closed at its two ends respectively by capsules 61 and 62. The capsule 62 is shown in detail in Fig.5.

 The capsule 62 has the general shape of a circular disc with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the housing 14 of the body 10 so that it can be accommodated there. It is provided with three studs 64 regularly spaced angularly on one of its faces which, when the capsule 62 is mounted, turn outwards towards the outside of the device as can be seen in FIG. 4. Each stud 64 is pierced with blind holes 64a which are intended to receive rubber end caps (not shown) so as to form feet for the device.

 On the other face, the capsule 62 has two bosses 65. In front of each boss 65, is drilled a blind hole 33 threaded and provided with a housing 67.

 The capsule 61 is identical to the capsule 62 with the difference that the holes 66 are not blind but are through to allow the passage of the two ends of the coil 70, as can be seen in Fig.4.

 It will then be understood that the studs 64 as regards the capsule 61 are generally without function and that it is the same, the bosses 65 and holes 66 as regards this time the capsule 62. Their interest for each of them nevertheless resides in the lower manufacturing costs since the moldings of the two capsules 61 and 62 are identical.

 There is shown in FIG. 6 the passage of the coil 70 through the capsule 61. The hole 66 consists of a first cylindrical part 66a opening into the boss 65 and of diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the tube of the coil 70. The hole 66 also has a threaded part 66b of larger diameter into which is screwed a screw 67, for example with a hexagon head, pierced with a central hole 67a provided to be able to receive a socket 68 whose upper end is in abutment on a shoulder 67a of the screw 67 and the lower end of which is supported by a head 68a on a seal 69. Between the two parts 66a and 66b, the hole 66 has a frustoconical part 66c on which the seal 69 rests.

 When the screw 67 is screwed, it turns in the part 66a of the hole 66 but also around the socket 68 which remains fixed relative to the capsule 61. By screwing, the screw 67 presses, via the socket 68, on the seal 69 which crashes and presses the tube 70, thus ensuring sealing. The advantage of this assembly lies in the fact that the seal 69 is not twisted when tightening the screw 67, insofar as it is not directly in contact with said screw 67 but with the socket 68 which it remains fixed.

 Each capsule 61, 62 has a circular groove 61a, 62a designed to accommodate an O-ring. It will be noted that it is this O-ring 66 which will seal the interior volume of the body 10 with regard to the exterior.

 It will be noted that the capsules 61 and 62 are made of a material with the same physical characteristics as that of the body 10.

 It can also be a polyamide loaded with glass particles.

 The assembly of the apparatus of the invention is as follows.

 Fastening of the coil 70 is carried out on the capsule 61 as indicated above. Then placing the assembly thus produced so that the capsule 61 rests in the bottom of the housing 11, without forgetting to install the O-ring 61a, 62a. The nut 40 is then placed and screwed onto the section 11 of the body 10.

 Then the same is done with the capsule 62.

 There is shown in FIG. 7 a heater which uses a body 10 which is similar to that which is the subject of the exchanger and the condenser / evaporator device already described.

 We therefore find the body 10 which differs from those described above in that the feed 12 and the outlet 13 are diametrically opposite.

 The body 10 is also provided with two end sections 11 of identical structure to those of the previous sections 11.

 The body 10 is closed at its lower part by an identical capsule 62 and mounted identically to the capsule 62 of the device previously described.

 I1 is closed at its upper part by a flange 22 and a reinforcing plate 23 identical to the flange 22 and to the plate 23 of the exchanger previously described. In the holes 22c of the flange 22 are threaded electrical resistors 80 in the form of a pin which plunge into the internal volume of the body 10. These resistors 80 are mounted slightly by force in the holes 22c. The number of resistors 80 depends on the desired heating power and the holes 22c of the flange 22 which are not occupied by the passage of a resistance 80 are plugged with suitable plugs. Two electrical resistors 80 have been shown.

 A middle wall 90 is mounted inside the body 10 so as to separate its interior volume into two identical chambers 10a and 10b. An opening 91 is provided in the lower part of the wall 90. Thus, the primary fluid, entered by the supply 12, circulates longitudinally in the first chamber 10a, where it is heated by a first set of electrical resistors 80, then circulates longitudinally in the second chamber 10b where it still acquires heat from a second set of electrical resistors 80 and, finally, it exits through the outlet 13.

 The function exerted by each of the sections 31 of the mouths 30 of the exchanger is here performed by a ring 100 whose dimensions are identical to those of a section 31.

 Those skilled in the art will understand the assembly and operation of the heater thus described.

 The body 10 is molded and the inlet 12 and the outlet 13 are produced by suitable inserts and associated cores which the operator places in the mold according to the destination of the body 10 produced.

 Thus, for the body 10 of the exchanger, it will place in the mold two inserts and the associated cores so as to obtain a feed 12 and an outlet 13 at each end of the body 10, said feed 12 and said outlet 13 being small. diameter. For the body 10 of the condenser / evaporator unit, it will place in the mold two inserts and the associated cores so as to obtain a feed 12 and an outlet 13 at each end of the body 10, said feed 12 and said outlet 13 being this time -this larger diameter. Finally, for the body 10 of the heater, it will place in the mold two inserts and the associated cores so as to obtain a supply 12 and an outlet 13 diametrically opposite, said feed 12 and said outlet 13 being this time also of larger diameter.

 Note that the bodies 10 shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 7 comprise fixing means 16, for example consisting of sockets introduced at the time of molding, as well as drain holes 17.

Claims (11)

 1) Heat exchanger of the tube bundle type (21) rectilinear and parallel to each other, consisting of a body (10) of generally cylindrical shape which is provided with an inlet (12) and an outlet (13) for the primary fluid and the end sections (11) of which are provided with flanges (22) closing said body (10) and through which said tubes (21) pass, mouths (30) for supplying and leaving the secondary fluid being respectively provided at the ends of said body (10), characterized in that each flange (22) formed in a material of the rubber type consists of a circular plate (22a) each of whose faces has on its periphery a set of circular and mutually parallel lips (22e and 22f), said flange (22) being designed to rest, by one of said lip sets (22e), on a radial surface of the corresponding end section (11) of said body (10) , each mouth (30) comprising an end section (31) provided with a radial front surface (31a) intended to rest on the other set of lips (22f) of said flange (22), a nut (40) being provided to be screwed on the external wall of each end section (11) of said body (10), said nut (40) being provided with means (42) for clamping said mouth (30) against said flange (22) so that said flange (22) is sandwiched between said mouth (30) and said body (10).  2) Exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that each mouth (30) has on its end section (31) a lug () intended to penetrate a groove (15) provided in the end section of said body ( 10) so as to immobilize said mouth (30) in rotation when the nut (40) is screwed onto the body (10).  3) Exchanger according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises reinforcing plates (23) which are respectively mounted between a flange (22) and a mouth (30).  4) Exchanger according to claim 3, characterized in that said reinforcing plates (23) comprise at least one stiffener (23a).  5) Exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each flange (22) is pierced with holes (22c) for the passage of said tubes of the tube bundle (21), said holes being provided with at least one lip (22d ).  6) Exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each flange (22) is formed of synthetic rubber, of the ethylene and polypropylene rubber type.  7) Exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end sections (11) of said body (10) are provided with housings (14) in which are respectively housed said flanges (22) which rest at the bottom of said housings.  8) Exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said flanges (22) have studs (22b) pierced with said holes (22c) for the passage of said tubes.  9) evaporator / condenser apparatus consisting of a generally cylindrical body which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the primary fluid and whose end sections are provided with capsules (61, 62) closing said body (10), one of said capsules (61) being provided for mounting a coil (70) in said body, characterized in that it comprises a body (10) substantially identical and therefore capable of being suitable for an exchanger according to a of claims 1 to 7, each capsule (61, 62) is designed to rest on a radial surface of the corresponding end section (11) of said body (10), a nut (40) being provided to be screwed on the outer wall of each end section (11) of said body (10), said nut (40) being provided with means (42) for clamping said capsule (61, 62) against said body (10), a seal (61a, 62a) being provided between said flange (22) and said end section (11) of said body s (10).  10) Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said capsule (61) has two holes (66) for the passage of the inlet and outlet tubes of said coil (70), said holes (66) comprising, of part, a threaded part (66b) for mounting a screw (67) pierced in its center with a hole (67a) housing a socket (68), on the other hand, a frustoconical part (66c) in which is housed in joint (69), said bushing (68), when screwing said screw (67), pressing the joint (69) which then comes into contact with the corresponding tube of the coil (70).  11) Heater consisting of a generally cylindrical body which is provided with an inlet and an outlet for the fluid to be heated and whose end sections are respectively provided with a flange (22) and a capsule (62) closing said body (10), said flange (22) being provided for mounting electrical resistors (80) in the form of a pin, characterized in that it comprises a body (10) substantially identical and therefore susceptible to be suitable for an exchanger according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, said flange (22) being a flange of identical structure and being mounted on said body (10) in an identical manner to the flange (22) of the exchanger according to one of claims 1 to 7 above so that it could be suitable for such an exchanger, said capsule (62) is designed to rest on a radial surface of the corresponding end section (11) of said body (10), a nut (40) being planned to come and screw on the pa outer king of each end section (11) of said body (10), said nut (40) being provided with means (42) for clamping said capsule (61, 62) against said body (10), a seal (61a, 62a) being provided between said flange (22) and said end section (11) of said body (10), a wall (90) being provided inside the internal volume of said body (10) so as to divide said volume in two chambers (10a and 10b), said wall having an opening (91) for the passage of said fluid to be heated.