US2536840A

US2536840A - Embossed plate heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: US2536840A
Application number: US12960A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Fritz G Cornell
Original assignee: CHESTER JENSEN Co
Current assignee: CHESTER JENSEN Co; CHESTER-JENSEN Co
Priority date: 1948-03-04
Filing date: 1948-03-04
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 F. G. CORNELL, JR

EMBOSSED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Filed March 4, 1948 "IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII INVEN TOR. fTQ/TZ 6 (be/v54; /e.

Patented Jan. 2, 1951 EMBOSSED PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER Fritz G. Cornell, Jr., Mountain Lakes, N. J assignor, by mesne assignments, to Chester-Jensen Company, Chester, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 4, 1948, Serial No. 12,960

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to heat exchange units and more especially to a unit for use with an evaporative refrigerant to cool liquids such as milk, beer and the like. A unit of this type is disclosed in Cornell Patent No. 2,120,797.

An object of this invention is to increase the efi'iciency and improve the operation of a heat exchange unit of the type covered by said Cornell Patent 2,120,797 when used with an evaporative refrigerant, such, for example, as ammonia.

vIn the construction shown in Cornell Patent 2,120,797, the vertical passageways allow the developing gases to pass within a minimum length of travel to the outlet, thus preventing the refrigerating liquid in the body of the unit being displaced by gas. It was not anticipated in the said patent that the gas be used as the refrigerant. I have, however, discovered that by introducing expanded gas from the liquid refrigerant into the unit at the point furthest away from the outlet thereof, and preventing short circuiting'of the gas between the inlet and the outlet, 2. high degree of heat absorption can be made available I throughout the entire surface of the unit, utilizing the expanded gas as a refrigerant. But I so construct the unit that the expanded gas refrigerant, after having absorbed heat to its maximum capacity, passes directly to the point of outlet.

This permits the remaining gas that has not been heated to the same extent, to act as a cooling medium without hinderance from the hot gas. The unit, as improved by me, may also be used with a liquid refrigerant.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one from of cooling unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The cooling unit In comprises two vertically arranged metal plates ll welded together along their top, bottom and vertical edges. Each plate, as shown, is offset adjacent one vertical edge to form a vertical channel l3 extending between the top and bottom edges of the plates at the right hand end thereof, but not at the other end. Each plate also is provided with a plurality of horizontal channels I4 extending to the vertical channel i3. This may be achieved by providing each plate with offsets mutually oo- 2 operating to define the channels. The unit is suitably constructed to provide communication between adjacent pairs of channels l4 except the lowermost along their full lengths. This may be achieved by interposing vertical bars 15 between the two plates II with their upper ends terminating in the top horizontal channel l4 and their lower ends terminating in the next to the bottom horizontal channel It, these bars being uniformly spaced horizontally and being welded to the plates between the successive horizontal channels. Between the next to the bottom horizontal channel and the bottom horizontal channel the plates engage and are linewelded together. An inlet pipe i6 is provided for the cooling unit iii in general alignment with the bottom supply channel and a gas outlet pipe I1 is provided in general alignment with the channel furthest away from the inlet pipe l6,

. said inlet and outletpipes being arranged at the same side of the unit. The bottom horizontal channel is sealed off from communication with the intercommunicating channels above except at its discharge point, which is at a position furthest away from the gas outlet H. The two pipes l6 and I! are formed with elbows, the ends of which may, if desired, be swivelled in stufling boxes I9 having supply and discharge connectors 2!! and 2!. A horizontal pipe 22 is supported directly above the unit it and is provided with downwardly directed apertures 23. Below the unit i ii is arranged a trough 24 having an outlet 25.

Liquid refrigerant, for example, ammonia, is introduced through the inlet I6 and vaporized refrigerant is withdrawn through the pipe l1 and the connection 2|. The liquid refrigerant is conducted by the bottom horizontal channel I4 to the right hand bottom corner of the unit from whence it is discharged into the right hand end of the next to the bottom horizontal channel. From there, the refrigerant is distributed uniformly throughout the remainder of the unit, the bars l5 providing a series of vertical channels through which the vaporized refrigerant may escape directly from one horizontal channel to the next channel and so on until it reaches outlet 11. Milk, beer or other liquid to be cooled is delivered to the top of the unit It through the pipe 22 and after traversing the cooling unit is collected in the trough 24 from which it is drawn off through the outlet 25. Where the swivel support for the unit Ill is used, the unit may be swung into and out of aligned relation to pipe route possible upwardly through the channels above it to the outlet so that the remainder of the refrigerant can efiect an efiicient heat-transfer. This easy and unobstructed escape of the hot gas avoids back pressure build-up in the gas ,1

which would partly neutralize the pressure head in the refrigerant supply line. It also prevents the heated gas from acting upon the refrigerant and causing pregasification thereof before the proper time. The compressor suction applied at the outlet of the unit is exerted over substantially the full surface of the unit, thus improving uniformity of heat absorption. The refrigerant is efiectively active throughout the entire unit.

While this application discloses but a single unit, it is contemplated that a plurality of' these units may be collectively mounted in an attemperating apparatus of the type illustrated in Cornell Patent No. 2,200,355.

While a specific embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations in structural detail within the scope of the claims is possible and is contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation of the exact details shown anddescribed.

I claim:

I.v A heat exchange unit comprising two vertical metal plates joined together at their top, bottom and vertical edges, at least one of said plates having outwardly ofiset portions defining a plurality of vertically superposed horizontal channels, vertical bars interposed between and. secured to. said plates between channels, said bars terminating at their upper ends in the top horizontal channel and at their lower ends; in the horizontal channel adjacent the bottom horizontal' channel: thereby providing direct intercommunication between all horizontal channels above the bottom horizontal channel for direct gastravel upwardly therethrough, an inlet pipe communicating with one endof theibottom hori-- zontal channel,- an outlet pipe communicating with the corresponding end of the top horizontal channel, and means including said pipes for pivotally supporting said unit for swinging movement about a vertical axis, said plates being continuously interjoined between the bottom horizontal, channel and the adjacent horizontal channel except beyond the vertical bar most removed from the ends of the channels with which said inlet and outlet pipes communicate, and at least one of said plates having an outwardly offset portion defining a vertical channel communicating with all of the horizontal channels.

21A heat exchange unit comprising two vertical metal plates joined together at their top, bottom and vertical edges, at least one of the said plates having outwardly offset portions defining a plurality of horizontal channels, vertical: bars interposed between and secured to said plates between channels, said bars terminating at one of their outer ends in an outermost horizontal channel at one side of the unit and at their other ends in the horizontal channel next to the outermost horizontal channel at the opposite side of. the unit, an inlet pipe communicating with one end of said last-named outermost horizontal channel, an outlet pipe communicating with the corresponding end of said first-named outermost horizontal channel, and means including said pipes for pivotally supporting said unit for swinging movement about a vertical axis, said plates being continuously interjoined between the first outermost horizontal channel and the adjacent horizontal channel except beyond the vertical bar most removed from the ends of the channels with which said inlet and said outlet pipes communicate; and at least one of said plates having an offset portion defining a vertical channel communicating with all of the horizontal channels adjacent said last-named vertical bar.

FRITZ G. CORNELL, JR.

REFERENCES. CITED lhe following references are of record in the file' of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,791,483 Dalgliesh Feb. 3, 1931' 2,085,191 Hastings June 29, 1937 2,120,797 Cornell June 14', 1938 2,211,514; Newhall Aug. 13', I940