US3207213A

US3207213A - Heat exchanger and method of constructing the same

Info

Publication number: US3207213A
Application number: US150012A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frohlich Franklin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-11-11
Filing date: 1961-11-03
Publication date: 1965-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 1982-09-21
Also published as: CH384604A

Description

F. FRHLlcH 3,207,213

HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Sept. 21, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 5, 1963 gmc/nm SePf- 2l, 1965 F. FRHLICH 3,207,213

HEAT EXGHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed NOV. 5, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 2l, 1965 F, FRHLICH 3,207,213

HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Filed Nov. 3, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ln/00mm www. 4M

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United States Patent O 3,207,213 HEAT EXCHANGER AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING THE SAME Franklin Frhlich, Im Eggli 1757, Teufen AR, Switzerland Filed Nov. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 150,012

Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 11, 1960,

12,638/ 60 13 Claims. (Cl. 165-81) This invention relates to a heat exchanger and to a method for constructing the same.

In my Swiss Patent No. 283,884 a heat exchanger unit is disclosed which consists of a plurality of parallel, technical silicate plates that are spaced by spacer strips. Owing to the brittleness and relatively large size of the plates, great care must be exercised to avoid breakage as the elements are stacked, clamped together with sutlicient force to effect a proper seal, and mounted in a heat exchanger housing.

The object of the present invention is to provide a heat exchanger having a pivotally supported L-shaped bed upon which are stacked a plurality of spaced, parallel brittle plates. The bed includes a normally horizontal first leg upon which the plates are partially supported in an edgewise manner. The bed includes also a second leg rigidly -connected with said tirst leg at an obtuse angle less than approximately 110, said plates being parallel with and partially supported by said second leg. During stacking, the base is pivoted through an angle of approximately to 30 to cause the tirst and second legs to be raised and lowered, respectively, whereby the respective weight-s of the plates are utilized to lobtain a tight stack. Owing to their orientation on the base, the plates are maintained in tightly stacked relationship as the bed is lowered to its normal position. Consequently, as a result of the invention, the use of auxiliary clamping means for the plates during construction lof the heat exchanger is eliminated.

As in the aforementioned Swiss patent, spacer strips are arranged between the plates to define, between alternate pairs of plates, passages that extend normal to passages delined between the remaining plates. As a consequence of the edgewise, inclined orientation of the plates, the compressive load developed in the stack to effect sealing contact between the elements is distributed uniformly across the brittle plates whereby breakage of the same is avoided.

According to the present invention, uniform transverse Support of the lower end plate of the stack is afforded by a mastic 4mass into which the plate is embedded. At the other end of the stack an expansion unit is provided which compensates for expansion and contraction of the bed and the housing elements. The expansion unit consists of a pair of technical silicate plates between which is arranged a layer of a soft compressible material. It is preferable that the plates of the expansion unit and the embedded plate be somewhat thicker than the other plates Ifor proper absorption -of the compressive forces in the stack.

The plates are maintained in position on the bed by a mass of settable material that is pressed into an interspace dened between the expansion unit and a vertical wall of the heat exchanger housing. The lling composition further assures a uniform distribution of load upon the plates.

As a result of the edgewise mounting of the plates in the housing, spray nozzles may be mounted above the stack for directing cleansing and deposit-dissolving uids downward between the plates. Furthermore, if desired one of the heat exchanging fluids to be directed between alternate pairs of plates may be supplied via the spray nozzles.

3,207,213 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 "ice Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specication when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a transverse sectional view of the heat exchanger taken along line 1-1 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are detailed view-s of the lower right and left hand ends of the stack of plates of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of .the terminal unit that is arranged at the left hand end of the stack of plates of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawing, the heat exchanger includes a masonry housing containing a chamber deiined between end w-alls 48 and 49, longitudinal Walls 50 and 51, and upper and lower horizontal surfaces (not shown). The end walls contain opposed rectangular openings which are closed-after assembly of the heat exchanger elements in the housing-by masonry ller 48a and 49a. Adjacent each longitudinal w-all is arranged a longitudinal row of stationary pedestals 11 having reduced portions 12 at their upper ends. The pedestals 11a adjacent end wall 49 have reduced ends 12a upon which are titted inverted U-shaped channels 13a.

Each rfow of pedestals supports a rigid L-shaped bed 16 having tirst and second legs arranged at an obtuse angle of less than approximately relative to each other. The horizontal tlrst leg of the bed comprises spaced center and

outer beams

20 and 18, respectively, that are connected by transverse inverted

U-shaped channels

13 and 15. Channels 13 are supported by pedestal portions 12 and channel 15 is supported by pivot rod 14 welded to channel 13a. The second bed leg comprises triangular plates 22 welded to

beams

18 and 20, L-shaped reinforcing beams welded to plates 22, and a transverse metal plate 28 welded to beams 24.

lStacked edgewise upon the iirst leg of the bed are a plurality of

plates

32 and 36 formed of a technical silicate (such as glass or a ceramic) between successive pairs of which are arranged horizontal and

vertical spacer strips

34 and 38, respectively. Plate 32 is uniformly supported by a mastic layer 30 (of gypsum paste, for example) positioned on plate 28. The spacer strips are preferably formed of the same material as the plates.

An expansion unit (FIG. 5) is provided at the lefthand end of the stack and comprises a pair of

technical silicate plates

40 and 44 between which is arranged a layer 42 of compressible material such as rubber. The interstice between vertical wall portion 48a and the expansion unit is lled with a mastic -mass 46, such as gypsum paste.

` In order to stabilize the bed in the housing, a concrete slab 54 is supported between the inner beams 18 of the two beds, and concrete slabs 72 are supported by the outer beams 18 and wall supports 70. Concrete slab 5S is supported, adjacent its longitudinal edges, by soft pads 56 on the adjacent upper edges of the two stacks and, at its ends, by soft pads S9 mounted on wall supports 57. Tronghs 64 iilled with scrap metal are supported by soft pads 68 on the outer edges of the stacks and on the wall supports 66. Horizontal partition 62 is supported at its -ends by wall portions 48a and 49a and defines chambers A and B between

slabs

54 and 58. Curved detlecting Iplates 52 are mounted between the stacks and the longitudinal walls, the concave surfaces of said deflecting plates being directed inwardly toward the stacks as shown.

In the end wall portion 48a on opposite sides of partition 62 are mounted a pair of supply and return conduits 60. In operation of the exchanger, a rst heat exchanging uid is supplied to chamber A- via the lower conduit 60 and is diverted laterally outward-as shown by the arrows tf-through the horizontal passages defined between alternate sets of plates by the strips 34. The fluid is diverted by deflecting plates S8 into chamber B through the upper horizontal passages between the brittle plates as shown by arrows 0. The fluid is exhausted via the upper conduit 60. A second heat exchanging fluid in chamber D is directed downwardas shown by the arrows d--through the vertical passages defined between alternate sets of plates by strips 38. This fluid passes through the openings in the bed elements as shown by the arrows e and passes into chamber C. The inlet and outlet openings of chambers D and C, respectively, are not shown in the drawing. The second fluid may be introduced into chamber D via pipes 74 and spray nozzles 76, if desired. In the event that impurities and deposits should be formed on the wall surfaces of the vertical passages, suitable cleaning or deposit-dissolving uids may be sprayed between the plates by means of the pipes and nozzles.

During construction of the heat exchanger, the masonry housing is formed about the pedestal supported beds, openings being left in the end walls. Each bed is then pivoted in the clockwise direction (FIG. 2) about pivot rod 14 through an angle of approximately 10 to 30. After covering the surface of plate 28 with the layer 30 of a settable material (for example, gypsum paste),

plates

32 and 36 and

spacer strips

34 and 38 are successively stacked upon plate 28, the lower edges of the brittle plates being partially supported by the first leg of the bed. To facilitate stacking, each of the spacer strips may be secured (by gluing, for example) to a surface of one of the two plates between which it is arranged. The expansion element is mounted upon spacer strips arranged on the upper plate 36.

Owing to their orientation, the plates are stabilized by their respective weights as the bed is lowered to the FIG. 2 position. Adjacent each expansion unit, a portion of the opening in Wall 48 is closed by the construction of masonry walls 48a. The mastic 46 (such as gypsum paste) is now forced into the interstice defined between wall 48a and the adjacent expansion unit, the sides of the interstice being closed by plate means, not shown.

The beds are now secured in place by the mounting of

slabs

54 and 72, and slab 5S and troughs 64 are mounted on the upper edges of the plates. Owing to the weights of slab 58 and troughs 64, the pressure of mastic 46, and the respective weights of the plates themselves, the plates are pressed into tight sealing engagement with the spacer strips. To withstand the compressive forces at the ends of the stack, plates 32, 4t) and 44 may be made somewhat thicker than plates 36. Owing to the compressibility of layer 42 and the temporarily non-hardened state of

mastic masses

46 and 30, the stress in the stack are distributed uniformly across the brittle heat exchanger elements.

Conduits 60 and partition 62 are now mounted in the end wall openings and are secured in place by the construction of masonry wall 49a and the remaining central portion of wall 48a. Upon hardening of the

mastic masses

30 and 46, the construction of the heat exchanger is completed.

Although the housing of the heat exchanger has been described as being formed of masonry and concrete, it is apparent that for smaller units the housings may be formed of other materials, such as eternite, a synthetic plastic, or a suitable metal.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the method and apparatus described without deviating from the invention set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Heat exchanger apparatus, comprising a generally L-shaped bed including a horizontal first leg and a generally vertical second leg;

a stack of parallel spaced heat exchanger plates arranged edgewise on said first leg parallel with and adjacent said second leg;

spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating with successive pairs of plates to dene a plurality of first parallel passages extending between alternate pairs of plates in one direction transversely of the stack and a plurality of second parallel passages extending between the remaining pairs of plates in a direction transversely of the stack normal to said first passages;

means including a mass of settable material interposed between the second bed leg and the adjacent end plate of the stack;

and a housing enclosing said stack of plates and spacer strips, said housing including first conduit means for conducting a rst heat transfer fluid solely through said first passages, and second conduit means for conducting a second fluid solely through said second passages, whereby heat is transferred between said uids through said heat exchanger plates.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second legs are rigidly connected at an obtuse angle less than approximately degrees.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including means pivotally supporting said bed in said housing.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further including nozzle means contained within said housing for directing a liquid between alternate pairs of said heat exchanger plates.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said end plate has a greater thickness than the adjacent plates of the stack.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plates are formed of glass.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plates are formed of a ceramic material.

S. Heat exchanger apparatus, comprising a generally L-shaped bed including a horizontal first leg and a generally vertical second leg;

a stack of brittle parallel spaced heat exchanger plates arranged edgewise on said first leg parallel with and adjacent said second leg;

spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating with successive pairs of plates to define a plurality of first parallel passages extending between alternate pairs of plates in one direction transversely of the stack and a plurality of second parallel passages extending between the remaining pairs of plates in a direction transversely of the stack normal to said rst passages;

an expansion unit parallel with and stacked upon the opposite end of the stack from said second leg, said expansion unit comprising a layer of resilient packing material and a pair of parallel additional plates in contiguous engagement with opposite sides of said packing layer;

and a housing enclosing said stack of plates, spacer strips and expansion unit, said housing including first conduit means for conducting a first heat transfer fluid through said first passages, and second conduit means for conducting a second fluid through said second passages, whereby heat is transferred between said fluids through said heat exchanger plates.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the pair of plates of said expansion unit are formed of a technical silicate material and have a greater thickness than the adjacent plates of the stack.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing includes a wall surface arranged with respect to the free end surface of the stack to define an interstice, and further including means lling said interstice.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said fill- 3,207,213 6 ing means comprises a mass of hardenable material the remaining pairs of plates in a direction transversely pressed into the interstice. of the stack normal to said first passages, comprising 12. A heat exchanger comprising a housing containing a chamber; a housing including a horizontal base, a vertical wall a rigid generally L-shaped bed ararnged in said chamat one end of said base, and a rigid support at the other end of said base inclined at an obtuse angle relative thereto;

a stack of parallel spaced brittle heat exchanger plates arranged edgewise on said horizontal base parallel with and at least partially supported by said rigid ber and including irst and second legs defining therebetween an obtuse angle;

and means pivotally supporting said bed for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis adjacent the point of connection of said legs;

said housing including means for normally supporting support; said bed in a final position in which said first and spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating second legs are llOflZOIlal and generally Vertical, with successive pairs of plates to dene a plurality fesPeCllVelY, and flfst and seCODd Conduit meaIlS fOI' of first parallel passages extending between alternate comnlulleall'lwlth the lfst end second Passages pairs of plates in one direction transversely of the COIllaIDed H Sald steek, fesPeClVelY, When said bed stack and a plurality of second parallel passages extending between the remaining pairs of plates in a direction transversely of the stack normal to said rst passages;

is in said final position and the plates, with the spacer strip means therebetween, are arranged edgewise on said first leg parallel with and at least partially supported by said second leg.

and a hardened mass substantially filling the space dened between said vertical wall and the end plate adjacent thereto, said housing including first conduit References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS means for conducting a first heat transfer fluid 1 794 135 2/31 Banl 165 68 through said rst passages, and second conduit means 2'005515 6 /3 5 Winkler "165 119 for conducting a second iuid through Said SeCOnd 2,251,066 7/41 Persson e-{a-l n 165 157 passages, whereby heat is transferred between said 2267619 12/41 Strom 29 1573 uids through said heat exchanger plates. 2,339,284 1/44 Modine 165 7`9 13. In heat exchanger apparatus of the type including 2759247 8/56 Grenen "29 157 3 a stack of parallel spaced brittle technical silicate plates J n and spacer strip means arranged between and cooperating FOREIGN PATENTS with successive pairs of plates to deiine a plurality of irst 920,425 1/55 Germany.

parallel passages extending between alternate pairs of plates in one direction transversely of the stack and a plurality of second parallel passages extending between CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. HEAT EXCHANGER APPARATUS, COMPRISING A GENERALLY L-SHAPED BED INCLUDING A HORIZONTAL FIRST LEG AND A GENERALLY VERTICAL SECOND LEG; A STACK OF PARALLEL SPACED HEAT EXCHANGER PLATES ARRANGED EDGEWISE ON SAID FIRST LEG PARALLEL WITH AND ADJACENT SAID SECOND LEG; SPACER STRIP MEANS ARRANGED BETWEEN AND COOPERATING WITH SUCCESSIVE PAIRS OF PLATES TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF FIRST PARALLEL PASSAGES EXTENDING BETWEEN ALTERNATE PAIRS OF PLATES IN ONE DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE STACK AND A PLURALITY OF SECOND PARALLEL PASSAGES EXTENDING BETWEEN THE REMAINING PAIRS OF PLATES IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSELY OF THE STACK NORMAL TO SAID FIRST PASSAGES; MEANS INCLUDING A MASS OF SETTABLE MATERIAL INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SECOND BED LEG AND THE ADJACENT END PLATE OF THE STACK; AND A HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID STACK OF PLATES AND SPACER STRIPS, AND HOUSING INCLUDING FIRST CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A FIRST HEAT TRANSFER FLUID SOLELY THROUGH SAID FIRST PASSAGES, AND SECOND CONDUIT MEANS FOR CONDUCTING A SECOND FLUID THROUGH SAID SECOND PASSAGES, WHEREBY HEAT IS TRANSFERRED BETWEEN SAID FLUIDS THROUGH SAID HEAT EXCHANGER PLATES.