HEAT-EXCHANGER PLATE

Abstract

A plate for a heat exchanger wherein the plate is an at least two-layer flat laminate having a rigid, nonplanar, and three-dimensional support that consists of a broken-through and plastically deformable material and a flat membrane layer that transfers enthalpy between two fluid streams separated by the plate. A flat surface connection between the membrane layer and the support layer ensures that the support provides the plate with a predetermined mechanical strength and a three-dimensional shape.

Claims

1. A plate for a heat exchanger wherein the plate is an at least two-layer flat laminate comprising: a rigid, nonplanar, and three-dimensional support that consists of a broken-through and plastically deformable material; a flat membrane layer that transfers enthalpy between two fluid streams separated by the plate; and a flat surface connection between the membrane layer and the support layer such that the support provides the plate with a predetermined mechanical strength and a three-dimensional shape.

2. The plate according to claim 1, wherein the membrane layer is a plastic membrane layer.

3. The plate according to claim 2, wherein the plastic membrane layer is formed from a polyurethane or a polymer.

4. The plate according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support layer is formed from a thermally deformable material.

5. The plate according to claim 1, further comprising a further support layer on a side of the membrane layer facing away from the support and that imparts to the plate a predetermined mechanical strength and a three-dimensional and self-supporting structure; and another flat connection securing the further support layer to the membrane layer.

6. The plate according to claim 1, wherein the flat connection of the support layer to the membrane layer derives from material properties of the support layer or membrane layer.

7. The plate according to claim 1, wherein the plate is interlocked and welded or adhesively bonded at its edges and can thus be joined together with further plates of the same type to form a plate-type heat exchanger.

8. The plate according to claim 1, further comprising: an adhesive connection between the support layer and the membrane layer.

9. The plate according to claim 1, wherein the support layer is provided with a coating made of a zeolite and a binder by a dipping or spraying process.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0023] The invention is explained in detail hereinafter by an embodiment with reference to the drawing in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 is a large-scale cross-sectional view of the laminate of this invention;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows in larger scale a sheet of the laminate of this invention; and

[0026] FIG. 3 is a detail view of a small part of the sheet shown in FIG. 2.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] As seen in FIG. 1 the instant invention is a plate according to the invention that can be joined together with further plates of the same type to form a plate-type heat exchanger.

[0028] The plate 1 shown in the FIG. 1 is not shown to scale in this figure but merely schematically. Here, the plate 1 according to the invention is configured as a three-layer laminate 1.

[0029] This three-layer laminate 1 includes a plastic membrane 2 forming a core layer of the laminate 1, a first nonwoven layer 3 above the plastic membrane layer 2. and a second nonwoven layer 4 below the plastic membrane layer 2.

[0030] By means of the plastic membrane layer 2, enthalpy can be transferred between two fluid streams not shown in FIG. 1, where one of the fluid streams flows above the plate 1 and the other of the two fluid streams flows below the plate 1.

[0031] In the exemplary embodiment shown the plastic membrane layer 2 is formed from a polyurethane material.

[0032] The first nonwoven layer 3 and the second nonwoven layer 4 are formed from a thermally deformable nonwoven material, in the exemplary embodiment shown from a polyester nonwoven. The polyester nonwoven has a weight of 50 g/m.sup.2. Furthermore the polyester nonwoven is configured to be hygroscopically variable, wherein for this purpose the polyester nonwoven is provided with a coating that consists of a suitable zeolite and a binder.

[0033] By means of the two nonwoven layers 3, 4 the plate 1 acquires a predetermined mechanical strength and a rigid three-dimensional structure. This mechanical strength and this three-dimensional structure can be maintained for the duration of usage of the plate in a plate-type heat exchanger.

[0034] Between the plastic membrane layer 2 on the one hand and the nonwoven layers 3, 4 on the other hand, a flat adhesive connection is provided. In the embodiment of the plate 3 shown in FIG. 1 this can be implemented by the material properties of the polyester nonwoven forming the nonwoven layers 3, 4 and/or by material properties of the plastic membrane layer 2.

[0035] Alternatively it is possible to achieve this adhesive connection by a binder, preferably by a hot melt adhesive.

[0036] In order to manufacture a plate-type heat exchanger from a plurality of such plates 1, these can be interlocked and welded at their edges. This creates separate flow passages for the one fluid stream and for the other fluid stream. Enthalpy can be exchanged between the fluid streams through the plates 1.

[0037] In order to produce the plate 1, a flat three-layer laminate 1 is firstly created. In this case the plastic membrane layer 2 is placed on the lower nonwoven layer 4 and the upper nonwoven layer 1 is placed on the plastic membrane layer 2. Then the plate 1 is corrugated as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by a single process step that is used both for deformation, i.e. creation of a three-dimensional structure for the plate 1 and also for flat connection between the plastic membrane layer 2 on the one hand and the two nonwoven layers 3, 4 on the other hand. The same tools that are also used in the manufacture of conventional plates are also used for this process step.

[0038] Furthermore a maximum temperature that is 160° C. is not exceeded in this process step. This ensures that the plastic membrane layer 3 retains its enthalpy permeability required for its correct functioning.

[0039] For varying hygroscopy of the two nonwoven layers 3, 4 these are provided with a coating of a zeolite and a binder, and this coating can be produced by a dipping or a spraying process.

[0040] FIG. 3 shows how the cover layer 3 that serves for support can be broken through or formed as a grid or mesh. In FIG. 3 the layer 4 is underneath the layer 2 and not visible.