Heat transfer plate and heat exchanger comprising a plurality of such heat transfer plates

Abstract

A heat transfer plate includes a heat transfer area comprising alternately arranged ridges and valleys in relation to a central extension plane of the plate. The ridges form arrows comprising first arrows, which first arrows each comprises two legs arranged on opposite sides of, and a head arranged on, a respective one of a first number of imaginary straight lines extending across the complete heat transfer area parallel to a longitudinal centre axis of the plate. Each imaginary straight line comprises at least one primary portion along which at least three of the first arrow heads are arranged, uniformly spaced. A majority of the imaginary straight lines comprise at least one secondary portion each along which an extension of the ridges and valleys on one side of the imaginary straight line is parallel with the extension of the ridges and valleys on another opposite side of the imaginary straight line.

Claims

1. A heat transfer plate including a heat transfer area provided with a corrugation pattern comprising alternately arranged ridges and valleys in relation to a central extension plane of the heat transfer plate, which ridges form arrows comprising first arrows, which first arrows each comprises two legs arranged on opposite sides of, and a head arranged on, a respective one of a first number of imaginary straight lines extending across the complete heat transfer area parallel to a longitudinal centre axis of the heat transfer plate so that the head of every first arrow in the heat transfer area is arranged on a respective one of the imaginary straight lines, each of the imaginary straight lines comprising at least one primary portion along which at least three of the first arrow heads are arranged, uniformly spaced, wherein at least a majority of the imaginary straight lines comprise at least one secondary portion each along which an extension of the ridges and valleys on one side of the imaginary straight line is parallel with the extension of the ridges and valleys on another opposite side of the imaginary straight line, wherein the heat transfer area is divided into a second number of transverse bands extending transverse to the longitudinal centre axis of the heat transfer plate and from a first to an opposing second long side of the heat transfer area, wherein, within the outermost transverse bands, the corrugation pattern is the same.

2. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein, along said secondary portions of said at least a majority of the imaginary straight lines, the extension of the ridges and valleys on said one side of the imaginary straight line is aligned with the extension of the ridges and valleys on said opposite side of the imaginary straight line.

3. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein each of the imaginary straight lines, except for a first one of the imaginary straight lines, comprises at least one secondary portion.

4. A heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein said first imaginary straight line coincides with the longitudinal centre axis of the heat transfer plate.

5. A heat transfer plate according to claim 3, wherein at least one of the imaginary straight lines on each side of the first imaginary straight line comprises at least two primary portions, and at least another one of the imaginary straight lines on each side of the first imaginary straight line comprises at least two secondary portions.

6. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the corrugation pattern within each of the transverse bands varying from the corrugation pattern within an adjacent one of the transverse bands, and each of the primary and secondary portions of the imaginary straight lines extending completely across a respective one of the transverse bands.

7. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein each two adjacent ones of the transverse bands is separated by a respective groove extending in the central extension plane of the heat transfer plate from the first to the second long side of the heat transfer area.

8. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein outlines of the outermost transverse bands are the same.

9. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein each of the transverse bands is delimited by a first and a second borderline, at least one of which is curved.

10. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein each of the outermost transverse bands has a varying width as measured parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate, the width decreasing in a direction from the first long side of the heat transfer area towards the longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate, and in a direction from the second long side of the heat transfer area towards the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer plate.

11. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein one of the transverse bands arranged between the outermost transverse bands has a varying width as measured parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate, the width increasing in a direction from the first long side of the heat transfer area towards the longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate, and in a direction from the second long side of the heat transfer area towards the longitudinal axis of the heat transfer plate.

12. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the corrugation pattern of the heat transfer area is symmetric with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the heat transfer plate.

13. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the arrows arranged along the same one of the imaginary straight lines point in the same direction.

14. A heat transfer plate according to claim 1, wherein the ridges and valleys, on an outside of an outermost one of the imaginary straight lines, all extend with a smallest angle (α, β) of 0-90 degrees in relation to said outermost imaginary straight line, as measured from said outermost imaginary straight line in a first direction.

15. A heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer plates according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which

(2) FIGS. 1a-1b are plan views of prior art heat transfer plates,

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of a plate heat exchanger according to the invention,

(4) FIG. 3-6 are schematic plan views of a heat transfer plate according to four different embodiments of the invention, and

(5) FIG. 7 schematically illustrates a part of a cross section of the heat transfer plate of FIG. 3, taken along line A-A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) With reference to FIG. 2, a gasketed plate heat exchanger 2 is shown. It comprises a first end plate 4, a second end plate 6 and a number of heat transfer plates 8 arranged in a plate pack 10 between the first and second end plates 4 and 6, respectively. The heat transfer plates are all of the type illustrated in FIG. 3.

(7) The heat transfer plates 8 are separated from each other by gaskets (not shown). The heat transfer plates together with the gaskets form parallel channels arranged to alternately receive two fluids for transferring heat from one fluid to the other. To this end, a first fluid is arranged to flow in every second channel and a second fluid is arranged to flow in the remaining channels. The first fluid enters and exits the plate heat exchanger 2 through an inlet 12 and an outlet 14, respectively. Similarly, the second fluid enters and exits the plate heat exchanger 2 through an inlet and an outlet (not visible in the figures), respectively. For the channels to be leak proof, the heat transfer plates must be pressed against each other whereby the gaskets seal between the heat transfer plates 8. To this end, the plate heat exchanger 2 comprises a number of tightening means 16 arranged to press the first and second end plates 4 and 6, respectively, towards each other.

(8) The design and function of gasketed plate heat exchangers are well-known and will not be described in detail herein.

(9) One of the heat transfer plates 8 will now be further described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 7 which illustrate the heat transfer plate and a cross section of the heat transfer plate, respectively. The heat transfer plate 8 is an essentially rectangular sheet of stainless steel pressed, in a conventional manner, in a pressing tool, to be given a desired structure. It defines a top plane T, a bottom plane B and a central extension plane C (see also FIG. 2) which are parallel to each other and to the figure plane of FIG. 3. The central extension plane C extends half way between the top and bottom planes, T and B, respectively. The heat transfer plate further has a longitudinal centre axis I and a transverse centre axis t.

(10) The heat transfer plate 8 comprises a first end area 18, a second end area 20 and a heat transfer area 22 arranged there between. In turn, the first end area 18 comprises an open inlet port hole area, i.e. an inlet port hole, 24 for the first fluid and an open outlet port hole area, i.e. an outlet porthole, 26 for the second fluid arranged for communication with the inlet 12 for the first fluid and the outlet for the second fluid, respectively, of the plate heat exchanger 2. Further, the first end area 18 comprises a first distribution area 28 provided with a distribution pattern in the form of a so-called chocolate pattern (not illustrated in FIG. 3 but in FIG. 6). Similarly, in turn, the second end area 20 comprises an open outlet port hole area, i.e. an outlet port hole, 30 for the first fluid and an open inlet port hole area, i.e. an inlet port hole, 32 for the second fluid arranged for communication with the outlet 14 of the first fluid and the inlet of the second fluid, respectively, of the plate heat exchanger 2. Further, the second end area 20 comprises a second distribution area 34 provided with a distribution pattern in the form of a so-called chocolate pattern (not illustrated in FIG. 3 but in FIG. 6). The structures of the first and second end areas are the same but mirror inverted with respect to the transverse centre axis t.

(11) The heat transfer area 22 is provided with a corrugation pattern of herringbone type which is symmetric with respect to the longitudinal center axis I of the heat transfer plate. It comprises alternately arranged ridges 36 and valleys 38 in relation to the central extension plane C which defines the border between the ridges and valleys. This is clear form FIG. 7, which, however, illustrate just one complete ridge and two valleys. In FIG. 3, the zig-zag lines illustrate the ridges while the space between the zig-zag lines illustrate the valleys. Naturally, the ridges and valleys as seen from one side of the heat transfer plate are valleys and ridges, respectively, as seen from the other side of the heat transfer plate.

(12) The heat transfer area 22 is divided into three transverse bands, two outermost transverse bands 40 and 42 and one intermediate transverse band 44 arranged between the outermost transverse bands. Each of the transverse bands extends transverse to the longitudinal centre axis I of the heat transfer plate 8 and from a first long side 46 to a second long side 48 of the heat transfer area 22. The outermost transverse bands 40 and 42 are essentially similar and the corrugation pattern within them is thus similar. However, the corrugation pattern within the outermost transverse band 40 is displaced in relation to the corrugation pattern within the outermost transverse band 42 such that the positions of the valleys in the outermost band 40 corresponds to the positions of the ridges in the outermost band 42. The corrugation pattern within the intermediate transverse band 44 is different from the corrugation pattern within the outermost bands 40 and 42. It should be stressed that only some of the ridges and valleys of the corrugation pattern are illustrated in FIG. 3 (and in FIGS. 4 and 5). In reality, as is illustrated in FIG. 6, the corrugation pattern covers the complete heat transfer area 22. Thereby, some of the ridges and valleys will be zig-zag shaped, some will be V shaped and some will be straight.

(13) Each of the transverse bands is limited by a first and second borderline which for the outermost transverse band 40 are denoted 50 and 52, respectively. The first and second borderlines of the intermediate transverse band 44 coincide with the second borderline 52 of the outermost transverse band 40, and the first borderline of the outermost transverse band 42, respectively. The coinciding borderlines of the transverse bands coincide with grooves 54 and 56 extending in the central extension plane C of the heat transfer plate from the first long side 46 to the second long side 48 of the heat transfer area 22.

(14) As is clear from FIG. 3, the first and second borderlines 50 and 52 of the outermost transverse band 40, and thus also the outermost transverse band 42, are curved and inwards bulging or concave as seen from within the respective outermost transverse band. This gives the outermost transverse bands 40 and 42 a varying width, the width being measured parallel to the longitudinal centre axis I, more particularly a width decreasing from the first and second long sides 46 and 48 of the heat transfer area 22 towards the longitudinal centre axis I of the heat transfer plate 8. Further, the first and second borderlines of the intermediate transverse band 44 are curved and outwards bulging or convex as seen from within the intermediate transverse band. This gives the intermediate transverse band 44 a varying width, more particularly a width increasing from the first and second long sides 46 and 48 towards the longitudinal centre axis I.

(15) The zig-zag and V shaped ridges within the transverse bands form first arrows 58 with respective heads 59. Since the valleys extend between, and parallel to, the ridges, these also form arrows with respective heads. The first arrows heads within each of the transverse bands are arranged in sequences extending from the first to the second borderlines of the transverse bands, with first arrow heads 59 arranged along the complete sequences with a uniform distance between adjacent first arrow heads. The sequences form continuous or discontinuous rows which coincide with imaginary straight lines 60, here five, extending across the complete heat transfer area, from a first short side 62 to a second short side 64, thereof. The imaginary straight lines 60 extend parallel to the longitudinal centre axis I of the heat transfer plate 8 on a distance from each other.

(16) The first arrows 58 along the same one of the imaginary straight lines all point in the same direction. Further, as is clear from FIG. 3, all first arrows have the same angle γ. Therefore, all the ridges 36 and the valleys 38 extend in parallel on an outside of outermost imaginary straight lines 60a and 60b. More particularly, on the outside of the outermost imaginary straight line 60a, the ridges 36 and the valleys 38 all extend with the same smallest angle α=γ/2=60 degrees in relation to the outermost imaginary straight line 60a as measured from the outermost imaginary straight line 60a in a clockwise direction. Similarly, on the outside of the outermost imaginary straight line 60b, the ridges 36 and the valleys 38 all extend with the same smallest angle β=γ/2=60 degrees in relation to the outermost imaginary straight line 60b as measured from the outermost imaginary straight line 60b in a counter-clockwise direction.

(17) The portions of the imaginary straight lines 60 occupied by the sequences of first arrow heads 59, i.e. along which a plurality of first arrows are arranged uniformly spaced, are herein referred to as primary portions 66. As is clear from FIG. 3, there are three primary portions 66 within each of the transverse bands 40, 42 and 44 of the heat transfer area 22. Further, each of the imaginary straight lines 60 comprises one, two or three primary portions 66. The portions of the imaginary straight lines 60 outside the primary portions are herein referred to as secondary portions 68. Along the secondary portions 68, the ridges 36 and valleys 38 cross the imaginary straight lines 60 unbent, i.e. with unaltered direction, such that an extension of the ridges and valleys immediately on one side of the imaginary straight line is aligned with an extension of the ridges and valleys immediately on an opposite side of the imaginary straight line. As is clear form FIG. 3, there are two secondary portions 68 within each of the transverse bands 40, 42 and 44 of the heat transfer area 22. Further, all imaginary straight lines 60 except for a first centred one 60′ coinciding with the longitudinal centre axis I, comprise one or two secondary portions 68. The first imaginary straight line 60′ lacks a secondary portion.

(18) Thus, as is clear from FIG. 3, the outermost imaginary straight lines 60a and 60b each comprises one primary and two secondary portions, while the intermediate imaginary straight lines arranged between the first centred and each of the outermost imaginary straight lines each comprises one secondary and two primary portions.

(19) As described above, the borderlines of the transverse bands 40, 42 and 44 of the heat transfer area 22 are curved. Further, as is clear from FIG. 3, also a respective first borderline 70 and 72 of the end areas 18 and 20 is curved and outwards bulging or convex as seen from within the respective end areas. The first borderlines 70 and 72 of the end areas 18 and 20, respectively, coincides with the first borderline 50 of the outermost transverse band 40, and the second borderline of the outermost transverse band 42, respectively, and with grooves 74 and 76, respectively. The grooves extend in the central extension plane C of the heat transfer plate 8 and from the first long side 46 to the second long side 48 of the heat transfer area 22.

(20) The borderlines of the transverse bands and the end areas are all uniform. Thereby, pressing of the heat transfer plate with a modular tool, which is used to manufacture heat transfer plates of different sizes containing different numbers of transverse bands by addition/removal of transverse bands adjacent to the end areas, is enabled.

(21) In that the first borderlines 70 and 72 are outwards bulging, they are longer than corresponding straight first borderlines would be. This results in larger “outlets” of the end areas which is beneficial as regards the fluid distribution across a width of the heat transfer area.

(22) The heat transfer plates 8 of the plate heat exchanger 2 are stacked between the first and second end plates 4 and 6 with a front side (visible in FIG. 3) and a back side of one heat transfer plate facing a back side and a front side, respectively, of adjacent heat transfer plates. Further, every second heat transfer plate is rotated 180 degrees, in relation to a reference orientation, about a centre axis (X) of the heat transfer plates extending through a centre, and perpendicularly to the central extension plane (C), of the heat transfer plates. Thereby, the ridges and valleys of said one heat transfer plate will cross and contact, in points, the valleys and ridges, respectively, of said adjacent heat transfer plates. Since the heat transfer plates do not comprise only continuous rows of equally spaced first arrows extending across the complete heat transfer area parallel to the longitudinal centre axis of the heat transfer plates, the channel formed between two adjacent ones of the heat transfer plates will be relatively open so as to allow an effective fluid spreading across the heat transfer areas of the heat transfer plates. Further, due to the lack of areas comprising a pattern change with first arrows pointing towards each other, the heat transfer plates will be resistant to crack formation.

(23) FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate examples of other possible designs of a heat transfer plate according to the invention. Obviously, most of the above description is valid also for the heat transfer plates of FIGS. 4 and 5. However, there are three imaginary straight lines for the heat transfer plates according to FIGS. 4 and 5 instead of five. Two of the three imaginary straight lines for the heat transfer plate according to FIG. 4 comprise two secondary portions each, while two of the three imaginary straight lines for the heat transfer plate according to FIG. 5 comprise one secondary portion each. Further, along the first centred imaginary straight line for both the heat transfer plates, the first arrows within the intermediate transverse band and the first arrows within the outermost transverse bands point in opposite directions. Therefore, both the heat transfer plates comprises one area each, centred at the border between the upper (as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5) outermost and the intermediate transverse band, within which the corrugation pattern changes and the first arrows point towards each other.

(24) FIG. 6 illustrates an example of another possible design of a heat transfer plate according to the invention. The heat transfer plate in FIG. 6 is essentially similar to the heat exchanger plate in FIG. 3 except for that a transition area 78 is arranged between each of the distribution areas 28 and 34 an the heat transfer area 22. The design, function and purpose of such transition areas are described in WO publication 2014/067757.

(25) Naturally, many other heat transfer plate designs are possible within the scope of the present invention.

(26) The above described embodiments of the present invention should only be seen as examples. A person skilled in the art realizes that the embodiments discussed can be varied and combined in a number of ways without deviating from the inventive conception.

(27) As an example, the corrugation pattern within the distribution areas need not be a chocolate pattern but my be of other types.

(28) Further, the heat transfer plate need not comprise three transverse bands and five or three imaginary straight lines, but may comprise another number of transverse bands and imaginary straight lines, and thus, other numbers and combinations, within the scope of the present invention, of primary and secondary portions. As an example, the heat transfer plate may comprise five transverse bands of which the outermost bands and the centre band are concave, and the bands between the centre band and each of the outermost bands are convex.

(29) One or all of the borderlines of the transverse bands and the first borderlines of the end areas could be straight instead of curved. Accordingly, the transverse bands could have uniform widths.

(30) The first arrows within the heat transfer area need not all have the same first arrow angle like above but may have a varying sharpness. Further, α and β need not be equal, or equal to 60 degrees. Further, the imaginary straight lines could be uniformly distributed across the heat transfer area.

(31) In the plate heat exchanger, the heat transfer plates need not be stacked as described above but could instead be stacked with a front side and a back side of one heat transfer plate facing a front side and a back side, respectively, of adjacent heat transfer plates, and with every second heat transfer plate rotated 180 degrees.

(32) The ridges and valleys need not have a cross section as illustrated in FIG. 7 but can have any cross section, such as a cross section comprising one or more shoulders or flanks connecting the ridges and valleys.

(33) The above described plate heat exchanger is of parallel counter flow type, i.e. the inlet and the outlet for each fluid are arranged on the same half of the plate heat exchanger and the fluids flow in opposite directions through the channels between the heat transfer plates. Naturally, the plate heat exchanger could instead be of diagonal flow type and/or a co-flow type.

(34) The plate heat changer above comprises one plate type only. Naturally, the plate heat exchanger could instead comprise two or more different types of alternately arranged heat transfer plates. Further, the heat transfer plates could be made of other materials than stainless steel.

(35) The present invention could be used in connection with other types of plate heat exchangers than gasketed ones, such as all-welded, semi-welded and brazed plate heat exchangers.

(36) It should be stressed that a description of details not relevant to the present invention has been omitted and that the figures are just schematic and not drawn according to scale. It should also be said that some of the figures have been more simplified than others. Therefore, some components may be illustrated in one figure but left out on another figure.