HEAT EXCHANGER PLATE

Abstract

A heat exchanger plate (2) is described comprising an edge (7), a groove (8) running along the edge (7), a gasket arranged in the groove (8), and a corrugated area (10) having tops (12) and valleys (11) between the groove (8) and the edge (7), wherein tops (12) run substantially perpendicular to the edge (7). In such a heat exchanger plate the gasket should be reliably fixed without affecting the stability of the heat exchanger. To this end, in at least one valley (11) a raised section (14) extends from a bottom area (13) of the valley (11) and the gasket comprises a click-on extension arranged in the valley (11) and having a recess adapted to the raised section (14).

Claims

1. A heat exchanger plate comprising an edge, a groove running along the edge, a gasket arranged in the groove, and a corrugated area having tops and valleys between the groove and the edge, wherein tops run substantially perpendicular to the edge, wherein in at least one valley a raised section extends from a bottom area of the valley and the gasket comprises a click-on extension arranged in the valley and having a recess adapted to the raised section.

2. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein at least one inner projection is provided in the recess of the click-on extension of the gasket, the raised section forms a hollow, and the at least one inner projection projects into the hollow.

3. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 2, wherein two inner projections are provided in the recess, the projections pointing in opposite directions.

4. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the click-on extension fully fills out the valley.

5. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 1, wherein the raised section is formed by a cut-out of the bottom area.

6. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 5, wherein the raised section is connected at two ends to the bottom area.

7. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 6, wherein the two ends are arranged on a line perpendicular to the edge.

8. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 5, wherein the raised section comprises an upper wall having a width in a direction parallel to the edge which is smaller than a corresponding width of a hole in the bottom area of the valley.

9. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 8, wherein the upper wall is curved.

10. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 8, wherein the upper wall comprises a bend.

11. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 2, wherein the click-on extension fully fills out the valley.

12. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 3, wherein the click-on extension fully fills out the valley.

13. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 2, wherein the raised section is formed by a cut-out of the bottom area.

14. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 3, wherein the raised section is formed by a cut-out of the bottom area.

15. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 4, wherein the raised section is formed by a cut-out of the bottom area.

16. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 6, wherein the raised section comprises an upper wall having a width in a direction parallel to the edge which is smaller than a corresponding width of a hole in the bottom area of the valley.

17. The heat exchanger plate according to claim 7, wherein the raised section comprises an upper wall having a width in a direction parallel to the edge which is smaller than a corresponding width of a hole in the bottom area of the valley.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawing, wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a plate-type heat exchanger,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a heat exchanger plate,

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a gasket,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a gasket in a valley,

[0024] FIG. 5a shows perspective view of a first embodiment of a raised section,

[0025] FIG. 5b shows cross-sectional view of FIG. 5a,

[0026] FIG. 6a shows perspective view of a second embodiment of a raised section,

[0027] FIG. 6b shows cross-sectional view of FIG. 6a,

[0028] FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of a raised section, and

[0029] FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of a raised section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In all Figures the same elements are denoted with the same reference numerals.

[0031] FIG. 1 schematically shows a heat exchanger 1 comprising a stack of heat exchanger plates 2 which are arranged between a first end plate 3 and a second end plate 4. Four ports (two ports 5, 6 are shown only) are used to establish a first flow path and a second flow path through the heat exchanger 1. The two flow paths are separated from each other by means of the heat exchanger plates 2.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a detail of a heat exchanger plate 2. The heat exchanger plate 2 comprises an edge 7, a groove 8 running along the edge 7, a gasket 9 (FIG. 3) which is shown separated from the heat exchanger plate 2, but in use arranged in the groove 8, and a corrugated area 10 having valleys 11 and tops 12 between the groove 8 and the edge 7.

[0033] Each valley 11 comprises a bottom area 13. In at least one valley 11 a raised section 14 extends from the bottom area 13 of the valley 11 and the gasket 9 comprises a click-on extension 15 which is arranged in the valley 11 comprising the raised section 14. The click-on extension 15 comprises a recess 16. The recess 16 takes up the raised section 14, when the click-on extension 15 is arranged in the valley 11 having the raised section 14.

[0034] When the gasket 9 is mounted in the groove 8, the click-on extension 15 fully fills out the valley 11.

[0035] The raised section 14 is formed by cutting the bottom area 13 at two lines 17, 18 (FIGS. 5 and 6) and by bending a part of the bottom area 13 between the two cutting lines 17, 18 out of the bottom area 13 to form an upper wall 19. The cutting lines 17, 18 extend substantially perpendicular to the edge 7. In this way, the two ends of the raised section are arranged on a line perpendicular to the edge 7.

[0036] In this way a hollow 20 is formed by the raised section which is arranged below the upper wall 19.

[0037] The click-on extension 15 comprises two projections 21, 22 which are provided in the recess 16. The projections 21, 22 point in opposite direction, in particular substantially parallel to the edge 7. When the gasket 9 is placed in the groove 8 and the click-on extension 15 is placed in the valley 11 comprising the raised section 14, the two projections 21, 22 project into the hollow 20. Since the gasket 9 is made from an elastic material, the click-on extension 15 can be snapped onto the raised section 14, so that the click-on extension 15 is held in the valley 11 by positive locking.

[0038] This is schematically shown in FIG. 4. The gasket 5 shows the recess 16 and the two projections 21, 22 extend or project inwardly into the recess 16, so that they can snap under the upper wall 19 formed by a raised section 14.

[0039] As it is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the upper wall 19 has a width in a direction parallel to the edge 7 which is smaller than a corresponding width of a hole 23 in the bottom area 13 of the valley 11. The hole 23 is formed between the two cutting lines 17, 18 and by bending or stamping the upper wall 19 out of the bottom area 13.

[0040] The width of the upper wall 19 is reduced by forming the upper wall 19 into a curved shape.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the raised area 14, in which the upper wall 19 has a concave shape. FIG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment, in which the upper wall 19 has a concave shape.

[0042] Both curved shapes of the upper wall 19 can be produced during the stamping process, in which the upper wall 19 is bent out of the bottom area 13. When the width of the upper wall 19 is smaller than the width of the hole 23 between the two cutting lines 17, 18, it is easier to remove the heat exchanger plate 2 from the corresponding tool.

[0043] FIGS. 7 and 8 show further embodiments of the raised area.

[0044] In FIG. 7 the upper wall 19 is bent to form an obtuse angle opening to the top. Bending of the upper wall 19 reduces the width of the upper wall in relation to the width of the hole 23.

[0045] FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment in which the upper wall 19 forms likewise an obtuse angle, however the angle opening to the bottom.

[0046] While the present disclosure has been illustrated and described with respect to a particular embodiment thereof, it should be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications to this disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.