HEAT EXCHANGER

Abstract

A heat exchanger (1) includes a top plate (2) and a bottom plate (3), wherein between the top plate (2) and the bottom plate (3) two heat exchanger stacks (4,7) are provided, wherein the heat exchanger stacks (4,7) are separated by a separating plate (6). The underlying problem of the present disclosure is to provide a heat exchanger (1) which can be adapted easily. This problem is solved by a heat exchanger (1), wherein first heat exchanger plates (5) forming the first heat exchanger stack (4) differ from second heat exchanger plates (8) forming the second heat exchanger stack (7).

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising a top plate and a bottom plate, a plurality of heat exchanger plates arranged between the top plate and the bottom plate, wherein adjacent heat exchanger plates cooperate to form fluid channels, wherein several heat exchanger plates form a stack, wherein a first stack and a second stack are arranged between the top plate and bottom plate, wherein a separating plate is arranged between the first stack and the second stack, wherein the first stack comprises a first fluid channel and a second fluid channel and the second stack comprises a third fluid channel and a fourth fluid channel, wherein the second fluid channel and the third fluid channel are fluidly connected, wherein the first stack is formed of first heat exchanger plates, and the second stack is formed of second heat exchanger plates, wherein the first heat exchanger plates or the second heat exchanger plates are formed of single wall heat exchanger plates and the respective other heat exchanger plates are formed of double wall heat exchanger plates, or the first heat exchanger plates and the and the second heat exchanger plates are formed of double wall heat exchanger plates.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger plates differ in form, material, construction and/or type from the second heat exchanger plates.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein one of the first heat exchanger stack is a single wall heat exchanger stack formed of single wall heat exchanger plates.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein one of the second heat exchanger stack is a double wall heat exchanger stack formed of double wall heat exchanger plates.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a flow direction of the second and third fluid channel is oriented from the first heat exchanger stack to the second heat exchanger stack.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the separating plate comprises at least one positioning geometry, which is configured to interact with at least one matching geometry of the first heat exchanger plate and/or second heat exchanger plate.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein a second fluid is supplied to the second fluid channel, while a first fluid is supplied the first fluid channel and/or fourth fluid is supplied to the fourth fluid channel.

8. A method to assemble a heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the following steps: i. assembling the first heat exchanger stack of first heat exchanger plates, ii. assembling the second heat exchanger stack of second heat exchanger plates, iii mounting the first heat exchanger stack to the top plate, iv. mounting the separating plate to the first heat exchanger stack, V. mounting the second heat exchanger stack to the separating plate, and vi. mounting the base plate to the second heat exchanger stack.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein one of the first heat exchanger stack is a single wall heat exchanger stack formed of single wall heat exchanger plates.

10. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein one of the second heat exchanger stack is a double wall heat exchanger stack formed of double wall heat exchanger plates.

11. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein one of the second heat exchanger stack is a double wall heat exchanger stack formed of double wall heat exchanger plates.

12. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein a flow direction of the second and third fluid channel is oriented from the first heat exchanger stack to the second heat exchanger stack.

13. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein a flow direction of the second and third fluid channel is oriented from the first heat exchanger stack to the second heat exchanger stack.

14. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein a flow direction of the second and third fluid channel is oriented from the first heat exchanger stack to the second heat exchanger stack.

15. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the separating plate comprises at least one positioning geometry, which is configured to interact with at least one matching geometry of the first heat exchanger plate and/or second heat exchanger plate.

16. The heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein the separating plate comprises at least one positioning geometry, which is configured to interact with at least one matching geometry of the first heat exchanger plate and/or second heat exchanger plate.

17. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein the separating plate comprises at least one positioning geometry, which is configured to interact with at least one matching geometry of the first heat exchanger plate and/or second heat exchanger plate.

18. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein the separating plate comprises at least one positioning geometry, which is configured to interact with at least one matching geometry of the first heat exchanger plate and/or second heat exchanger plate.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The invention is described in the following with reference to the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the drawing. Herein shows:

[0025] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a heat exchanger,

[0026] FIG. 2 a schematic top view of a heat exchanger,

[0027] FIG. 3 a schematic cross section of a heat exchanger in a longitudinal direction,

[0028] FIG. 4 a schematic cross section of a heat exchanger in a cross direction

[0029] FIG. 5 a schematic view of a separating plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIG. 1 depicts a heat exchanger 1 having a top plate 2 and a bottom plate 3, wherein between the top plate 2 and the bottom plate 3 a first stack 4 of first heat exchanger plates 5, a separating plate 6 and a second stack 7 of second heat exchanger plates 8 are arranged. The heat exchanger 1 comprises several inlets and outlets, wherein FIG. 1 shows a first inlet 9, a second inlet 10, a first outlet 11 and a third outlet 14. The first inlet 9 and the second inlet 10 are arranged on the top plate 2, wherein the top plate 2 comprises an in FIG. 1 not depicted second outlet 12. The bottom plate 3 comprises the first outlet 11, the third outlet 1 and an in FIG. 1 not depicted third inlet 13. The first stack 4 is formed of multiple first heat exchanger plates 5, wherein the first stack 4 is a double wall heat exchanger stack being formed of double wall heat exchanger plates. The second stack 7 is formed of multiple second heat exchanger plates 8, wherein the second stack 7 is a single wall or a double wall heat exchanger stack, wherein a single wall heat exchanger stack is formed of single wall heat exchanger plates, while a double wall heat exchanger stack is formed of double wall heat exchanger plates.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the heat exchanger 1 showing the top plate 2. The top plate 2 comprises the first inlet 9, the second inlet 10 and the second outlet 12.

[0032] FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the heat exchanger 1. The heat exchanger 1 comprises the top plate 2, the bottom plate 3, the first stack 4 being formed of several first heat exchanger plates 5, the separating plate 6 and the second stack 7 formed of several second heat exchanger plates 8. Further, the heat exchanger 1 comprises the first inlet 9 and the first outlet 11, while the second inlet 10, second outlet 12, third inlet 13 and third outlet 14 are not depicted in FIG. 3.

[0033] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of the heat exchanger 1 in a cross-sectional direction, wherein the bottom plate 3 comprises the first outlet 11, the third inlet 13, while the top plate 2 comprises the first inlet 9 and the second outlet 12. As depicted in FIG. 4, between the top plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, the first stack 4 is separated from the second stack 7 by the separating plate 6. The first stack 4 is formed of the first heat exchanger plates 5, forming a double wall heat exchanger stack. The second stack 7 is formed of second heat exchanger plates 8 forming a single wall or a double wall heat exchanger.

[0034] FIG. 5 depicts a schematic view of the separating plate 6, wherein the separating plate 6 comprises two first positioning geometries 15 which interact with first matching geometries the neighbouring first heat exchanger plate 5 in an assembled state, while the separating plate 6 comprises two secondary positioning geometries 16 which interact second matching geometries of a neighbouring second heat exchanger plate 8. The first and secondary matching geometries are not depicted in any of the figures. Further, the separating plate 6 comprises a fluidic recess 17, which connects the first inlet 9 to the first outlet 11. Thus, the fluidic recess 17 allows a fluidic connection between the first stack 4 and the second stack 7.

[0035] A single wall heat exchanger stack comprises two fluidic channels, wherein the fluidic channels are separated from each other by a single wall respectively single heat exchanger plate. A double wall heat exchanger stack comprises also two fluidic channels, wherein the fluidic channels of the double wall heat exchanger stack are separated from each other by a double wall, respectively two separated walls.

[0036] In a double wall heat exchanger stack, if one wall respectively plate fails or leaks, leaking fluid is drained through a sector between the two walls, such that a mixing of the two fluids is prohibited. Therefore, a double wall heat exchanger stack can be used in drinking water applications, heat pump applications, and/or industrial applications.

[0037] In the present embodiment, the first inlet 9 forms together with the first outlet 11 a first fluidic channel. The second inlet 10 is fluidly connected to the second outlet 12 forming a second fluidic channel. The third inlet 13 interacts together with the third outlet 14, forming a third fluid channel. Thus, the heat exchanger 1 comprises three fluidic channels: The first fluidic channel is arranged within the first stack 4 and the second stack 7, wherein the first fluidic channel passes through the fluidic recess 17 from the first stack 4 to the second stack 7. The third fluidic channel is arranged within the second stack 7, while the second fluidic channel is arranged within the first stack 4. Thus, working fluid provided to the first fluidic channel can transfer heat from the second fluid channel to a fluid within the second fluid channel and to a fluid within the third fluid channel.

[0038] The separating plate 6 can be regarded as adapting element, which adapts an adjacent first heat exchanger plate 5 to an adjacent second heat exchanger plate 8, such that different types of heat exchanger plates 5, 8 can be assembled to form a heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention.

[0039] The first heat exchanger plates 5 and the second heat exchanger plates 8 can be formed of different materials. Further, the first heat exchanger plates 5 might comprise a structure differing from a structure of the second heat exchanger plates 8.

[0040] To assemble the heat exchanger, the assembly process comprises several tasks: [0041] i. Several first heat exchanger plates 5 are assembled to a first heat exchanger stack 4. [0042] ii. Several second heat exchanger plates 8 are assembled to form a second heat exchanger stack 7. [0043] iii. The first heat exchanger stack 4 is mounted onto the top plate 2. [0044] iv. The separating plate 6 is mounted onto the first heat exchanger stack 4. [0045] V. The second heat exchanger stack 7 is mounted onto the separating plate 6. [0046] vi. The base plate 3 is mounted onto the second heat exchanger stack 7.

[0047] These tasks can be performed in any order. The above-described order allows a preassembly of the first and second heat exchanger stacks 4, 7, such that the remaining tasks can be performed quickly. Thus, manufacturing a heat exchanger 1 according to the present invention is fast.

[0048] 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.