Heat exchanger and its manufacturing method

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprising packages (A, B) which comprise turbulising elements (1) which turbulise a flow of a working fluid between the two walls (2, 2) inside the packages (A, B). Packages (A, B) are set together alternately to accommodate the working fluid flowing through them. Packages (A, B) are connected to each other via pass-through connectors (6) which are fitted, respectively, in the inlet openings (4, 5) and outlet openings (4, 5) for the working fluids. The connector (6) comprises an external portion (6a) and an internal portion (6b) which are connected to each other with a transverse wall (6c). The internal portion (6b) of the connector (6) is connected to the walls (2, 2) of the respective package (A, B) and closes the corresponding inlet/outlet opening (4, 4, 5, 5), while the external portion (6a) of the connector (6) is connected to the neighbouring walls (2, 2) of the neighbouring packages (A, B) and connects the neighbouring areas of flow of the same working fluid. The heat exchanger can be manufactured by the diffusion bonding method.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger comprising turbulizers that turbulize a flow of working fluids, as well as inlet and outlet ducts for the working fluids, the heat exchanger comprising: packages including the turbulizers that turbulize the flow of the working fluid between two walls inside the packages, wherein the walls of each package are connected to each other by a side wall along the perimeter of the package, each package features inlet openings and outlet openings for the working fluids, wherein the packages are set together alternately to accommodate the working fluid flowing through the packages, wherein the packages are connected to each other via pass-through connectors, where each pass-through connector is fitted, respectively, in the inlet openings and outlet openings for the working fluids, wherein each of the pass-through connectors comprises an external portion and an internal portion, and wherein the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors is connected to the walls of the respective package and closes the corresponding inlet/outlet opening, while the external portion of each of the pass-through connectors is connected to the neighboring walls of the neighboring packages and connects the neighboring areas of flow of the same working fluid so that formed between the neighboring packages is a first area for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, and between the internal portion and the external portion of each of the pass-through connectors there is a second area for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, connected to the first areas for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, between the neighboring packages.

2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the side wall of the packages takes the form of a frame.

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the external portion of each of the pass-through connectors and/or the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors takes the form of a ring.

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the external surface of the side wall of the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors is given barrel shaped.

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the external portion of each of the pass-through connectors is connected to the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors with a transverse wall so that the second area between the external portion and the internal portion is divided into two second areas for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, where the second areas are connected, respectively, with the first areas for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, between the neighboring packages.

6. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, wherein the transverse wall of each of the pass-through connectors is positioned at an angle with respect to the external portion and the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the external portion of each of the pass-through connectors features at last one positioning undercut.

8. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the internal portion of each of the pass-through connectors features at least one positioning undercut.

9. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the walls of the packages, the turbulizers placed between walls, the side walls located along the perimeter of the packages and the pass-through connectors connecting the packages are connected to each other by a diffusion bonding.

Description

(1) The invention is shown in its embodiments on a drawing, where:

(2) FIG. 1 shows the heat exchanger in partial spatial view and partial cross section;

(3) FIG. 2 presents mutual configuration of the package walls and connectors, in enlarged view;

(4) FIG. 3 depicts package elements, in spatial view.

(5) An exemplary heat exchanger comprises packages A and packages B with a turbulising structure 1 to turbulise a flow of a working fluid, for example incorporating ribs, bulges, or corrugations etc. on the surface, where the structure is placed inside the packages A, B, between two plate walls 2, 2 connected permanently to the said turbulising structure 1 and to each other with its side wall 3, for example taking the form of a frame, along the perimeter of the package. The turbulising structure 1 can also take the shape of surface patterns on the walls 2, 2, forming paths for the flow of the working fluid (not shown on the drawing). Each package A, B features inlet openings 4, 5 and outlet openings 4, 5 for the working fluids (the first working fluid flowing through packages A, and the second working fluid flowing through packages B), as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Packages A, B are set together alternately to accommodate the working fluid flowing through them, i.e. package B is placed on top of package A, and another package A is placed on top of package B, and so on, as shown in FIG. 1.

(6) Formed between the neighbouring packages A, B is the first area 8 for the discharged of the leaking working fluid, as show in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The first working fluid flows through packages A, and the second working fluid flows through packages B, in countercurrent with respect to the flow direction of the first working fluid through packages A. Packages A, B are connected to each other with pass-through connectors 6, for example in the shape of rings, for example given the N letter shape in cross section (as shown in FIG. 2). The connectors 6 are fitted, as appropriate, in the inlet openings 4, 5 and outlet openings 4, 5 for the working fluids. The said connector 6 incorporates the external portion 6a and the internal portion 6b, where these portions are located at a distance from each other and are connected to each other with the transverse wall 6c positioned at an angle with respect to the said portions 6a, 6b, so that the area between the said portions 6a, 6b is divided into two second areas 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, as shown in FIG. 2. The external surface of the side wall of the internal portion 6b of the connector 6 on the side of the turbulising elements 1 can preferably be given a barrel-like shape. In addition, the external portion 6a of the connector 6 features positioning undercuts 7 on both sides, on the front surfaces which contact the respective walls 2, 2 of the neighbouring packages A, B, and the internal portion 6b of the connector 6 also features positioning undercuts 7 on both sides of the front surfaces which contact the walls 2, 2 of the respective package A, B, where the undercuts ensure stable alignment of the walls 2, 2 of packages A, B and connectors 6 for the purposes of the diffusion bonding process (as shown in FIG. 2).

(7) For example, the connectors 6 are fitted in packages A in the inlet opening 5 and the outlet opening 5 designed for the second working fluid flowing through packages B. The internal portion 6b of the connector 6 is positioned inside package A in between its walls 2, 2 and is connected to the walls 2, 2, closing the inlet opening 5 and the respective outlet opening 5 for the second working fluid which flows through packages B, and the external portion 6a of the connectors 6 is connected to the neighbouring wall 2 of the neighbouring package B on the one end, and to the neighbouring side wall 2 of the second neighbouring package B on the other end, thus connecting the neighbouring areas where the second working fluid flows through packages B, where the height of the external portion 6a of the connectors 6 is chosen so that formed between the neighbouring packages A, B is the first area 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid. The second areas 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid are connected to the respective first areas 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, on both sides of the package A, as shown in FIG. 2. The connectors 6 form inlet ducts 9 and outlet ducts 9 for the first working fluid flowing through packages A, as shown in FIG. 1. On the other hand, in packages B the connectors 6 are fitted in the inlet opening 4 and the outlet opening 4 designed for the first working fluid which flows through packages A. The internal portion 6b of the connector 6 is located inside package B, in between its walls 2, 2, and is connected to the walls 2, 2, closing the inlet opening 4 and, respectively, the outlet opening 4 for the first working fluid flowing through packages A, while the external portion 6a of the connectors 6 is connected to the neighbouring wall 2 of the neighbouring package A on the one end, and on the other end to the neighbouring wall 2 of the second neighbouring package A, connecting the neighbouring areas for the flow of the first working fluid through flowing packages A, and where formed between the neighbouring packages A, B is the first area 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid. The second areas 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid are connected to the respective first areas 8 for the discharge of the leaking working fluid, on both sides of package B, as shown in FIG. 2. The connectors 6 form inlet ducts 10 and outlet ducts 10 for the second working fluid which flows through packages B, as shown in FIG. 1. As presented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, such positioning and connection between the connectors 6 and plates 2, 2 of the packages A, B, results in forming a double wall in between the areas where the working fluids flow, and a double wall around the inlet openings 4, 5 and outlet openings 4, 5 for the working fluids, which enables discharging the leaking working fluid outside, and identify the leakage point.

(8) The structure of the heat exchanger according to the invention, described in its embodiment, enables use of the diffusion bonding method to manufacture the heat exchanger without the need to reach for any other methods. All elements making up the heat exchanger, as described above, i.e. the walls 2, 2 of the packages A, B, the turbulising elements 1, side walls 3 of packages A, B, and connectors 6 are set together and then subject to the process of connecting them by diffusion bonding.

LIST OF NUMERICAL REFERENCES

(9) Apackage with a structure turbulising the flow of the working fluid Bpackage with a structure turbulising the flow of the working fluid 1elements turbulising the flow of the working fluid 2package wall 2package wall 3side package wall 4inlet opening for the first working fluid 4outlet opening for the first working fluid 5inlet opening for the second working fluid 5outlet opening for the second working fluid 6connector between the areas for the flow of the working fluid 6aexternal portion of the connector 6binternal portion of the connector 6ctransverse wall of the connector 7positioning undercuts 8first area for the discharge of the leaking working fluid 8second area for the discharge of the leaking working fluid 9inlet duct for the first working fluid 9outlet duct for the first working fluid 10inlet duct for the second working fluid 10outlet duct for the second working fluid