Heat exchanger with jointed frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10458725-B2
Application number	US-201414211004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A plate and frame style heat exchanger is disclosed herein the heat exchanger is formed by a plurality of heat exchange plates and frame members that are alternatingly stacked together to form fluid channel members. The frame members are formed by lengths of material that are formed or bent into the desired configuration for providing a first fluid tight seal around the periphery of the plates and a second fluid tight seal around respective fluid openings formed in the heat exchanger plates in order to achieve the desired flow configuration through the heat exchanger. In some embodiments the frame members are made up of two mating frame portions that join together in a self-aligning and self-fixturing relationship to facilitate assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger comprising:
a plurality of stacked heat exchanger plates;
a plurality of frame members, wherein one frame member of the plurality of frame members is interposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of stacked heat exchanger plates such that the one frame member interposed between adjacent heat exchanger plates, spaces apart the adjacent heat exchanger plates, the plurality of frame members and the plurality of stacked heat exchanger plates together defining fluid channels therebetween;
corresponding pairs of openings formed in each of said heat exchanger plates, the corresponding pairs of openings in adjacent plates aligning so as to define respective inlet and outlet manifolds for inletting and discharging a first and a second fluid through corresponding ones of said fluid channels in said heat exchanger;
wherein each heat exchanger plate defines a perimeter, and each one of said plurality of frame members comprises:
a first frame portion; and
a second frame portion;
wherein the first frame portion and the second frame portion are identical, separate, unitary members disposed in mating relationship such that one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the other one of the first frame portion and the second frame portion about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the one frame member of the plurality of frame members, the first frame portion and the second frame portion being cooperatively configured and disposed between adjacent heat exchanger plates such that the mating of the first and second frame portions is with effect that a first sealing member is disposed about the perimeter of each heat exchanger plate for sealingly joining the adjacent heat exchanger plates together at their perimeters defining the fluid channels therebetween, and a second sealing member is disposed within the perimeter of the heat exchanger plate fluidly isolating each opening in one of the corresponding pairs of openings from the fluid channel defined by the first sealing member and the heat exchanger plates, the other pair of corresponding openings remaining in fluid communication with the fluid channel; and

wherein:
the first frame portion and the second frame portion are each defined by a length of material selected from the group consisting of: wire, rod and bar, the length of material being bent to form a portion of the first sealing member and a portion of the second sealing member such that each first frame portion and each second frame portion has two free ends forming two separate joints;
the length of material has a substantially constant cross-sectional shape, such that a cross-sectional shape of an entirety of the first and second sealing members and a cross-sectional shape of an entirety of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, is constant throughout; and

the mating disposition of the first frame portion and the second frame portion is with effect that a pair of first joints is disposed in the first sealing member such that a first joint is disposed between the first frame portion and the second frame portion at each junction of the first frame portion and the second frame portion, each one of the plurality of frame members further defining a pair of second joints, such that a second joint is disposed at respective junctions between the second sealing member and the first sealing member.

2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second frame portions comprises a portion of said first sealing member and a first end in the form of a portion of said second sealing member.

3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of said first and second frame portions comprises a male interlocking member and a female interlocking member, the male interlocking member on one frame portion being received in the corresponding female interlocking member on the other frame portion forming one of said joints.

4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said male and female interlocking members are selected from one of the following alternatives: a stepped connection wherein the male interlocking member is an end section of a frame portion and the female interlocking member is a stepped recess formed in said first sealing member, a dovetail connection wherein the male interlocking member is a dovetail projection and wherein the female interlocking member is a recess adapted to receive said dovetail projection, a jigsaw connection wherein the male interlocking member and female interlocking member are in the form of corresponding jigsaw components, and a pocket connection wherein the male interlocking member is an end section of a frame portion and the female interlocking member is a pocket recess formed in said first sealing member.

5. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said first frame portion and said second frame portion is a CNC fabricated wire frame member, said wire frame member being one of: square wire frame material, rectangular wire frame, round wire frame material, or oval wire frame material that is bent to form said frame member.

6. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each first frame portion and each second frame portion further comprises a flow separating region extending into an interior region of said fluid channel, said flow separating regions extending generally perpendicular to a principle fluid flow direction through said fluid channels, said flow separating regions extending in opposite directions and being longitudinally spaced apart from each other thereby forming a multi-pass fluid flow passageway between a corresponding pair of inlet and outlet openings.

7. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger plates are dish-style heat exchanger plates having a lip formed around the periphery of each of the plates.

8. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger plates have fixturing tabs formed at spaced apart intervals around the periphery of each of the plates, said fixturing tabs are adapted to engage the frame member positioned on respective ones of said plurality of heat exchanger plates.

9. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said frame member has an outer periphery defining a generally uniform edge.

10. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the length of material comprises:
a rectangular bar or wire having two opposed short sides and two opposed long sides, wherein the two opposed shorter sides are in contact with the heat exchanger plates and the heat exchanger plates are spaced apart by the long sides of the rectangular bar or wire.

Assignees

• Dana Canada Corp

Inventors

• Vanderwees Doug
• Kalman Nick
• Cheadle Brian

Classifications

• F28D9/005

  the plates having openings therein for both heat-exchange media · CPC title

• F28F3/10

  Arrangements for sealing the margins · CPC title

• Y10T29/4935

  Heat exchanger or boiler making · CPC title

• F28F3/083 Primary

  capable of being taken apart · CPC title

• F28F2275/14

  by using form fitting connection, e.g. with tongue and groove · CPC title