Heat exchanger assembly and use of an apparatus in a heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9846001-B2
Application number	US-201213978756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2012
Priority date	Feb 4, 2011
Publication date	Dec 19, 2017
Grant date	Dec 19, 2017

Abstract

A heat exchanger assembly comprises a heat exchanger for heat exchange between at least a first heat exchange fluid and a second heat exchange fluid. The heat exchanger comprises at least one heat transfer element delimiting a first fluid path from a second fluid path, and a through connection for the first heat exchange fluid arranged at a first side portion of an outer structure of the heat exchanger. The assembly comprises a pressure pulse damping apparatus comprising an elastic element, and a first conduit leading to the elastic element. The first conduit comprises a first opening connected to the through connection of the heat exchanger such that the first conduit is fluidly connected with the first fluid path. The elastic element fluidly communicates with the first fluid path only via the first opening. There is further disclosed use of a pressure pulse damping apparatus comprising an elastic element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger assembly comprising:
a plate heat exchanger for heat exchange between at least a first heat exchange fluid and a second heat exchange fluid, the plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer plates arranged between an inside of a pressure plate and an inside of a frame plate and delimiting a first fluid path for the first heat exchange fluid from a second fluid path for the second heat exchange fluid inside the plate heat exchanger, the first fluid path being defined between some pairs of adjacent ones of the heat transfer plates, the second fluid path being defined between other pairs of adjacent ones of the heat transfer plates, the plate heat exchanger also comprising a through connection in one of the frame plate and the pressure plate for the first heat exchange fluid, which through connection extends from the inside to an outside of said one of the frame plate and the pressure plate;
a pressure pulse damping apparatus comprising an elastic element, and a first conduit leading to the elastic element;
the first conduit comprising a first opening connected to the through connection of the plate heat exchanger such that the first conduit is in fluid connection with the first fluid path;
the elastic element being in fluid communication with the first fluid path only via the first opening;
the other one of the frame plate and the pressure plate comprising an inlet for the first heat exchange fluid to the plate heat exchanger;

a portion of the first fluid path being a straight fluid path extending from the inlet for the first heat exchange fluid, through the heat transfer plates, and to the through connection; and
the pressure pulse damping apparatus being arranged after the straight fluid path in a flow direction wherein the first heat exchange fluid must flow along the straight fluid path and through said one of the frame plate and the pressure plate via the through connection to reach the pressure pulse damping apparatus.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic element comprises a movable partition, the movable partition being adapted in use to be subjected to a pressure pulse in the first heat exchange fluid.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic element comprises a chamber which is at least partially filled with a gas, the chamber and the first conduit forming a closed compartment.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the gas inside the chamber is delimited by the movable partition such that in use the pressure pulse in the first heat exchange fluid is transferred via the movable partition to the gas inside the chamber.

5. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the movable partition comprises a membrane or a piston.

6. The assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the elastic element comprises a spring, the spring abutting the movable partition.

7. Use of a pressure pulse damping apparatus comprising connecting the pressure pulse damping apparatus, which comprises an elastic element and a first conduit leading to the elastic element, to a heat exchanger for damping pressure pulses in the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat transfer plates arranged between an inside of a pressure plate and an inside of a frame plate and delimiting a first fluid path for a first heat exchange fluid from a second fluid path for a second heat exchange fluid inside the heat exchanger, wherein the first conduit comprises a first opening connected to the heat exchanger such that the first conduit is in fluid connection with the first fluid path of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger also comprising a through connection in one of the frame plate and the pressure plate for the first heat exchange fluid, which through connection extends from the inside to an outside of said one of the frame plate and the pressure plate, the other one of the frame plate and the pressure plate comprising an inlet for the first heat exchange fluid to the heat exchanger, a portion of the first fluid path being a straight fluid path extending from the inlet to the through connection so that the first heat exchange fluid flows along the straight fluid path from the inlet to the through connection during operation of the heat exchanger, the pressure pulse damping apparatus being connected to the heat exchanger such that the elastic element is in fluid communication with the first fluid path only via the first opening, and the pressure pulse damping apparatus being arranged after the straight fluid path in a flow direction wherein the first heat exchange fluid must flow along the straight fluid path and through said one of the frame plate and the pressure plate via the through connection to reach the pressure pulse damping apparatus.

8. The use of the pressure pulse damping apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the elastic element comprises a movable partition, the movable partition being adapted in use to be subjected to a pressure pulse in the first heat exchange fluid.

9. The use of the pressure pulse damping apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the elastic element comprises a chamber which is at least partially filled with a gas, the chamber and the first conduit forming a closed compartment.

10. The use of the pressure pulse damping apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the gas inside the chamber is delimited by the movable partition such that in use the pressure pulse in the first heat exchange fluid is transferred via the movable partition to the gas inside the chamber.

11. The use of the pressure pulse damping apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the elastic element comprises a spring, the spring abutting the movable partition.

12. The use of the pressure pulse damping apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the first side portion of the heat exchanger is formed by a pressure plate or a frame plate.

Assignees

• Ask Torsten
• Broad Robert
• Alfa Laval Corp Ab

Inventors

• Ask Torsten
• Broad Robert

Classifications

• F28F13/00 Primary

  Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing (F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28F2265/12

  for preventing overpressure · CPC title

• F28F27/00

  Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) · CPC title

• F28D9/00

  Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall {(F28F3/083, F28F3/086 take precedence)} · CPC title

• F28B9/00 Primary

  Auxiliary systems, arrangements, or devices · CPC title