Patent ID: 6082445
Filing Date: 2000-07-04
Classification: F28D,F28F,Y10S

Abstract:
A heat exchanger, comprising a plurality of heat exchange plates stacked in a parallel, adjacent, front-to-back facial configuration, each of said heat exchange plates having on a front facial surface thereof:(A) a first heating fluid facial subchannel set comprising at least one heating fluid facial subchannel; and(B) a first cooling fluid facial subchannel set comprising at least one cooling fluid facial subchannel;wherein the first heating fluid facial subchannel set and the first cooling fluid facial subchannel set are mutually aligned in a first heat exchange relationship on the common facial surface,further wherein:(i) said first heating fluid facial subchannel set and said first cooling fluid facial subchannel set each have a linear flow path and said first heat exchange relationship comprises a countercurrent, concurrent or crosscurrent heat exchange relationship;(ii) said first heating fluid facial subchannel set has a linear flow path and said first cooling fluid facial subchannel set has a non-linear flow path or said first heating fluid facial subchannel set has a non-linear flow path and said first cooling fluid facial subchannel set has a linear flow path, and said first heat exchange relationship consists of a concurrent heat exchange relationship; or(iii) one of said first heating fluid facial subchannel set and said first cooling fluid facial subchannel set has a linear flow path and the other of said first heating fluid facial subchannel set and said first cooling fluid facial subchannel set has a non-linear flow path, wherein said non-linear flow path comprises a first longitudinal portion, a second longitudinal portion and a third non-linear end portion contiguous with said first longitudinal portion and said second longitudinal portion, wherein said linear flow path and said first longitudinal portion are mutually aligned in a concurrent or countercurrent heat exchange relationship; said linear flow path and said second longitudinal portion are mutually aligned in a concurrent or countercurrent heat exchange relationship; and said linear flow path and said third non-linear end portion are mutually aligned in a crosscurrent heat exchange relationship.