Disk bundle type heat-exchanger

Disclosed herein is a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger. In disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, a shell housing having an internal chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet for a heating medium and an inlet and an outlet for a heating target medium, a first heat exchange bundle, a second heat exchange bundle, . . . , and an n-th heat exchange bundle are constructed in an integrated manner by stacking heat transfer plates having heating or heating target heat transfer passages in a plurality of layers and coupling reinforcing plates to the outer surfaces of the heat transfer plates, bundle packages are introduced into the internal chamber of the shell housing to thus allow the heating medium and the heating target medium to exchange heat with each other, and a bundle guide protrudes from one side or each of both sides of each of the heat exchange bundles.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, and more specifically to a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, in which a heating medium within a shell housing can sufficiently exchange heat with a heating target medium within another channel while passing through a heat exchange area within heat exchange bundles and heat transfer plates, thereby maximizing heat exchange efficiency.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, plate heat exchangers are configured such that a heating medium and a heating target medium exchange heat with each other while flowing through heat transfer passages between heat transfer plates composed of thin metallic plates. As shown inFIG. 1, such a plate heat exchanger is fabricated in an integrated form by welding the contact surfaces of several to several tens of heat transfer plates by using a welding flux in the state of having been superimposed on top of one another in a plurality of layers. However, the defect rate is high, and the loss of raw material to be discarded is high when defects occur. Furthermore, when the specifications (a standard or capacity) of the plate heat exchanger increase to a higher level, it becomes difficult to fabricate and produce the plate heat exchanger, the defect rate becomes even higher, and thus loss becomes significantly high.

In connection with this, Korean Patent Application No. 10-1999-0024440 (filed on Jun. 26, 1999) discloses a disk-type heat exchanger. Since the disk-type heat exchanger has been already disclosed, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Meanwhile, this conventional technology basically includes an integrated heat transfer plate block and a separate heat transfer plate unit assembly. The integrated heat transfer plate block is fabricated by fastening a plurality of heat transfer plates through welding, and thus problems identical to those described above are expected to occur. Furthermore, the separate heat transfer plate unit assembly is expected to generate reductions in operating pressure and temperature when a gasket is inserted into heat transfer plates. In particular, the separate heat transfer plate unit assembly is problematic in that the risk of leakage is high. Furthermore, it is difficult to fabricate a product, productivity is low, and a manufacturing cost is high. Moreover, when a high-temperature heating medium is used, a problem arises in that the life span of the gasket is rapidly reduced.

Furthermore, the present applicant proposed Korean Patent No. 10-1078554 (issued on Oct. 25, 2011, and invented by an inventor identical to the inventor of the present invention) entitled “Disk-type Heat Exchanger with Reinforced Circumference,” and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0130775 (filed on Sep. 16, 2015, and invented by an inventor identical to the inventor of the present invention) entitled “Disk Bundle-type Package Heat Exchanger.” Meanwhile, according to these conventional technologies, a heating medium leaks via a gap G between the inner bundle guides3of a body housing1and the circumferential surfaces of the heat transfer plates of bundle packages2and via corrugations4, moves out of a heat exchange area within the heat transfer plates, and leaks without heat exchange with a heating target fluid in another channel (a heat transfer passage), as shown inFIG. 1. Accordingly, impurities (residues) are accumulated in the gap, and thus corrosion or damage is caused in the gap and weakness occurs. A disadvantage also arises in that a heat exchange dead zone occurs on the circumferences of the heat transfer plates, and a problem arises in that heat exchange efficiency is relatively decreased.

SUMMARY

An object of the present invention is to propose a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, in which bundle packages formed by stacking heat transfer plates are introduced into the internal chamber of a shell housing, upper and lower chambers are partitioned from each other by bundle guides formed on the side surfaces of the bundle packages, and the heating medium of the upper chamber can fully exchange heat via a heat exchange area (a heat transfer passage) within the heat transfer plates without leakage to the sides of the bundle packages and can then flow into the lower chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to propose a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, which enables bundle packages to be easily introduced into and installed at or to be easily taken out from predetermined locations within a shell housing by means of the side bundle guides of the bundle packages.

Still another object of the present invention is to propose a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, in which the internal chamber of a shell housing is allowed to form a shell pass by means of blocking portions provided in the upper or lower portions of heat exchange bundles, thereby increasing the time during which a heating medium stays within the shell housing and also improving heat exchange efficiency.

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger, wherein: a shell housing having an internal chamber is provided with an inlet and an outlet for a heating medium and an inlet and an outlet for a heating target medium; a first heat exchange bundle, a second heat exchange bundle, . . . , and an n-th heat exchange bundle are constructed in an integrated manner by stacking heat transfer plates having heating or heating target heat transfer passages in a plurality of layers and coupling reinforcing plates to the outer surfaces of the heat transfer plates; bundle packages modularized using the heat exchange bundles are introduced into the internal chamber of the shell housing to thus allow the heating medium and the heating target medium to exchange heat with each other; and a bundle guide protrudes from one side or each of both sides of each of the first heat exchange bundle, the second heat exchange bundle, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle.

The bundle guides may be introduced into the chamber while coming into sliding contact with the inner surface of the shell housing, and may be configured to allow the heating medium, flowing into the upper chamber on an inlet side, to exchange heat with the heating target medium while passing through the heat transfer passage, and to then flow into the lower chamber on an outlet side.

The first heat exchange bundle, the second heat exchange bundle, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle may be allowed to have circumferential honeycomb structures by corrugations formed on the circumferences of the heat transfer plates, and the bundle guides may be composed of extended corrugations extended long from the side surfaces of the heat transfer plates in a vertical direction.

The bundle guides may be extended from the side surfaces of the heat transfer plates and the reinforcing plates in fan shapes.

The first heat exchange bundle, the second heat exchange bundle, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle may be configured such that an upper blocking portion and a lower blocking portion are selectively formed on each of the reinforcing plates, thereby forming a shell pass which allows the heating medium to flow through the upper chamber and the lower chamber in a zigzag manner.

The shell housing may be provided with guide rails configured to guide the bundle guides on the inner surface thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings, a disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger according to the present invention is configured such that a shell housing10having an internal chamber11is provided with an inlet14and an outlet15for a heating medium and an inlet16and an outlet17for a heating target medium, a first heat exchange bundle20-1, a second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and an n-th heat exchange bundle20-nare constructed in an integrated manner by stacking heat transfer plates22having heating or heating target heat transfer passages24in a plurality of layers and coupling reinforcing plates30to the outer surfaces of the heat transfer plates22, bundle packages20modularized using the heat exchange bundles are introduced into the internal chamber11of the shell housing10to thus allow the heating medium and the heating target medium to exchange heat with each other, and a bundle guide28protrudes from one side or each of both sides of each of the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-n.

The disk bundle-type plate heat exchanger having the above-described features according to the present invention includes the shell housing10, assembly-type bundle packages modularized for respective heat exchange bundles, and leakage prevention means40. The shell housing10accommodates the assembly-type bundle packages20in the internal chamber11thereof.

The shell housing10has a hollow cylindrical shape, and includes the heating medium inlet14in the top thereof, the heating medium outlet15in the bottom thereof, and the heating target medium inlet16and the heating target medium outlet17, configured to communicate with port holes, in one side thereof. The shell housing10is configured to be selectively opened and closed in such a manner that a flange is formed around the opening portion of one side or each of both sides thereof and a blind12and a hinge13are coupled to the flange.

Each of the bundle packages20includes one or more disk heat exchange bundles, and the number of a first heat exchange bundles20-1, a second heat exchange bundles20-2, a third heat exchange bundles20-3, . . . , and an n-th heat exchange bundle20-nis selectively determined. This enables the number of disk heat exchange bundles to be selectively applied according to the specifications (a standard, processing capacity, etc.) of the plate heat exchanger, and facilities a change, addition and subtraction in design.

The first heat exchange bundle20-1, the second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-nare integrated in such a manner that a plurality of heat transfer plates22are stacked in a plurality of layers to thus form channels and contact surfaces are brazed to each other. The number of heat transfer plates22preferably ranges from 2 to 30, and most preferably ranges from 5 to 20. Furthermore, the reinforcing plates30are brazed to and integrated with the outer surfaces of the heat transfer plates22in the state of being in close contact with the outer surfaces. Furthermore, the heat transfer plates22include port holes25in the upper and lower peripheral portions, heat transfer passages24on the overall surfaces thereof, i.e., heat exchange areas, and corrugations26on the circumferences thereof. The heat transfer passages24include a heating heat transfer passage configured such that a heating medium flows therethrough, and a heating target heat transfer passage configured such that a heating target medium flows therethrough. For example, the heating medium flowing via the chamber and the heating target medium flowing via the port holes exchange heat while flowing through the respective heat transfer passages.

A bundle guide28is formed on one side or each of both sides of each of the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the second heat exchange bundle20-2, and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-n.

According to the present invention, while coming into sliding contact with the inner surface of the shell housing10, the bundle guides28allow the heating medium, introduced into the chamber11and flowing into an upper chamber11-1on an inlet side, to exchange heat with the heating target medium while passing through the heat transfer passage24and to flow into a lower chamber11-2on an outlet side.

In other words, the heat exchange bundles can be smoothly introduced into predetermined locations because the bundle guides28come into sliding contact with the inner surface of the shell housing, and the chamber11is divided into the upper chamber11-1on the inlet side and the lower chamber11-2on the outlet side. Accordingly, the heating medium flowing into the upper chamber11-1via the inlet14fully passes through the heating heat transfer passage and flows into the lower chamber11-2, thereby ensuring sufficient heat exchange and maximizing heat exchange efficiency.

According to the present invention, the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-nare provided with circumferential honeycomb structures by the corrugations26formed on the circumferences of the heat transfer plates22, and the bundle guides28are composed of extended corrugations27extended long in a vertical direction beside the heat transfer plates22. In other words, the outside circumferences of the heat transfer plates22are repeatedly bent in trapezoidal shapes so that the corrugations26constituting the outside circumferences of the heat transfer plates22have honeycomb structures. When the heat transfer plates are superimposed on top of one another in a vertical direction, hexagonal honeycomb structures are formed, as shown in the drawing, thereby reinforcing the circumferences of the heat exchange bundles and increasing strength and durability.

In the bundle guides28, the corrugations27having honeycomb structures form the extended corrugations27extended long in a vertical direction, as shown inFIG. 2, and thus the inner heat exchange area of the heat transfer plates are completely blocked from an outer chamber by the extended corrugations27. Therefore, the heating medium of the upper chamber and the lower chamber fully flows into spaces inside the heat transfer plates, and sufficiently exchange heat via the heat exchange area.

Meanwhile, the heat transfer plates22and the corrugations26are disclosed in detail in Korean Patent No. 10-1078554 (issued on Oct. 25, 2011, and invented by an inventor identical to the inventor of the present invention) entitled “Disk-type Heat Exchanger with Reinforced Circumference,” which was mentioned in the section “Description of the Related Art.” According to this patent, the outer circumferences of the heat transfer plates are reinforced by forming wave-shaped corrugations on the outer circumferences of the heat transfer plates, and the corrugations (depressions and protrusions) are brazed to each other. It is preferred to form a quadruple welded structure by welding the corrugations with the corrugations (depressions and protrusions) of an adjacent heat transfer plate with the heat transfer plates superimposed on top of one another in a vertical direction.

According to the present invention, the bundle guides28are extended from the side surfaces of the heat transfer plates22and the reinforcing plates30in fan shapes. The bundle guides28protrude from the side surfaces of the heat exchange bundles in fan shapes. Accordingly, the bundle guides28allow the bundles and the bundle packages to be stably assembled in a balanced manner within the housing, and guide the heating medium entering from the upper heating medium inlet through downward flowing along the heating heat transfer passage, thereby maximizing heat exchange efficiency. Furthermore, the bundle guides28ensure smooth entrance into and exit from the chamber while coming into sliding contact with the inner surface of the shell housing, and a predetermined mechanical tolerance is provided between each of the heat transfer plates and a corresponding one of the bundle guides.

According to the present invention, the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-nare configured such that an upper blocking portion34and a lower blocking portion36are selectively formed on each of the reinforcing plates30, thereby forming a shell pass which allows the heating medium to flow through the upper chamber11-1and the lower chamber11-2in a zigzag manner. In other words, the bundle guide28is formed one side or each of both sides of each of the reinforcing plates30, and the upper blocking portion34or lower blocking portion36is formed beside the bundle guide. The shell pass allows the heating medium of the chamber to passes through a corresponding one of the heat exchange bundles while flowing downward by being blocked by a corresponding one of the upper blocking portions34and flowing upward by being blocked by a corresponding one of the lower blocking portions36. More specifically, as shown inFIG. 3, the heating medium flowing into the upper chamber11-1via the inlet primarily exchanges heat while passing through the foremost n-th heat exchange bundle20-n, is introduced to another heat exchange bundle through the lower chamber11-2, exchanges heat again, and repeatedly exchanges heat up to the opposite first heat exchange bundle20-1, thereby increasing heat exchange time within the limited internal chamber of the shell housing and also improving heat exchange efficiency. According to the present invention, the shell housing10is provided with guide rails18configured to guide the bundle guides28on the inner surface thereof. In other words, the guide rails18are provided on both sides of the inner surface of the shell housing10symmetrically with respect to a lateral line, and thus allow the heat exchange bundles to be easily introduced into the chamber and easily assembled at predetermined locations through the guidance of the bundle guides. Accordingly, the bundle guides28are radially formed around the center of the shell housing10and the guide rails18are extended long in the length direction of the shell housing, and are inserted into and come into sliding contact with guide slits38formed in the bundle guides28of the reinforcing plates30or the circumference of the heat exchange bundles.

Next, leakage prevention means40are provided between the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the adjacent second heat exchange bundle20-2, . . . , and the other n-th heat exchange bundle40-n, and maintain the water tightness. Each of the leakage prevention means40includes: a connection plate42configured to be inserted between each adjacent two of the first heat exchange bundle20-1to the n-th heat exchange bundle20-n, and to have a ring hole43communicating with the port hole25; an O-ring44configured to be inserted into the ring hole43; and a space ring46configured to abut the O-ring.

The first heat exchange bundle20-1and the second heat exchange bundle40-2are assembled together in such a manner that the connection plate42is brought into contact with the side reinforcing plate30of the first heat exchange bundle20-1, the O-ring44and the space ring46are inserted into the ring hole43, and the second heat exchange bundle40-2is brought into close contact with the O-ring fastened. The third heat exchange bundle20-3, . . . , and the n-th heat exchange bundle20-nare repeatedly assembled in the same method, the blind is closed after n heat exchange bundles required for the internal chamber of the shell housing have been all inserted, and pressing and fastening are performed by tightening fastening means. In this case, a connection plate42, an O-ring44, and a space ring46are also inserted between the inner surface of the shell housing or blind and the n-th heat exchange bundle, thereby preventing leakage between contact portions.

In this case, the space ring46has an inverted “T” shape, and is tightly fitted into the ring hole43in such a manner that the inner sleeve thereof is fitted into the ring hole43. Accordingly, the sleeve of the space ring46has a thickness equal to smaller than that of the connection plate42, and thus stably supports the surface of the O-ring44. The space ring46has an inverted “T”-shaped section, and thus supports the O-ring44in the form of an inverted “.” The surface of the space ring46which comes into contact with the O-ring44is formed in a depressed shape. Furthermore, a protrusion47and a depression48which are fitted into each other are formed in the contact surfaces of the reinforcing plate30and the connection plate42, and thus the protrusion is fitted into the depression48when the heat exchange bundles are assembled together as described above, thereby enabling the coupling portions of the connection plate42and the reinforcing plate30to be regularly fitted into each other and thus improving accuracy.

The present invention is advantageous in that the interior of the shell housing is partitioned into the upper and lower chambers by integrating the bundle guides with the side surfaces of the heat exchange bundles, the risk of the occurrence of a heat exchange dead zone attributable to the leakage of a heating medium via a gap between the bundle guides and the side surface of the shell housing is eliminated, and a heat retention phenomenon attributable to the stay of a heating medium in the gap is prevented, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency.

The present invention is advantageous in that the bundle packages can be easily introduced into and installed at or to be easily taken out from predetermined locations within the shell housing by means of the side bundle guides of the bundle packages, thereby improving workability and productivity.

The present invention is advantageous in that the shell pass is formed to allow a heating medium to flow through the upper and lower chambers in a zigzag manner by means of the blocking portions selectively formed in the upper and lower portions of the reinforcing plates, thereby increasing heat exchange time for which the heating medium passes through the heat exchange area (heat transfer passage) of each of the heat exchange bundles and also further improving heat exchange efficiency.