PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER WHEREIN THE PLATES ARE PROVIDED WITH OVERLAPPING EDGE FLANGES

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement in a plate heat exchanger (1). The arrangement allows the heat exchanger to be mounted on a support or the like at two opposing sides (a, b) of the heat exchanger. The plates of the heat exchanger (1) have flanges (7), at least on the said opposing sides (a, b). In the manufacturing process, the plates are intercalated in one another and joined to one another, at least at the flanges (7), by means of a joining process. At each opposing side the arrangement comprises a metal sheet (8) essentially covering one side entirely. This is designed to be joined in the joining process to the flanges (7). Mounting elements, for example fixing lugs (10), are also joined to the metal sheet (8) and the reinforcing keys (9).

Description: Plate heat exchanger wherein the plates are provided with overlapping edge flanges The present invention relates to an arrangement in a plate heat exchanger, preferably a recuperator for mobile use, that allows the heat exchanger to be mounted on a support or the like on two opposing sides of the heat exchanger. Plate heat exchangers of the above-mentioned type are exposed to great thermal stresses and those heat exchangers that are intended for mobile use are also subject to purely mechanical stresses. This applies particularly to recuperators which, in view of the high powers to be transmitted, have large dimensions but in view of the need for the lowest possible weight have relatively thin plates, each recuperator plate by itself being very pliable. A heat exchanger, preferably a radiator for a motor vehicle, is already known from FR 2 504 251, in which horizontal surface-enlarging plates for vertical cooling tubes at the sides or ends are formed with a flange. A mounting arrangement for the radiator is fixed on to these flanges. The object of the present invention is to produce an improved fixing for a plate heat exchanger of the type stated in the introductory part. This is achieved by means of the characteristic features that are apparent from the characterising part of claim 1. The heat exchanger according to the invention is also intended to absorb relatively large inertial forces. In contrast to the prior art, the characteristics of the invention mean that the inertial forces are absorbed in the plane of the heat exchanger plates, and in particular where the plates, as a result of the joining process, are best equipped to withstand the inertial forces. Further characteristics of the arrangement according to the invention will be apparent from the independent claims attached. By means of the invention, the stresses in the form of acceleration forces, vibration stresses and thermal stresses acting on each separate recuperator plate can be successfully transferred to a support. The invention will be further explained below with reference to the attached drawing in which figure 1 shows a perspective view of a set of plates for a heat exchanger, with a mounting arrangement according to the invention. Figure 2 is a section A-A through the set of plates and the mounting arrangement according to figure 1. Figure 3 shows a mounting arrangement according to the invention for a set of plates with single-curved side wall. In figure 1 , 1 generally denotes a plate heat exchanger with flow channels arranged between the plates. Of the said channels every second channel is designed to receive the flow of a heat-emitting medium directed vertically. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that in order to control this flow, a casing surrounding the set of plates and with inlet and outlet sockets is required. The remainder of the flow channels are designed to accommodate the flow of a heat-absorbing medium. The inlet and outlet flow of the latter medium passes via collecting channels 2, 3, which connect with the through-flow channels for the heat-absorbing medium. How the collecting channels 2, 3 connect with the through-flow channels is not the subject of the present application and will therefore not be explained further. As will be seen from figure 2, and as is also indicated by the dashed line 4, the walls of the collecting channels are formed by flanges arranged on the plates and inclined somewhat inwards towards each channel opening, which with the flanges telescoped in one another, following a joining process form a closed channel wall. The short sides of the plates are also formed with corresponding flanges 7, which are joined to one another in the same joining process. The mounting arrangement according to the invention comprises, on each short side, generally denoted in figures 1 and 3 by a or b, a metal sheet 8 which is large enough to cover the short side of the set of plates and is provided with reinforcing keys 9. The latter are parallel to one another and parallel to the plates in the set of plates and distributed over the sheet 8, preferably equidistant from one another. Mounting elements 10, in the form of fixing lugs in the embodiment shown, are joined to the metal sheet and at least some of the reinforcing keys. In the said joining process, therefore, not only are the flanges 5 of the plates joined to one another, the metal sheet 8 is also joined to the flanges 7 and the reinforcing keys 9 to the metal sheet 8, and the mounting element 10 to the reinforcing keys 9 and the metal plate 8. It will be noted that where the fixing is most critical, that is where the set of plates is to be anchored, a virtually solid body is produced here between the flanges and the metal plate 8, thereby filling the space between the inclined flanges and the metal plate 8 with lead 11. An extremely torsionally rigid and stress-resistant mounting arrangement is thereby obtained. Figure 3 illustrates that the short sides of the set of plates need not necessarily be plane surfaces. The invention can naturally be modified to suit a single-curved side surface as shown in figure 3, in which the same reference designations are used as in figure 1. This also shows how the ends of opposing reinforcing keys are joined to a strut 12 with the aim of absorbing compressive forces from the set of plates in the heat exchanger. Figure 3 shows only one such strut. There may obviously also be similar struts in the embodiment according to figure 1.

Claims: Claims 1. Arrangement in a plate heat exchanger (1), preferably a recuperator for mobile use, that allows the heat exchanger (1) to be mounted on a support or the like on two opposing sides (a, b) of the heat exchanger, characterised by a combination of the following: the plates of the heat exchanger (1) which are arranged vertically have flanges (7), at least on the said opposing sides (a, b), that in the manufacturing process allow the plates to be intercalated in one another and joined to one another, at least at the flanges (7), by means of a joining process, the arrangement on each opposing side (a, b) comprises a metal sheet (8) essentially covering one side entirely and in the joining process designed to be joined to the flanges (7) and to form a unit with the latter. 2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that each metal sheet (8) on its side remote from the flanges has reinforcing keys (9) at a distance from one another and essentially parallel to the plates and that mounting elements, for example fixing lugs (10), are joined to at least some of the reinforcing keys. 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterised in that opposing reinforcing keys (9) are joined at each of the ends to a strut (12).

Inventors: HEDMAN ERIK, HEDMAN, ERIK
Applicants: HEDMAN ERIK, VOLVO LASTVAGNAR AB, HEDMAN, ERIK
Application year: 1998
Main classification: F28D9
IPC codes: F28D9, F28F9