Patent GB-674032-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to plate apparatus in particular to plate-type heat exchangers and filter presses
IPC: B01D25/21
Filed: 1948-02-12
Abstract: 674,032. Filters. CHERRY-BURRELL CORPORATION. Feb. 12, 1948 [Feb. 24, 1947], No. 4125/48. Class 46 [Also in Group XIII] Relates to plate apparatus such as plate heat exchangers and filter presses of the kind in which a plurality of plate-like elements, e.g. heat exchange plates in heat exchangers and filter supporting and filter. spacing frames in filter presses, are supported in close juxtaposition, under compression between fixed and movable vertical end members and in which a pair of upper and lower supporting rods extend between the end members. According to the invention, the plate-like elements are supported by one only of said supporting rods while the movable end member is supported only by the other supporting rod. In the plate heat exchanger shown the plate elements 42, Fig. 17, which are not shown in Fig. 1, are placed under compression between a fixed end standard 1 and a movable compression element 80, Fig. 1, Supporting rods 6, 7 are fixed to and extend from the fixed standard 1 to a second standard 5 and form therewith a rigid framework for supporting the plates 42, the compression element 80 and also intermediate movable spacing elements 64 which are arranged between groups of plates. The plate elements 42, Fig. 17, are rectangular in shape and are provided with the usual gaskets 99 defining the flow space for one fluid between two adjacent elements and also byepass ports for the other fluid. At the upper and lower ends of each plate along the vertical axis, slots 93 are formed to accommodate the rods 6 and 7 and are so spaced that when in position in the framework each plate is directly supported only on the lower supporting rod 6, a clearance being provided between the bottom of the upper slot 93 and the upper rod 7 which thus serves only to prevent misalignment of individual plates. An additional supporting rod 8 is provided for pivotally supporting the plate elements when they are being cleaned or inspected, as described in Specification 649,278. The movable compression element 80, Figs.1 and 13, is of welded construction and is provided with upper and lower hanger blocks 84 each having a large slot with a circular portion which is coaxial with and appreciably larger than the diameter of the rods 6 and 7. The upper hanger block is provided with two rollers 85 which support the element 80 on the upper rod 7. To prevent lateral movement of the compression element 80 with respect to the rods 6 and 7, opposed lugs 30 on compression sleeves 27, Figs. 1, 7 and 8, slidable on rods 6, 7, are so dimensioned. that they are slidable into the circular clearance openings in the hanger blocks 84 when compression is applied by a thrust-producing arrangement carried in the standard 5 and comprising handwheels 17 which are rotated on screwed portions of the supporting rods 6, 7 to raise compression sleeves 19 and 27, slidable on the rods 6, 7, against the movable member 80. The compression sleeves 19 are slidable axially in bearing sleeves 11, 12, in the standard 5 and are prevented from rotational movement by guide bars 14 slidable in slots 20 in the sleeves 19. Automatic tensioning of the applied thrust may be provided by coil springs interposed between the thrust producing device (i.e. handwheels 17) and the movable end member 80 as shown in Fig. 16. The Specification as open to inspection under Sect. 91 comprises also the subjectmatter of Specification 674,115, [Group XIII]. This subject-matter does not appear on the Specification as accepted.