Patent Publication Number: US-11035617-B2

Title: Heat transfer plate for plate-and-shell heat exchanger and plate-and-shell heat exchanger with the same

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims foreign priority benefits under U.S.C. § 119 to Denmark Patent Application No. PA201700669 filed on Nov. 22, 2017, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a heat transfer plate for a plate-and-shell heat exchanger and a plate-and-shell heat exchanger. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A typical plate-and-shell heat exchanger comprises a shell and a plurality of heat transfer plates stacked on a top of each other in the cavity of the shell. The heat transfer plates are formed with patterns such that first and second flow paths respectively formed between the neighboring heat transfer plates are alternately arranged in a direction perpendicular to the heat transfer plates. The shell comprises: a peripheral wall; a first inlet port and a first outlet port formed in the peripheral wall; an end wall; and a second inlet port and a second outlet port formed in the end wall. When first fluid enters the shell from the first inlet port, it tends to bypass central regions of the heat transfer plates where the patterns are formed, and to flow from the first inlet port to the first outlet port along peripheries of the heat transfer plates since a flow resistance along the peripheries of the heat transfer plates is lower than that of the central regions of the heat transfer plates where the patterns are formed, thereby resulting in a non-uniform distribution of the first fluid. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure provides a heat transfer plate for a plate-and-shell heat exchanger and a plate-and-shell heat exchanger that at least partly alleviate the non-uniform distribution of the first fluid. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a heat transfer plate for a plate-and-shell heat exchanger. The heat transfer plate comprises: a plate body having first and second sides opposite to each other in a direction perpendicular to the plate body; and a projection protruding from the plate body in a direction from the first side towards the second side, extending along a segment of a periphery of the plate body, and having a first end and a second end. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the projection comprises two projections each extending along a segment of the periphery of the plate body, and the heat transfer plate further comprises: a first gap formed between the first ends of the two projections to form a first inlet; and a second gap formed between the second ends of the two projections to form a first outlet. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the plate body has an essentially circular shape, and the projection extends along a curved line or an arc. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the projection is spaced away from the periphery of the plate body. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the heat transfer plate further comprises: a blocking protrusion protruding from the plate body in the direction from the first side towards the second side, and extending from the projection to the periphery of the plate body. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each of a first distance between the first ends of the two projections and a second distance between the second ends of the two projections is less than a length of each of the two projections, or ½ of the length of each of the two projections. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the plate body has an essentially circular shape, and a central angle corresponding to the projection is greater than 90 or 120 degrees. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a first distance between the first ends of the two projections is greater than a second distance between the second ends of the two projections. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the heat transfer plate further comprises: a first opening formed in the plate body to form a second inlet; and a second opening formed in the plate body to form a second outlet. One of the first inlet and the first outlet, and one of the second inlet and the second outlet are located on one of two sides opposite in a direction parallel to the plate body, while the other of the first inlet and the first outlet, and the other of the second inlet and the second outlet are located on the other of the two sides. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the first inlet and the second inlet are located on one of the two sides, while the first outlet and the second outlet are located on the other of the two sides. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, each of the two projections extends continuously. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a plate-and-shell heat exchanger. The plate-and-shell heat exchanger comprises: a shell defining a cavity; and a plurality of heat transfer plates mentioned above, which are stacked on a top of each other in the cavity of the shell. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the shell comprises a peripheral wall extending in a peripheral direction around the plurality of heat transfer plates, and a first inlet port and a first outlet port which are formed in the peripheral wall, and the plate-and-shell heat exchanger further comprises: a blocking piece located between an inner wall surface of the peripheral wall of the shell and the plate bodies of the plurality of heat transfer plates, and between the first inlet port and the first outlet port in the peripheral direction. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the blocking piece abuts against the projection of each of the plurality of heat transfer plates. 
     According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the blocking piece is made of stainless steel. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent in light of the detailed description of embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing heat transfer plates of the plate-and-shell heat exchanger of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing an internal structure of the plate-and-shell heat exchanger of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a heat transfer plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a heat transfer plate according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a shell  50  defining a cavity  51 ; and a plurality of heat transfer plates  10  which are stacked on a top of each other in the cavity  51  of the shell  50 . The shell  50  may have a cylindrical shape or any other appropriate shape. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the shell  50  comprises a peripheral wall  52  extending in a peripheral direction around the plurality of heat transfer plates  10 , and a first inlet port  61  and a first outlet port  62  which are formed in the peripheral wall  52 . The shell  50  further comprises an end wall  53  such as a cover, and a second inlet port  71  and a second outlet port  72  which are formed in the end wall  53 . The heat transfer plates  10  are formed with patterns such that first flow paths  81  and second flow paths  82  respectively formed between the neighboring heat transfer plates  10  are alternately arranged in a direction perpendicular to the heat transfer plates  10  or an axial direction of the shell  50 . Sealing pieces  91  are formed around the openings  21  and  22  of the heat transfer plates  10 , and sealing pieces  92  are formed around peripheries  115  of the heat transfer plates  10  so that first fluid  102  enters the first flow paths  81  through the first inlet port  61  and flows out of the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  through the first outlet port  62 , while second fluid  103  enters the second flow paths  82  through the second inlet port  71  and flows out of the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  through the second outlet port  72 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in an embodiment, the heat transfer plate  10  comprises: a plate body  11  having first and second sides  111 ,  112  opposite to each other in a direction perpendicular to the plate body  11 ; and a projection  12  protruding from the plate body  11  in a direction from the first side  111  towards the second side  112 , extending along a segment  115 S of a periphery  115  of the plate body  11 , and having a first end  121  and a second end  122 . The projection  12  may be spaced away from the periphery  115  of the plate body  11 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the projection  12  comprises two projections  12  each extending along a segment  115 S of the periphery  115  of the plate body  11 , and the heat transfer plate  10  further comprises: a first gap  131  formed between the first ends  121  of the two projections  12  to form a first inlet  131 P for the first fluid  102 ; and a second gap  132  formed between the second ends  122  of the two projections  12  to form a first outlet  132 P for the first fluid  102 . Each of the two projections  12  may extend continuously. With the projections  12  according to the embodiments, the projections  12  partly encircle the central region  101  and form a barrier along these peripheral sections of the heat transfer plates  10  when they are connected together. Thereby most of the first fluid  102  is prevented from entering the regions between the projections  12  and the periphery  115  of the plate body  11  of the heat transfer plates  10 , and is forced to flow through the central region  101  from the first inlet  131 P to the first outlet  132 P. In one embodiment, there is a bypass flow  102 B along the periphery  115  of the plate body  11  of the heat transfer plates  10  or between one or both of the projections  12  and the periphery  115  of the plate body  11  of the heat transfer plates  10 , but the bypass flow  102 B will improve the heat exchanging efficiency of the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in an embodiment, the plate body  11  has an essentially circular shape, and the projection  12  extends along a curved line or an arc. However, the plate body  11  may have an essentially elliptical shape, an essentially rectangular shape, or the like, while the projection  12  may extend along a segment of an ellipse, a straight line, or the like. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, the heat transfer plate  10  may further comprises: a blocking protrusion  15  protruding from the plate body  11  in the direction from the first side  111  towards the second side  112 , and extending from the projection  12  to the periphery  115  of the plate body  11 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 4 , in other embodiments, the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  may further comprises a blocking piece  16  located between an inner wall surface  56  of the peripheral wall  52  of the shell  50  and the plate bodies  11  of the plurality of heat transfer plates  10 , and between the first inlet port  61  and the first outlet port  62  in the peripheral direction. The blocking piece  16  may abut against the projection  12  of each of the plurality of heat transfer plates  10 . The blocking piece  16  may be made of stainless steel. For example, at least a part of the blocking piece  16  has a comb shape. The blocking piece  16  is a separate element from the heat transfer plate  10 . The blocking protrusion  15  and the blocking piece  16  are short than the projection  12  in the peripheral direction. For example, lengths of the blocking protrusion  15  and the blocking piece  16  in the peripheral direction are less than 1/10, 1/15 or the like of a length of the projection  12  in the peripheral direction. 
     In an embodiment, the heat transfer plate  10  comprises one projection  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  further comprises a sealing member  17  on a side of the heat transfer plates  10  where no projections  12  are provided. 
     Although  FIG. 5  show one blocking protrusion  15  on one side, and one blocking piece  16  on the other side, two blocking protrusions  15 , two blocking pieces  16 , or two sealing members  17  may be disposed on the two sides, respectively; one sealing member  17  and one blocking protrusion  15  may be disposed on the two sides, respectively; or one sealing member  17  and one blocking piece  16  may be disposed on the two sides, respectively. 
     In an embodiment, the heat transfer plate  10  comprises: one projection  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  further comprises a sealing member  17  on a side of the heat transfer plates  10  where no projections  12  are provided. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , each of a first distance between the first ends  121  of the two projections  12  and a second distance between the second ends  122  of the two projections  12  may be less than a length of each of the two projections  12 , or ½ of the length of each of the two projections  12 . For example, the plate body  11  has an essentially circular shape, and a central angle corresponding to the projection  12  is greater than 90 or 120 degrees or the like, so that the projection  12  has an enough length to prevent the first fluid  102  from bypassing a central region  101  of the heat transfer plate  10 . The first distance between the first ends  121  of the two projections  12  may be greater than the second distance between the second ends  122  of the two projections  12 . The sealing member  17  may have substantially the same length as the projection  12 . For example, a central angle corresponding to the sealing member  17  is greater than 90 or 120 degrees or the like, so that the sealing member  17  has an enough length in the peripheral direction to prevent the first fluid from bypassing the central region  101  of the heat transfer plate  10 . 
     According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the blocking protrusion  15 , the blocking piece  16  and/or the sealing member  17  can at least partly alleviate the bypass flow  102 B along the periphery  115  of the plate body  11  of the heat transfer plates  10  or between one or both projections  12  and the periphery  115  of the plate body  11  of the heat transfer plates  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in some embodiments, the heat transfer plate  10  further comprises: a first opening  21  formed in the plate body  11  to form a second inlet  21 P for the second fluid  103 ; and a second opening  22  formed in the plate body  11  to form a second outlet  22 P for the second fluid  103 . One of the first inlet  131 P and the first outlet  132 P, and one of the second inlet  21 P and the second outlet  22 P are located on one of two sides  113 ,  114  opposite in a direction parallel to the plate body  11 , while the other of the first inlet  131 P and the first outlet  132 P, and the other of the second inlet  21 P and the second outlet  22 P are located on the other of the two sides  113 ,  114 . For example, the first inlet  131 P and the second inlet  21 P are located on one (for example an upper side) of the two sides  113 ,  114 , while the first outlet  132 P and the second outlet  22 P are located on the other (for example a lower side) of the two sides  113 ,  114 . 
     With the heat transfer plate  10  and the plate-and-shell heat exchanger  100  according to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the non-uniform distribution of the first fluid  102  can be at least partly alleviated. 
     While the principles of the present disclosure have been described herein, it is to be understood by those skilled in the art that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation as to the scope of the disclosure. Other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure in addition to the exemplary embodiments shown and described herein. Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art is considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure. This includes that the materials such as the heat transfer plates  10 , sealing members  17  etc., could be made of whatever materials would be suitable, like stainless steel, titanium etc.