Patent Publication Number: US-2022236016-A1

Title: Plate heat exchanger, and a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention refers to a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim  1 . The invention also refers to a method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim  12 . 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART 
     In many plate heat exchanger applications, a high strength is required. This is important when the working pressure of one or both of the media conveyed through the plate heat exchanger is high or when the working pressure for one or both of the media various over time. In order to meet the requirements of a high strength, it is known to use thicker end or strengthening plates, i.e. the two plates located at the outermost position in the plate package. These strengthening plates may also be designated as adapter plates, or frame and pressure plates. 
     It is also known to use sheets, washers or thick plane plates as strengthening plates. Such sheets, washers or thick plane plates may also be provided outside the frame and/or pressure plates. A disadvantage of such additional plates, washers or the like is that the manufacturing becomes more complicated and thus more expensive since more components have to be attached when the plate heat exchanger is produced, for instance when it is brazed. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,955 discloses a plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of plates extending in parallel with a main extension plane. The plates comprise a plurality of heat exchanger plates, two outer cover plates provided outside a respective one of the outermost heat exchanger plates, and a corrugated end plate provided between one of the outermost heat exchanger plates and one of the outer cover plates. The strengthening outer cover plates are plane and have a significantly greater thickness than the heat exchanger plates. The end plate has porthole areas that are closed. 
     WO 2009/123518 discloses a plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of heat exchanger plates joined to each other. Each plate has a heat transfer area and four porthole areas. Each porthole area surrounds a porthole having a porthole edge. This prior art plate heat exchanger has a high strength. Several measures have been taken to achieve the high strength, for instance at the porthole areas of the heat exchanger plates. The heat exchanger plates are provided between a first end plate and a second end plate, which both are plane and have a significantly greater thickness than the heat exchanger plates. 
     A further disadvantage of thicker strengthening plates with more material is a higher thermal inertia. Due to this higher thermal inertia, the thermal fatigue performance of the plate heat exchanger is reduced, in particular in the heat exchanger plates which are provided most adjacent to and inside the strengthening plates. Since the heat exchanger plates are manufactured of a thinner material, they will more rapidly be adapted to the temperature of the media, which results in an undesired temperature difference between the heat exchanger plates and the strengthening plates, and thus to thermally dependent stresses. 
     Still further, thicker strengthening plates result in the disadvantage that the consumption of material becomes larger and thus the costs for the plate heat exchanger increase. 
     US-B1-8,181,696 discloses a plate heat exchanger comprising a plurality of plates. The plates extend in parallel to a main extension plane and comprise several heat exchanger plates and two strengthening end plates. The heat exchanger plates are provided beside each other and form a plate package with first plate interspaces and second plate interspaces. Each heat exchanger plate has four portholes forming ports through the plate package. The heat exchanger plates comprise an outermost heat exchanger plate at one side of the plate package and an outermost heat exchanger plate at an opposite side of the plate package. Two of said plate interspaces in the plate package form a respective outermost plate interspace at a respective side of the plate package, which are delimited outwardly by a respective one of the outermost heat exchanger plates. The strengthening end plates are provided outside a respective one of the outermost heat exchanger plates. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The purpose of the present invention is to remedy the disadvantages mentioned above and to provide a plate heat exchanger with a high strength. In particular, it is aimed at an improved strength in the porthole area of the closed end plate. 
     The purpose is achieved by the plate heat exchanger initially defined, which is characterized in that 
     each porthole of the heat exchanger plates is defined by a porthole edge formed by the annular flat area, 
     each of the porthole areas of the first end plate comprises a number of protrusions arranged on and projecting from the annular flat area to one of the lower level and the upper level, and 
     each of the protrusions of the first end plate, that projects to the upper level, abuts the annular flat area of the adjoining outermost heat exchanger plate. 
     The first end plate having closed porthole areas may have a higher strength than the heat exchanger plates in particular in and at the porthole areas thanks to the provision of the protrusions projecting from the annular flat area. Since the protrusions adjoin the annular flat area of the adjoining heat exchanger plate, a rigid support may be created for the porthole area of the first end plate, and even for the porthole areas of all plates of the plate packages. 
     Such a first end plate may in many plate heat exchanger applications replace the plane thicker cover plates, which are more expensive and render the plate heat exchanger significantly heavier. 
     The annular flat area of the heat exchanger plates may adjoin an annular flat area of an adjoining heat exchanger plate, and thus the annular flat areas function as a sealing for closing a plate interspace formed between these two adjacent heat exchanger plates. 
     The heat exchanger plates may be arranged in the plate package to form first plate interspaces for a first fluid and second plate interspaces for a second fluid. The first and second plate interspaces may be arranged in an alternating order in the plate package. The heat exchanger plates may be identical, but every second heat exchanger plate may be rotated 180° in the extension plane. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the protrusions of the first end plate that projects to the upper level is joined to the annular flat area of the adjoining outermost heat exchanger plate. Through such a joining the strength is further enhanced. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the protrusions project to the lower level when the annular flat area is located at the upper level, and to upper level when the annular flat area is located at the lower level. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the plates also comprise a second end plate provided outside and adjoining the first end plate in the plate package, wherein 
     each of the porthole areas of the second end plate is closed by means of a plate portion surrounded by the annular flat area, 
     each of the porthole areas of the second end plate comprises a number of protrusions arranged on and projecting from the annular flat area to one of the lower level and the upper level, and 
     each of the protrusions of the second end plate, that projects to the upper level, abuts a respective one of the protrusions of the annular flat area of the adjoining first end plate. 
     Such a second end plate provided outside the first end plate, may improve the strength even further, in particular in and at the porthole areas. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, each of the protrusions of the second end plate that projects to the upper level is joined to a respective one of the protrusions of annular flat area of the adjoining first end plate. Through such a joining the strength is further enhanced. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the plate portion that is surrounded by the annular flat area is circular and comprises a strengthening area at the lower level when the annular flat area is located at the upper level, and at upper level when the annular flat area is located at the lower level. Such a projection of the strengthening area of the plate portion in relation to the annular flat area may strengthen the porthole area. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the protrusions extend to the plate portion. The protrusions may thus be shaped as beams extending towards and to the plate portion. The protrusions may thus adjoin the plate portion. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the protrusions extend across the annular flat area. For instance, the protrusions may extend across the whole width of the annular flat area. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the protrusions are located on the annular flat area at a distance from the plate portion. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the annular flat area adjoins the plate portion. For instance, the annular flat area may adjoin the plate portion along the whole inner circumference of the annular flat area. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the strengthening area has a flat extension at one of the upper level and the lower level. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the strengthening area is annular. Such an annular shape of the strengthening area may further improve the strength of the plate portion. 
     According to an embodiment of the invention, the protrusions have a flat extension at the upper level and the lower level, respectively. The flat extension of the protrusion may ensure a relatively large contact area against the annular flat area of the adjacent heat exchanger plate, or against the respective protrusion of the adjacent first or second end plate. 
     The purpose is also achieved by the method initially defined, which is characterized by the following steps:
         selecting at least a first end plate and heat exchanger plates from said plurality of plates,   cutting four portholes through a respective one of the porthole areas of each of the heat exchanger plates, wherein each porthole is defined by a porthole edge formed by the annular flat area, and   pressing a number of protrusions in a second pressing operation to project from the annular flat area to one of the lower level and the upper level on each of the porthole areas of the first end plate.       

     According to a variant of the invention, the method may comprise the step of:
         assembling and joining the heat exchanger plates and the first end plate to obtain a plate package having four porthole channels extending through the respective portholes of the heat exchanger plates and being closed by the first end plate. Each of the protrusions of the first end plate, that project to the upper level, may abut the annular flat area of the adjoining outermost heat exchanger plate.       

     According to a variant of the invention, the selecting steps in addition to the selection of the first end plate and the heat exchanger plates also comprises selecting a second end plate, wherein the method also comprises the step of:
         pressing a number of protrusions to project from the annular flat area to one of the lower level and the upper level on each of the porthole areas of second end plate.       

     According to a variant of the invention, the method may comprise the further the step of:
         assembling and joining the heat exchanger plates, the first end plate and the second end plate to obtain a plate package having four porthole channels extending through the respective portholes of the heat exchanger plates and being closed by the first end plate and the second end plate. Each of the protrusions of the second end plate, that project to the upper level, may abut a respective one of the protrusions of the annular flat area of the adjoining first end plate.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is now to be explained more closely through a description of various embodiments and with reference to the drawings attached hereto. 
         FIG. 1  discloses schematically a plan view of a plate heat exchanger according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  discloses schematically a longitudinal sectional view along the line II-II in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  discloses schematically a plan view of a plate of the plate heat exchanger in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  discloses schematically a plan view of a part of a heat exchanger plate of the plate hear exchanger in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  discloses schematically a plan view of a part of a first or second end plate of the plate hear exchanger in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  discloses schematically a plan view of a part of a first or second end plate according to a second embodiment of the plate hear exchanger in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  discloses schematically a sectional view through two of the porthole areas of a first and second end plate in the plate package according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  discloses schematically a sectional view through two of the porthole areas of a first and second end plate in the plate package according to the first embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  discloses schematically a plan view of a part of an intermediate plate to be further processed to a heat exchanger plate or a first or second end plate. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  disclose a plate heat exchanger  1 . The plate heat exchanger  1  comprises a plurality of plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  arranged beside each other to form a plate package  5  of the plate heat exchanger  1 . 
     The plates  2 ,  3 ,  3  of the plate package  5  may be permanently joined to each other, for instance by means of a brazing material and through a brazing process. 
     Each of the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  extends in parallel with a respective extension plane p. 
     Each of the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4 , see  FIG. 3 , comprises a central area  6  extending in parallel with the extension plane p of the plate  2 ,  3 ,  4 . The central area  6  comprises or consists of a corrugation  7  of ridges and valleys. The corrugation  7  extends between an upper level p′ at a distance from the main extension plane p and a lower level p″ at a distance from and on an opposite side of the main extension plane p so that the ridges extend to the upper level p′ and the valleys to the lower level p″. 
     The plates  2 ,  3  are stacked onto each other in the plate packages to form first plate interspaces  8  for a first medium and second plate interspaces  9  for a second medium. The first and second plate interspaces  8  and  9  are arranged in an alternating order in the plate package  5 , as is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     Each of the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  comprises an edge area  10  which extend around and encloses the central area  6 . The edge area  10  may adjoin the central area  6 . The edge area  10  may consist of or may comprise a flange sloping in relation to the extension plane p, see  FIG. 2 . 
     Each of the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  comprises four porthole areas  11  are provided inside the edge area  10 , and preferably in a respective corner area of the plate  2 ,  3 ,  4 , see  FIG. 3 . The porthole areas  11  may be located on the central area  6 . 
     Each of the porthole areas  11  comprises an annular flat area  12 . The annular flat area  12  is located at one of the upper level p′ and the lower level p″. In the embodiments disclosed, two of the annular flat areas  12  are located at the upper level p′ and the two other annular flat areas  12  are located at the lower level p″. 
     In the first embodiment, the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  comprise heat exchanger plates  2 , a first end plate  3  provided outside and adjoining an outermost one of the heat exchanger plates  2  in the plate package  5 , and a second end plate  4  provided outside and adjoining the first end plate  3  in the plate package  5 , as can be seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The Heat Exchanger Plates  2   
     As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , each of the heat exchanger plates  2  comprises four portholes  13  extending through a respective one of the porthole areas  11 . Each of the portholes  13  of the heat exchanger plates  2  is defined by a porthole edge  14  formed by the annular flat area  12 . 
     The portholes  13  of the heat exchanger plates  2  form four porthole channels  14 - 17 , which may form a first inlet porthole  14  for the first medium to the first plate interspaces  8 , a first outlet porthole  15  for the first medium from the first plate interspaces  8 , a second inlet porthole  16  for the second medium to the second plate interspaces  8 , and a second outlet porthole  17  for the second medium from the second plate interspaces  8 . 
     The outermost heat exchanger plate  2  located on the side of the plate package  5  being opposite to the first and second end plates  3 ,  4  may form an outermost frame plate for attachment of conduits enabling communication with the porthole channels  14 - 17  for the first and second media. 
     Each of the heat exchanger plates  2  are identical. When arranging the heat exchanger plates  2  on each other in the plate package  5 , every second heat exchanger plate  2  may be rotated 180° in the extension plane p. Consequently, every second heat exchanger plate  2  may have two annular flat areas  12  located at the lower level p″ and adjoining a respective annular flat area  12  located at the upper level p′ on the adjacent heat exchanger plate  2 , provided that there is an adjacent heat exchanger plate  2 . Said every second heat exchanger plate  2  also has two annular flat areas  12  located at the upper level p′ and adjoining a respective annular flat area  12  on the adjacent heat exchanger plate  2 , provided that there is an adjacent heat exchanger plate  2 . 
     The First and Second End Plates  3 ,  4   
     The four porthole areas  11  of the first end plate  3  form two annular flat areas  12  located at the upper level p′ and adjoining a respective annular flat area  12  located at the lower level p″ on the adjacent heat exchanger plate  2 , and two annular flat areas  12  located at the lower level p″ and adjoining a respective annular flat area  12  located at the upper level p′ on the second end plate  4 , see  FIGS. 5 and 7 . 
     In  FIG. 5 , one annular flat area  12  at the upper level p′ is disclosed to the right and one annular flat area  12  at the lower level p″ to the left. 
     Each of the porthole areas  11  of the first end plate  3  and of the second end plate  4  is closed by means of a plate portion  20  surrounded by the annular flat area  12 . The plate portion  20  may be circular, or may at least have a circular outer contour adjoining the annular flat area  12 . The plate portion  20  may be a portion of the plate, for instance metal plate, forming the starting plate that is formed to the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  by a pressing operation method. In the heat exchanger plates  2 , the plate portions  20  have been removed by means of a cutting operation. 
     The plate portion  20  may have a strengthening area  21  located at the lower level p″ when the annular flat area  12  is located at the upper level p′, and at upper level p′ when the annular flat area is located at the lower level p″. The strengthening area  21  may have a flat extension at the upper level p′ and the lower level p″, respectively. The strengthening area  21  may be annular. 
     As may be seen in  FIGS. 5 and 7 , each of the porthole areas  11  of the first end plate  3  comprises a number of protrusions  22  arranged on and projecting from the annular flat area  12  to one of the lower level p″ and the upper level p′. The protrusions  22  may project to the lower level p″ when the annular flat area  12  is located at the upper level p′, and to upper level p′ when the annular flat area  12  is located at the lower level p″. Each of the protrusions  22  of the first end plate  3 , that project to the upper level p′, to the left in  FIG. 5 , abuts the annular flat area  12  of the adjoining outermost heat exchanger plate  2 . 
     Also, with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , it may be seen that each of the porthole areas  11  of the second end plate  4  also may comprise a number of protrusions  22  arranged on and projecting from the annular flat area  12  to one of the lower level p″ and the upper level p′. Also, with respect to the second end plate  4 , the protrusions  22  may project to the lower level p″ when the annular flat area  12  is located at the upper level p′, and to upper level p′ when the annular flat area  12  is located at the lower level p″. Each of the protrusions  22  of the second end plate  4 , that project to the upper level p′, to the left in  FIG. 5 , may abut a respective one of the protrusions  22  of the annular flat area  12  of the adjoining first end plate  3 . 
       FIGS. 5 and 7  may thus illustrate both first end plate  3  and the second end plate  4 . It should be noted that the first end plate  3  and the second end plate  4  are rotated 180° in relation to each other in the extension plane p in the plate package  5 . 
     In the first embodiment, disclosed in  FIG. 5 , the protrusions  22  extend to the plate portion  20 . In particular, the protrusions  22  may extend across the annular flat area  12 , and may form beams across the annular flat area  12 , for instance along a radial direction with respect to a central point of the porthole area  11 . Between the protrusions  22 , the annular flat area  12  may adjoin the plate portion  20 . 
       FIG. 6  refers to a second embodiment of the first end plate  3  and the second end plate  4 , which differs from the first embodiment in that the protrusions  22  are located on the annular flat area  12  at a distance from the plate portion  20 . In the second embodiment, the protrusions  22  may form isolated protrusions or islands on the annular flat are  12 . The annular flat area  12  may thus adjoin the plate portion  20  along the whole circumferential length of the annular flat area, as is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     I should be noted that no media may flow through the plate interspace between the first and second end plates  3  and  4 , and no media may flow through the plate interspace between the outermost heat exchanger plate  2  and the first end plate  3 . 
     Third Embodiment 
     A third embodiment of the invention differs from the first and second embodiment in that the second end plate  4  is dispensed with. The plate heat exchanger  1  thus comprises a plate package  5  with the heat exchanger plates  2  and the first end plate  3  forming the outer end plate of the plate package  5 . The porthole channels  14 - 17  are thus closed by a respective plate portion  20  of the first end plate  3 . No media may flow through the plate interspace between the first end plate  3  and the outermost heat exchanger plate  2 . 
     Method of Manufacturing 
     The plate heat exchanger according to the first and second embodiments may be manufactured as explained below. 
     A plurality of plates  2 ,  3 ,  4 , such as plane metal plates, are provided. The plurality of plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  may be pressed in a first pressing operation to produce a plurality of plates  2 ,  3 ,  4 , wherein each of the plates  2 ,  3 ,  4  comprises a central area  6 , an edge area  10  and four porthole areas  11 . Through the first pressing operation, the central area  6  may extend in parallel with an extension plane p of the plate  2 ,  3 ,  4  and may comprise a corrugation  7  of ridges and valleys. As explained above, the corrugation  7  may extend between an upper level p′ at a distance from the main extension plane p and a lower level p″ at a distance from and on an opposite side of the main extension plane p so that the ridges extend to the upper level p′ and the valleys to the lower level p″. Furthermore, the first pressing operation may result in the edge area  10  extending around the central area  6 , and each of the four porthole areas  11  comprising an annular flat area  12 , which is located at one of the upper level p′ and the lower level p″. A part of the plate  2 ,  3 ,  4  forming an intermediate plate is disclosed in  FIG. 9 . 
     The method then comprises following step of selecting a first end plate  3 , a second end plate  4  and a number of heat exchanger plates  2  from said plurality of plates  2 ,  3 ,  4 . 
     Then four portholes  13  are cut in a following cutting operation through a respective one of the porthole areas  11  of each of the heat exchanger plates  2  obtained through the first pressing operation described above and shown in  FIG. 9 . The cutting operation may be performed so that each porthole  13  is defined by a porthole edge  14  formed by the annular flat area  12 . 
     In a second pressing operation, the intermediate plate shown in  FIG. 9  is pressed to create a number of protrusions  22  to project from the annular flat area  12  to one of the lower level p″ and the upper level p′ on each of the porthole areas  11  of the first end plate  3 . 
     The method then comprises the step of assembling and joining the heat exchanger plates  2 , the first end plate  3  and the second end plate  4  to each other to obtain a plate package  5  having four porthole channels  14 - 17  extending through the respective portholes  13  of the heat exchanger plates  2  and being closed by the first end plate  3  and the second end plate  4 . 
     In order to manufacture the plate heat exchanger according to the third embodiment, it may be dispensed with the second pressing operation of the second end plate  4 , since only the first end plate  3  is included in the plate package  5  of the plate heat exchanger. 
     The invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed and described above but may be modified and varied within the scope of the following claims.