Thermoplastic heat exchanger

Claim 2

A thermoplastic heat exchanger element comprising first and second thermoplastic sheets spaced apart from one another by a plurality of protuberances which project from one of said sheets and which extend toward the other of said sheets, a seal between said sheets along at least portions of the edges thereof, said element having at least one first opening therein to permit introduction of a first fluid therethrough and at least one second opening therein remote from said first opening to permit removal of said first fluid therethrough, said element being adapted to exchange heat between said first fluid and a second fluid in contact with the exterior faces of said sheets.

Claim 3

A thermoplastic heat exchanger element comprising first and second thermoplastic sheets spaced apart from one another by a plurality of protuberances which project from one of said sheets and which extend toward the other of said sheets, a seal between said sheets near the edges thereof, one of said sheets having a first opening therein to permit introduction of a first fluid therethrough, and one of said sheets having a second opening therein remote from said first opening to permit removal of said first fluid therethrough, said element being adapted to exchange heat between said first fluid and a second fluid in contact with the exterior faces of said sheets.

Claim 4

A thermoplastic heat exchanger element comprising first and second thermoplastic sheets spaced apart from one another by a plurality of protuberances which project from one of said sheets and which extend toward the other of said sheets, a seal between said sheets near the edges thereof, one of said sheets having a first opening therein to permit introduction of a first fluid therethrough, and one of said sheets having a second opening therein remote from said first opening to permit removal of said first fluid therethrough, said element being adapted to exchange heat between said first fluid and a second fluid in contact with the exterior faces of said sheets.

Claim 5

The heat exchanger element of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein there are edge septa which form said seal near the edges of said sheets, two opposite faces of the edge septa being joined to proximate faces of said sheets.

Claim 6

The heat exchanger element of Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said sheets are sealed directly to one another.

Claim 7

The heat exchanger element of Claim 3 wherein the space defined by said sheets and said edge septa is divided into a plurality of channels by at least one channel septum, two opposite faces of each such channel septum being joined to proximate faces of said sheets

Claim 8

The heat exchanger element of any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein said protuberances extend to and are joined to said second sheet.

Claim 9

A thermoplastic heat exchanger comprising a plurality of said elements of any one of Claims 1 to 6, said elements being spaced apart to permit passage of said second fluid between adjacent exterior faces of said elements.

Claim 10

The heat exchanger of Claim wherein there is a first series of coaxial rings, and, remote from said first series, a second series of coaxial rings, each said series containing one less ring than the number of said elements; each said sheet of each said element except the first sheet of the first element and the second sheet of the last element containing both first and second openings, the first sheet of said last element and the second sheet of said first element facing toward adjacent elements, all of said first openings being in line and all of said second openings being in line, said first sheet of said first element and said second sheet of said last element taken together having a total of one first opening and one second opening; each ring of said first series lying between and being joined to two adjacent elements and disposed to surrounc the first opening in the second sheet of one element and the first opening in the first sheet of the next element; each ring of said second series lying between and being joined to two adjacent elements and disposed to surround the second opening in the second sheet of one element and the first opening in the first sheet of the next element; and two hollow cylindrical fittings joined to either the first sheet of the first element or the secondsheet of the last element, a first such fitting surrounding said first opening and a second such fitting surrounding said second opening in those sheets.

Claim 11

The heat exchanger of Claim 7 wherein each said sheet of each said element except the first sheet of the first element and the second sheet of the last element contains both first and second openings, the first sheet of said last element and the second sheet of said first element facing toward adjacent elements, all of said first openings being in line and all of said second openings being in line, said first sheet of said first element and said second sheet of said last element taken together having a total of one first opening and one second opening; an area surrounding the first hole in the second sheet of each element except the last element being sealed directly to an area surrounding the first hole in the first sheet of the next element, an area surrounding the second hole in the second sheet of each element except the last element being sealed directly to an area surrounding the second hole in the first sheet of the next element, and two hollow cylindrical fittings joined to either the first sheet of the first element or the second sheet of the last element, a first such fitting surrounding said first opening and a second such fitting surrounding said second opening in those sheets.

Claim 12

10 . The heat exchanger of Claim 8 or Claim 9 wherein each adjacent pair of said elements is spaced apart by at least one spacer bar, each such spacer bar being disposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which said first fluid flows in said channels.

Claim 13

The heat exchanger of any one of Claims 7. to 10 wherein at least each second element is thermoformed to have a plurality of protrusions which project toward an adjacent element.

Claim 14

The heat exchanger of Claim 10 wherein adjacent first edges of said elements, said first edges being parallel to said spacer bars, are joined together by thermoplastic film sealed to said first edges, and wherein adjacent second edges of said elements, said second edges being parallel to said spacer bars, are joined together by thermoplastic film sealed to said second edges.

Claim 15

A heat exchanger comprising at least three parallel substantially flat sheets of thermoplastic film; edge septa which join each pair of adjacent said sheets near the edge portions thereof, said sheets and edge septa defining passages for fluids, alternate passages beginning with the first such passage being first passages for a first fluid, and alternate passages beginning with the second such passage being second passages for a second fluid; protuberances in at least each alternate passage joined to one sheet cefining that passage and extending toward the second sheet defining that passage: each sheet except the first sheet and the last sheet having four openings, the first and last sheets taken together having a total of four openings; said openings being in four sets, all the openings in each set being in line, a set of first openings and a set of second openings being adjacent, a set of third openings and a set of fourth openings being adjacent, and said sets of third and fourth openings being remote from said sets of first and second openings; series of first coaxial rings disposed in said first passages, one first ring in each first passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said first passage and surrounding said first openings in those sheets; a series of second coaxial rings disposed in said second passages, one second ring in each second passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said second passage and surrounding said second openings in those sheets; a series of third coaxial rings disposed in said first passages, one third ring in each first passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said first passage and surrounding said third openings in those sheets; a series of fourth coaxial rings-disposed in said second passages, one fourth ring in each second passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said second passage and surrounding said fourth openings in those sheets; and four hollow cylindrical fittings, there being a fitting disposed coaxially with each of the four series of rings, each fitting joined to either said first or said last sheet and surrounding one of said four openings in said first and last sheets.

Claim 16

A heat exchanger comprising at least three parallel substantially flat sheets of thermoplastic film; edge septa which join each pair of adjacent said sheets near the edge portions thereof, said sheets and edge septa defining passages for fluids, alternate passages beginning with the first such passage being first passages for a first fluid, and alternate passages beginning with the second such passage being second passages for a second fluid; protuberances in at least each alternate passage joined to one sheet cefining that passage and extending toward the second sheet defining that passage: each sheet except the first sheet and the last sheet having four openings, the first and last sheets taken together having a total of four openings; said openings being in four sets, all the openings in each set being in line, a set of first openings and a set of second openings being adjacent, a set of third openings and a set of fourth openings being adjacent, and said sets of third and fourth openings being remote from said sets of first and second openings; series of first coaxial rings disposed in said first passages, one first ring in each first passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said first passage and surrounding said first openings in those sheets; a series of second coaxial rings disposed in said second passages, one second ring in each second passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said second passage and surrounding said second openings in those sheets; a series of third coaxial rings disposed in said first passages, one third ring in each first passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said first passage and surrounding said third openings in those sheets; a series of fourth coaxial rings-disposed in said second passages, one fourth ring in each second passage, each ring joined to proximate sides of said sheets defining said second passage and surrounding said fourth openings in those sheets; and four hollow cylindrical fittings, there being a fitting disposed coaxially with each of the four series of rings, each fitting joined to either said first or said last sheet and surrounding one of said four openings in said first and last sheets.

Claim 17

The heat exchanger of Claim 13 wherein said protuberances extend to and are joined to said second sheet defining that passage.

Claim 18

The heat exchanger of Claim 13 or Claim 14 wherein said protuberances are in all of said first and second passages.

Claim 19

The heat exchanger of any one of Claims 13 to 15 wherein there is a plurality of said first passages and a plurality of said second passages.

Claim 20

The heat exchanger of Claim 16 wherein each passage is divided into a plurality of channels by one or more channel septa, the number and layout of said channels in said first passages and in said second passages being identical, said first and second openings being disposed at the upstream end of the first channel, and said third and fourth openings being disposed at the downstream end of the last channel.