Plate-type heat exchanger

Claim 2

A plate-type heat exchanger 12 comprising a plurality of plates 10 of substantially uniform extent and of relatively thin material so formed and stacked as to provide heat transfer through said plates 10 to and from a series of alternating primary 16 and secondary 18 fluid flow passages formed between alternate plates so stacked, characterized in that said plates 10 are of identical configuration and size, with pairs 60 of said plates being stacked in back-to-back relationship such that one plate 10a is rotated 180 about a diameter relative to the other plate 10b and secured thereto to form a construction pair 60 for formation of said stack, said construction pairs 60 having spaced openings 20,22 therein aligned when stacked to form inlets B and outlets C to and from one of said series of flow passages 18 in a direction longitudinally of said stacked plates, each said plate 10 formed with an alternating arrangement about the circumference thereof of patterns of radial 36 and circumferential 38 corrugations extending between said spaced openings 20,22 and providing complementing channel-forming, generally parallel wave formations on both surfaces of said plates 60, said channel-forming formations being transverse to one another on adjacent plates 10.

Claim 3

A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each said plate 10 is annular and has a central annular aperture 30, each plate 10 further including an array of alignment embossments 40 circumferentially disposed adjacent the inner radial edge 52 thereof.

Claim 4

A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that each said alignment embossment 40 includes an embossment portion 44 and a debossment portion 42, said embossment 44 and debossment 42 portions being of identical configuration whereby the alignment embossments of each construction pair 60 of said plates are interengaged.

Claim 5

A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the openings 20,22 in each plate are alternately generally triangular 20 and oblong 22 in configuration.

Claim 6

A heat exchanger as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each pattern of circumferential corrugations 38 is generally waffle-shaped in configuration.

Claim 7

A heat exchanger device 12 formed of a plurality of plates 10 made of relatively thin metallic material, each of said plates 10 being annular and including a central aperture 30, said plates 10 being stacked so as to provide heat transfer through said plates 10 to and from a series of alternating primary 16 and secondary 18 fluid flow passages formed between alternate stacked plates 10,characterized in that said plates 10 are of identical configurations and size, pairs 60 of said plates 10 are stacked in back-to-back relationship such that one plate 10a is rotated 1800 about a diameter relative to the other plate 10b, said pairs of plates 60 being secured together to form a construction pair 60 for formation of said stack, said pairs of plates 60 having spaced openings 20,22 therein aligned when stacked to form inlet and outlet to and from one 18 of said series of flow passages in a direction longitudinal of said stacked plates, each said plate 10 formed with an alternating arrangement about the circumference thereof of patterns of radial corrugations 36 extending between said spaced openings 20,22 intermediate radially inner and outer edges 50,52 of the plate 10 to define complementing channel-forming, generally parallel wave formations on both surfaces of said plate 10; and waffle-shaped patterns 38 extending between said spaced openings 20,22 and providing complementing channel-forming, generally parallel wave formations extending both radially and circumferentially of said plate 10 on both surfaces of said plate 10, with each said plate 10 further including an array of alignment embossments 40 radially disposed adjacent the inner radial edge 52 thereof.

Claim 8

A heat exchanger device 12 formed of a plurality of plates 10 made of relatively thin metallic material, each of said plates 10 being annular and including a central aperture 30, said plates 10 being stacked so as to provide heat transfer through said plates 10 to and from a series of alternating primary 16 and secondary 18 fluid flow passages formed between alternate stacked plates 10,characterized in that said plates 10 are of identical configurations and size, pairs 60 of said plates 10 are stacked in back-to-back relationship such that one plate 10a is rotated 1800 about a diameter relative to the other plate 10b, said pairs of plates 60 being secured together to form a construction pair 60 for formation of said stack, said pairs of plates 60 having spaced openings 20,22 therein aligned when stacked to form inlet and outlet to and from one 18 of said series of flow passages in a direction longitudinal of said stacked plates, each said plate 10 formed with an alternating arrangement about the circumference thereof of patterns of radial corrugations 36 extending between said spaced openings 20,22 intermediate radially inner and outer edges 50,52 of the plate 10 to define complementing channel-forming, generally parallel wave formations on both surfaces of said plate 10; and waffle-shaped patterns 38 extending between said spaced openings 20,22 and providing complementing channel-forming, generally parallel wave formations extending both radially and circumferentially of said plate 10 on both surfaces of said plate 10, with each said plate 10 further including an array of alignment embossments 40 radially disposed adjacent the inner radial edge 52 thereof.

Claim 9

A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that each said alignment embossment 40 includes an embossment portion 42 and a debossment portion 44, said embossment 42 and debossment 44 portions being of identical configuration whereby the alignment embossments 40 of a construction pair 60 of said plates 10 are interengaged.

Claim 10

A heat exchanger as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the openings 20,22 in each .plate are alternately generally triangular 20 and oblong 22 in configuration.

Claim 11

A plate heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates 10 having primary 16 and secondary 18 fluid flow passages between the plates 10 and openings 20,22 through the plates forming inlets and outlets for the passage of a fluid through one of the fluid flow passages,characterized in that the plates 10 are identical and are stacked in pairs 60, the plates of a pair being back-to-back.

Claim 12

A plate heat exchanger comprising a stack of plates 10 having primary 16 and secondary 18 fluid flow passages between the plates 10 and openings 20,22 through the plates forming inlets and outlets for the passage of a fluid through one of the fluid flow passages,characterized in that the plates 10 are identical and are stacked in pairs 60, the plates of a pair being back-to-back.

Claim 13

A gas turbine including a regenerator comprising a heat exchanger as defined in any one of the preceding claims.