Process for the manufacture of a thermoplastic panel heat exchangers

Claim 2

A process for the manufacture of a heat exchanger from a thermoplastic polymer, said heat exchanger comprising first and second panels and inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels being generally planar and formed from said polymer, said panels being bonded together to define fluid flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels having an orifice therein cooperatively located at each of the inlet and outlet header means, each of said inlet and outlet header means comprising a distributor ring with planar ends, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said process comprising the steps of: (a) contacting said first and second panels with each other and with the opposite ends of the distributor ring, the orifices in the first and second panels being aligned with the axial fluid-flow passage of the distributor ring; and (b) applying heat and pressure thereto in a manner that effects bonding of the first panel to the second panel while providing fluid flow passages between the inlet header means and the outlet header means.

Claim 3

The process of Claim 1 in which each of said inlet and outlet header means comprises a distributor ring with planar ends, an inlet distributor nipple and a mating flange, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said inlet distributor nipple having a flange connected to a distributor pipe, the distributor pipe having at least one radial orifice adjacent to the flange and attachment means on the external surface of the pipe opposed to the flange, said mating flange being adapted to attach onto the distributor pipe by means of said attachment means, the distributor pipe and external flange being added to the panel heat exchanger subsequent to step (b) to form a fluid tight seal thereon.

Claim 4

The process of Claim 2 in which the attachment means are screw threads.

Claim 5

The process of Claim 2 or claim 3 in which a bonding agent is used in the bonding of the panels.

Claim 6

A process for the manufacture of a heat exchanger from a thermoplastic polymer, said heat exchanger comprising first and second panels and inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels being generally planar and formed from said polymer, said panels being bonded together to define fluid flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels having an orifice therein cooperatively located at each of the inlet and outlet header means, each of said inlet and outlet header means comprising a distributor ring with planar ends, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said process comprising the steps of: (a) coating the first panel with a first coating composition in a pattern corresponding to the fluid passages; (b) coating the second panel with a second coating composition in at least those areas corresponding to the areas of the first and second panel that will be bonded together; (c) contacting said first and second panels to each other and to the opposite ends of the distributor ring, the orifices in the first and second panels being aligned with the axial fluid-flow passage of the distributor ring; and (d) applying heat and pressure thereto to effect bonding between said panels; (e) said second coating composition being such that the composition adheres to the polymer of the first panel but not to the first coating composition under the influence of the heat and pressure applied in step (d).

Claim 7

A process for the manufacture of a heat exchanger from a thermoplastic polymer, said heat exchanger comprising first and second panels and inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels being generally planar and formed from said polymer, said panels being bonded together to define fluid flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels having an orifice therein cooperatively located at each of the inlet and outlet header means, each of said inlet and outlet header means comprising a distributor ring with planar ends, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said process comprising the steps of: (a) coating the first panel with a first coating composition in a pattern corresponding to the fluid passages; (b) coating the second panel with a second coating composition in at least those areas corresponding to the areas of the first and second panel that will be bonded together; (c) contacting said first and second panels to each other and to the opposite ends of the distributor ring, the orifices in the first and second panels being aligned with the axial fluid-flow passage of the distributor ring; and (d) applying heat and pressure thereto to effect bonding between said panels; (e) said second coating composition being such that the composition adheres to the polymer of the first panel but not to the first coating composition under the influence of the heat and pressure applied in step (d).

Claim 8

The process of Claim 5 in which each of said inlet and outlet header means is comprised of a distributor ring with planar ends, an inlet distributor nipple and a mating flange, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said inlet distributor nipple having a flange connected to a distributor pipe, the distributor pipe having at least one radial orifice adjacent to the flange and attachment means on the external surface of the pipe opposed to the flange, said mating flange being adapted to attach onto the distributor pipe by means of said attachment means, the distributor pipe and external flange being added to the panel heat exchanger subsequent to step (d) to form a fluid tight seal thereon.

Claim 9

The process of Claim 6 in which the attachment means are screw threads.

Claim 10

The process of Claim 6 in which the second coating composition is also applied to the ends of the distributor ring.

Claim 11

The process of any one of Claims 1-8 in which the distributor ring has at least two radial orifices.

Claim 12

The process of any one of Claims 1-9 in which bonding is also effected between the panels and the ends of the distributor ring.

Claim 13

The process of any one of Claims 1-10 in which the thermoplastic polymer used to form the panels is a polyamide.

Claim 14

A panel heat exchanger formed from a thermoplastic polymer, said heat exchanger comprising first and second panels and inlet and outlet header means, said panels being generally planar and bonded together to define fluid flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels having an orifice therein cooperatively located at each of the inlet and outlet header means, each of said inlet and outlet header means comprising a distributor ring with planar ends, an inlet distributor nipple and a mating flange, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said inlet distributor nipple having a flange connected to a distributor pipe, the distributor pipe having at least one radial orifice adjacent to the flange and attachment means on the external surface of the pipe opposed to the flange, said mating flange being adapted to attach onto the distributor pipe by means of said attachment means, and said header means being adapted for flow of fluid into or out of the panel heat exchanger.

Claim 15

A panel heat exchanger formed from a thermoplastic polymer, said heat exchanger comprising first and second panels and inlet and outlet header means, said panels being generally planar and bonded together to define fluid flow passages extending between the inlet and outlet header means, each of said panels having an orifice therein cooperatively located at each of the inlet and outlet header means, each of said inlet and outlet header means comprising a distributor ring with planar ends, an inlet distributor nipple and a mating flange, said distributor ring having an axial fluid-flow passage and at least one radial fluid-flow passage, said inlet distributor nipple having a flange connected to a distributor pipe, the distributor pipe having at least one radial orifice adjacent to the flange and attachment means on the external surface of the pipe opposed to the flange, said mating flange being adapted to attach onto the distributor pipe by means of said attachment means, and said header means being adapted for flow of fluid into or out of the panel heat exchanger.

Claim 16

The panel heat exchanger of Claim 12 in which the attachment means are external screw threads.

Claim 17

The panel heat exchanger of Claim 12 or Claim 13 in which the ends of the distributor ring are bonded to the panels.

Claim 18

The panel heat exchanger of any one of Claims 12-14 in which the distributor ring has at least two radial orifices.

Claim 19

The panel heat exchanger of any one of Claims 12-15 in which the inlet and outlet header means are formed from thermoplastic polymers.

Claim 20

The panel heat exchanger of Claim 16 in which the inlet and outlet header means are formed from a thermoplastic engineering polymer.

Claim 21

The panel heat exchanger of any one of Claims 12-17 in which the thermoplastic polymer used to form the panels is a polyamide.