Crossflow plate-type heat exchanger with barrier space

Claim 2

A plate-type heat-exchanger core comprising first, second, and third primary plates contraposed in substantially parallelspaced relationship; and first primary plate having a margin coextensive with a margin of said second plate; first sealing means sealingly bridging between and extending along said coextensive margins of said first and second primary plates whereby a barrier space is defined between said first and second primary plates inwardly of said first sealing means; first and second secondary plates contraposed in substantially parallelspaced relationship disposed between and spaced from said first and second primary plates; said first secondary plate having a margin coextensive with a margin of said second secondary plate disposed inwardly of said first sealing means; second sealing means sealing bridging between and extending along said coextensive margins of said secondary plates whereby a first heat-exchange fluid passage is defined between said first and second secondary plates within said space; said second primary plate having a margin coextensive with a margin of said third primary plate; third sealing means sealingly bridging between and extending along said coextensive margins of said second and third primary plates whereby a second heat-exchange fluid passage is defined between said second and third primary plates; means within said barrier space defining a heat-conducting path between said first and second heat-exchange fluid passages.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said first, second and third sealing means are metallic closing bars brazingly bonded to the heat-exchanger plates.

Claim 4

The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said first sealing means is a metallic closing bar having an E-shaped cross section wherein the remote legs of thereof are brazingly bonded to the margins of said first and second primary plates and wherein the intermediate leg abuts said second sealing means.

Claim 5

A plate-type heat-exchanger core comprising first and second metallic plates contraposed in substantially parallel-spaced relationship; said first plate having a pair of opposed margins coextensive with a pair of opposed margins of said second plate; first and second inner closing bars extending along paths substantially parallel to and spaced inwardly of said opposed margins sealingly bridging between said first and second plates to thereby define a heat-exchange fluid passage intermediate said first and second plates and intermediate said first and second inner closing bars; first and second outer closing bars extending along said opposed margins sealingly bridging bEtween said first and second plates to thereby define a barrier space between adjacent inner and outer closing bars intermediate said first and second metallic plates; a section of corrugated metallic sheet fin material having crests extending generally parallel to said inner and outer closing bars disposed in abutting relation intermediate said inner closing bars whereby said inner closing bars are positioned from their inner side; and a section of corrugated metallic sheet fin material having crests extending generally parallel to said inner and outer closing bars disposed in abutting relation intermediate adjacent pair of inner and outer closing bars whereby said inner closing bars are positioned from their outer side whereby the spatial relationships between said inner bars and the other elements of said heat-exchanger core are maintained during brazing of said closing bars to said plates.

Claim 6

A plate-type heat-exchanger core comprising first and second metallic plates contraposed in substantially parallel-spaced relationship; said first plate having a pair of opposed margins coextensive with a pair of opposed margins of said second plate; first and second inner closing bars extending along paths substantially parallel to and spaced inwardly of said opposed margins sealingly bridging between said first and second plates to thereby define a heat-exchange fluid passage intermediate said first and second plates and intermediate said first and second inner closing bars; first and second outer closing bars extending along said opposed margins sealingly bridging bEtween said first and second plates to thereby define a barrier space between adjacent inner and outer closing bars intermediate said first and second metallic plates; a section of corrugated metallic sheet fin material having crests extending generally parallel to said inner and outer closing bars disposed in abutting relation intermediate said inner closing bars whereby said inner closing bars are positioned from their inner side; and a section of corrugated metallic sheet fin material having crests extending generally parallel to said inner and outer closing bars disposed in abutting relation intermediate adjacent pair of inner and outer closing bars whereby said inner closing bars are positioned from their outer side whereby the spatial relationships between said inner bars and the other elements of said heat-exchanger core are maintained during brazing of said closing bars to said plates.

Claim 7

A plate-type heat exchanger comprising: a first integral brazed plate-and-fin core section; a second integral brazed plate-and-fin core section; each of said core sections having a plurality of first passages for passage of a first heat-exchange fluid; each of said core sections having a plurality of second passages for passage of a second heat-exchange fluid; a welded joint connecting together said first and second core sections; and mean enclosing a barrier space overlying said welded joint whereby leaks at the joint connecting said integrally brazed core sections may be detected.

Claim 8

A plate-type heat exchanger comprising: a first integral brazed plate-and-fin core section; a second integral brazed plate-and-fin core section; each of said core sections having a plurality of first passages for passage of a first heat-exchange fluid; each of said core sections having a plurality of second passages for passage of a second heat-exchange fluid; a welded joint connecting together said first and second core sections; and mean enclosing a barrier space overlying said welded joint whereby leaks at the joint connecting said integrally brazed core sections may be detected.

Claim 9

A plate-type heat exchanger comprising: a first integrally brazed plate-and-fin core section; a second integrally brazed plate-and-fin core section; each of said core sections having a plurality of first passages for passage of a first heat-exchange fluid; each of said core sections having a plurality of second passages for passage of a second heat exchange fluid; each of said cores having barrier spaces intermediate the first and second passages thereof; a welded joint connecting together said first and second core sections; a first header connecting the first passages of said first and second core sections; a second header connecting the second passages of said first and second core sections; means defining a barrier space overlying said welded joint; and a header connecting the barrier spaces of said first and second core sections and said barrier space overlying said joint between said core sections whereby leaks from said first and second passages and at said joint may be detected.

Claim 10

A plate-type heat exchanger comprising: a first integrally brazed plate-and-fin core section; a second integrally brazed plate-and-fin core section; each of said core sections having a plurality of first passages for passage of a first heat-exchange fluid; each of said core sections having a plurality of second passages for passage of a second heat exchange fluid; each of said cores having barrier spaces intermediate the first and second passages thereof; a welded joint connecting together said first and second core sections; a first header connecting the first passages of said first and second core sections; a second header connecting the second passages of said first and second core sections; means defining a barrier space overlying said welded joint; and a header connecting the barrier spaces of said first and second core sections and said barrier space overlying said joint between said core sections whereby leaks from said first and second passages and at said joint may be detected.