Plate evaporator for removing volatiles from liquids

Claim 2

A plate assembly providing a confined tortuous path for twophase stripping of volatiles from a flowable material comprising: a plurality of standard generally rectangular port-type heat exchanger plates successively arranged in closely spaced, parallel relation so as to provide therebetween a plurality of parallel passageways; the foremost plate and each interior plate having an inlet port in each corner at one end thereof and the last plate and each interior plate having an outlet port in each corner at the other end thereof; gasket means interposed between successive adjacent plates for enclosing in the confined tortuous path (1) at least one inlet port of the foremost and each interior plate, (2) both outlet ports of the last and each interior plate, and (3) each of said parallel passageways, said enclosed passageways being in flow communication with said enclosed inlet and outlet ports of The plates; and means for holding the plates and gasket means in assembled relation such that the inlet ports are in generally coaxial alignment and the outlet ports of the plates are likewise in generally coaxial alignment, the successive enclosed inlet ports thereby forming as many inlet conduits as there are enclosed inlet ports in each of the respective plates and the successive enclosed outlet ports thereby forming two outlet conduits, the inlet and outlet conduits extending in a direction generally transverse to the passageways between the plates and communicating with said enclosed passageways, whereby a two-phase mixture of a stripping gas and a flowable material containing volatiles to be removed introduced through an inlet conduit is first passed through all said enclosed passageways to enhance release of the volatiles from the material and is thereafter discharged through the two outlet conduits.

Claim 3

A plate assembly according to claim 1 in which: said gasket means encloses both inlet ports of the foremost and each interior plate in the confined tortuous path, thereby forming two inlet conduits so as to afford dual-dual port flow of the stripping gas-flowable material mixture through the plates.

Claim 4

A plate assembly according to claim 1 in which said gasket means comprises a continuous elongate gasket interposed between each pair of plates forming said enclosed passageways, the gasket extending in part along the peripheries of the pair of plates and enclosing said enclosed inlet and outlet ports thereof.

Claim 5

A plate assembly according to claim 1 in which: the foremost plate and each interior plate have a third inlet port intermediate to said corner inlet ports, and the last plate and each interior plate have a third outlet port intermediate to said corner outlet ports; and said gasket means also encloses in the confined tortuous path said third outlet port.

Claim 6

A plate assembly according to claim 4 in which said gasket means encloses at least one additional inlet port of the foremost and each interior plate in said confined tortuous path, thereby forming at least two inlet conduits and three outlet conduits so as to afford dual-triple port flow through the plates.

Claim 7

A plate assembly providing a confined tortuous path for two-phase stripping of volatiles from a flowable material comprising: a plurality of sets of standard generally rectangular port-type heat exchanger plates, the sets being assembled in an end-to-end series, with each set including a predetermined number of plates successively arranged in closely spaced parallel relation so as to provide therebetween a plurality of parallel passageways; the foremost plate and each interior plate of each set having an inlet port in each corner at one end thereof and the last plate and each interior plate of each set having an outlet port in each corner at the other end thereof; gasket means in one set interposed between successive adjacent plates for enclosing in the confined tortuous path (1) at least one inlet port of the foremost and each interior plate, and both outlet ports in the last and each interior plate, gasket means in each set preceding said one set in the series for enclosing in the confined tortuous path as many inlet ports in the foremost and each interior plate and as many outlet ports in the last and each interior plate as there are enclosed inlet ports in said one set, gasket means in each set following said one set in the series for enclosing in the confined tortuous path as many inlet ports in the foremost and each interior plate and as many outlet ports in the last and each interior plate of each following set, as there are outlet ports in the last and each interior plate of said one set and, said gasket means in each set enclosing each of said parallel passageways between the plates of the sets in flow communication with said enclosed inlet and outlet ports of the plates; and means for holding the plates of the sets and the gasket meanS in assembled relation such that (1) the inlet ports of the plates are in generally coxial alignment and outlet ports of the plates are likewise in generally coaxial alignment, the successive enclosed inlet ports of each set thereby forming as many inlet conduits as there are enclosed inlet ports in the plates of the set and the successive enclosed outlet ports thereby forming as many outlet conduits as there are enclosed outlet ports in the plates of the set, said inlet and outlet conduits extending in a direction generally transverse to the passageways between the plates and communicating with said enclosed passageways, and such that (2) each inlet conduit of each succeeding set is aligned with an outlet conduit of the next preceding set, whereby a two-phase mixture of a stripping gas and a flowable material containing volatiles to be removed introduced into the inlet conduit or conduits of the foremost set is sequentially passed through said enclosed parallel passageways of the foremost set, the outlet conduit or conduits of the foremost set, and the inlet conduits, enclosed inlet ports, enclosed passageways, enclosed outlet ports and outlet conduits of each succeeding set thereby to enhance release of the volatiles from the material.

Claim 8

A plate assembly providing a confined tortuous path for two-phase stripping of volatiles from a flowable material comprising: a plurality of sets of standard generally rectangular port-type heat exchanger plates, the sets being assembled in an end-to-end series, with each set including a predetermined number of plates successively arranged in closely spaced parallel relation so as to provide therebetween a plurality of parallel passageways; the foremost plate and each interior plate of each set having an inlet port in each corner at one end thereof and the last plate and each interior plate of each set having an outlet port in each corner at the other end thereof; gasket means in one set interposed between successive adjacent plates for enclosing in the confined tortuous path (1) at least one inlet port of the foremost and each interior plate, and both outlet ports in the last and each interior plate, gasket means in each set preceding said one set in the series for enclosing in the confined tortuous path as many inlet ports in the foremost and each interior plate and as many outlet ports in the last and each interior plate as there are enclosed inlet ports in said one set, gasket means in each set following said one set in the series for enclosing in the confined tortuous path as many inlet ports in the foremost and each interior plate and as many outlet ports in the last and each interior plate of each following set, as there are outlet ports in the last and each interior plate of said one set and, said gasket means in each set enclosing each of said parallel passageways between the plates of the sets in flow communication with said enclosed inlet and outlet ports of the plates; and means for holding the plates of the sets and the gasket meanS in assembled relation such that (1) the inlet ports of the plates are in generally coxial alignment and outlet ports of the plates are likewise in generally coaxial alignment, the successive enclosed inlet ports of each set thereby forming as many inlet conduits as there are enclosed inlet ports in the plates of the set and the successive enclosed outlet ports thereby forming as many outlet conduits as there are enclosed outlet ports in the plates of the set, said inlet and outlet conduits extending in a direction generally transverse to the passageways between the plates and communicating with said enclosed passageways, and such that (2) each inlet conduit of each succeeding set is aligned with an outlet conduit of the next preceding set, whereby a two-phase mixture of a stripping gas and a flowable material containing volatiles to be removed introduced into the inlet conduit or conduits of the foremost set is sequentially passed through said enclosed parallel passageways of the foremost set, the outlet conduit or conduits of the foremost set, and the inlet conduits, enclosed inlet ports, enclosed passageways, enclosed outlet ports and outlet conduits of each succeeding set thereby to enhance release of the volatiles from the material.

Claim 9

A plate assembly according to claim 6 in which said one set is the last set in the series.

Claim 10

A plate assembly according to claim 6 in which: the foremost and each interior plate of each set have a third inlet port intermediate to said corner inlet ports and the last plate and each interior plate of each set have a third outlet port intermediate to said corner outlet ports; and said gasket means encloses at least two of the inlet ports of the foremost and each interior plate of said one set and all of the outlet ports of the last and each interior plate of said one set;

Claim 11

A plate assembly according to claim 6 in which said gasket means encloses both inlet ports of the foremost plate and each interior plate of each set, so as to afford dual-dual port flow through all sets of plates.

Claim 12

A plate assembly according to claim 9 in which said gasket means comprises a continuous elongate gasket interposed between each pair of plates forming said enclosed passageways, the gasket extending in part along the peripheries of the pair of plates and enclosing said enclosed inlet and outlet ports thereof.