Device for use in connection with heat exchangers for the transfer of sensible and/or latent heat

Claim 1

An exchanger body for transferring sensible heat, latent heat or both between a gas and a liquid, comprising: (a) a plurality of contiguous layers of sheet units (10) having relatively large corrugations extending continuously on substantially straight parallel lines over the surface area of each unit; (b) each of said units (10) comprising a pair of thin foils (14, 16) having their large corrugations identically oriented in spaced nested relationship to define between them relatively narrow liquid passages (20) of substantially uniform width; extending substantially laterally to define a sinuous passage through which the liquid is passed from the liquid inlet to the liquid outlet means; (c) the inclined surfaces of the relatively large corrugations of each of said thin foils additionally having relatively small corrugations forming closely spaced ridges and grooves (22, 24) spacing said foils from one another to define said narrow liquid passages and to impart rigidity to said foils; (d) said ridges and grooves being angularly oriented relative to each other to promote even distribution of the liquid throughout the surface area of said narrow liquid passages; (e) said layers being angularly oriented relative to one another so that the relatively large corrugations in alternate units will cross the relatively large corrugations of the intervening units with their apices bearing against one another at their points of intersection to form relatively large open gas passages of non-uniform width.