HEAT EXCHANGER WITH ACCESSIBLE CORE
In at least some implementations, a heat exchanger includes a core and a shell. The core may have a periphery and a plurality of plates with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery of the core. The shell includes a plurality of panels releasably connected together to define a pressure vessel in which the core is received in assembly, and the shell is adapted to be at least partially disassembled to provided access to the core and enable cleaning of the passages and the plates, or to enable repair or replacement of the core. The shell also is adapted to be reassembled into a pressure vessel with the core inside for further use of the heat exchanger.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/661,156 filed Jun. 18, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present disclosure relates generally to a heat exchanger.
BACKGROUNDConventional heat exchangers are configured to transfer heat from a treatment fluid flowing on one side of a barrier to a working fluid flowing on another side of the barrier. For example, stacked plate heat exchangers include a shell for housing a plurality of corrugated heat transfer plates. The plates are arranged face-to-face in a stack along a longitudinal direction. Collectively, the adjacent plates in the stack define transversely extending passages for the treatment fluid that are interleaved with transversely extending passages for the working fluid.
SUMMARYIn at least some implementations, a heat exchanger includes a core and a shell. The core may have a periphery and a plurality of plates with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery of the core. The shell includes a plurality of panels releasably connected together to define a pressure vessel in which the core is received in assembly, and the shell is adapted to be at least partially disassembled to provided access to the core and enable cleaning of the passages and the plates, or to enable repair or replacement of the core. The shell also is adapted to be reassembled into a pressure vessel with the core inside for further use of the heat exchanger.
In at least some implementations, a heat exchanger may include a core and a shell. The core may have a periphery and a plurality of plates with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, where some of the passages define at least part of a working fluid circuit and different passages define at least part of a treatment fluid circuit. The shell may include a plurality of panels releasably connected to another component to define a pressure vessel in which the core is received in assembly. The shell is adapted to be at least partially disassembled to provided access to the core and the shell being adapted to be reassembled into a pressure vessel with the core inside for further use of the heat exchanger.
The following detailed description of preferred embodiments and best mode will be set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Referring in more detail to the drawings,
As best shown in
Each of the side panels 30-33 of the shell 12 may carry or be communicated with inlet and outlet fittings adapted to convey treatment and working fluids into and out of the heat exchanger 10, and any suitable quantity and arrangement of fittings may be used. For example, the first side panel 30 in one form may carry a first fitting 39 acting as an inlet or outlet for the working fluid and a second fitting 40 acting as a drain for the working fluid circuit. The second side panel 31 includes a third fitting 42 acting as an inlet or outlet for the treatment fluid and a fourth fitting 44 through which gasses may be vented from the treatment fluid circuit. An appropriate check valve may be included in the fitting 44 or elsewhere in the vent path to allow only one way flow out of the heat exchanger through this fitting, and, if desired, that check valve may only open above a threshold pressure. The third side panel 32 includes a fifth fitting 46 acting as a working fluid outlet or inlet and a sixth fitting 48 acting as a working fluid circuit vent. The fourth side panel 33 includes a seventh fitting 50 acting as a treatment fluid outlet or inlet and an eighth fitting 52 acting as a treatment fluid circuit drain. In the orientation shown, the treatment fluid flows from either top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top and the working fluid flows from either bottom-to-top or top-to-bottom through the heat exchanger providing a cross flow of fluids to improve heat exchange.
The core 16 can be any suitable heat exchanger core but, as shown, is preferably a stacked plate type of heat exchanger core. Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
As best shown in
Blind bores 94 may also be provided in the upper and lower surfaces 90 of each post 82, with each of these bores 94 adapted to receive an attachment rod 96 that extends axially from the post 82 as shown in
The end panels 34, 35, side panels 30-33 and posts 82 may be formed of carbon steel which may provide suitable strength for the shell 12 at a reasonable cost. However, the carbon steel may corrode when exposed to the fluids routed through the heat exchanger 10. To prevent such corrosion, the carbon steel components may be enclosed or covered with suitable liners, gaskets or seals. These components could also be coated with an anti-corrosion substance, if desired. In the implementation shown, the liners 74 may be formed of a material resistant to corrosion from contact with the working and treatment fluids, such as, for example, stainless steel. As best shown in
Further,
Accordingly, the shell 12 consists of a plurality of side panels 30-33, posts 82 and end panels 34, 35 that are bolted together to form a pressure vessel. Within the pressure vessel, a core 16 of welded together plates 20 and appropriate fluid separators liners, seals, etc., are arranged to provide alternating and interleaved fluid flow circuits 22, 24 for the working and treatment fluids that maintain the fluids separate from each other but permit heat transfer between the fluids through the heat exchanger components. In the arrangement shown, with other arrangements being possible, the working fluid occupies opposite quadrants of the heat exchanger (that is, fluid enters an inlet fitting on one side panel and exits an outlet fitting in the opposite side panel), as does the treatment fluid, which, in addition to the top-to-bottom flow through the heat exchanger noted previously, contributes to the cross-flow of fluids to improve heat exchange. Of course, the fluids may enter and exit any desired panel, including the same panel (e.g. a fluid could enter and exit from the same panel) depending on the arrangement of the flow paths, any flow diverters and the like provided in the heat exchanger.
Further, the components of the shell 12 may be releasably connected together. In the illustrated implementation, the shell components are held together by threaded fasteners 38, the removal of which provides access to the core 16 generally as shown in
While the forms of the invention herein disclosed constitute presently preferred embodiments, many others are possible. It is not intended herein to mention all the possible equivalent forms or ramifications of the invention. It is understood that the terms used herein are merely descriptive, rather than limiting, and that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a core having a periphery and a plurality of plates with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, a portion of the passages extending and open to the periphery of the core; and
- a shell including a plurality of panels releasably connected together to define a pressure vessel in which the core is received in assembly, the shell being adapted to be at least partially disassembled to provided access to the core and enable cleaning of the passages and the plates, or to enable repair or replacement of the core, and the shell being adapted to be reassembled into a pressure vessel with the core inside for further use of the heat exchanger.
2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the panels are connected to another component by removable fasteners.
3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the shell also includes a plurality of posts coupled to the core and at least some of the panels of the shell are connected to the posts.
4. The heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein panels of the shell are connected to the posts and to another panel.
5. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the panels define a generally cylindrical shell and the plates of the heat exchanger are circular and arranged in a stack within the shell.
6. The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the panels include a plurality of side panels and a pair of end panels.
7. The heat exchanger of claim 6 wherein each side panel is connected to both end panels.
8. The heat exchanger of claim 4 wherein the panels include a plurality of side panels and a pair of end panels and each side panel is connected to at least one end panel and to a post.
9. The heat exchanger of claim 3 which also includes a liner located between the core and the shell and sealed to the shell to prevent cross flow of working and treatment fluids flowing through the core, and wherein the liners are disposed at least partially around each of the posts.
10. The heat exchanger of claim 9 which also includes a plurality of post liners with a post liner provided adjacent to each the post, and between the post and panels connected to the post.
11. The heat exchanger of claim 8 which also comprises at least one flow diverter extending radially outwardly from the core to the shell to inhibit fluid flow past said at least one flow diverter and between the shell and core.
12. The heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein the fasteners are capable of being removed without damaging the fasteners whereby the fasteners can be reused when the heat exchanger is reassembled.
13. A heat exchanger, comprising:
- a core having a periphery and a plurality of plates with a plurality of passages interleaved therebetween, where some of the passages define at least part of a working fluid circuit and different passages define at least part of a treatment fluid circuit; and
- a shell including a plurality of panels releasably connected to another component to define a pressure vessel in which the core is received in assembly, the shell being adapted to be at least partially disassembled to provided access to the core and the shell being adapted to be reassembled into a pressure vessel with the core inside for further use of the heat exchanger.
14. The heat exchanger of claim 13 wherein the panels are releasably connected together.
15. The heat exchanger of claim 13 wherein the shell also includes a plurality of posts coupled to the core and at least some of the panels of the shell are connected to the posts.
16. The heat exchanger of claim 14 wherein the panels are releasably connected to another component by removable and reuseable fasteners.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 18, 2013
Publication Date: Jan 2, 2014
Inventors: Albrecht G. Gruneisen (Artern), Martin H. Kolbe (Schonewerda), Cesar M. Romero (Wichita Falls, TX), Rhorn J. John (Wichita Falls, TX)
Application Number: 13/920,640
International Classification: F28F 9/00 (20060101);