Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a cooler first air flow and a warmer second air flow is disclosed. The heat exchanger comprises a heat exchanger unit having a housing containing a plurality of heat exchanger plates stacked together to form a stack. Each heat exchanger plate has four corners and an aperture located adjacent each comer, the heat exchanger plates being dimensioned and configured such that the apertures of the heat exchanger plates overlap to form a first, second, third and fourth air passageways in the stack. The heat exchanger plates are further configured to form an alternating series of first and second flat parallel air chambers in the stack, the first set of air chambers being continuous with the first and second air passages such that air can pass between the first and second air passages through the first set of air chambers, the second set of air chambers being continuous with the third and fourth air passageways such that air can pass between the third and fourth air passageways through the second set of air chambers. The stack of heat exchanger plates are further configured such that the first and second set or air chambers are substantially air tight such that air does not leak between the first and second set of air chambers. The heat exchanger unit has a first and second side, the first, second, third and fourth air passageways each having a first end open to the first side of the heat exchanger unit at a first port and an opposite second end opened to the second side of the heat exchanger unit at a second port. The stack is further adapted such that each port may be selectively plugged by a plug member, the heat exchanger unit having four plug members, each plug member plugging one end of each air passageway. Finally, the first, second, third and fourth air conduits, are each operatively coupled to one of the air passageways, the air conduits carrying the first and second air flows.

1 . A heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a cooler first air flow and a warmer second air flow, the heat exchanger comprising: 
 a heat exchanger unit having a housing containing a plurality of heat exchanger plates stacked together to form a stack, each heat exchanger plate having four corners and an aperture located adjacent each corner, the heat exchanger plates dimensioned and configured such that the apertures of the heat exchanger plates overlap to form a first, second, third and fourth air passageways in the stack, the heat exchanger plates further configured to form an alternating series of first and second flat parallel air chambers in the stack, the first set of air chambers being continuous with the first and second air passages such that air can pass between the first and second air passages through the first set of air chambers, the second set of air chambers being continuous with the third and fourth air passageways such that air can pass between the third and fourth air passageways through the second set of air chambers, the stack of heat exchanger plates further configured such that the first and second set or air chambers are substantially air tight such that air does not leak between the first and second set of air chambers,    the heat exchanger unit having a first and second side, the first, second, third and fourth air passageways each having a first end open to the first side of the heat exchanger unit at a first port and an opposite second end opened to the second side of the heat exchanger unit at a second port,    the stack being further adapted such that each port may be selectively plugged by a plug member, the heat exchanger unit having four plug members, each plug member plugging one end of each air passageway,    first, second, third and fourth air conduits, each air conduit operatively coupled to one of the air passageways, the air conduits carrying the first and second air flows.    
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger as defined in  claim 1  wherein the first and second air passageways are formed on opposite diagonal corners of the heat exchanger plates, and wherein the third and fourth air passageways are formed on opposite diagonal corners of the heat exchanger plates.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger as defined in  claim 2  wherein the first and second air conduits are mounted to the first side of the heat exchanger unit, and the third and fourth air conduits are mounted to the second side of the heat exchanger unit, the first air conduit being operatively coupled to two of the ports on the first side of the heat exchanger unit, the second air conduit being operatively coupled to the other two ports on the first side of the heat exchanger unit, the third air conduit being operatively coupled to two of the ports on the second side of the heat exchange unit, and the fourth air conduit being operatively coupled to the other two ports on the second side of the heat exchange unit.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger as defined in  claim 3  wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of substantially identical heat exchanger units, each heat exchanger unit having its first side mounted to the first and second air conduits and its second side mounted to the third and fourth air conduits.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger plate for use in forming the heat exchanger defined by  claim 1 , the heat exchanger plate comprising; 
 (a) a flat substantially rectangular sheet having a flat surface, four corners and a peripheral rim, said rim having a height,    (b) a first pair of apertures formed on the sheet, each opening having a diameter and a peripheral edge, each aperture positioned adjacent a corner of the sheet,    (c) a pair of collar portions extending perpendicularly from the sheet, each collar portion positioned adjacent a corner, each collar portion having a rim defining an opening, each rim having an outside diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the first pair of apertures,    (d) the collar portions and the apertures positioned such that when two such heat exchanger plates are stacked the rims of the collar portions of one plate extend through the first pair of apertures of the adjacent heat exchanger plate, the collar portion being further configured such that the rim portion may be crimped around the peripheral edge surrounding the first pair of apertures to form a substantially air tight seal.    
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger plate as defined in  claim 5  wherein each collar portion is formed on the sheet and has a cone shaped base, the base extending at an acute angle from the surface of the sheet, the base tapering to form the rim, the rim being substantially cylindrical, the rim extending from the base at a shoulder.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger plate as defined in  claim 6  wherein the peripheral edge surrounding the first pair of apertures makes contact with the shoulders of the collar portions.  
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger plate as defined in  claim 7  wherein the acute angle is greater than approximately 38°.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchange system comprising: 
 (a) a heat exchange unit adapted to communicate with: 
 (i) a cool air duct; and  
 (ii) a warm air duct;  
   wherein said heat exchange unit comprises a plurality of heat exchange panels, the heat exchange panels being adapted to form a stack of heat exchange panels within the heat exchange unit, wherein the stack of heat exchange panels is adapted to define: 
 (i) a first passageway that communicates with said the cool air duct; and  
 (ii) a second passageway that communicated with the warm air duct;  
   wherein the first passageway and second passageway are disposed such that the cool air in the first passageway is adapted to be heated by the warm air in the second passageway.