Heat exchanger for dryer and condensing type dryer using the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger for a dryer includes a core in which a plurality of tube units and a plurality of fin units are alternately stacked. Front and rear covers are attached at front and rear sides of the core. A front plate is positioned between the core and the front cover and a rear plate is positioned between the core and the rear cover. The plates have openings at locations corresponding to the opened ends of the tube units. The plates are physically coupled with the front and rear covers. The plates are also attached to the core with a cladding material by a brazing operation.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 a core comprising a plurality of tube units configured to conduct a flow of moist heated air and a plurality of fin units configured to conduct a flow of ambient air, wherein the plurality of tube units and plurality of fin units are stacked together in an alternating fashion to form the core;    a front cover coupled to a front of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air into the plurality of tube units;    a rear cover coupled to a rear of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air out of the plurality of tube units; and    at least one plate positioned between the core and one of the front cover and the rear cover, wherein a plurality of openings are formed in the plate at locations that correspond to open ends of the plurality of tube units.    
   
   
       2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one plate is bonded to the core by a cladding material.  
   
   
       3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the cladding material melts at a temperature that is lower than melting points of the tube units, the fin units and the at least one plate.  
   
   
       4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the cladding material comprises a metal having good heat conductivity.  
   
   
       5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one plate includes serrated tabs on its exterior periphery which are configured to be bent to attach the at least one plate to one of the front cover and the rear cover.  
   
   
       6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one plate comprises: 
 a front plate coupled to the front of the core and to the front cover; and    a rear plate coupled to the rear of the core and to the rear cover.    
   
   
       7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6 , wherein the front and rear plates are coupled to the core by a cladding material, and wherein the front and rear plates are coupled to the front and rear covers, respectively, by mechanical attachment means.  
   
   
       8 . A dryer comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 a core comprising a plurality of tube units configured to conduct a flow of moist heated air and a plurality of fin units configured to conduct a flow of ambient air, wherein the plurality of tube units and plurality of fin units are stacked together in an alternating fashion to form the core;    a front cover coupled to a front of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air into the plurality of tube units, wherein a protrusion is formed on a side of the front cover adjacent the core;    a front cover plate positioned between the core and the front cover and mechanically attached to the protrusion on the front cover;    a rear cover coupled to a rear of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air out of the plurality of tube units, wherein a protrusion is formed on a side of the rear cover adjacent the core; and    a rear cover plate positioned between the core and the rear cover and mechanically attached to the protrusion on the rear cover.    
   
   
       10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the front cover plate and the rear cover plate are both attached to the core by a cladding material.  
   
   
       11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein the cladding material has a melting point that is lower than melting points of the core, the front cover plate and the rear cover plate.  
   
   
       12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the cladding material comprises a metal and has excellent heat conducting properties.  
   
   
       13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein a plurality serrated tabs are formed on an exterior periphery of the front cover plate and the rear cover plate, and wherein the serrated tabs are bent around the protrusions on the front cover and rear cover to attach the front cover plate to the front cover and to attach the rear cover plate to the rear cover.  
   
   
       14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the protrusions on the front cover and rear cover extend substantially around the periphery of the front cover and rear cover.  
   
   
       15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the core, the front cover plate and the rear cover plate are all made of metal having excellent heat conducting properties.  
   
   
       16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the front cover plate and the rear cover plate both have a plurality of openings that correspond to opened ends of the plurality of tube units.  
   
   
       17 . A dryer comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 9 .  
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger, comprising: 
 a core comprising a plurality of tube units configured to conduct a flow of moist heated air and a plurality of fin units configured to conduct a flow of ambient air, wherein the plurality of tube units and plurality of fin units are stacked together in an alternating fashion to form the core;    a front cover coupled to a front of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air into the plurality of tube units;    a front cover plate positioned between the core and the front cover;    a front sealing member positioned between the front cover and the front cover plate, wherein the front sealing member is configured to prevent condensate from the tube units from entering the fin units;    a rear cover coupled to the rear of the core and configured to conduct a flow of air out of the plurality of tube units;    a rear cover plate positioned between the core and the rear cover; and    a rear sealing member positioned between the rear cover and the rear cover plate, wherein the rear sealing member is configured to prevent condensate from the tube units from entering the fin units.    
   
   
       19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of the front cover plate and the rear cover plate have a plurality of apertures at locations that correspond to opened ends of the plurality of tube units.  
   
   
       20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the front cover plate and the rear cover plate are coupled to the core by a cladding material.  
   
   
       21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 20 , wherein the front cover plate and the rear cover plate are mechanically attached, respectively, to the front and rear covers.  
   
   
       22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 21 , wherein tabs are formed on the exterior periphery of the front and rear cover plates, and wherein the tabs are bent to attach the front and rear cover plates to the front and rear covers, respectively.  
   
   
       23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the front and rear sealing members are formed of polyurethane.  
   
   
       24 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18 , wherein the front and rear sealing members are formed of a material that is capable of withstanding temperatures above 80° C.  
   
   
       25 . A dryer comprising the heat exchanger of  claim 18.