Heat exchanger and heating apparatus provided therewith

Abstract

A heat exchanger, provided with a body with at least one flue gas channel and at least one water carrying channel, at least one burner space and at least one flue gas discharge, wherein the at least one flue gas channel extends at least partly between at least a burner space and at least one flue gas discharge and at least a portion of the at least one flue gas channel comprises at least one porous or gas-transmissive heat exchange element.

1 . A heat exchanger, provided with a body with at least one flue gas channel and at least one water carrying channel, at least one burner space and at least one flue gas discharge, wherein the at least one flue gas channel extends at least partly between at least a burner space and at least one flue gas discharge, and at least a portion of the at least one flue gas channel comprises at least one porous or gas-transmissive heat exchange element. 
   
   
       2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas transmissivity of the or each heat exchange element in the direction away from the at least one burner space varies. 
   
   
       3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein a first heat exchange element or first part of a heat exchange element is provided, adjacent a burner space, with a relatively low porosity and relatively high density, and a second heat exchange element or second part of a heat exchange element is provided, on a side of the respective burner space remote from said first heat exchange element or first part thereof, with a relatively high porosity and relatively low density. 
   
   
       4 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the or a heat exchange element is at least partly manufactured through metal foaming, in particular metal foam from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat exchange element is included between at least a first and a second body part of the body. 
   
   
       6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the body parts each comprise at least a first part with a meandering configuration, which body parts are positioned relative to each other such that the meandering parts engage each other at least partly and therebetween a first part of the flue gas channel is formed, wherein each body part comprises at least a portion of the at least one water carrying channel, wherein said first part of each body part comprises at least a first and a second bend, wherein the first bend of a first body part reaches into the first bend of the second body part and the second bend of the second body part reaches into the second bend of the first body part and/or in each first part of a body part and preferably, in each bend therein, at least a part of said at least one water carrying channel is provided. 
   
   
       7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchange element comprises fibers, in particular metal fibers. 
   
   
       8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the or a heat exchange element is at least partly manufactured from a woven or a non-woven material. 
   
   
       9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein fibers are used in the or a heat exchange element with an average diameter between 0.5 and 200 micrometers, more particularly between 0.5 and 50 micrometers. 
   
   
       10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the or a heat exchange element has a porosity of between 75 and 97%. 
   
   
       11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1  wherein the or a heat exchange element comprises at least an undulating and/or ribbed part, in particular ribbed and/or undulating formed from folded and/or bent plate material or fiber plate material. 
   
   
       12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein said undulating and/or ribbed part is formed from at least one plate or a series of plates which is or are folded such that, each time, a channel is confined by a plate part and a part of the heat exchanger against which the part is provided, which channel, in a cross section, preferably has a substantially triangular or trapezoidal section and, in a longitudinal direction at right angles to said cross-section, has a somewhat meandering configuration. 
   
   
       13 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein in a first part of each body part at least two bends are provided which engage in or engage around a bend in an adjoining first part of the other body part, wherein the bends are formed such that they each cut a plane located midway between two parallel planes defined by the outsides of the bends which are located furthest apart in the respective first parts, measured in a direction at right angles to said parallel planes, while, during use, flue gases flow between said engaging bends of the body parts. 
   
   
       14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one, and preferably each body part is provided with recesses, in particular on a side remote from the flue gas channel, in which parts of a second water carrying channel are formed or included. 
   
   
       15 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein said parts of the second water carrying channel are provided, in particular clamped, in said recesses. 
   
   
       16 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein body parts are manufactured substantially through extrusion. 
   
   
       17 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein as heat transferring surface increasing elements heat exchange elements are provided on at least a part of at least one of the body parts, which elements are formed as separately provided elements and/or through removing operations of the extruded body parts. 
   
   
       18 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the body parts and the heat exchange elements are at least partly manufactured from aluminum or an aluminum alloy. 
   
   
       19 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein in a first part of the flue gas channel heat transferring surface increasing elements are provided, in particular fins, projections and/or ridges, and, in a second part, at least one porous or gas transmissive heat exchange element. 
   
   
       20 . A body part for a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
       21 . A body part according to  claim 20 , wherein the body part comprises at least a first part with a meandering configuration, wherein each body part comprises at least a portion of the at least one water carrying channel and, in addition to at least a part of said portion of the water carrying channel, is provided on a part forming the flue gas channel wall with heat transferring surface increasing elements. 
   
   
       22 . A body part according to  claim 20 , substantially formed through extrusion. 
   
   
       23 . A heat exchange element for use in a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , preferably at least partly manufactured through metal foaming. 
   
   
       24 . A method for forming a heat exchanger, wherein at least two body parts are formed, in particular through extrusion or casting techniques, which body parts each comprise at least a portion of a water carrying channel part, which body parts are mutually connected by end parts and/or at least one heat exchange element in a manner such that the body parts are thus held at a mutual distance from each other while forming a flue gas channel in which said at least one heat exchange element extends and preferably the water carrying channel parts in the two body parts are mutually connected. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one heat exchange element is at least partly manufactured through metal foaming or from fibers. 
   
   
       26 . A heating apparatus, provided with a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 .