Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger, having a circular housing having a first and a second end plate ( 6, 7 ), where the first end plate is provided with an inlet port ( 2 ) and the first or the second end plate is provided with an outlet port ( 3 ), and further having a plurality of corrugated heat exchanger plates ( 10, 11 ) having ridges ( 12 ) and grooves ( 13 ), where the heat exchanger plates are fixedly attached to each other, such that a first flow channel is created between the heat exchanger plates, and where the heat exchanger further has a plurality of compensation plates ( 20 ) positioned between the heat exchanger plates and at least one of the end plates. The advantage of this heat exchanger is that it reduces the stress imposed on the inlet and outlet regions of the heat exchanger due to thermal cycling.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger comprising a housing having a first end plate, a second end plate and a shell, wherein the first end plate is provided with an inlet port and the first end plate or the second end plate is provided with an outlet port, and further comprising a plurality of corrugated heat exchanger plates having ridges and grooves, wherein the heat exchanger plates are fixedly attached to each other, such that a first flow channel is created between the heat exchanger plates, wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a plurality of compensation plates fixedly attached to each other to form a compensation plate stack positioned between the heat exchanger plates and at least one of the end plates, wherein each compensation plate comprises at least one port opening, a first port opening of a first compensation plate is fixedly attached to the inlet port and a last consecutive compensation plate is fixedly attached to a heat exchanger plate. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein the shell is circular. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14  or  claim 15 , wherein the first end plate is provided with the outlet port, and a second port opening of the first compensation plate is fixedly attached to the outlet port. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14  or  claim 15 , wherein the second end plate is provided with the outlet port, and a port opening of a first compensation plate of a second compensation plate stack is fixedly attached to the outlet port and a last consecutive compensation plate of the second compensation plate stack is fixedly attached to a heat exchanger plate. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the pattern of a compensation plate comprises concentric ridges and grooves. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein a flank angle (α) of the compensation plates is smaller than a flank angle (β) of the heat exchanger plates. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 19 , wherein the flank angle (α) of the compensation plates is less than 30 degrees. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein the compensation plates comprise a circular opening in the centre of the compensation plates. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein two adjacent compensation plates are fixedly attached to each other at the outer periphery and the inner periphery of the compensation plates. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21  or  22 , wherein the compensation plates comprise a pressure plate in the central opening of the compensation plates. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 23 , wherein one of the compensation plates and the pressure plate are attached to each other. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger plates and/or the compensation plates are welded to each other. 
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat exchanger plates and/or the compensation plates are brazed to each other.