Heat exchanger

Abstract

This invention relates to a heat exchanger, comprising a plurality of stacked corrugated plates, each plate having a plurality of parallel main corrugations each having longitudinal peak ridges and trough ridges, wherein either or both of the peak ridges and trough ridges have an undulating profile so as to define a plurality of summits in a common plane.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of stacked corrugated plates, each plate having a plurality of parallel main corrugations each having longitudinal peak ridges and trough ridges, wherein either or both of the peak ridges and trough ridges have an undulating profile so as to define a plurality of summits in a common plane.   
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein either or both of the main corrugations and undulations are periodic. 
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 2  wherein either or both of the main corrugations and undulations are substantially sinusoidal, Bezier curves or line and arcuate segments in profile. 
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the pitch of the undulations is equal to the pitch of the main corrugations in an adjacent plate. 
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the longitudinal axes of the main corrugations of adjacent plates are angled relative to each other. 
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the angle is 90 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the angle is between 0 and 180 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the depth between adjacent ridges is greater than the depth of the undulations. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one or more of the summits provides a seat portion for abutting a corresponding summit of an adjacent plate. 
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the undulations of adjacent peak ridges and trough ridges in a plate are in phase relative to the longitudinal axis of the main corrugations. 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein substantially the entirety of each plate has undulating ridges. 
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  in which at least one of the corrugated plates includes straight ridges. 
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  in which the main corrugations are asymmetric. 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 13  in which the main corrugations have a saw toothed profile. 
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the main corrugations are tortuous along the longitudinal axis of the main corrugation.