Evaporator, especially for a waste gas heat recovery device

Abstract

An evaporator ( 1 ) for a waste heat recovery device includes a plurality of evaporation devices ( 2 ) for the flow of a fluid. The evaporation devices ( 2 ) are arranged in a stack-line manner in a stacking direction (S). A plurality of rib structures ( 3 ) are designed and arranged for the flow of a gas through them, in a gas flow direction (G). Each evaporation device ( 2 ) has a pair of plates ( 4 ). The first and second evaporator plates ( 5, 6 ) are mutually complementary with one another and have a meandering evaporation channel ( 9 ) each on a respective inner side ( 7, 8 ). The inner sides ( 7, 8 ) of the first and second evaporator plate ( 5, 6 ) are in flat contact with one another in a mounted state outside the evaporation channel ( 9 ). Adjacent pairs of plates ( 4 ) are supported with their respective outer sides ( 16, 17 ) on the rib structure ( 3 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An evaporator for a waste heat recovery device, the evaporator comprising:
 a plurality of evaporation devices for the flow of a fluid, the evaporation devices being arranged in a stack-like manner in a stacking direction; and   a plurality of rib structures for the flow of a gas in a gas flow direction, wherein:   each of the evaporation devices comprise a pair of plates with a first evaporator plate and with a second evaporator plate;   the first evaporator plates and the second evaporator plates are mutually complementary to one another and each have a meandering evaporation channel on a respective inner side;   the first evaporator plates and the second evaporator plates are in flat contact with one another in a mounted state outside of an area of the evaporation channel; and   adjacent pairs of plates are supported at outer sides on an adjacent one of the rib structures.   
     
     
         2 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each rib structure is arranged in a sandwich-like pattern between two adjacent pairs of plates. 
     
     
         3 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the gas flow direction extends at right angles to the stacking direction. 
     
     
         4 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 each evaporation channel has a plurality of main flow sections, which extend in a direction at right angles in relation to both the stacking direction and the gas flow direction; and   the main flow sections that are adjacent are fluidically connected with one another by means of connection sections extending in the gas flow direction.   
     
     
         5 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each evaporation channel is essentially flat. 
     
     
         6 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein each rib structure comprises a plurality of rows of ribs arranged next to each other in relation to the gas flow direction and in a corrugated. 
     
     
         7 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein:
 each row of ribs comprises elevations and depressions following each other alternatingly, which are connected with one another by means of respective webs; and   rows of ribs that are adjacent to each other in relation of the gas flow direction are offset in relation to one another in relation to a position of elevations and depressions.   
     
     
         8 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 each evaporation device has an inlet area with an inlet opening and an outlet area with an outlet opening for the inlet and outlet of the fluid; and   adjacent inlet openings are in fluidic connection with one another and adjacent outlet openings are in fluidic connection with one another in a mounted state of evaporator.   
     
     
         9 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein each inlet opening comprises an inlet dome on an outer side of one of the first evaporator plates and second evaporator plates and each outlet opening comprises an outlet on an outer side of one of the first evaporator plates and second evaporator plates. 
     
     
         10 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein each inlet dome and each outlet dome has an essentially ring-shaped cover surface. 
     
     
         11 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an evaporator fluid inlet opening; and   an evaporator fluid outlet opening, wherein;   the evaporator fluid inlet opening and the evaporator fluid outlet opening are in fluidic connection with the inlet openings and the outlet openings of the evaporation devices; and   the evaporator fluid inlet opening and the evaporator fluid outlet opening are arranged in the gas flow direction.   
     
     
         12 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:
 a feeding line of a funnel-shaped design for feeding gas into the rib structures; and   a drain line of a funnel-shaped design for removing gas from the rib structures.   
     
     
         13 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a housing for a fluidic limitation of a gas path of gas flowing through the plurality of rib structures.   
     
     
         14 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the first and second evaporator plates are soldered to one another in a mounted state. 
     
     
         15 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the rows of ribs are manufactured from steel. 
     
     
         16 . An evaporator for a waste heat recovery device, the evaporator comprising:
 a plurality of evaporation devices for the flow of a fluid, the evaporation devices being arranged adjacent to each other to form a stack in a stacking direction, each evaporation device comprising a pair of plates, each pair of plates comprising a first evaporator plate and a second evaporator plate, the first evaporator plate having a shape that is essentially a mirror image of the shape of the second evaporator plate, each of the first evaporator plate and the second evaporator plate having a contact surface portion and a channel portion, wherein the first evaporator plate and the second evaporator plate are in flat contact with one another at the contact surface portion and the channel portion of the first evaporator plate and the channel portion of the second evaporator plate form an evaporation channel; and   a plurality of rib structures for the flow of a gas in a gas flow direction, each evaporation device being supported at an outer side by an adjacent one of the rib structures.   
     
     
         17 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein each rib structure is arranged in a sandwich-like pattern between adjacent evaporation devices. 
     
     
         18 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein:
 each rib structure comprises a plurality of rows of ribs arranged next to each other in relation to the gas flow direction; and   the gas flow direction extends at right angles to the stacking direction.   
     
     
         19 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 16 , wherein:
 each evaporation device has an inlet area with an inlet opening and an outlet area with an outlet opening for the inlet and outlet of the fluid;   adjacent inlet openings are in fluidic connection with one another and adjacent outlet openings are in fluidic connection with one another;   each evaporation channel has a plurality of main flow sections, which extend in a direction at right angles in relation to both the stacking direction and the gas flow direction;   each evaporation channel has a plurality of connection sections extending in the gas flow direction;   the main flow sections that are adjacent to each other are fluidically connected with one another by the connection sections; and   each channel portion is essentially flat.   
     
     
         20 . An evaporator in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a housing for a fluidic limitation of a gas path of gas flowing through the plurality of rib structures;   an evaporator fluid inlet opening; and   an evaporator fluid outlet opening, wherein;   the evaporator fluid inlet opening and the evaporator fluid outlet opening are in fluidic connection with the inlet openings and the outlet openings of the evaporation devices; and   the evaporator fluid inlet opening and the evaporator fluid outlet opening are arranged in the gas flow direction.