Method for manufacturing a plate heat exchanger by superposing plates with alignment marks

Abstract

The main subject matter of the invention is a method for manufacturing at least one heat exchanger ( 50 ) with plates ( 10 ) with at least two fluid circuits, characterised in that it comprises the following steps: a) formation of a plurality of plates ( 10 ) each comprising a reference pattern; b) formation of one or more alignment patterns ( 11 ) on each plate ( 10 ) by circular repetition of the reference pattern around an axis of revolution (X); c) formation of a plurality of grooves ( 12 ) on each plate ( 10 ). The method further comprises the following successive steps: d) assembling the plates ( 10 ) by superimposition with respect to each other, each reference pattern of a plate being superimposed on an alignment pattern ( 11 ) of an adjacent plate; e) carrying out an assembly treatment on the assembly obtained at the end of the preceding step d) by diffusion welding, by brazing and/or by diffusion brazing.

1 . Method for manufacturing at least one heat exchanger with plates with at least two fluid circuits, comprising the following steps:
 a) formation of a plurality of constituent plates of the heat exchanger, each plate comprising a hollowed out pattern called “reference pattern”,   b) formation of one or more hollowed out patterns, including the reference pattern, called “alignment patterns” on each plate by circular repetition of the reference pattern around an axis of revolution of the plate, the axes of revolution of the plates being coincident,   c) formation of a plurality of grooves, intended to form the fluid circulation channels of the plate exchanger, on each plate, the grooves including at least one first plurality of grooves for the first fluid circuit and a second plurality of grooves for the second fluid circuit,   
       and wherein it further comprises the following successive steps:
 d) assembling the plates by superimposition with respect to each other, each reference pattern of a first plate being superimposed on an alignment pattern of a second plate adjacent to the first plate, 
 e) carrying out an assembly treatment on the assembly obtained at the end of the preceding step d) by diffusion welding, by brazing and/or by diffusion brazing. 
 
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein step d) of assembling the plates comprises the following successive sub-steps:
 i) arranging a first plate on a support,   ii) superimposing a second plate on the first plate by making the reference pattern of the second plate coincide with an alignment pattern of the first plate,   iii) placing an alignment tool at the level of the coincident patterns formed by the reference pattern of the second plate and the alignment pattern of the first plate, the alignment tool making it possible to maintain the coincidence of said patterns,   iv) optionally, placing another alignment tool at the level of two other coincident patterns formed by an alignment pattern of the first plate and an alignment pattern of the second plate, superimposed on each other and different from the patterns used at step ii),   v) superimposing N plates, N being a whole number greater than or equal to 1, on the second plate, each N th  plate being superimposed by coincidence of its reference pattern on an alignment pattern of the plate with which it is superimposed according to the principle of step ii), and by use of at least one alignment tool according to the principle of step iii).   
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 2 , wherein the alignment tool(s) have a transversal dimension, substantially equal to the transversal dimension, of the alignment patterns of the plates. 
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein step e) of carrying out an assembly treatment comprises diffusion welding and/or diffusion brazing. 
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein step e) of carrying out an assembly treatment comprises brazing. 
     
     
         6 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the circular repetition, called “angle of rotation”, of the reference pattern of each plate around the considered axis of revolution of the plate is identical for all the plates. 
     
     
         7 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the circular repetition, called “angle of rotation”, of the reference pattern of each plate around the considered axis of revolution of the plate is different for at least two of the plates, notably the totality of the plates. 
     
     
         8 . Method according to  claim 7 , wherein the value of each angle of rotation of the reference pattern to form one or more alignment patterns is a whole multiple of the value of the smallest angle of rotation among all of the angles of rotation forming the alignment patterns. 
     
     
         9 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein it is implemented for the manufacture of a plurality of elementary modules of plate heat exchanger, each elementary module of plate heat exchanger being obtained by means of steps a) to e), 
       and wherein it comprises the following step:
 f) manufacturing a plate heat exchanger by combining together the elementary modules of plate heat exchanger. 
 
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates all have an identical shape. 
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates have different shapes. 
     
     
         12 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates are made of metal. 
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 1 , wherein each plate comprises a locating element to make it possible to know the position of said at least one reference pattern of the plate. 
     
     
         14 . Method according to  claim 13 , wherein the locating element is in the form of a notch produced on the periphery of the plate. 
     
     
         15 . Plate heat exchanger with at least two fluid circuits, obtained by means of the method according to  claim 1 .