Device for exchange of energy and/or mass transfer between fluid flows

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device for exchange of energy and/or mass transfer between fluid flows, which device comprises a first fluid inlet (3a), a first fluid outlet (3c), a second fluid inlet (5a), a second fluid outlet (5c), a plurality of first channel layers (3) connecting the first fluid inlet (3a) with the first fluid outlet (3c), and a plurality of second channel layers (5) connecting the second fluid inlet (5a) with the second fluid outlet (5c), wherein the plurality of first channel layers (3) and the plurality of second channel layers (5) are arranged in a stacked manner forming stacked fluid channels (2), wherein at least some of the first channel layers (3) are in physical contact with a respective second channel layer (5) thereby forming channel pairs, wherein the channel pairs are spaced apart from each other, whereby cross-current channels (7) are formed therebetween, extending from one lateral side (9) of the stacked fluid channels (2) to the opposite lateral side (11) of the stacked fluid channels (2), thereby forming lateral fluid inlets (13) between lateral edges of first channel layers (3) and second channel layers (5) and lateral fluid outlets between opposite lateral edges of first channel layers (3) and second channel layers (5).

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A device for exchange of energy and/or mass transfer between fluid flows, which device comprises:
 a first fluid inlet,   a first fluid outlet,   a second fluid inlet,   a second fluid outlet,   a plurality of first channel layers connecting the first fluid inlet with the first fluid outlet, and   a plurality of second channel layers connecting the second fluid inlet with the second fluid outlet,   wherein the plurality of first channel layers and the plurality of second channel layers are arranged in a stacked manner forming stacked fluid channels,   wherein at least some of the first channel layers are in physical contact with a respective second channel layer thereby forming channel pairs,   wherein the channel pairs are spaced apart from each other, whereby cross-current channels are formed therebetween, extending from one lateral side of the stacked fluid channels to the opposite lateral side of the stacked fluid channels thereby forming lateral fluid inlets between lateral edges of first channel layers and second channel layers and lateral fluid outlets between opposite lateral edges of first channel layers and second channel layers.   
     
     
         2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a cross-current channel arranged between each channel pair. 
     
     
         3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of any channel of the first channel layers is greater than a cross-sectional area of any channel of the second channel layers. 
     
     
         4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet and the second fluid outlet form a first fluid interface arranged at a first end of the first channel layers and second channel layers. 
     
     
         5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the first fluid interface is triangular-shaped in a plane parallel with a first channel layer. 
     
     
         6 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid outlet and the second fluid inlet form a second fluid interface arranged at a second end of the first channel layers and second channel layers, opposite to the first end. 
     
     
         7 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each first channel layer comprises a plurality of parallel channels and each second channel layer comprises a plurality of parallel channels. 
     
     
         8 . The device as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the parallel channels of the first channel layers are arranged in parallel with the parallel channels of the second channel layers. 
     
     
         9 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid inlet and the second fluid inlet are arranged at a first end and a second end, respectively, of the stacked fluid channels, the first end and the second end being opposite ends of the stacked fluid channels, and wherein the first fluid outlet is arranged at the second end and the second fluid outlet is arranged at the first end. 
     
     
         10 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising a fluid conduit extending through each of the plurality of first channel layers and each of the plurality of second channel layers. 
     
     
         11 . The device as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the fluid conduit extends a plurality of times through each of the plurality of first channel layers and each of the plurality of second channel layers. 
     
     
         12 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each first channel layer is made of two sheets and each second channel layer is made of two sheets, wherein each second channel layer shares a sheet with a second channel layer thereby forming the channel pair. 
     
     
         13 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the device is a fuel cell. 
     
     
         14 . A device for exchange of heat and/or mass transfer between fluid flows, which device comprises:
 a first fluid inlet,   a first fluid outlet,   a plurality of first channel layers connecting the first fluid inlet with the first fluid outlet, the plurality of first channel layers being arranged in a stacked manner forming stacked fluid channels, and   a fluid conduit extending through each of the plurality of first channel layers,   wherein at least some first channel layers are spaced apart from each other, whereby cross-current channels are formed therebetween, extending from one lateral side of the stacked fluid channels to the opposite lateral side of the fluid channels, thereby forming lateral fluid inlets between lateral edges of first channel layers and lateral fluid outlets between opposite lateral edges of first channel layers, and wherein the fluid conduit extends through each cross-current channel.