Multi-process detachable heat exchanger and dedicated heat exchange plate thereof

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger without a need of arranging interfaces or connections on a mobile pressure plate, and a specific heat transfer plate therefor. The heat transfer plate has a plurality of lateral regions, where a plurality of mutually communicative lateral-pass partitions or mutually isolated pass partitions are formed with specially shaped gaskets. With such kind of heat transfer plates, a multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger without a need of arranging interfaces or nozzles on the mobile pressure plate may be constructed. The disclosure further relates to a specially shaped gasket to allow construction of a multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger without a need of arranging interfaces or nozzles on the mobile pressure plate. The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger comprises a fixed pressure plate, a mobile pressure plate, and a plate pack where a plurality of the heat transfer plates configured with corresponding gaskets are assembled to form alternating cold and hot fluid flow channels.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger, comprising:
 a fixed pressure plate;   a mobile pressure plate; and   a plate pack sandwiched between the fixed pressure plate and the mobile pressure plate via clamp bolts, wherein   the plate pack comprises a plurality of lateral-pass plates configured with specially shaped sealing gaskets to form two or more successively communicating lateral partitions on each lateral-pass plate, and wherein the lateral-pass plates are assembled to form the plate pack with mutually alternating cold and heat fluid flow channels, the number of passes on the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger being equal to the number of lateral partitions on each lateral-pass plate.   
     
     
         22 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein connections are only arranged on the fixed pressure plate, without a need of arranging connections on the mobile pressure plate. 
     
     
         23 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 22 , wherein the lateral-pass plate has typically two, three or four lateral partitions. 
     
     
         24 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 23 , wherein
 a structure of the sealing gasket is configured such that fluid in the lateral partitions of two adjacent heat transfer plates has opposite flow directions, therefore achieving counter-current flow configuration.   
     
     
         25 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 24 , wherein:
 on each lateral-pass plate, the middle portion of sealing gasket has one or more openings configured as flow baffles for changing the flow directions of the fluid in two adjacent lateral partitions, the number of the openings and the number of the lateral partitions satisfying the following relationship: S 2 =S 1 −1, where S 1  denotes the number of the lateral partitions and S 2  denotes the number of the openings.   
     
     
         26 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 when the number of lateral partitions is even, inlet corner ports arranged on the lateral-pass plate for the fluid to pass through are disposed at a same end of the plate as outlet corner ports thereof; and when the number of the lateral partitions is an odd number other than 1, the inlet corner ports for the fluid and the outlet corner ports are disposed at opposite ends of the lateral-pass plate.   
     
     
         27 . A multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger, comprising:
 a fixed pressure plate,   a mobile pressure plate, and   a plate pack sandwiched between the fixed pressure plate and the mobile pressure plate via clamp bolts, wherein   the plate pack comprises one group of lateral-pass plates configured with specially shaped first sealing gaskets to form on each plate two successively communicating lateral partitions, and (N−1) groups of lateral-partition plates configured with specially shaped second sealing gaskets to form on each plate two mutually isolated lateral partitions, the lateral-pass plates and the lateral-partition plates being assembled to form the plate pack with mutually alternating cold and heat fluid flow channels, the total number of passes of the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger being 2N, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2.   
     
     
         28 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 27 , wherein connections are only arranged on the fixed pressure plate, without a need of arranging connections on the mobile pressure plate. 
     
     
         29 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 27 , wherein the lateral-pass plates are applied to the two passes immediately adjacent to the mobile pressure plate, and the lateral-partition plates are applied to all other passes. 
     
     
         30 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 29 , wherein a structure of the first sealing gasket is configured such that fluid in the lateral partitions of two adjacent heat transfer plates has counter-current flow when flowing;
 a structure of the second sealing gasket is configured such that fluid in the two isolated lateral partitions of two adjacent heat transfer plates has counter-current flow when flowing.   
     
     
         31 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 30 , wherein the first sealing gasket has one opening in interior area configured for changing the flow directions of the fluid in the two adjacent lateral partitions. 
     
     
         32 . The multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 31 , wherein
 the lateral-pass plate is 2-pass plate, and specifically on the 2-pass lateral-pass plate, an inlet corner port for the fluid is disposed at a same end of the plate as an outlet corner port for the fluid.   
     
     
         33 . A heat transfer plate dedicated for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein the heat transfer plate is a lateral-pass plate, flat groove patterns being provided at the periphery and in the interior of the lateral-pass plate for configuring sealing gaskets to thereby form two or more successively communicative lateral partitions. 
     
     
         34 . A heat transfer plate dedicated for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 27 , wherein the heat transfer plate is a lateral-pass plate or a lateral-partition plate, first flat groove patterns being provided at the periphery and in the interior of the lateral-pass plate for configuring sealing gaskets to thereby form two successively communicative lateral partitions; and wherein second flat groove patterns being provided at the periphery and in the interior of the lateral-partition plate for configuring second sealing gaskets to thereby form two mutually isolated lateral partitions. 
     
     
         35 . The heat transfer plate dedicated for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 33 , wherein the heat transfer plate may obtain different thermal-hydraulic performance through variations in plate geometrical profiles, and wherein the heat transfer plates with different geometrical profiles may further be arranged within a same plate pack in a hybrid fashion. 
     
     
         36 . The heat transfer plate dedicated for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 34 , wherein the heat transfer plate may obtain different thermal-hydraulic performance through variations in plate geometrical profiles, and wherein the heat transfer plates with different geometrical profiles may further be arranged within a same plate pack in a hybrid fashion. 
     
     
         37 . The heat transfer plates specific for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 35 , wherein variations in geometrical profiles may include, but are not limited to, varying chevron corrugation angles, circular or irregular dimples, studs, or other structures for enhancing heat transfer efficiency. 
     
     
         38 . The heat transfer plate specific for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 33 , wherein sealing and/or partitioning functionalities of the sealing gaskets may be partially or completely replaced by other sealing structures or mechanisms. 
     
     
         39 . The heat transfer plate specific for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 34 , wherein sealing and/or partitioning functionalities of the sealing gaskets may be partially or completely replaced by other sealing structures or mechanisms. 
     
     
         40 . The heat transfer plate specific for the multi-pass removable plate heat exchanger according to  claim 38 , wherein the other sealing structures and mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, brazing, welding, diffusion bounding or mechanical contact sealing.