Inlet flow regulating structure and plate heat exchanger

Abstract

Disclosed is a plate heat exchanger with an inlet flow regulating structure (11), comprising a refrigerant inlet coupling (4), a side plate (1) assembled with the refrigerant inlet coupling (4), and at least one inlet flow regulating structure (11). The inlet flow regulating structure (11) is arranged on a path from the refrigerant inlet coupling (4) to a main body of the plate heat exchanger, and is provided with at least one flow regulating element (12, 13, 14, 15) which is provided corresponding to a refrigerant inlet passage of the plate heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inlet flow regulating structure for a plate heat exchanger, the plate heat exchanger comprising a refrigerant inlet connector and a side plate assembled with the refrigerant inlet connector,
 wherein   at least one inlet flow regulating structure is arranged on a path from the refrigerant inlet connector to a main body of the plate heat exchanger, and at least one flow regulating element is disposed on each inlet flow regulating structure, the flow regulating element being provided corresponding to a refrigerant inlet passage of the plate heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each inlet flow regulating structure comprises one layer or at least two layers spaced apart from each other, wherein the flow regulating element is disposed on each layer. 
     
     
         3 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two inlet flow regulating structures are spaced apart from each other and disposed side by side in a direction from the refrigerant inlet connector to a distribution chamber of the plate heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the flow regulating element is a flow regulating hole, a flow regulating slot or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet flow regulating structure is in the form of an arc, a flat plate or a flow regulating gasket. 
     
     
         6 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein a plurality of circular rings are disposed on the layer of the inlet flow regulating structure, and a plurality of flow regulating holes are spaced apart on each of the circular rings; or
 a plurality of annular strips are disposed on the layer of the inlet flow regulating structure, and a plurality of flow regulating slots, spaced apart and extending straightly or obliquely, are disposed on each of the annular strips.   
     
     
         7 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein each of the flow regulating slots is rectangular or sickle-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein one flow regulating hole is provided at the center of the layer of the inlet flow regulating structure. 
     
     
         9 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a flaring chamber is provided in the inlet flow regulating structure. 
     
     
         10 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the side plate or the refrigerant inlet connector has a flaring chamber at least partially accommodating the flaring chamber of the inlet flow regulating structure. 
     
     
         11 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein a top surface of the flaring chamber of the inlet flow regulating structure and a top surface of the flaring chamber of the side plate or the refrigerant inlet connector are at least partially in contact with each other and are generally located at the same level of height. 
     
     
         12 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the size of the bottom of the flaring chamber matches the size of a distributor chamber of the plate heat exchanger, such that a two-phase refrigerant flow from a refrigerant inlet flows through the flaring chamber and then smoothly enters the distribution chamber and is distributed into corresponding refrigerant channels. 
     
     
         13 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the inlet flow regulating structure is disposed at any position from the refrigerant inlet connector to a distributor chamber along a central axis of the distributor chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the inlet flow regulating structure is disposed between the side plate and a jet hole of a first distributor. 
     
     
         15 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the inlet flow regulating structure is disposed or integrated on a first heat exchange plate sheet I or a first heat exchange plate sheet II starting from the refrigerant inlet or between a first heat exchange sheet II and a first distributor. 
     
     
         16 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein, for a dual-circuit plate heat exchanger formed by heat exchange plate sheets I and heat exchange plate sheets II, in a distributor chamber of a second circuit, a seal is provided between a first heat exchange plate sheet II and a second heat exchange plate sheet I, and the inlet flow regulating structure is disposed or integrated on a first heat exchange sheet I, a first heat exchange sheet II, a second heat exchange plate sheet I or a second heat exchange plate sheet II; or
 for a dual-circuit plate heat exchanger formed by heat exchange plate sheets I, heat exchange plate sheets II, heat exchange plate sheets III, and heat exchange plate sheets IV, in a distributor chamber of a second circuit, a seal is provided between a first heat exchange plate sheet II and a first heat exchange plate sheet III, and the inlet flow regulating structure is disposed or integrated on a first heat exchange plate sheet I, the first heat exchange plate sheet II, the first heat exchange plate sheet III or a first heat exchange plate sheet IV.   
     
     
         17 . A plate heat exchanger, comprising an inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein at least two inlet flow regulating structures are spaced apart from each other and disposed side by side in a direction from the refrigerant inlet connector to a distribution chamber of the plate heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the flow regulating element is a flow regulating hole, a flow regulating slot or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The inlet flow regulating structure as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the flow regulating element is a flow regulating hole, a flow regulating slot or any combination thereof.