High-temperature short-time treatment device, system, and method

Abstract

A dual path heat exchanger integrated as a single unit able to process fluid stream through a continuous, single-use high temperature short time process. The heat exchanger contains both a heating section and a cooling section in the same unit. In one embodiment, the heating and cooling sections (which may be formed separately for other uses) are formed as a plate and frame structure with a thermally conductive thin film or foil forming the physical barrier between the process stream flow path and the thermal medium (heating or cooling) flow path. The film/foil renders the heat exchanger suitable for single-use and/or to be disposable. A manifold, which also may be formed as a single unit, may be used to transfer fluid flow between the sections of the heat exchanger, and/or to transfer fluid into and out of the system formed by the heat exchanger and manifold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a heating section defining flow paths for heating medium along flow paths for a process stream, the heating medium flow paths physically isolated from and thermally coupled with the process stream flow paths; and   a cooling section thermally and physically isolated from said heating section and defining flow paths for cooling medium along flow paths for a process stream, the cooling medium flow paths physically isolated from and thermally coupled with the process stream flow paths;   wherein the heat exchanger as a single unit includes process stream ports, heating medium ports, and cooling medium ports.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a manifold coupled thereto, said manifold comprising, as a unit, manifold process stream ports corresponding to and in fluid communication with said heat exchanger process stream ports, manifold heating medium ports corresponding to and in fluid communication with said heat exchanger heating medium ports, and manifold cooling medium ports corresponding to and in fluid communication with said heat exchanger cooling medium ports, such that a process stream flows continuously through said heating section to said cooling section through said manifold. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein said manifold receives the process stream that has been heated through said heating section of said heat exchanger, transfers the heated process stream to said cooling section of said heat exchanger, and receives the process stream that has cooled through said cooling section of said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein said heat exchanger is a single unit and said manifold is a single unit mating with said heat exchanger single unit. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of stacked channel spacers defining said flow paths through said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein said plurality of channel spacers seal fluid within said heat exchanger and isolate flow paths within said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of channel spacers defines said flow paths in said heating section and said cooling section of said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein each of said plurality of channel spacers comprises a frame element and a flow element, wherein frame elements of stacked channel spacers are bonded together to form a peripheral seal about said heat exchanger as a unit and an insulative wall between said heating section and said cooling section within said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of channel spacers stacked together, each channel spacer defining a fluid flow channel for a fluid medium to flow therethrough; and   a thermally conductive physical barrier, in the form of thin foil or film, sandwiched between adjacent channel spacers to conduct thermal energy between fluid mediums in adjacent channel spacers while physically isolating the fluid mediums from each other.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein said thermally conductive physical barrier is sufficiently thin to allow at least ten thermally conductive physical barrier in said heat exchanger without impeding on unassisted manual portability of said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein each thermally conductive physical barrier is no greater than 0.010″ thick. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein each thermally conductive physical barrier is in the form of a thin foil or film that cannot maintain structural rigidity and shape unassisted. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein said channel spacers provide structural rigidity to said thermally conductive physical barriers. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein each channel spacer comprises a frame element and a screen element. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein each channel spacer further comprises a seal element sealing fluid flow between the frame element of said channel spacer, an upper thermally conductive physical barrier on one side of said channel spacer, and a lower thermally conductive physical barrier on an opposite side of said channel spacer. 
     
     
         16 . A method of heating and cooling a process stream through a single heat exchanger unit along a continuous flow path using a thermal medium comprising a heating medium or a cooling medium, said method comprising:
 providing a at least one process stream heating medium flow path and at least one heating medium flow path through a heating section of the single heat exchanger, the heating medium flow path extending along a process stream heating flow path to heat the process stream; and   providing a at least one process stream cooling flow path and at least one cooling medium flow path through a cooling section of the single heat exchanger, the cooling medium flow path extending along a process stream cooling flow path to cool the process stream;   wherein heating and cooling of a process stream is achieved in the same single heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising providing a plurality of system ports in the single heat exchanger, the system ports including process stream ports in fluid communication with the process stream flow paths through the single heat exchanger, and thermal medium ports in fluid communication with heating medium flow paths and cooling medium flow paths in the single heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising coupling the single heat exchanger with a mating manifold configured to distribute flow to the system ports in the single heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the manifold is provided with inlet and outlet ports for passage of process stream, a heating medium, and a cooling medium into or out of the manifold and thus the single heat exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising coupling the single heat exchanger to a mating manifold, the manifold transferring the process stream from the heating section to the cooling section of the single heat exchanger.