A heat exchanger

Abstract

A welded plate type air to liquid heat exchanger has a plurality of plates each with an internal volume inside a peripheral flange having a flange thickness. The plates are in parallel fluid communication with an inlet and outlet, and are mounted in a frame with a mutual predetermined distance, such that air flows therebetween. The plates are mounted between two plate holding frame members on opposite sides of the plates. The frame members have an exterior edge and slits in a comb-like shape extending from the exterior edge. First type and second type slits are provided in an alternating configuration. The first type are formed with a narrow entry passage section having a width corresponding to the flange thickness and a widened opening section therebehind. The first type receive the peripheral flanges of the plates in the narrow passage section. The second type are substantially straight and vacant.

1 . A heat exchanger of the welded plate type for heat transfer between air and liquid, said heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of plates with each with an internal volume inside a peripheral flange having a flange thickness, and which are in parallel fluid communication with an inlet and an outlet;   said plates being mounted in a frame with a mutual predetermined distance, such that air can flow between the plates, and wherein the plates are mounted between at least two plate holding frame members on opposite sides of said plates, wherein said plate holding frame members are provided with an exterior edge and with a plurality of slits in a comb-like shape extending from said exterior edge;   the plurality of slits include first type slits and second type of slits provided in an alternating configuration, wherein the first type slits are formed with a narrow entry passage section having a width corresponding to the flange thickness and a widened opening section there behind, and wherein the first type slits are adapted to receiving the peripheral flanges of the plates in the narrow passage section; and wherein the second type slits are substantially straight and left vacant.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates are welded steel plates where two steel sheets are welded together at least along their peripheral flanges and are shaped such that there is an internal volume between said plates, and that the inner volume is provided with an inlet and an outlet preferably at opposite peripheral flanges. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the peripheral flange of each of the plates has a thickness substantially equal to the two steel sheets of the plate. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein both the first and second types of slits have an opening at the exterior edge of the frame member and extend substantially perpendicular to the exterior edge and all substantially with the same length. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the second type slits between the plate receiving first type slits are formed with a substantially equal width. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first type slits adapted to receiving the plate flanges in the narrow passage section only. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the narrow passage sections of the first type slits have a width substantially equal to the thickness of the peripheral flanges of the plates. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the narrow passage sections of the first type slits extend substantially perpendicular from the exterior edge with a length substantially corresponding to the width of the flanges of the plates. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a base of the first type slits and a base of the second type slits at a most distant point from the exterior edge are provided with a rounded finish. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the first type of slits are provided with chamfered transitional edges or rounded edges as receiving portions defining the entry into the narrow passage sections. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the comb-like shaped plate holding frame members are made of steel. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the comb-like shaped plate holding frame members are provided with a mounting portion in the portion opposite the exterior edge. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates are rectangular with two side flanges and a top and a bottom flange, and wherein a plurality of plate holding frame members are arranged in the frame for receiving and retaining the plates at each of the side flanges and at the bottom and top flanges of said plates. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plates, the manifolds and the frame and the plate mounting are all made of stainless steel. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the rounded finish is a semi-circular shaped bottom of the slits. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the steel of the comb-like shaped plate holding frame members is stainless steel. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the steel of the comb-like shaped plate holding frame members is austenitic stainless steel. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein mounting portion is in the form of a longitudinal inverted V-shape. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 14 , wherein the stainless steel is austenitic stainless steel.