Multipath plate-and-shell heat exchanger

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plate-and-shell heat exchanger (100) having a stack of plate pairs (50, 60) positioned in a shell (20), where the stack of plate pairs (50, 60) includes a plurality of plate pairs of a first type (50) and a plurality of plate pairs of a second type (60). Each plate pair (50, 60) has two heat transfer plates (10) being connected to each other and forming a cavity (11) there between, and forming an inlet opening (13a, 13b) and an outlet opening (13′a, 13′b). First inner flow paths (12a) are formed through the first inlet openings (13a), the cavities (11) of the plate pairs of the first type (50) and the first outlets (13′a). Second inner flow paths (12b) are formed through the second inlet openings (13b), the cavities (11) of the plate pairs of the second type (60) and the second outlets (13′b). A third outer flow path (22) is defined within the shell and between plate pairs of the first type (50) and plate pairs of the second type (60).

1 . A plate-and-shell heat exchanger comprising a stack of plate pairs positioned in a shell, where the stack of plate pairs comprises a plurality of plate pairs of a first type and a plurality of plate pairs of a second type, wherein:
 each plate pair of the first type comprises two heat transfer plates being connected to each other and forming a cavity there between, and comprising a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening, and   each plate pair of the second type comprises two heat transfer plates being connected to each other and forming a cavity there between, and comprising a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening,   
       wherein the first inlet openings and the first outlet openings of the plate pairs of the first type are connected to each other so as to form first inner flow paths through the first inlet openings, the cavities of the plate pairs of the first type and the first outlets, 
       wherein the second inlet openings and the second outlet openings of the plate pairs of the second type are connected to each other so as to form second inner flow paths through the second inlet openings, the cavities of the plate pairs of the second type and the second outlets, 
       and wherein a third outer flow path is defined within the shell and between plate pairs of the first type and plate pairs of the second type. 
     
     
         2 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a first fluid flowing in the first inner flow paths as well as a second fluid flowing in the second inner flow paths exchange heat with a third fluid flowing in the third outer flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each plate pair of the first type is further provided with a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening, and wherein the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening of a given plate pair of the first type are sealed from the first inlet opening, the first outlet opening and the cavity defined by the given plate pair of the first type. 
     
     
         4 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each plate pair of the second type is further provided with a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening, and wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening of a given plate pair of the second type are sealed from the second inlet opening, the second outlet opening and the cavity defined by the given plate pair of the second type. 
     
     
         5 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening are formed in one of the heat transfer plates of the plate pair, and the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening are formed in the other of the heat transfer plates of the plate pair. 
     
     
         6 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated at an angle relative to each other around a centre axis of the plate pairs. 
     
     
         7 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are arranged alternatingly in the stack of plate pairs. 
     
     
         8 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer plates forming the plate pairs of the first type and/or the heat transfer plates forming the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated 180° around a centre axis of the plate pairs. 
     
     
         9 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate pairs have an outer shape which is circular, oval, pentangular or hexagonal. 
     
     
         10 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first inlet openings and the first outlet openings of the plate pairs of the first type are connected by connection elements, and the second inlet openings and the second outlet openings of the plate pairs of the second type are connected by connection elements. 
     
     
         11 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are sealingly connected to each other at outer rims of the inlet openings and the outlet openings. 
     
     
         12 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate-and-shell heat exchanger is connected to an electrolyzer such that a fluid feed to a cathode of the electrolyzer, a fluid feed to an anode of the electrolyzer, as well as a common heating or cooling fluid passes through the plate-and-shell heat exchanger. 
     
     
         13 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein each plate pair of the first type is further provided with a second inlet opening and a second outlet opening, and wherein the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening of a given plate pair of the first type are sealed from the first inlet opening, the first outlet opening and the cavity defined by the given plate pair of the first type. 
     
     
         14 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein each plate pair of the second type is further provided with a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening, and wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening of a given plate pair of the second type are sealed from the second inlet opening, the second outlet opening and the cavity defined by the given plate pair of the second type. 
     
     
         15 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein each plate pair of the second type is further provided with a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening, and wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening of a given plate pair of the second type are sealed from the second inlet opening, the second outlet opening and the cavity defined by the given plate pair of the second type. 
     
     
         16 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the first inlet opening and the first outlet opening are formed in one of the heat transfer plates of the plate pair, and the second inlet opening and the second outlet opening are formed in the other of the heat transfer plates of the plate pair. 
     
     
         17 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated at an angle relative to each other around a centre axis of the plate pairs. 
     
     
         18 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated at an angle relative to each other around a centre axis of the plate pairs. 
     
     
         19 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated at an angle relative to each other around a centre axis of the plate pairs. 
     
     
         20 . The plate-and-shell heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the plate pairs of the first type and the plate pairs of the second type are identical, and rotated at an angle relative to each other around a centre axis of the plate pairs.