Shell-and-plate type heat exchanger

Abstract

A shell-and-plate heat exchanger includes: a shell that forms an internal space and includes a refrigerant outlet at a top of the shell and a refrigerant inlet at a bottom of the shell; a plate stack disposed in the internal space and that includes heat transfer plates that are stacked and joined together; and a distribution plate between an opening end of the refrigerant inlet on an inner surface of the shell and the plate stack. The shell-and-plate heat exchanger is configured to allow a refrigerant that has flowed into the internal space to evaporate. The refrigerant outlet emits a gas refrigerant out of the internal space through the refrigerant outlet. The refrigerant inlet introduces a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant into the internal space through the refrigerant inlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shell-and-plate heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell that:
 forms an internal space, and 
 comprises:
 a refrigerant outlet at a top of the shell; and 
 a refrigerant inlet at a bottom of the shell; 
 
   a plate stack disposed in the internal space and that comprises heat transfer plates that are stacked and joined together; and   a distribution plate between an opening end of the refrigerant inlet on an inner surface of the shell and the plate stack, wherein   the shell-and-plate heat exchanger is configured to allow a refrigerant that has flowed into the internal space to evaporate,   the refrigerant outlet emits a gas refrigerant out of the internal space through the refrigerant outlet, and   the refrigerant inlet introduces a gas-liquid two-phase refrigerant into the internal space through the refrigerant inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The shell-and-plate heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the distribution plate is a plate-shaped member covering an inner surface of a bottom of the shell and forms a distribution chamber between the distribution plate and the bottom of the shell. 
     
     
         3 . The shell-and-plate heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the distribution plate has outlets, and   each of the outlets allows the distribution chamber to communicate with a space outside the distribution plate.   
     
     
         4 . The shell-and-plate heat exchanger according to  claim 3 , wherein the outlets are disposed in a row in the distribution plate. 
     
     
         5 . The shell-and-plate heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the distribution plate comprises:
 a first portion in which the outlets are disposed in a row at a first pitch; and 
 a second portion in which the outlets are disposed in a row at a second pitch, and the second pitch is wider than the first pitch.