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EP-4521054-B1 - HOLLOW PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER

EP4521054B1EP 4521054 B1EP4521054 B1EP 4521054B1EP-4521054-B1

Inventors

  • ASTE, Fabio
  • CHANDEZ, Bertrand
  • PHAN, HAI TRIEU

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240906

Claims (15)

  1. Heat exchanger (1) comprising, superposed longitudinally on one another: - a plurality of first (13) and second (15) heat-exchange modules in which first (21) and second (23) fluid-circulation systems are formed, for circulating first and second fluids respectively, and - a plurality of partition plates (19) each sandwiched between adjacent first (13) and second (15) heat-exchange modules and in contact with the adjacent first and second heat-exchange modules, each partition plate fluidically disconnecting the first and second fluid-circulation systems from one another, at least one of the first and second heat-exchange modules comprising: - a frame plate (37, 67, 105), of constant thickness, comprising an aperture (39, 69, 107, 109) passing through its entire thickness, and - an insert (41, 71, 111, 113) fully housed in the aperture and of a thickness equal to the thickness of the frame plate, characterized in that the insert consists of a) a shaped plate (43, 119) consisting of at least one hollowed-out zone (47, 141) passing through the entire thickness of the shaped plate and of a surrounding solid zone (49, 131) of constant thickness, the corresponding fluid-circulation system being formed in the hollowed-out zone and bounded transversely by the surrounding solid zone and longitudinally by the partition plates adjacent to said module, or b) a stack (50, 72, 115) of shaped plates (43, 73, 117), at least one and preferably each of the shaped plates consisting of at least one hollowed-out zone (47, 93, 123) passing through the entire thickness of the shaped plate and of a surrounding solid zone (49, 81, 121) of constant thickness, the corresponding fluid-circulation system (21, 23, 50) being defined by the hollowed-out zones of the stack and bounded transversely by the surrounding solid zones and longitudinally by the partition plates adjacent to said corresponding heat-exchange module.
  2. Heat exchanger according to Claim 1, the hollowed-out zone (47, 93, 123, 141) being formed by cutting, preferably laser cutting, waterjet cutting, or by punching, and preferably by laser cutting.
  3. Heat exchanger according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, the contour of the aperture (77) and the outer contour (75) of the insert being in at least one plane of cross section, homothetic with one another.
  4. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a groove (57, 79) separating the frame plate and the insert from one another, the width of the groove preferably being constant.
  5. Heat exchanger according to the preceding claim, comprising a seal (59), preferably an O-ring, placed in the groove and which is compressed by the adjacent partition plates.
  6. Heat exchanger according to one of the preceding claims, the shaped plate or plates and/or the partition plate and/or the frame plate being planar and having parallel faces.
  7. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, at least part of the hollowed-out zone of one of the shaped plates of the stack being superposed with a solid zone of another shaped plate adjacent to it in the stack, and vice versa.
  8. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, the fluid-circulation system having, in at least a longitudinal plane of section, different profiles at least at two different positions along the transverse axis (Y) of said plane of section, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X).
  9. Heat exchanger according to the preceding claim, the profile at a position along the transverse axis (Y) being the rank of the hollowed-out zone or zones in the stack and/or the height of the fluid-circulation system at said position and/or the number of hollowed-out zones at said position.
  10. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, the stack comprising at least two identical shaped plates.
  11. Heat exchanger according to the preceding claim, the identical shaped plates each being asymmetrical, one of the shaped plates being arranged symmetrically with the other shaped plate, with respect to a longitudinal plane.
  12. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, the shaped plates each having a thickness of less than 3 mm, or even less than 2 mm, or even less than 1 mm, and/or being of the same thickness.
  13. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, the frame plate and the shaped plate or plates being made of different materials.
  14. Heat exchanger according to any one of the preceding claims, the second heat-exchange module (15) comprising a third fluid-circulation system fluidically disconnected from the second fluid-circulation system (145), the second (23) and third (145) fluid-circulation systems being defined by different portions of the hollowed-out zone or zones of the corresponding insert.
  15. Heat exchanger according to any one of Claims 1 to 14, the second heat-exchange module (15) comprising a third fluid-circulation system (145) fluidically disconnected from the second fluid-circulation system (23), the corresponding frame plate comprising a second aperture in which there is placed a second insert (113) which bounds the third fluid-circulation system.

Description

technical field The present invention relates to the field of heat exchange between fluids, in particular implementing fluid separation within at least one of the fluids. State of the art In order to optimize the efficiency of an installation implementing an energy transformation, particular attention is paid to the heat exchanger that makes up this installation. Increasing the thermal efficiency of a heat exchanger has a direct effect on the performance of the installation's thermodynamic cycle, reducing its primary energy consumption, and consequently the corresponding emissions and supply costs. Generally, the goal of optimizing the performance of a heat exchanger is achieved by adopting complex solutions where the original geometry of the component is specifically adapted to the intended application. Implementing such solutions is costly and limits the potential reuse of the exchanger for other applications. In addition, the progressive shortage of raw materials, due to increasing consumption and the depletion of existing deposits, is pushing for the design of heat exchangers with little material while maintaining or improving their performance. Furthermore, if phase separation is desired in one of the fluids during heat exchange, thermodynamic interactions can occur within the exchanger. It may then be necessary to design the heat exchanger to optimize either heat exchange or mass transfer. Concentric tube, tube-bund, coil, plate, mixing, and finned heat exchangers are all known. Plate heat exchangers are the most widespread, due to the excellent heat transfer coefficients they achieve. Plate heat exchangers can be of the brazed or welded type or of the plate and gasket type. Welded plate heat exchangers are monolithic, as the plates cannot be separated after welding. Conversely, plate and gasket heat exchangers can be disassembled and then lengthened or shortened as needed, allowing them to be adapted to the desired application and facilitating heat exchanger maintenance. The flow of fluids in the heat exchanger can be single-phase or two-phase. In the case of two-phase flow, the heat exchange benefits from a very favorable condition, because the phase change generally takes place at a constant temperature: the logarithmic temperature difference therefore increases considerably, reducing the required exchange surface area. Other parameters that influence the performance of plate heat exchangers. The two fluids are separated by a separating plate, usually metallic. The thermal conductivity of the separating plate induces a resistance to heat transfer, which can be reduced by decreasing its thickness or by using a separating plate made of a metal with high thermal conductivity, for example copper or aluminum rather than steel. Turbulence in the fluid circulation systems of each fluid (distribution chamber, collection chamber, exchange channels...) is generally sought because it increases the thermal efficiency of the exchanger. Finally, an optimal spatial distribution of fluid circulation systems also helps to improve heat exchange. US 5,392,849 A For example, it describes a plate heat exchanger in which the two fluids flow in opposite directions. It consists of alternating solid plates. to hollow plates where the fluid is distributed, flows and is collected before being discharged out of the exchanger. CN 104748605 A describes a plate heat exchanger with microchannels. Heat exchange is facilitated by a magnetic field generated by electrodes inserted into a plate. CN 111780597 A describes a vacuum diffusion welded plate heat exchanger, adapted for cross-flow between fluids. US-A-2379671 discloses a heat exchanger according to the preamble of claim 1. There is therefore a need for a heat exchanger suitable for efficient heat exchange, whose design can be easily adapted to the application in which the installation in which the exchanger is integrated is located, and which optionally is adapted to operate within it a phase separation within at least one of the fluids. Summary of the invention The invention proposes a heat exchanger comprising, superimposed longitudinally one on top of the other: a plurality of first and second exchange modules in which first and second fluidic circulation systems are formed, for the circulation of first and second fluids respectively, and a plurality of separation plates each sandwiched between first and second adjacent exchange modules and in contact with first and second adjacent exchange modules, each separation plate fluidically disconnecting the first and second fluidic circulation systems from each other. According to a first principal aspect of the invention, at least one of the first and second exchange modules comprises: a frame plate, of constant thickness, comprising a window passing through it completely within its thickness and an inner piece entirely housed within the window and of equal thickness to the thickness of the frame plate, the inner piece consisti