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EP-4739974-A1 - PLATE HEAT EXCHANGER AND HEAT PUMP CIRCUIT

EP4739974A1EP 4739974 A1EP4739974 A1EP 4739974A1EP-4739974-A1

Abstract

The disclosure concerns a plate heat exchanger (10) comprising permanently joined first and second heat transfer plates (1', 1'') provided with a first, a second, a third, and a fourth porthole. A set of first plate interspaces (36) for a first fluid and a set of second plate interspaces (38) for a second fluid are formed between the first and second plates (1', 1''). Third portholes (32) of adjoining plates (1', 1'') form a porthole channel. The first plate interspaces (36) are arranged in fluid communication with the porthole channel. A plate pattern is configured to prevent fluid flow between the first plate interspaces (36) and the porthole channel in a direction in parallel with a longitudinal axis (LA) of the plate (1', 1'') and to guide fluid flow between the first plate interspaces (36) and the porthole channel in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (LA).

Inventors

  • MASGRAU GHIGLIA, MARCELLO
  • STRÖMER, Fredrik

Assignees

  • Alfa Laval Corporate AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240626

Claims (11)

  1. 1. A plate heat exchanger (10) comprising a plate package (4) of permanently joined heat transfer plates (1’, 1”), wherein each of alternatingly arranged first heat transfer plates (T) and adjoining second heat transfer plates (1”) of the plate package (4) comprises a first end portion (20), a centre portion (22) and a second end portion (24) arranged in succession along a longitudinal axis (LA) of the respective heat transfer plate (T, 1”), the first end portion (20) being provided with a first porthole (26) and a fourth porthole (28) , the second end portion (24) being provided with a second porthole (30) and a third porthole (32), and the centre portion (22) comprising a main heat transfer area (34), wherein the heat transfer plates (1’, 1”) are provided with a plate pattern of protrusions and recesses, wherein a set of first plate interspaces (36) for a first fluid and a set of second plate interspaces (38) for a second fluid are formed alternatingly between the first and second heat transfer plates (T, 1”), wherein respective third portholes (32) of adjoining heat transfer plates (1’, 1”) form a porthole channel (S3) through the plate package (4), wherein the first plate interspaces (36) are arranged in fluid communication with the porthole channel (S3), wherein the plate pattern at the second end portion (24) is configured to prevent fluid flow between the first plate interspaces (36) and the porthole channel (S3) in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis (LA) and to guide fluid flow between the first plate interspaces (36) and the porthole channel (S3) in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (LA).
  2. 2. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to claim 1, wherein the plate pattern at the second end portion (24) of each first heat transfer plate (T) comprises a ridge (42) extending from the first heat transfer plate (T) in an adjacent first plate interspace (36) of the set of first plate interspaces (36), the ridge (42) being joined to an adjacent second heat transfer plate (1”) to delimit part of the first plate interspace (36), wherein at least part of the ridge (42) extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (LA) to prevent fluid flow between the first plate interspaces (36) and the porthole channel (S3) formed by the third portholes (32) in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis (LA).
  3. 3. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to claim 2, wherein each first and second plate interspace (36, 38) is partially delimited by a first side edge (16) extending substantially in parallel with the longitudinal axis (LA) and by a second side edge (18) extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (LA), wherein a corner portion (46) of each of the first and second heat transfer plates (1’, 1”) is formed at the first and second side edges (16, 18), wherein the third porthole (32) of each of the first and second heat transfer plates (T, 1”) is arranged at the corner portion (46), and wherein a first portion (48) of the ridge (42) extends from the first side edge (16) towards a side edge (40) delimiting the first and second plate interspaces (36, 38) opposite to the first side edge (16).
  4. 4. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to claim 3, wherein a second portion (50) of the ridge (42) extends from the first portion (48) of the ridge (42) towards the second side edge (18).
  5. 5. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to claim 4, wherein the second portion (50) of the ridge (42) ends at a distance from the second side edge (18) such that a passage (52) between the first plate interspace (36) and the porthole channel (S3) formed by the third portholes (32) is formed between the second portion (50) of the ridge (42) and the second side edge (18).
  6. 6. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to claim 5, wherein the passage (52) has a length within a range of 0.15 - 0.25 of a circumference of the third porthole (32).
  7. 7. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 2 - 6, wherein the ridge (42) is arranged adjacent to the porthole channel (S3) formed by the third portholes (32).
  8. 8. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to any one of claims 2 - 7, wherein in each second plate interspace (38) a fluid passageway (54) is formed along the ridge (42) of the first heat transfer plate (T).
  9. 9. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein respective first or fourth portholes (26, 28) of adjoining heat transfer plates (T, 1”) form a further porthole channel (S1, S4) through the plate package (4), and wherein the plate pattern at the first end portion (20) is configured to guide fluid flow between the further porthole channel (S1, S4) and the first plate interspaces (36) in a direction in parallel with the longitudinal axis (LA) and in a direction perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (LA).
  10. 10. The plate heat exchanger (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the heat transfer plates (T, 1”) comprises a metal sheet shaped to form the protrusions and recesses of the plate pattern.
  11. 11. A heat pump circuit (56) comprising an expansion device (58), an evaporator (60), a compressor (62), and a condenser (64), wherein the condenser (64) comprises a plate heat exchanger (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Description

Plate Heat Exchanger and Heat Pump Circuit TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a plate heat exchanger and to a heat pump circuit. BACKGROUND A plate heat exchanger defines two sets of plate interspaces between heat transfer plates of the plate heat exchanger. During use of the plate heat exchanger, one of two fluids flows through one set of alternate plate interspaces for heat exchange with the other of the two fluids, which flows through the other set of alternate plate interspaces. In order to ensure efficient use of the plate heat exchanger, from port channels formed by portholes in the heat transfer plates, ideally, the fluids are distributed within an entire plate interspace. In a heat pump circuit, a first fluid in the form of a refrigerant undergoes two phase changes, from fluid phase to gaseous phase in an evaporator and from gaseous phase to fluid phase in a condenser. In the evaporator, a second fluid is cooled by the evaporating refrigerant. In the condenser, a third fluid is heated by the condensing refrigerant. One or both of the evaporator and the condenser in a heat pump circuit may be formed by a plate heat exchanger. In a plate heat exchanger wherein a first fluid undergoes a phase change in one set of plate interspaces, distribution of the first fluid within the relevant plate interspaces may pose a particular challenge. US 10,907,906 B2 discloses in a plate heat exchanger, a bypass passage and a main passage upstream of first passages and second passages between adjacent ones of first heat transfer plates and second heat transfer plates. The bypass passage allows first fluid flowing from an inflow port of the first fluid or second fluid flowing from an inflow port of the second fluid to pass a side farther than a corresponding one of adjacent holes while spreading in a vertical direction in a front view and then flow into an inner fin or a corrugated heat transfer surface. The main passage allows the first fluid flowing from the inflow port of the first fluid or the second fluid flowing from the inflow port of the second fluid to directly flow toward the inner fin or the corrugated heat transfer surface without routing through the bypass passage. A flat space is formed around an entire circumference of each of the adjacent holes, between a circumferential wall and the inner fin or the corrugated heat transfer surface. WO 94/14021 discloses an evaporator in the form of a plate heat exchanger for a refrigerant circuit. The plate heat exchanger has an assembly of plates defining and separating alternate passages for the flow of a refrigerant and of a heat-exchange fluid. Aligned holes in the plates provide inlet and outlet channels for the refrigerant and the heat-exchange fluid to/from the respective passages. A refrigerant distribution tube is located in the refrigerant inlet channel. The tube has outlet apertures which direct refrigerant into the refrigerant passage. Further, so-called blanking members in the form of C-shaped washers, or a tube having a slot, blank off part of the opening from the refrigerant inlet channel into each refrigerant passage to confine the refrigerant flow from the apertures to a predetermined path towards the plate centreline to ensure even refrigerant distribution. SUMMARY It would be advantageous to provide an efficient plate heat exchanger adapted for use with a phase changing fluid. In particular, it would be desirable to enable distribution of a heat transfer fluid over a width of a heat transfer plate in an effective manner. To better address one or more of these concerns, one or more of a plate heat exchanger and/or a heat pump circuit having the features defined in one or more of the independent claims is provided. According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a plate heat exchanger comprising a plate package of permanently joined heat transfer plates. Each of alternatingly arranged first heat transfer plates and adjoining second heat transfer plates of the plate package comprises a first end portion, a centre portion, and a second end portion arranged in succession along a longitudinal axis of the respective heat transfer plate, the first end portion being provided with a first porthole and a fourth porthole, the second end portion being provided with a second porthole and a third porthole, and the centre portion comprising a main heat transfer area. The heat transfer plates are provided with a plate pattern of protrusions and recesses. A set of first plate interspaces for a first fluid and a set of second plate interspaces for a second fluid are formed alternatingly between the first and second heat transfer plates. Respective third portholes of adjoining heat transfer plates form a porthole channel through the plate package. The first plate interspaces are arranged in fluid communication with the porthole channel. The plate pattern at the second end portion is configured to prevent fluid flow between the first plate interspaces a