Heat exchanger with plate projections

Abstract

A plate heat exchanger including first and second sets of heat exchanger plates. The second set plates are alternately stacked with the first set plates to form flow channels therebetween. The first set plates have first projections protruding in one direction from the plane of the plates and second projections protruding in the opposite direction from the plane of the plate. The second set plates have third projections protruding in the one direction from the plane of the second set plates. The first projections are connected to adjacent second set plates and the second projections protrude into the space between at least two of the third projections. The second projections may be spaced from and not connected to the second set plates, with the height of the third projections from the second set plates being greater than the height of the first and second projections from opposite sides of the first set plates.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) [0001] Not applicable. STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not applicable. REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX [0003] Not applicable. TECHNICAL FIELD [0004] The present invention relates to a plate heat exchanger, and more particularly a plate heat exchanger having at least two types of heat exchanger plates stacked to form flow channels between them with projections protruding from the plane of the plate connected to the adjacent heat exchanger plate. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS POSED BY THE PRIOR ART [0005] Plate heat exchangers having projections from the plates are known, for example, from FIG. 8 of EP 742 418 B1 (prescribed there as oil coolers). They are also known from numerous other publications for other types of applications, including DE 100 34 343C2, DE 201 19 565 U1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,248. [0006] Internal inserts, as opposed to projections formed in the plates themsel...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] In still another form of this aspect of the present invention, the number, configuration and arrangement of the first and second projections are selected to optimize heat exchanger strength and heat exchange efficiency.

Problems solved by technology

However, such inserts often can cause difficult to remove residues to remain in the flow channels, including, for example, fine metallic chips that form during production of the internal inserts.

If such residues reach the oil loop, for example, they can lead to failure of the system.

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