Plate Heat Exchanger With Intersecting Cutouts for Lower-Cost Assembly

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The production of plate heat exchangers is expensive, especially for high temperatures and pressures, due to the need for corrugated plates with specific characteristics and dimensions.

Innovation Solution

A plate heat exchanger design using rectangular plates with cutouts, where two plates with intersecting cutouts are sandwiched between two solid plates, allowing for modular assembly and reduced manufacturing costs through the use of smaller, interchangeable plate packs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If corrugated plates with specific characteristics and dimensions are manufactured for high-temperature and high-pressure operations, then the efficiency and performance of the plate heat exchanger is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance for high-temperature and high-pressure operationsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The plate heat exchanger is divided into modular units, each comprising a fixed number of plates (e.g., 4-plate units). This segmentation allows standardized manufacturing of smaller plate packs that can be assembled into larger exchangers, reducing tooling costs and improving manufacturing efficiency while maintaining the required performance characteristics for high-temperature and high-pressure applications

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs corrugated plates with specific geometric parameters (wave patterns, angles, dimensions) optimized for high-temperature and high-pressure operations. By standardizing these parameters across modular units, the design achieves both performance reliability and manufacturing efficiency through repeatability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If corrugated plates with specific characteristics are manufactured to achieve desired thermal-hydraulic modes, then the efficiency for specific technological tasks is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases due to customization requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency for specific technological tasksVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The modular plate pack design with standardized corrugated plates creates universal building blocks that can be configured for different technological applications. The same basic plate design with specific corrugation characteristics can serve multiple purposes (heating, cooling, condensation, evaporation) by simply changing the arrangement and number of plates, eliminating the need for expensive custom manufacturing for each application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

By segmenting the heat exchanger into standardized plate packs, the design allows efficient manufacturing of common components that can be reused across different applications, reducing the overall manufacturing cost while maintaining task-specific efficiency through proper configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Area of stationary object

If large overall dimensions of plates are required to meet technological requirements, then the heat exchange capacity is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveheat exchange areaVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Large heat exchange areas are achieved by assembling multiple smaller standardized plate packs rather than manufacturing single large plates. This segmentation reduces manufacturing costs by using smaller, more economical plate sizes that can be produced with standard tools and processes, while achieving the required total heat exchange area through modular multiplication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple smaller plate packs are combined and connected in series or parallel configurations to achieve large overall heat exchange areas. This merging approach maintains the cost advantages of small-plate manufacturing while scaling up the total capacity to meet large-area requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design reduces production costs while maintaining efficiency for high-pressure and high-temperature operations, enabling advanced welding methods and material selection for improved durability and performance.

Implementation Method 1

Heat exchangers are used in different industrial processes for heating or cooling media (liquids and gases, including air)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

Heat exchangers are used in different industrial processes for heating or cooling media (liquids and gases, including air)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS12429293B1Plate heat exchanger comprising plates with cutouts

Publication Date: 2025.09.30 PRMF ANKOR-TEPLOENERGO

AI summary

A plate heat exchanger comprises at least one unit comprising four plates, namely a plate pack comprising a first plate having transversely extending cutouts therein and an adjacent second plate having transversely extending cutouts therein, the plate pack being sandwiched between two solid plates without cutouts. At least some of the cutouts of the first plate intersect at least some of the cutouts of the second plate.