Modular Plate Heat Exchanger for Leak-Tight Counterflow Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers for automotive vehicles are complex, costly, and difficult to assemble due to a large number of components, which complicates ensuring leak tightness and assembly, while also being inefficient in size and performance.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring a housing with modules comprising upper and lower plates that form inner cavities for fluid circulation channels, with connecting portions for assembly and sealing, and a counterflow circulation configuration to optimize heat exchange between high and low pressure branches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional heat exchanger design with multiple plates and components is used to ensure leak tightness, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate components (plates, gaskets, fasteners) into a single integrated plate structure. The plate contains integrated circulation channels formed by relief zones, eliminating the need for separate sealing components while maintaining leak tightness. This reduces the number of parts and assembly steps while ensuring reliable fluid containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The plate is segmented into distinct functional zones including relief zones that form circulation channels, connection zones for module assembly, and sealed zones for fluid containment. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity and leak tightness without requiring multiple separate components.
2Reliability
If multiple components and brazing lines are used to ensure leak tightness between channels and environment, then reliability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing function is merged into the plate structure itself through integrated relief zones that form circulation channels. This eliminates the need for separate gaskets, O-rings, or brazing operations, significantly simplifying manufacturing and assembly while maintaining reliable leak tightness between circulation channels and the external environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex sealing and assembly operations (brazing, gasket installation) are extracted from the manufacturing process entirely. The plate design inherently provides leak tightness through its geometric relief zones, removing the need for secondary sealing operations and making the exchanger easier to manufacture and assemble.
3Ease of manufacture
If a simplified structure with fewer components is used, then ease of manufacture is improved and cost is reduced, but reliability may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The plate incorporates localized relief zones with specific geometric features that provide enhanced sealing and circulation functions in critical areas. These locally optimized zones ensure reliable leak tightness and proper fluid circulation while maintaining overall structural simplicity and ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The circulation channels and sealing features are pre-formed into the plate structure during manufacturing as integral relief zones. This preliminary formation of functional features eliminates the need for post-assembly sealing operations and ensures reliable leak tightness is built-in from the start, maintaining both simplicity and reliability.
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
The design reduces the number of components, simplifies assembly, minimizes leakage risks, and enhances heat exchange performance by using a counterflow configuration, resulting in a more efficient and cost-effective heat exchanger.
Implementation Method 1
Heat exchanger between a first fluid and a second fluid... exchanging heat between a high pressure branch and a low pressure branch
Implementation Method 2
circulation channels for the first fluid... circulation channels for the second fluid... counterflowing circulation of the first and second fluids
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a first (HP) and a second (BP) fluids. According to the invention, said exchanger comprises a plurality of modules (15,15a,15b,15c) respectively including an upper plate (17) and a lower plate (19) assembled so as to define, between said plates (17,19), an inner cavity (21) forming a first circulating channel for the first fluid (HP), wherein said exchanger further comprises a housing (3) in which said modules (15,15a,15b,15c) are assembled in order to form said exchanger while defining spaces (33) between said modules, said spaces forming second circulation channels for the second fluid (BP).