Plate Heat Exchanger Port Layout for Uniform Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heat exchangers fail to efficiently distribute and collect fluid flow across the entire width of the heat exchanger plates while maintaining mechanical stability and optimizing material consumption and manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger design featuring alternating channels with fin structures folded back and forth between plates, incorporating distribution and collection structures with inclined port interfaces, and strategically positioned ports to optimize fluid flow distribution and collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional plate heat exchanger designs are used with standard channel arrangements, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but fluid distribution and collection efficiency across the entire width of the heat exchanger plates is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple alternating channel sets (first set in every second interspace, second set in other interspaces), with each channel containing fin structures that segment the flow path. This segmentation enables efficient fluid distribution across the entire width of plates while maintaining manageable structural complexity through standardized modular units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric channel positioning where first and second sets of channels are alternately arranged in different interspaces between plates. The port interfaces are also asymmetrically inclined relative to the fin direction, creating optimized flow patterns that improve distribution efficiency without requiring complex symmetric arrangements.
2Strength
If more material is used to improve mechanical stability of the heat exchanger, then structural strength increases, but material consumption and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
Fin structures are positioned locally between heat exchanger plates at specific channel locations rather than uniformly across all plates. The alternating channel arrangement concentrates structural reinforcement where heat transfer is needed most, providing adequate mechanical stability while minimizing overall material consumption compared to uniform reinforcement approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses partial fin structures in alternating interspaces rather than complete coverage across all plates. This partial action provides sufficient mechanical support and heat transfer capability for the application while significantly reducing material consumption and manufacturing costs compared to full-coverage designs.
3Temperature
If fin structures are positioned to maximize heat transfer surface area, then heat transfer efficiency improves, but the complexity of fluid distribution and collection across the width of plates increases
Solution Approach 1:
Heat transfer is enhanced through fin structures segmented into alternating channel sets rather than continuous coverage. Each fin structure creates multiple fluid channels within its set, maximizing local heat transfer surface area while the alternating pattern simplifies overall fluid distribution by creating regular, predictable flow paths across the plate width.
Solution Approach 2:
The fin structures act as intermediaries between the fluid channels and heat exchanger plates, providing enhanced heat transfer surface area. The alternating channel arrangement mediates the fluid flow distribution, creating a regular pattern that simplifies flow management while still achieving wide-area coverage for efficient heat transfer.
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
Enhances fluid distribution and collection efficiency across the entire width of the heat exchanger plates, improving mechanical stability and reducing material consumption and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The components of the plate heat exchangers and especially the heat exchanger plates are typically made of metal but could be made of any other material as long as it is sufficiently strong and has sufficient heat conduction properties
Implementation Method 2
Since the mediums are in contact with a large surface area on a respective side of each heat exchanger plate a plate heat exchanger provides an efficient heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger includes a stack of heat exchanger plates, a first set of channels, and a second set of channels, in each of the channels in the respective set of channels fin structures are positioned between the heat exchanger plates, each heat exchanger plate comprises a first inlet port, a first outlet port, a second inlet port and a second outlet port formed at a respective corner portion of the respective heat exchanger plate and extending through the stack, the heat exchanger further comprises a distribution structure at the respective inlet port and a collection structure at the respective outlet port, the distribution structure, respectively the collection structure is positioned between the port and the respective fin structure, a port interface between the inlet port and the distribution structure, respectively a port interface between the outlet port and the collection structure is inclined relative to the fin direction.