Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02298009 2000-02-04
SELF-ENCLOSING HEAT EXCHANGERS WITH SHIM PLATE
This invention relates to heat exchangers of the type formed of stacked
plates, wherein the plates have raised peripheral flanges that co-operate to
form
an enclosure for the passage of heat exchange fluids between the plates.
The most common kind of plate type heat exchangers produced in the past
have been made of spaced-apart stacked pairs of plates where the plate pairs
define internal flow passages with some type of turbulizer located therein.
The
plates normally have inlet and outlet openings that are aligned in the stacked
plate pairs to allow for the flow of one heat exchange fluid through all of
the
plate pairs. A second heat exchange fluid passes between the plate pairs, and
often an enclosure or casing is used to contain the plate pairs and cause the
second heat exchange fluid to pass between the plate pairs.
In order to eliminate the enclosure or casing, it has been proposed to
provide the plates with peripheral flanges that not only close the peripheral
edges
of the plate pairs, but also close the peripheral spaces between the plate
pairs.
One method of doing this is to use plates that have a raised peripheral flange
on
one side of the plate and a raised peripheral ridge on the other side of the
plate.
Examples of this type of heat exchanger are shown in U.S. patent No. 3,240,268
issued to F.D. Armes and U.S. patent No. 4,327,802 issued to Richard P.
Beldam. In order to complete these heat exchangers, top and bottom mounting
plates are attached to the stacked plate pairs and inlet and outlet fittings
are
mounted in these plates.
A characteristic of these self enclosing plate-type heat exchangers
produced in the past, however, is that the space or height between the end
plate
pairs and their adjacent mounting plates is usually less than the space inside
the
plate pairs. It is difficult to get efficient heat transfer in these small
spaces.
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2
In the present invention, a shim plate turbulizer is provided that can be
used both between the plate pairs and between the stack of plate pairs and any
end or mounting plates, so the overall efficiency of the heat exchanger is
improved.
According to the invention, there is provided a plate type heat exchanger
comprising first and second core plates, each core plate including a planar
central portion, a first pair of spaced-apart bosses extending from one side
of the
planar central portion, and a second pair of spaced-apart bosses extending
from
the opposite side of the planar central portion. The bosses each have an inner
peripheral edge portion and an outer peripheral edge portion defining a fluid
port. A continuous ridge encircles the inner peripheral edge portions of at
least
the first pair of bosses and extends from the planar central portion in the
same
direction and equidistantly with the outer peripheral edge portions of the
second
pair of bosses. Each core plate includes a raised peripheral flange extending
from the planar central portion in the same direction and equidistantly with
the
outer peripheral edge portions of the first pair of bosses. The first and
second
core plates are juxtaposed so that one of the continuous ridges are engaged
and
the plate peripheral flanges are engaged; thereby defining a first flow
chamber
between the engaged ridges or peripheral flanges. The fluid ports in the
respective first and second pairs of spaced-apart bosses are in registration.
A
third core plate is located in juxtaposition with one of the first and second
core
plates to define a second fluid chamber between the third core plate and the
central planar portion of the adjacent core plate. Also, a turbulizer engages
at
least one of the core plates. The turbulizer is in the form of a shim plate
having
a pair of fluid ports in registration with a pair of the core plate ports, a
shim
plate central planar portion, and a peripheral edge portion coterminous with
the
respective continuous ridge or raised peripheral flange on the adjacent core
plate.
The shim plate central planar portion includes flow augmentation projections
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3
disposed on one side only of the shim plate central planar portion and of a
height
equal to the height of the respective continuous ridge or raised peripheral
flange.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first preferred embodiment
of a self enclosing heat exchanger made in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the assembled heat exchanger
of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the top end plate and turbulizer shim plate
shown in Figure 1, the top end plate being broken away to show the shim plate
beneath it;
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of Figure 3, but
showing both plates of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view taken along lines 5-5 of Figure 1
showing one of the turbulizers used in the embodiment shown in Figure l;
Figure 6 is an enlarged scrap view of the portion of Figure 5 indicated by
circle 6 in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a plan view of the turbulizer shown in Figure 5;
Figure 8 is a plan view of one side of one of the core plates used in the
heat exchanger of Figure l;
Figure 9 is a plan view of the opposite side of the core plate shown in
Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 10-10 of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 11-11 of Figure 9;
Figure 12 is a plan view similar to Figure 3, but showing another
preferred embodiment of a turbulizer shim plate according to the present
invention;
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4
Figure 13 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 13-13 of Figure
12;
Figure 14 is also a plan view similar to Figure 3, but showing yet another
preferred embodiment of a turbulizer shim plate according to the present
invention;
Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 15-15 of Figure
14;
Figure 16 is again a plan view similar to Figure 3, but showing still
another preferred embodiment of a turbulizer shim plate according to the
present
invention;
Figure 17 is a vertical sectional view taken along lines 17-17 of Figure
16;
Figure 18 is a perspective view of the unfolded plates of a plate pair used
to make another preferred embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the
present invention;
Figure 19 is a perspective view similar to Figure 18, but showing the
unfolded plates of Figure 18 where they would be folded together face-to-face;
Figure 20 is a plan view of yet another preferred embodiment of a plate
used to make a self enclosing heat exchanger according to the present
invention;
Figure 21 is a plan view of the opposite side of the plate shown in Figure
20;
Figure 22 is a vertical sectional view in along lines 22-22 of Figure 20,
but showing the assembled plates of Figures 20 and 21; and
Figure 23 is a vertical elevational view of the assembled plates of Figures
20 to 22.
Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, an exploded perspective view of a
preferred embodiment of a heat exchanger according to the present invention is
generally indicated by reference numeral 10. Heat exchanger 10 includes a top
or end plate 12, a turbulizer shim plate 14, core plates 16, 18, 20 and 22,
another
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turbulizer shim plate 24 and a bottom or end plate 26. Plates 12 through 26
are
shown arranged vertically in Figure 1, but this is only for the purposes of
illustration. Heat exchanger 10 can have any orientation desired.
Top end plate 12 is simply a flat plate formed of aluminum having a
thickness of about 1 mm. Plate 12 has openings 28, 30 adjacent to one end
thereof to form an inlet and an outlet for a first heat exchange fluid passing
through heat exchanger 10. The bottom end plate 26 is also a flat aluminum
plate, but plate 26 is thicker than plate 12 because it also acts as a
mounting plate
for heat exchanger 10. Extended corners 32 are provided in plate 26 and have
openings 34 therein to accommodate suitable fasteners (are shown) for the
mounting of heat exchanger 10 in a desired location. End plate 26 has a
thickness typically of about 4 to 6 mm. End plate 26 also has openings 36, 38
to
form respective inlet and outlet openings for a second heat exchange fluid for
heat exchanger 10. Suitable inlet and outlet fittings or nipples (not shown)
are
attached to the plate inlets and outlets 36 and 38 (and also openings 28 and
30 in
end plate 12) for the supply and return of the heat exchange fluids to heat
exchanger 10.
Although normally it is not desirable to have short-circuit or bypass flow
inside the heat exchanger core plates, in some applications, it is desirable
to have
some bypass flow in the flow circuit that includes heat exchanger 10. This
bypass, for example, could be needed to reduce the pressure drop in heat
exchanger 10, or to provide some cold flow bypass between the supply and
return lines to heat exchanger 10. For this purpose, an optional controlled
bypass
groove 39 may be provided between openings 36, 38 to provide some deliberate
bypass flow between the respective inlet and outlet formed by openings 36, 38.
Referring next to Figures 1, 3 and 4, turbulizer shim plates 14 and 24 will
be described in further detail. Turbulizer plate 14 is identical to turbulizer
plate
24, but in Figure 1, turbulizer plate 24 has been turned end-for-end or 180
° with
respect to turbulizer plate 14, and turbulizer plate 24 has been turned upside
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6
down with respect to turbulizer plate 14. The following description of
turbulizer
plate 14, therefore, also applies to turbulizer plate 24. Turbulizer plate 14
may be
referred to as a shim plate, and it has a central planar portion 40 and a
peripheral
edge portion 42. Flow augmentation projections in the form of undulating
passageways 44 are formed in central planar portion 40 and are located on one
side only of central planar portion 40, as seen best in Figure 4. This
provides
turbulizer plate 14 with a flat top surface 45 to engage the underside of end
plate
12. Openings 46, 48 are located at the respective ends of undulating passages
44
to allow fluid to flow longitudinally through the undulating passageways 44
between top or end plate 12 and turbulizer 14. A central longitudinal rib 49,
(see
Figure 4), which appears as a groove 50 in Figure 3, is provided to engage the
core plate 16 below it as seen in Figure 1. Turbulizer plate 14 is also
provided
with dimples 52, which also extend downwardly to engage core plate 16 below
turbulizer 14. Openings or fluid ports 54 and 56 are also provided in
turbulizer
shim plate 14 to register with fluid ports 84, 85 in core plate 16 and also
openings 28,30 in end plate 12 to allow fluid to flow transversely through
turbulizer plate 14. Corner arcuate dimples 58 are also provided in turbulizer
plate 14 to help locate turbulizer plate 14 in the assembly of heat exchanger
10.
If desired, arcuate dimples 58 could be provided at all four corners of
turbulizer
plate 14, but only two are shown in Figures 1 to 3. These arcuate dimples also
strengthen the corners of heat exchanger 10.
Referring next to Figures 1 and 5 to 7, heat exchanger 10 includes
turbulizers 60 and 62 located between respective plates 16 and 18 and 18 and
20.
Turbulizers 60 and 62 are formed of expanded metal, namely, aluminum, either
by roll forming or a stamping operation. Staggered or offset transverse rows
of
convolutions 64 are provided in turbulizers 60, 62. The convolutions have flat
tops 66 to provide good bonds with core plates 14, 16 and 18, although they
could have round tops, or be in a sine wave configuration, if desired. Any
type
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7
of turbulizer can be used in the present invention. As seen best in Figures 5
to 7,
part of one of the transverse rows of convolutions 64 is compressed or roll
formed or crimped together to form transverse crimped portions 68 and 69. For
the purposes of this disclosure, the term crimped is intended to include
crimping,
stamping or roll forming, or any other method of closing up the convolutions
in
the turbulizers. Crimped portions 68, 69 reduces short-circuit flow inside the
core plates, as will be discussed further below. It will be noted that only
turbulizers 62 have crimped portions 68,. Turbulizers 60 do not have such
crimped portions.
As seen best in Figure 1, turbulizers 60 are orientated so that the
transverse rows of convolutions 64 are arranged transversely to the
longitudinal
direction of core plates 16 and 18. This is referred to as a high pressure
drop
arrangement. In contrast, in the case of turbulizer 62, the transverse rows of
convolutions 64 are located in the same direction as the longitudinal
direction of
core plates 18 and 20. This is referred to as the low pressure drop direction
for
turbulizer 62, because there is less flow resistance for fluid to flow through
the
convolutions in the same direction as row 64, as there is for the flow to try
to
flow through the row 64, as is the case with turbulizers 60.
Referring next to Figures 1 and 8 to 1 l, core plates 16, 18, 20 and 22 will
now be described in detail. All of these core plates are identical, but in the
assembly of heat exchanger 10, alternating core plates are turned upside down.
Figure 8 is a plan view of core plates 16 and 20, and Figure 9 is a plan view
of
core plates 18 and 22. Actually, Figure 9 shows the back or underside of the
plate of Figure 8. Where heat exchanger 10 is used to cool oil using coolant
such as water, for example, Figure 8 would be referred to as the water side of
the
core plate and Figure 9 would be referred to as the oil side of the core
plate.
Core plates 16 through 22 each have a planar central portion 70 and a first
pair of spaced-apart bosses 72, 74 extending from one side of the planar
central
portion 70, namely the water side as seen in Figure 8. A second pair of spaced-
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apart bosses 76, 78 extends from the opposite side of planar central portion
70,
namely the oil side as seen in Figure 9. The bosses 72 through 78 each have an
inner peripheral edge portion 80, and an outer peripheral edge portion 82. The
inner and outer peripheral edge portions 80, 82 define openings or fluid ports
84,
85, 86 and 87. A continuous peripheral ridge 88 (see Figure 9) encircles the
inner peripheral edge portions 80 of at least the first pair of bosses 72, 74,
but
usually continuous ridge 88 encircles all four bosses 72,74, 76 and 78 as
shown
in Figure 9. Continuous ridge 88 extends from planar central portion 70 in the
same direction and equidistantly with the outer peripheral edge portions 82 of
the second pair of bosses 76, 78.
Each of the core plate 16 to 22 also includes a raised peripheral flange 90
which extends from planar central portion 70 in the same direction and
equidistantly with the outer peripheral edge portions 82 of the first pair of
bosses
72, 74.
As seen in Figure 1, core plates 16 and 18 are juxtaposed so that
continuous ridges 88 are engaged to define a first fluid chamber between the
respective plate planar central portions 70 bounded by the engaged continuous
ridges 88. In other words, plates 16, 18 are positioned back-to-back with the
oil
sides of the respective plates facing each other for the flow of a first
fluid, such
as oil, between the plates. In this configuration, the outer peripheral edge
portions 82 of the second pair of spaced-apart bosses 76,78 are engaged, with
the
respective fluid ports 85,84 and 84,85 in communication. Similarly, core
plates
18 and 20 are juxtaposed so that their respective peripheral flanges 90 are
engaged also to define a first fluid chamber between the planar central
portions
of the plates and their respective engaged peripheral flanges 90. In this
configuration, the outer peripheral edge portions 82 of the first pair of
spaced-
apart bosses 72,74 are engaged, with the respective fluid ports 87,86 and
86,87
being in communication. For the purposes of this disclosure, when two core
plates are put together to form a plate pair defining a first fluid chamber
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9
therebetween, and a third plate is placed in juxtaposition with this plate
pair,
then the third plate defines a second fluid chamber between the third plate
and
the adjacent plate pair.
Referring in particular to Figure 8, a T-shaped rib 92 is formed in the
planar central portion 70. The height of rib 92 is equal to the height of
peripheral
flange 90. The head 94 of the T is located adjacent to the peripheral edge of
the
plate running behind bosses 76 and 78, and the stem 96 of the T extends
longitudinally or inwardly between the second pair of spaced-apart bosses 76,
78. This T-shaped rib 92 engages the mating rib 92 on the adjacent plate and
forms a barrier to prevent short-circuit flow between the inner peripheral
edges
80 of the respective bosses 76 and 78. It will be appreciated that the
continuous
peripheral ridge 88 as seen in Figure 9 also produces a continuous peripheral
groove 98 as seen in Figure 8. The T-shaped rib 92 prevents fluid from flowing
from fluid ports 84 and 85 directly into the continuous groove 98 causing a
short-circuit. It will be appreciated that the T-shaped rib 92 as seen in
Figure 8
also forms a complimentary T-shaped groove 100 as seen in Figure 9. The T-
shaped groove 100 is located between and around the outer peripheral edge
portions 82 of bosses 76, 78, and this promotes the flow of fluid between and
around the backside of these bosses, thus improving the heat exchange
performance of heat exchanger 10.
In Figure 9, the location of turbulizers 60 is indicated by chain dotted
lines 102. In Figure 8, the chain dotted lines 104 represent turbulizer 62.
Turbulizer 62 could be formed of two side-by-side turbulizer portions or
segments, rather than the single turbulizer as indicated in Figures 1 and 5 to
7. In
Figure 8, the turbulizer crimped portions 68 and 69 are indicated by the chain-
dotted lines 105. These crimped portions 68 and 69 are located adjacent to the
stem 96 of T-shaped rib 92 and also the inner edge portions 80 of bosses 76
and
78, to reduce short-circuit flow between bosses 76 and 78 around rib 96. The
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short edges or end portions of the turbulizer could be crimped as well, if
desired,
to help reduce short-circuit flow through the continuous peripheral grooves
98.
Core plates 16 to 22 also have another barrier located between the first
pair of spaced-apart bosses 72 and 74. This barrier is formed by a rib 106 as
seen
5 in Figure 9 and a complimentary groove 108 as seen in Figure 8. Rib 106
prevents short-circuit flow between fluid ports 86 and 87 and again, the
complimentary groove 108 on the water side of the core plates promotes flow
between, around and behind the raised bosses 72 and 74 as seen in Figure 8. It
will be appreciated that the height of rib 106 is equal to the height of
continuous
10 ridge 88 and also the outer peripheral edge portions 82 of bosses 76 and
78.
Similarly the height of the T-shaped rib or barrier 92 is equal to the height
of
peripheral flange 90 and the outer peripheral edge portions 82 of bosses 72
and
74. Accordingly, when the respective plates are placed in juxtaposition, U-
shaped flow passages or chambers are formed between the plates. On the water
side of the core plates (Figure 8), this U-shaped flow passage is bounded by T-
shaped rib 92, crimped portions 68 and 69 of turbulizer 62, and peripheral
flange
90. On the oil side of the core plates (Figure 9), this U-shaped flow passage
is
bounded by rib 106 and continuous peripheral ridge 88.
Referring once again to Figure 1, heat exchanger 10 is assembled by
placing turbulizer shim plate 24 on top of end plate 26. The flat side of
turbulizer
shim plate 24 goes against end plate 26, and thus undulating passageways 44
extend above central planar portion 40 allowing fluid to flow on both sides of
plate 24 through undulating passageways 44 only. Core plate 22 is placed
overtop shim plate 24. As seen in Figure 1, the water side (Figure 8) of core
plate 22 faces downwardly, so that bosses 72, 74 project downwardly as well,
into engagement with the peripheral edges of openings 54 and 56. As a result,
fluid flowing through openings 36 and 38 of end plate 26 pass through
turbulizer
openings 54, 56 and bosses 72, 74 to the upper or oil side of core plate 22.
Fluid
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11
flowing through fluid ports 84 and 85 of core plate 22 would flow downwardly
and through the undulating passageways 44 of turbulizer plate 24. This flow
would be in a U-shaped direction, because rib 48 in turbulizer plate 24 covers
or
blocks longitudinal groove 108 in core plate 22, and also because the outer
peripheral edge portions of bosses 72, 74 are sealed against the peripheral
edges
of turbulizer openings 54 and 56, so the flow has to go around or past bosses
72,74. Further core plates are stacked on top of core plate 22, first back-to-
back
as is the case with core plate 20 and then face-to-face as is the case with
core
plate 18 and so on. Only four core plates are shown in Figure l, but of
course,
any number of core plates could be used in heat exchanger 10, as desired.
At the top of heat exchanger 10, the flat side of turbulizer shim plate 14
beaxs against the underside of end plate 12. The water side of core plate 16
bears
against shim plate 14. The peripheral edge portion 42 of turbulizer shim plate
14
is coterminous with peripheral flange 90 of core plate 14 and the peripheral
edges of end plate 12, so fluid flowing through openings 28,30 has to pass
transversely through openings 54,56 of turbulizer shim plate 14 to the water
side
of core plate 16. Rib 48 of shim plate 14 covers or blocks groove 108 in core
plate 14. From this, it will be apparent that fluid, such as water, entering
opening 28 of end plate 12 would travel between turbulizer shim plate 14 and
core plate 16 in a U-shaped fashion through the undulating passageways 44 of
turbulizer shim plate 14, to pass up through opening 30 in end plate 12. Fluid
flowing into opening 28 also passes downwardly through fluid ports 84 and 85
of respective core plates 16,18 to the U-shaped fluid chamber between core
plates 18 and 20. The fluid then flows upwardly through fluid ports 84 and 85
of
respective core plates 18 and 16, because the respective bosses defining ports
84
and 85 are engaged back-to-back. This upward flow then joins the fluid flowing
through opening 56 to emerge from opening 30 in end plate 12. From this it
will
be seen that one fluid, such as coolant or water, passing through the openings
28
or 30 in end plate 12 travels through every other water side U-shaped flow
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12
passage or chamber between the stacked plates. The other fluid, such as oil,
passing through openings 36 and 38 of end plate 26 flows through every other
oil side U-shaped passage in the stacked plates that does not have the first
fluid
passing through it.
Figure 1 also illustrates that in addition to having the turbulizers 60 and
62 orientated differently, the turbulizers can be eliminated altogether, as
indicated between core plates 20 and 22. Turbulizer shim plates 14, 24 could
also replace turbulizers 60 or 62, but the height or thickness of turbulizer
60, 62
is twice that of turbulizer shim plates 14, 24, because the spacing between
the
central planar portions 70 and the adjacent end plates 12 or 26 is half as
high the
spacing between central planar portions 70 of the juxtaposed core plates 16 to
22. Accordingly, two back-to-back shim plates 14 or 24 can be used in place of
either of the turbulizers 60 or 62.
Referring again to Figures 8 and 9, planar central portions 70 are also
formed with further barriers 110 having ribs 112 on the water side of planar
central portions 70 and complimentary grooves 114 on the other or oil side of
central planar portions 70. The ribs 112 help to reduce bypass flow by helping
to
prevent fluid from passing into the continuous peripheral grooves 98, and the
grooves 114 promote flow on the oil side of the plates by encouraging the
fluid
to flow into the corners of the plates. Ribs 112 also perform a strengthening
function by being joined to mating ribs on the adjacent or juxtaposed plate.
Dimples 116 are also provided in planar central portions 70 to engage mating
dimples on juxtaposed plates for strengthening purposes.
Referring next to Figures 12 and 13, another preferred embodiment of a
turbulizer shim plate 117 according to the present invention is shown. In the
embodiment of Figures 12 to 13, the same reference numerals are used to
indicate components or portions of the shim plates that are similar to those
of the
embodiment of Figures 3 and 4. Shim plate 117 has a central expanded metal
turbulizer portion 119 wherein the convolutions are orientated transversely to
the
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13
direction of fluid flow in the adjacent core plate. It will be noted that
crimped
portions 68, 69 of turbulizer portion 119 are equivalent to rib 49 of Figures
3 and
4 to act as a barrier to prevent fluid from bypassing transversely or taking a
short
cut between fluid ports 54, 56.
Figures 14 and 15 show another embodiment of a turbulizer shim plate
121 which is similar to shim plate 117 of Figures 12 and 13, except that the
flow
augmentation expanded metal convolutions in turbulizer portions 123 and 125
are orientated parallel to the direction of fluid flow in the adjacent core
plate. In
shim plate 121, the central rib and groove 50 is also provided to help prevent
transverse short circuit flow like in the Figure 3 embodiment, and of course
turbulizer portions 123, 125 do not have crimped portions 68, 69 as in Figure
12.
Figure 16 and 17 show yet another embodiment of a turbulizer shim plate
127 which is similar to shim plate 14 shown in Figure 3, except that the flow
augmentation projections in central planar portion 40 are in the form of
spaced-
apart dimples 131. Turbulizer shim plate 127 also has a second pair of
optional
openings or fluid ports 54, 56, so that each pair of fluid ports 54, 56 is in
registration with a respective pair of fluid ports 84, 85 or 86,87 in the
adjacent
core plate. Any of the turbulizer shim plates described herein can have one or
two pairs of fluid ports 54, 56.
Referring once again to Figure 1, turbulizer shim plates 14, 24 are shown
engaging respective core plates 14, 22, but turbulizer shim plates 14, 24,
117,
121 and 127 could also be used inside a pair of core plates, for example, in
place
of turbulizers 60 or 62. A single shim plate could be used in this case, or
back-
to-back shim plates could be located between the plates of respective pairs of
core plates. For the purposes of this disclosure, any of the turbulizer shim
plates
could be considered to engage or be located between respective pairs of the
first,
second or third core plates in a basic stack of core plates. In all of the
turbulizer
shim plates described above, the shim plate projections 44, 119, 123 or 131
are
CA 02298009 2000-02-04
14
of a height that is equal to the height of the respective continuous ridges or
raised peripheral flanges of the adjacent core plate that the shim plate
engages.
Referring next to Figures 18 and 19, another embodiment of a core plate
is shown where the bosses of the first pair of spaced-apart bosses 72, 74 are
diametrically opposed and located adjacent to the continuous peripheral ridge
88. The bosses of the second pair of spaced-apart bosses 76, 78 are
respectively
located adjacent to the bosses 74, 72 of the first pair of spaced-apart
bosses.
Bosses 72 and 78 form a pair of associated input and output bosses, and the
bosses 74 and 76 form a pair of associated input and output bosses. Oil-side
barriers in the form of ribs 158 and 160 reduce the likelihood of short
circuit oil
flow between fluid ports 86 and 87. As seen best in Figure 18, ribs 158, 160
run
tangentially from respective bosses 76, 78 into continuous ridge 88, and the
heights of bosses 76, 78, ribs 158, 160 and continuous ridge 88 are all the
same.
The ribs or barriers 158, 160 are located between the respective pairs of
associated input and output bosses 74, 76 and 72, 78. Actually, barriers or
ribs
158, 160 can be considered to be spaced-apart barrier segments located
adjacent
to the respective associated input and output bosses. Also, the barrier ribs
158,
160 extend from the plate central planar portions in the same direction and
equidistantly with the continuous ridge 88 and the outer peripheral edge
portions
82 of the second pair of spaced-apart bosses 76, 78.
A plurality of spaced-apart dimples 162 and 164 are formed in the plate
planar central portions 70 and extend equidistantly with continuous ridge 88
on
the oil side of the plates and raised peripheral flange 90 on the water side
of the
plates. The dimples 162, 164 are located to be in registration in juxtaposed
first
and second plates, and are thus joined together to strengthen the plate pairs,
but
dimples 162 also function to create flow augmentation between the plates on
the
oil side (Figure 18) of the plate pairs. It will be noted that most of the
dimples
162, 164 are located between the barrier segments or ribs 158, 160 and the
continuous ridge 88. This permits a turbulizer, such as turbulizer 60 of the
CA 02298009 2000-02-04
IS
Figure 1 embodiment, to inserted between the plates as indicated by the chain-
dotted line 166 in Figure 18. However, any of the turbulizer shim plates 14,
24,
117, 121 or 127 could be used with this embodiment with suitable modifications
to make the turbulizer shim plates circular to match the core plates.
On the water side of plates 154, 156 as seen in Figure 21, a barrier rib
168 is located in the centre of the plates and is of the same height as the
first pair
of spaced-apart bosses 72, 74. Barrier rib 168 reduces short circuit flow
between
fluid ports 84 and 85. The ribs 168 are also joined together in the mating
plates
to perform a strengthening function.
Barrier ribs 158, 160 have complimentary grooves 170, 172 on the
opposite or water sides of the plates, and these grooves 170, 172 promote flow
to
and from the peripheral edges of the plates to improve the flow distribution
on
the water side of the plates. Similarly, central rib 168 has a complimentary
groove 174 on the oil side of the plates to encourage fluid to flow toward the
periphery of the plates.
Referring next to Figures 20 to 23, yet another embodiment of a self
enclosing heat exchanger will now be described. In this embodiment, a
plurality
of elongate flow directing ribs are formed in the plate planar central
portions to
prevent short-circuit flow between the respective ports in the pairs of spaced-
apart bosses. In Figures 20 to 23, the same reference numerals are used to
indicate parts and components that are functionally equivalent to the
embodiments described above.
Figure 20 shows a core plate 212 that is similar to core plates 16, 20 of
Figure l, and Figure 21 shows a core plate 214 that is similar to core plates
18,
22 of Figure 1. In core plate 212, the barrier rib between the second pair of
spaced-apart bosses 76, 78 is more like a U-shaped rib 216 that encircles
bosses
76, 78, but it does have a central portion or branch 218 that extends between
the
second pair of spaced-apart bosses 76, 78. The U-shaped portion of rib 216 has
CA 02298009 2000-02-04
16
distal branches 220 and 222 that have respective spaced-apart rib segments
224,
226 and 228, 230 and 232. The distal branches 220 and 222, including their
respective rib segments 224, 226 and 228, 230 and 232 extend along and
adjacent to the continuous peripheral groove 98. Central branch or portion 218
includes a bifurcated extension formed of spaced-apart segments 234, 236, 238
and 240. It will be noted that all of the rib segments 224 through 240 are
asymmetrically positioned or staggered in the plates, so that in juxtaposed
plates
having the respective raised peripheral flanges 90 engaged, the rib segments
form half height overlapping ribs to reduce bypass or short-circuit flow into
the
continuous peripheral groove 98 or the central longitudinal groove 108. It
will
also be noted that there is a space 241 between rib segment 234 and branch
218.
This space 241 allows some flow therethrough to prevent stagnation which
otherwise may occur at this location. As in the case of the previously
embodiments, the U-shaped rib 216 forms a complimentary groove 242 on the
oil side of the plates as seen in Figure 21. This groove 242 promotes the flow
of
fluid between, around and behind bosses 76, 78 to improve the efficiency of
the
heat exchanger formed by plates 212, 214. The oil side of the plates can also
be
provided with turbulizers as indicated by chain-dotted lines 244, 246 in
Figure
21. These turbulizers preferably will be the same as turbulizers 60 in the
embodiment of Figure 1. However, as is the case with the previous
embodiments, any of the turbulizer shim plates 14, 24,117,121 or 127 could be
used with this embodiment with suitable modifications to make the turbulizer
shim plates fit the rectangular configuration of this embodiment. It is also
possible to make the bifurcated extension of central branch 218 so that the
forks
consisting of respective rib segments 234, 236 and 238, 240 diverge. This
would
be a way to adjust the flow distribution or flow velocities across the plates
and
achieve uniform velocity distribution inside the plates.
In the above description, for the purposes of clarification, the terms oil
side and water side have been used to describe the respective sides of the
various
CA 02298009 2000-02-04
17
core plates. It will be understood that the heat exchangers of the present
invention are not limited to the use of fluids such as oil or water. Any
fluids can
be used in the heat exchangers of the present invention. Also, the
configuration
or direction of flow inside the plate pairs can be chosen in any way desired
simply by choosing which of the fluid flow ports 84 to 87 will be inlet or
input
ports and which will be outlet or output ports.
Having described preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be
appreciated that various modifications may be made to the structures described
above. For example, the heat exchangers can be made in any shape desired.
Although the heat exchangers have been described from the point of view of
handling two heat transfer fluids, it will be appreciated that more than two
fluids
can be accommodated simply by nesting or expanding around the described
structures using principles similar to those described above. Further, some of
the
features of the individual embodiments described above can be mixed and
matched and used in the other embodiments as will be appreciated by those
skilled in the art.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing
disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of
this
invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the
scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance
defined by the following claims.
