A HEAT- AND/OR MOISTURE-EXCHANGE ELEMENT

ELEMENT D'ECHANGE DE CHALEUR ET/OU D'HUMIDITE

English Abstract

The invention relates to a heat and/or moisture exchange element, such as a heat and/or moisture exchange plate for plate heat and/or moisture exchangers, a storage mass layer for rotation heat and/or moisture exchangers and the like, wherein a greater and more precisely adjustable efficiency in transferring thermal energy and/or moisture is enabled without noticeable increase to the technical design complexity for production. According to the invention, the heat and/or moisture exchange element is designed from a structure penetrated by a plurality of hollow points and designed to be selectively permeable to water and water vapor and/or capable of storage.

French Abstract

Élément d'échange de chaleur et/ou d'humidité, par ex. plaque d'échange de chaleur et/ou d'humidité pour échangeur de chaleur et/ou d'humidité à plaques, couche de matériau d'accumulation pour échangeur de chaleur et/ou d'humidité à rotation, et analogue. L'invention vise à créer un élément qui, sans augmentation notable de la complexité de conception et de fabrication, doit permettre un rendement accru et pouvant être réglé plus précisément lors du transfert d'énergie thermique et/ou de l'humidité. A cet effet, l'élément d'échange de chaleur et/ou d'humidité présente une structure dans laquelle une pluralité de vides a été ménagée et il est conçu pour sélectivement être perméable à l'eau ou à la vapeur d'eau ou bien pour accumuler l'eau ou la vapeur d'eau.

Claims

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CLAIMS
1. A heat- and/or moisture-exchange element, e.g. a heat-
and/or moisture-exchange plate for plate heat- and/or
moisture exchangers, a storage-mass layer for rotary heat-
and/or moisture exchangers, and the like, characterized in
that the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element is con-
structed from a structure perforated by a plurality of
hollow spaces and is designed to be selectively permeable to
and/or capable of storing water or water vapor.
2. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 1, sintered from a suitable material.
3. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 1 or 2, designed to be selectively permeable to water
or water vapor by means of a suitable polymeric material.
4. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 3, having a layer made of the suitable polymeric
material.
5. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 3, impregnated in a layered region with the suitable
polymeric material.
6. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 2 to 5, in which a suitable metal, plastic, or
ceramic material is provided as a suitable material.

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7. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 1 to 5, into which a drying agent, e.g. lithium
chloride, silica gel, zeolite, or the like, is inserted.
8. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 6 or 7, made of a polyolefin.
9. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 6 to 8, made of a sinterable polyolefin.
10. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 9, made of a medium-molecular-weight polyolefin.
11. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 6 to 10, made of a polyethylene.
12. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 11, sintered from a medium-molecular-weight
polyethylene powder.
13. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 6 to 10, made of a polypropylene.
14. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 6 or 7, made of a polyvinyl chloride.
15. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 6 or 7, made of metal compounds, particularly metal
oxides and metal carbides.

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16. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 1 through 15 that can be adjusted hydrophilically
after its structure is produced.
17. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 1 to 15 that can be adjusted hydrophilically
during production of its structure.
18. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 1 to 15, the raw material of which can be adjusted
hydrophilically before its structure is produced.
19. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 16 in which hydrophilic adjustment is accomplished by
means of a dipping bath, a spraying process, an application,
and/or input of suitable materials, e.g. of surfactants.
20. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 2, sintered from a mixture that contains the medium-
molecular-weight polyethylene powder and an additive that
causes a hydrophilic adjustment of the heat- and/or
moisture-exchange element.
21. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
one of claims 6 through 12, in which Hostalen® GHR 8110 is
provided as a plastic.
22. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 20 or 21, in which Hostapur® SAS 60F is provided
as the material causing the hydrophilic adjustment.

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23. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 2 to 22, the sintered material matrix of which has
a density of about 0.5 0.1 g/cm3, preferably 0.507 to
0.522, especially 0.517 g/cm3.
24. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 2 to 23, the sintered material matrix of which has
a proportion of pores from 34 to 44%, preferably 38.6 to
40.1%, especially 39.1%, by volume.
25. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 2 to 24, the sintered material matrix of which has
an average pore diameter of 25 to 35 µm, preferably 30 µm.
26. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 2 to 25, the sintered material matrix of which has
a tensile strength that is greater than 2.0 N/mm2 and
preferably amounts to 2.2 to 2,70, especially 2.45 N/mm2.
27. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 1 to 26 having an outer three-dimensional
structure, e.g. the outer three-dimensional structure of a
heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for counterflow heat
and/or moisture exchangers or a corrugated storage-mass
layer, for example, for a rotary heat and/or moisture
exchanger, into which it is brought by means of a suitable
forming process, e.g. a deep-drawing process under vacuum or
with compressed air, form-sintering, stamping, or in the
case of a metal material, cold stamping.
28. A counterflow heat- and/or moisture exchanger, constructed

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from a plurality of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
elements according to one of claims 1 to 27.
29. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 1 having a base part that forms an openwork structure
and a filler that is introduced into the hollow spaces of
the openwork structure.
30. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 29 in which the structure of the base part, perforated
by a plurality of hollow spaces, is formed from a fabric,
e.g. made of metal threads, from a non-woven fabric, e.g.
made of metal fibers, from a knit, from fine threads, or
from a sintered material.
31. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 29 having a base part constructed as a lattice
structure.
32. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 31, the lattice structure of the base part thereof
being constructed from a suitable metal material.
33. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 31, the lattice structure of the base part thereof
being constructed from a suitable plastic.
34. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 31 or 32, the lattice structure of the base part
thereof being constructed from metal wires.

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35. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 31 to 33, the base part of which is constructed
from at least one lattice mesh.
36. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 35, in which the hollow spaces of adjacent lattice
meshes are staggered in relation to one another.
37. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 29 to 36, the filler of which is a suitable
polymeric material.
38. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 37, whose base part constructed of the openwork
structure is impregnated with the polymeric material.
39. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to
claim 37 or 38 having a suitable Nexar®-polymer material
from the Kraton company as a polymeric material, which
element can be quasi-arbitrarily adjusted with regard to its
permeability to water, for example, and preferably exhibits
high wet strength.
40. The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to one
of claims 29 to 39 having a outer three-dimensional
structure, e.g. the outer three-dimensional structure of a
heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for counterflow heat
and/ or moisture exchangers or a corrugated storage-mass
layer, for example, of a rotary heat and/or moisture
exchanger, into which it is brought by means of a suitable
forming process, e.g. stamping.

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41. A counterflow heat and/or moisture exchanger constructed
from a plurality of heat- and/or moisture-exchange elements
according to one of claims 29 through 40.
42. A method for manufacturing a heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element according to claim 41, in which the forming process,
e.g. stamping, for making the outer three-dimensional
structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element is
carried out before the filler is introduced into the base
part of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element.
43. The method for manufacturing a heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element according to claim 41, in which the forming
process, e.g. stamping, for making the outer three-
dimensional structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element is carried out after the filler is introduced into
the base part of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element.

Description

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A Heat- and/or Moisture-Exchange Element
The invention concerns a heat- and/or moisture-exchange element,
e.g. a heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for plate heat
and/or moisture exchangers, a storage-mass layer for rotary
heat- and/or moisture exchangers, and the like.
Such exchange elements known in the prior art are usually
constructed from a suitable material which, if the exchange
element is provided for a rotary heat- and/or moisture
exchanger, is provided with a coating on one or both opposing
surfaces that are exposed to the fluid flows, wherein this
coating is adapted to the respectively set requirements profile
and if the exchange element is constructed as a heat- and/or
a5 moisture-exchange plate for plate heat- and/or moisture
exchangers, is either, for moisture transfer, designed as a
membrane or is, insofar as heat is going to be transferred
exclusively, provided as a volume. A metallic substance, e.g.
aluminum, or a plastic material comparable to a metal material
with respect to the properties that are required based on the
technical specialty area here, is usually provided as the
material for the base element of the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element.
Proceeding from the prior art described above, the invention is
based on the task of creating a heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element, e.g. a heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for plate
heat and/or moisture exchangers, a storage-mass layer for rotary
heat and/or moisture exchangers, and the like, which, without
noticeably increasing the engineering expense of construction

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for manufacturing it, allows greater and more precisely adjustable
efficiency in the transfer of thermal energy and/or moisture. In
particular, a heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate will be
mechanically stable and yet permeable to moisture.
This problem is solved according to the invention by the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element being constructed from a
structure perforated by a plurality of hollow spaces and
designed to be selectively permeable to water or water vapor
and/or storage-capable. The mechanical requirements set, and in
this regard the thermal stability, of the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange elements can be considered here on a scale not known to
date. Depending on the engineering requirements mentioned, the
material matrix of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
-15 can be produced with the properties desired.
The different
properties and requirements for the transfer of thermal energy
and/or moisture at the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
can be considered during the manufacture of the structure.
Advantageously, the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
according to the invention is sintered from a suitable material.
Depending on the requirement profile for the material matrix or
the structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element, an
appropriate suitable material can be selected and/or worked out.
The selective permeability to water or water vapor of the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element according to the invention can
be achieved by means of a suitable polymeric material.
Advantageously, the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element

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according to the invention can have a layer made of this
polymeric material. Alternatively, it is possible for the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element to be impregnated with the
suitable polymeric material in a layer region.
A suitable metal, plastic, or ceramic material can be provided
as a suitable material for the material matrix or the structure
perforated by a plurality of hollow spaces.
The moisture-storage capacity of the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element can be achieved by means of a drying agent,
e.g. by means of lithium chloride, silica gel, zeolite, or the
like, which is inserted into the material matrix or into the
structure perforated by a plurality of hollow spaces.
The material matrix can be made of a polyolefin, particularly of
a sinterable polyolefin.
It has proven to be especially advantageous for the material
matrix or the structure perforated by a plurality of hollow
spaces to be made of a medium-molecular-weight polyolefin.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the heat- and/or
moisture-exchange element according to the invention, its
structure perforated by a plurality of hollow spaces can be made
of a polyethylene. A sintered material matrix made of a medium-
molecular-weight polyethylene powder has proven to be especially
advantageous.
It is also possible to make the material matrix of the heat-

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a nd / o r moisture-exchange element out of polypropylene or
polyvinyl chloride.
Alternatively, metal compounds, particularly metal oxides and
metal carbides, are not out of the question, as a material for
the material matrix of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element.
The heat- and/or moisture- exchange element can, after, during,
or before establishing its structure, be hydrophilically
adjusted, in which, when producing the hydrophilic adjustment
prior to establishing its structure, the raw material needed to
produce its structure is already adjusted to be hydrophilic.
-15 After, during or before production of the structure of the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element said element can be
hydrophilically adjusted, wherein the raw materials required for
production of said structure are hydrophilically adjusted
already during the hydrophilic adjustment that precedes the
production of the structure of said element.
The hydrophilic adjustment of the already-manufactured material
matrix or structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element according to the invention can be accomplished by means
of a dipping bath, a spraying process, an application, and/or an
input of suitable materials, e.g. of surfactants.
As an especially suitable plastic for making the material matrix
or the structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
according to the invention,
a medium-molecular-weight

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polyethylene powder has been particularly emphasized, which
powder is preferably loaded before sintering with an additive
that causes hydrophilic adjustment of the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element.
As a plastic, the plastic Hostalen GHR 8110 in particular can
be provided, and the material Hostapur0 SAS 60F for the material
providing the hydrophilic adjustment.
Appropriately, the sintered material matrix of the heat- and/or
moisture-exchange element has a density of about 0.5 0.1 g/cm3,
preferably of 0.507 to 0.522, and especially of 0.517 g/cm3. The
proportion of pores in the sintered material matrix amounts,
according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, to
about 34 to 44%, preferably 38.6 to 40.1%, and especially 39.1%,
by volume. In addition, the sintered material matrix
advantageously exhibits an average pore diameter of 25 to 35 pm,
preferably 30 pm.
The tensile strength of the sintered material matrix is
preferably greater than 2.0 N/mm2 and preferably lies between
2.22 to 2.70, particularly 2.45 N/mm2.
In order to be able to use the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element in a simple manner for assembling counterflow heat-
and/or moisture exchangers, for example, or rotary heat- and/or
moisture exchangers, this heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
appropriately exhibits a outer three-dimensional structure, e.g.
the outer three-dimensional structure of a heat- and/or

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moisture-exchange plate for counterflow heat- and/or moisture
exchangers or the outer three-dimensional structure of a
corrugated storage-mass layer, for example, of a rotary heat
and/or moisture exchanger, into which the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element can be brought by means of a suitable forming
process, e.g. a deep-drawing process under vacuum or with
compressed air, form-sintering, stamping, or in the case of a
metal material, cold stamping.
The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to the
invention or the heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate according
to the invention can be advantageously used for a counterflow
heat and/or moisture exchanger.
-15 If the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element has a base part
that forms an openwork structure and a filler that is introduced
into the hollow spaces of the openwork structure of the base
part, the mechanical requirements set and those relating to the
thermal stability of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
can be taken into consideration using an appropriate design of
the base part.
Depending on the engineering requirements
mentioned, the base part can be constructed with respect to
material and design of the openwork structure.
The different
properties and requirements for the transfer of thermal energy
and/or moisture at the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
can be met by the choice of a suitable filler.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the heat- and/or
moisture-exchange element according to the invention, the
structure of the base part perforated by a plurality of hollow

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spaces is formed by a fabric, e.g. made of metal threads; a non-
woven fabric, e.g. made of metal fibers; a knit, fine threads,
or a sintered material.
Alternatively, it is possible to design the base part of the
heat- and/or moisture-exchange element as a lattice structure.
Such lattice structures can be made with high quality and in
identical design at a comparatively low engineering-construction
expense. The lattice structure of the base part can, for
example, be constructed from a suitable metal material or a
suitable plastic.
It is possible to construct a lattice structure for the base
part out of metal wires.
The base part can also be constructed from at least one lattice
mesh.
If several lattice meshes are provided, it is possible to
arrange the hollow spaces of the adjacent lattice meshes
staggered in relation to one another resulting in altered
perforations in the base part with respect to their flow cross-
section.
A suitable polymeric material has proven to be especially
advantageous as a filler.
Such a polymeric material can fill in the hollow spaces of the
openwork structure of the base part, impregnating the base part
with this polymeric material, at comparatively low process-

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engineering expense.
A suitable Nexar0-polymer material from the firm of Kraton can
be provided in particular as a polymeric material, which can be
adjusted with regard to its permeability to water, for example,
and which in addition preferably exhibits a high wet strength.
In order to be able to use the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element according to the invention in a simple manner for
assembling counterflow heat and/or moisture exchangers or rotary
heat and/or moisture exchangers, this heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element appropriately exhibits an outer three-
dimensional structure, e.g. the outer three-dimensional
structure of a heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for
counterflow heat and/or moisture exchangers or the outer three-
dimensional structure of a corrugated storage-mass layer, for
example, of a rotary heat and/or moisture exchanger, into which
the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element can be brought by
means of a suitable forming process, e.g. by means of stamping.
The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to the
invention or the heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate according
to the invention can be used advantageously for a counterflow
heat and/or moisture exchanger.
In a first embodiment of a method for manufacturing a heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element according to the invention, the
forming process, e.g. stamping, for producing the outer three-
dimensional structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange
element occurs before the filler, e.g. the suitable polymeric

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ma terial, is introduced into the base part of the heat- and/or
moisture-exchange element.
Alternatively, it is possible to carry out the forming process
or the stamping for producing the outer three-dimensional
structure of the heat- and/or moisture-exchange element after
the filler, e.g. the suitable polymeric material, has been
introduced into the base part of the heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element.
In the following, the invention is explained in detail using
embodiment examples.
A heat- and/or moisture-exchange element according to the
invention, which can serve as a heat- and/or moisture-exchange
plate for a plate heat and/or moisture exchanger, particularly a
counterflow heat and/or moisture exchanger, or as a storage-mass
layer for a rotary heat and/or moisture exchanger, is
constructed from a structure perforated by a plurality of hollow
spaces and sintered from a plastic.
A mixture of a medium-molecular-weight polyethylene powder
serves as the starting material for the sintering process.
A
material that will cause a hydrophilic adjustment of the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element is mixed with this medium-
molecular-weight polyethylene powder.
The plastic Hostalen0 GHR 8110, for example, can be used as the
medium-molecular-weight polyethylene powder, and in particular
the material Hostapur SAS 60F as the material causing the

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hydrophilic adjustment.
The material matrix of the sintered heat- and/or moisture-
exchange element has a density that lies between 0.507 and 0.522
g/cm3 or is 0.517 g/cm3.
The proportion of pores in the sintered material matrix lies
between 38.6 and 40.1%, preferably 39.1%, by volume.
The average pore-diameter of the material matrix is between 25
and 35 pm, preferably about 30 pm.
The sintered material matrix has a tensile strength of 2.22 to
2.70, especially 2.45, N/mm2.
It is also possible, in a specific manner, to make three-
dimensionally formed storage-mass layers,
particularly
corrugated storage-mass layers, for rotary heat and/or moisture
exchangers out of the sintered plastic as previously described.
A further embodiment of a heat- and/or moisture-exchange element
according to the invention has a base part and a filler.
The base part is constructed as a structure perforated by a
plurality of hollow spaces. The filler is introduced into the
hollow spaces of the openwork structure.
The openwork structure of the base part can be constructed from
a fabric made of metal threads, for instance; from a non-woven
fabric made, e.g., of metal fibers; from a knit, from fine

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threads, or from a sintered material.
It is essential to the
design of the base part that it exhibit a plurality of hollow
spaces or openings with which the structure of the base part is
perforated.
The base part can accordingly also be constructed as a lattice
structure made of a suitable metal material or plastic.
The lattice structure can, for example, be formed from metal
threads.
Alternatively, the base part can have one or more lattice
meshes. Adjacent lattice meshes can be staggered with respect
to one another, so that the hollow spaces of adjacent lattice
meshes partially overlap easily.
The fluid permeability and the thermal properties of the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element are adjusted by using a
polymeric material that functions as a filler for the heat-
and/or moisture-exchange element. In
the embodiment examples
described, a suitable Nexar0-polymer material from the firm of
Kraton that can be quasi-arbitrarily adjusted in terms of its
permeability to water, for example, and that also exhibits a
high wet strength is used.
This polymeric material can be
constructed as a non-porous, selectively permeable membrane with
the already previously mentioned high wet strength.
The heat- and/or moisture-exchange element can be provided with
an outer three-dimensional structure adjusted to the specific
requirements profile, e.g. the outer three-dimensional structure

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of a heat- and/or moisture-exchange plate for a counterflow
heat- and/or moisture exchanger or the outer three-dimensional
structure of a corrugated storage-mass layer of a rotary heat-
and/or moisture exchanger.
A forming process, e.g. stamping,
can be used for this. This
stamping can be carried out by
stamping the base part before the polymeric material is
introduced into the base part. It is also possible to form the
heat- and/or moisture-exchange elementby performing the forming
process or the stamping after the base part has been impregnated
with the filler.