Apparatus

Abstract

A heat exchanger has two inlets and two outlets for two counterflow air paths through a stack plates. The plates are vacuum-formed, each having a section with zigzag walls forming multiple flow channels between adjacent plates. The edges of the plates have walls that nest with one another and are retained and sealed between ribs on two side plates. Four grilles at the inlets and outlets have bars with recesses retaining the edges of pairs of plates, the bars being separated by spaces allowing air to flow between adjacent pairs of plates and into or out of the air paths.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of plate members stacked parallel above one another to define two separate fluid flow paths between alternate pairs of adjacent plate members; and retainers for retaining said plate members with one another, wherein said retainers include a plurality of first and second surfaces facing one another, and wherein respective pairs of said plate members are retained between said first and second surfaces in scaling engagement with one another.  
     
     
         2 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said retainers have projecting ribs, wherein said first and second surfaces are provided on said projecting ribs, and wherein edges of said plates members extend between said ribs.  
     
     
         3 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said retainers include two imperforate side plates.  
     
     
         4 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said retainers includes four grille members located at inlets and outlets of the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         5 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , wherein said grille members are slidable along the plane of a face of the exchanger, wherein said grille members retain an edge of adjacent plate members in sealing engagement and retain a gap between retained pairs of plate members opening into one of said fluid flow paths.  
     
     
         6 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger has inlet and outlet faces on adjacent faces of the exchanger.  
     
     
         7 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger has inlet and outlet faces on adjacent faces of the exchanger, and wherein respective ones of said grille members on adjacent faccs are slidable towards one another to form a seal between adjacent edges of said grille members.  
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate members have a plurality of internal walls defining multiple flow channels therebetween along said plate members.  
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein said internal walls and channels on one side of said plate members have corresponding channels and walls on their opposite side.  
     
     
         10 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein said channels have a zigzag pattern.  
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate members have a spacer to retain separation between adjacent plate members over their surface.  
     
     
         12 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein said plate members have a spacer to retain separation between adjacent plate members over their surface, wherein said spacer includes a projection in a channel, and wherein an internal wall adjacent said projection is reduced so that air flow along said channels is not impeded by said projection.  
     
     
         13 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate members are vacuum formed from plastics.  
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate members are of a carbon-loaded uPVC.  
     
     
         15 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , whcrein said plate members are of a black colour.  
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said plate members have six sides, and wherein four of said sides are closed and two of said sides are open.  
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein each said plate member has a side wall along the four closed sides, and wherein side walls of adjacent plate members nest with one another.  
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein some of said side walls have an M-shape profile.  
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein each said plate member has a main section of rectangular shape and inlet and outlet sections of triangular shape at opposite ends.  
     
     
         20 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 19 , wherein said inlet and outlet sections have a plurality of ribs extending generally transverse to the direction of flow.  
     
     
         21 . A heat exchanger comprising: two inlet faces; two outlet faces; a plurality of plate members stacked parallel above one another to define two separate fluid flow paths between alternate pairs of adjacent plate members, each fluid flow path opening at a respective ones of said inlet and outlet faces; and at least one grille member slidable along the plane of a face of the exchanger, said grille member being arranged to retain. an edge of adjacent ones of said plate members as a pair in sealing engagement and arranged to retain a gap betwcen said pairs providing an opening into one of said fluid flow paths.  
     
     
         22 . A heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein said inlet and outlet faces are on adjacent faces of the exchanger, and wherein respective ones of said grille members on adjacent ones of said faces are slidable towards one another to form a seal between adjacent edges of said grille members.  
     
     
         23 . A plate member for a heat exchanger having a stack of said plate members, wherein said plate member has a main rectangular region having two parallel sides formed with walls shaped to nest with corresponding walls of adjacent plate members and having a plurality of flow channels extending generally longitudinally parallel to said parallel sides; and triangular inlet and outlet regions at opposite ends of said main region, said triangular regions each having an edge extending along one side adapted to nest with a corresponding edge of an adjacent plate member and each having an open side through which air can enter and leave from between adjacent plate members, said inlet and outlet regions being shaped to channel air to and from said flow channels.  
     
     
         24 . A heat exchanger comprising: a plurality of pjate members stacked parallel above one another to define two separate fluid flow paths between alternate pairs of adjacent plate members; two side plates having a plurality of parallel ribs between which two side edges of said plate members are retained in sealing engagement; four grilles having a plurality of parallel bars separated from one another by spaces, said bars having recesses within which edges of two adjacent plate members are received, said grilles and plate members being arranged such that air can flow from one of said grilles to another of said grilles in one direction between pairs of adjacent ones of said plate members and from a third of said grilles in an opposite direction between different pairs of adjacent ones of said plate members to a fourth of said grilles.