Plate for heat exchange and heat exchange unit

Abstract

A heat exchange plate having a pattern of irregularity is combined with the other plates to constitute a heat exchanger. The plate has main and intermediate protrusions. The main protrusions have a quadrangular pyramid shape with a top, first and second pairs of side surfaces. The first and second pairs of side surfaces face each other in the first and second directions. The main protrusions are aligned in these directions so that these pairs of surfaces of the main protrusion face the corresponding surfaces of adjacent protrusions. The intermediate protrusion is placed between adjacent main protrusions and has opposite foot portions and a head ridge placed between them. The foot portion is placed in a lowermost position at which ridgelines of the adjacent two main protrusions intersect. The head ridge is placed in a level higher than the foot portions, but lower than the top of the main protrusion.

1 . A plate for heat exchange, comprising a metallic plate member having a predetermined pattern of irregularity, said plate member being combined with at least one other plate member so as to be in parallel with each other to constitute a heat exchanger, which makes a heat exchange between a heat exchange fluid coming into contact with a surface of said metallic plate member and another heat exchange fluid coming into contact with another surface thereof, said metallic plate member comprising: 
 a plurality of main protrusions formed on one surface of said plate member, each of said main protrusions having a shape of any one of a quadrangular pyramid and a quadrangular truncated pyramid with a top, a first pair of opposite side surfaces and a second pair of opposite side surfaces, said first pair of opposite side surfaces facing each other in a first direction and said second pair of opposite side surfaces facing each other in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction, said main protrusions being aligned in the first direction and the second direction by a predetermined distance so that the first pair of opposite surfaces and the second pair of opposite surfaces of one of the main protrusions face corresponding opposite surfaces of adjacent protrusions; and    a plurality of intermediate protrusions formed between adjacent two main protrusions on said plate member, each of said intermediate protrusions having opposite foot portions and a head ridge placed between said foot portions, each of said foot portions being placed in a lowermost position at which ridgelines of the adjacent two main protrusions intersect each other, and said head ridge being placed in a level that is higher than said foot portions and lower than said top of each main protrusion, so as to provide a bent roof shape, said intermediate protrusions and said main protrusions forming said predetermined pattern of irregularity.    
   
   
       2 . The plate for heat exchange as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said plate member has a shape of any one of a rectangle and a square with side edges, along which said ridgelines of said main protrusions extend in parallel with or perpendicular to said side edges of said plate member.    
   
   
       3 . A plate for heat exchange, comprising a metallic plate member having a predetermined pattern of irregularity, said plate member being combined with at least one other plate member so as to be in parallel with each other to constitute a heat exchanger, which makes a heat exchange between a heat exchange fluid coming into contact with a surface of said metallic plate member and another heat exchange fluid coming into contact with another surface thereof, said metallic plate member comprising: 
 a plurality of protrusions formed on one surface of said plate member, each of said main protrusions having a shape of any one of a quadrangular pyramid and a quadrangular truncated pyramid with ridgelines, said protrusion being aligned by a predetermined distance so that parallel planes include said ridgelines of said protrusions; and    a plurality of recess portions formed between adjacent two protrusions on said plate member, each of said recess portions having substantially the same shape as said protrusions by deforming said plate member in an opposite direction to a protruding direction of said protrusions, said protrusions and said recess portions on the surface of said plate member forming said predetermined pattern of irregularity so that a similar pattern of irregularity to said predetermined patter of irregularity is provided on another surface of said plate member.    
   
   
       4 . A heat exchange unit comprising: 
 a first set of plates for heat exchange as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  3 , the plate member of each of said plates having a shape of any one of a rectangle and a square with side edges, along which the ridgelines of the main protrusions or the protrusions extend in parallel with or perpendicular to the side edges of the plate member, thus providing the predetermined pattern of irregularity; and    a second set of plates having a different predetermined pattern of irregularity, said different predetermined pattern of irregularity being substantially same as said predetermined pattern of irregularity of said first set of plates, but turning at an angle of about 45 degrees relative thereto, said first set of plates and said second set of plates being assembled in variation in combination into a unit.