Method Of Manufacturing A Plate-Type Heat Exchanger Using A Set Of Spacer Blocks

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger of the type comprising a plurality of plates defining paths for fluids to flow through, the plates being assembled to each other by brazing, and a heat exchanger produced by such a method is presented.

1 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A method of manufacturing a plate heat exchanger of the type comprising a plurality of plates which, together with side bars arranged on the plates, define paths for fluids to flow through, comprising at least the following successive steps:
 providing a stack of a plurality of plates separated by side bars,   introducing at least one removable set of spacer blocks consisting of at least two spacer blocks, connected together by at least one connecting element, between plates of said heat exchanger, wherein the connecting element is shaped in such a way as to allow a rotary movement of the set of spacer blocks about the main axis of each of said spacer blocks, each spacer block having an essentially constant cross section along its main axis;   brazing said heat exchanger, and   removing the removable set of spacer;   applying a rotary movement to all the spacer blocks of said set about their main axes, in such as away as to press each spacer block against said plates, after the introduction step;   applying a rotary movement to all the spacer blocks of said set about their main axes, in such a way as to release said spacer blocks, after the brazing step, wherein;   
       removable set of spacer blocks is selected in such a way that either 
       i)
 said cross section is essentially polygonal in shape, and 
 the length of at least one of the main diagonals of said cross section is greater than or equal to the distance between the plates of the heat exchanger between which said spacer block is intended to be introduced; or 
 
       ii)
 said cross section is essentially elliptical in shape, and 
 the length of the major axis of said cross section is greater than or equal to the distance between the plates of the heat exchanger between which said spacer block is intended to be introduced. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a plurality of removable sets of spacer blocks, which are fixed together by fixing means, are introduced. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a single removable set of spacer blocks is introduced between two plates of said heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the spacer blocks of said set of spacer blocks and the connecting elements that are selected are made of one or more materials whose melting point is 700° C. or above. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the spacer blocks of said set of spacer blocks and the connecting elements that are selected are made of one or more materials whose melting point is 900° C. or above. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said material is stainless steel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein all the spacer blocks of said set have their main axes approximately parallel to each other. 
     
     
         14 . A plate-type heat exchanger of the type comprising a plurality of plates made of a brazable material, which exchanger is characterized in that it can be produced by the method according to  claim 7 .