A heat exchanger

Abstract

The present invention relates to a heat exchanger unit ( 13 ) for exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid. The unit ( 13 ) comprises a flow passage for the first fluid and a flow passage for the second fluid, the flow passages are connected to inlets ( 9 ) and outlets ( 10 ) of the heat exchanger unit ( 13 ) through which the first and the second fluid flow into and out of the heat exchanger unit ( 13 ). The unit ( 13 ) further comprises one or more heat transferring elements ( 1 ) having a first fluid contact surface and a second fluid contact surface through which surfaces heat is conducted from the first to the second fluid or vice versa, the contact surfaces form at least part of the flow passages, The unit ( 13 ) further comprises one or more total pressure increasing means ( 8 ) for increasing the total pressure of at least one of the fluids at least locally in the heat exchanger unit ( 13 ), and a casing ( 12 ) encapsulating the one or more heat transferring elements ( 1 ) and one, some or all of the one or more total pressure increasing means ( 8 ).

1 . A heat exchanger unit for exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, the unit comprising:
 a flow passage for the first fluid and a flow passage for the second fluid, the flow passages are connected to inlets and outlets of the heat exchanger unit through which the first and the second fluid flow into and out of the heat exchanger unit,   more than one heat transferring elements having a first fluid contact surface and a second fluid contact surface through which surfaces heat is conducted from the first to the second fluid or vice versa, the contact surfaces form at least part of the flow passages,   more than one total pressure increasing means for increasing the total pressure of more than one of the fluids at least locally in the heat exchanger unit, and   a casing encapsulating the more than one heat transferring elements and all of the more than one total pressure increasing means,   
       wherein
 the total pressure increasing means for the first and the second fluid are hermetically separate from each other. 
 
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transferring element(s) are plate shaped and comprise fluid channels forming part of the flow passages for the first and the second fluids and extending from one side of the heat transferring element to the other side of the heat transferring element. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid contact surface of each heat transferring element is an inner surface of at least one channel provided in the heat transferring element, which channel has a channel inlet and a channel outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , comprising a stack of at least two heat transferring elements which are connectable so that the first fluid flows from the channel outlet of one heat transferring element to the channel inlet of the consecutive heat transferring element. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 4 , wherein the outlet of one channel is connected or connectable to the inlet of the consecutive channel via connection stubs, and wherein the first fluid flows from an inlet pipe to a first heat transferring element via connection stub(s) and from a last heat transferring element to an outlet pipe via connection stub(s). 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is pumped through the heat transferring unit by a pump arranged outside the casing of the heat exchanger unit. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transferring element(s) are substantially disc-shaped and comprise a hole, wherein the at least one total pressure increasing means is configured to transport the second fluid flow from one side of the heat transferring element to the other. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transferring element comprises a guide plate forming a channel leading the second fluid towards the total pressure increasing means. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the casing forms a part of the flow passage for the second fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more of the total pressure increasing means are adapted to increase the pressure of the second fluid to an extent at least partially overcoming the pressure loss due to fluid flowing through the heat exchanger unit. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more total pressure increasing means are adapted to increase the pressure of the second fluid to an extent at least overcoming the pressure loss due to the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger unit. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the total pressure increasing means comprises or is constituted by one or more fluid velocity inducers. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the fluid velocity inducers are adapted to receive one of the fluids at one velocity and deliver the fluid at a higher velocity. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the fluid velocity inducer(s) are arranged relatively to second fluid contact surface so that the dynamic pressure of the second fluid is substantially the same when the fluid initially contacts the second contact surface as when the fluid leaves the fluid velocity inducer. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 12 , wherein one or more of the one or more fluid velocity inducers are impeller(s). 
     
     
         16 . The fluid exchanger unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the impeller(s) are impeller(s) with a motor-driven rotational motion. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 15 , wherein the impeller(s) are mounted on a motor-driven shaft in such a way that the axis of rotation of the shaft and the impeller(s) are coincident. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing is a pressure carrying casing adapted to resist the pressure difference between the pressure of the fluids in the heat exchanger unit and the pressure outside the heat exchanger unit. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing or at least a part thereof is tubular shaped. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing comprises a pressurization stage said pressurisation stage being placed so that at least one of the fluids passes there through before it flows to the one or more heat transferring element(s). 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 10 , wherein a number of heat transferring elements are stacked with a distance between each heat transferring element so as to provide channels between two neighbouring elements, the channels being at least a part of the flow passages for the first and the second fluid, and surfaces of the heat transferring elements facing towards the channels constitute at least a part of the fluid contact surfaces, each heat transferring element is at its rim preferably sealed to a casing, and the unit comprises a number of connection stubs allowing fluid to flow from one channel to a channel located upstream of a neighbouring channel. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 21 , wherein total pressure increasing means are arranged in one or more channel(s). 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 21 , wherein the heat transferring elements are disc shaped. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat transferring elements are adapted to be rotated. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the surface of the first fluid contact surface or the second fluid contact surface are manufactured to have a roughness being smooth or rough. 
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the first fluid contact surface or the second fluid contact surface is corrugated. 
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the material(s) of the heat transferring elements are selected from metal, composites materials, coated material, plastic, or ceramics or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , the unit comprising one or more cassettes each containing a number of heat transferring element(s). 
     
     
         29 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 28 , wherein an outer housing of one or more of the cassettes forms at least a part of the casing that forms at least a part of an outer surface of the casing. 
     
     
         30 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 28 , wherein an outer housing of one or more of the cassettes forming at least a part of the casing abuts an interior surface of the casing. 
     
     
         31 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 28 , wherein one or more of the cassettes comprise(s) comprise a total pressure increasing means. 
     
     
         32 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 28 , wherein one or more of the cassettes are adapted to maintain or provide a rotating flow, in at least a part of one or both flow passages. 
     
     
         33 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 28 , wherein one or more of the cassettes is/are are adapted to receive or comprise a fluid velocity inducer, the fluid velocity inducer constituting at least a part of one or both flow passages. 
     
     
         34 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 33 , wherein the fluid velocity inducer is adapted to receive fluid at one velocity and deliver the fluid at a higher velocity. 
     
     
         35 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second fluid contact surfaces are impermeable to fluid. 
     
     
         36 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the flow passages comprising the contact surfaces extends in a curved manner in one geometrical plane. 
     
     
         37 . The heat exchanger unit according to  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger unit is adapted to provide a rotating flow, such as a swirling flow past at least one or both contact surfaces. 
     
     
         38 .- 41 . (canceled)