Heat exchanger arrangement

Abstract

Heat exchangers can be utilised in thermo-acoustic engines to facilitate through acoustic oscillations electrical power generation via linear alternators and/or cooling effects. Provision of a heat exchanger arrangement 31 which can be associated with a traditional open flame stove utilised in third world countries would be advantageous. However, such heat exchanger arrangements must be lightweight and robust to withstand operational use. By creating a heat exchanger arrangement formed from plates having apertures which develop a folded conduit to act as a resonance tube of appropriate length it is possible to more easily accommodate thermo-acoustic electrical power generation and cooling effects in a traditional stove configuration.

1 . A heat exchanger arrangement comprising a plurality of sheets associated together to define a flow conduit, intermediate sheets of the plurality of sheets having an aperture aligned and offset relative to apertures in adjacent sheets in a stack to form an internal cavity defined by the apertures as a conduit through the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         2 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the conduit includes side-by-side passage segments with a bend formed by apertures in succession. 
     
     
         3 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the conduit provides a wave resonator tube. 
     
     
         4 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the wave resonator is for a standing wave. 
     
     
         5 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the wave resonator is for a travelling wave or stirling engine configuration. 
     
     
         6 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sheets are formed from stainless steel or a ceramic or plastics material. 
     
     
         7 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sheets are secured together through brazing or diffusion bonding or super plastic forming or other fusion bond. 
     
     
         8 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sheets are corrugated. 
     
     
         9 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sheets are separated by a spacer. 
     
     
         10 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the spacer is corrugated. 
     
     
         11 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the internal cavity defines a pressure containment formed by relatively thin walls in comparison with the pressure expected in the containment and reinforced with strengthening members. 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the strengthening members are corrugated. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sheets of material define separate flow paths for heat exchange between fluids. 
     
     
         14 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1  wherein one part of the heat exchanger arrangement incorporates fire tubes through which flames can pass. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A thermo-acoustic engine formed by a stack of sheets associated together to form a conduit as a resonance path; the conduit comprising side-by-side passages with a bend formed by overlapping apertures in the sheets. 
     
     
         17 . A thermo-acoustic engine as claimed in  claim 16  incorporated within a stove. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger arrangement incorporating a conduit having a curved aspect to define a heat radiation cavity having a plurality of heat exchanger passages opposite the curved aspect, ends of the passages including end hood interrupters to prevent direct heat radiation along the heat exchanger passages. 
     
     
         20 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each hood interrupter is flat and angular to a principal axis of the heat exchanger passages. 
     
     
         21 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the hood interrupters are curved. 
     
     
         22 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 19  wherein each hood interrupter extends substantially across a respective width of a heat exchanger passage. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A stove comprising a heat exchanger arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         25 . A stove comprising a thermo-acoustic engine as claimed in  claim 16 . 
     
     
         26 . A stove comprising a heat exchanger arrangement as claimed in  claim 19 .