Plate heat exchanger

Abstract

A plate heat exchanger capable of increasing the fluidity of a fluid and realizing improved heat exchange efficiency, wherein each of stacked heat exchange elements are formed by assembling upper and lower plates, with first and second flow channels for first and second fluids respectively defined in each element and between the elements, inlet and outlet ports formed in opposite ends of the element, upper and lower flanges formed on the respective upper and lower plates, and upper and lower flow grooves diagonally extending on the lower surface of the upper plate and on the upper surface of the lower plate and intersecting with each other to define the first flow channel, wherein a flow guide structure for guiding the first fluid in at least two flow directions is provided on each of the areas around the inlet and outlet ports of the upper and lower plates.

1 . A plate heat exchanger, comprising:
 a plurality of heat exchange elements stacked in such a way that one is laid on top of another, each of the heat exchange elements being formed by assembling an upper plate and a lower plate, with a first flow channel defined in each of heat exchange elements and allowing a first fluid to pass therethrough, and a second flow channel defined between the heat exchange elements and allowing a second fluid to pass therethrough, further comprising:   an inlet port and an outlet port formed in opposite ends of each of the heat exchange elements, an upper flange formed on the upper plate by extending upwards from each of the inlet and outlet ports, a lower flange formed on the lower plate by extending downwards from each of the inlet and outlet ports,   a plurality of upper flow grooves diagonally extending on a lower surface of the upper plate, and a plurality of lower flow grooves diagonally extending on an upper surface of the lower plate, wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are assembled with each other in such a way that the upper flow grooves intersect with the lower flow grooves, thereby defining the first flow channel in each of the heat exchange elements, further comprising:   a flow guide structure for guiding the first fluid in at least two flow directions, the flow guide structure being provided on at least one of areas around the inlet and outlet ports of the upper plate and on at least one of areas around the inlet and outlet ports of the lower plate.   
     
     
         2 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, in the areas around the inlet and outlet ports of the upper plate, the first fluid is guided in a main flow direction extending along the upper flow grooves of the upper plate and in at least one subsidiary flow direction intersecting with the main flow direction. 
     
     
         3 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the upper flow grooves extend to the areas around the upper flanges of the upper plate, with at least one upper subsidiary groove being formed in each of the upper flanges of the upper plate, wherein the at least one upper subsidiary groove intersects with the upper flow grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein, in the areas around the inlet and outlet ports of the lower plate, the first fluid is guided in a main flow direction extending along the lower flow grooves of the lower plate and in at least one subsidiary flow direction intersecting with the main flow direction. 
     
     
         5 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the lower flow grooves extend to the areas around the lower flanges of the lower plate, with at least one lower subsidiary groove being formed in each of the lower flanges of the lower plate, wherein the at least one lower subsidiary groove intersects with the lower flow grooves. 
     
     
         6 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein at least one upper spacing lug is formed on an upper surface of the upper plate, and at least one lower spacing lug is formed on a lower surface of the lower plate. 
     
     
         7 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the upper spacing lug of each of the heat exchange elements is in contact with the lower spacing lug of a neighboring heat exchange element, the upper spacing lug and the lower spacing lug having respective through holes on contact surfaces thereof so that the first flow channels of the heat exchange elements communicate with each other. 
     
     
         8 . The plate heat exchanger as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate have a positioning groove and a positioning protrusion on corresponding ends thereof, respectively.