Plate heat exchanger and heat pump apparatus

Abstract

An upper heat transfer plate and a lower heat transfer plate adjacent to each other are corrugated in a wave pattern. Between these plates, intersection points are formed at intersections of a plurality of bottom edge lines representing bottoms of the wave pattern of the upper heat transfer plate, and the top edge lines representing tops of the wave pattern of the lower heat transfer plate. Each of the bottoms of the wave pattern represented by the bottom edge lines and each of the tops of the wave pattern represented by the top edge lines come into contact with each other at respective intersection points. The intersection point at an end closest to an outer periphery along the long side among the intersection points on one of the bottom edge lines is formed at a distance of 3 to 4.5 mm from the outer periphery along the long side.

1 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A plate heat exchanger configured such that
 a plurality of rectangular plates having a long side, a short side, and an outer periphery are stacked such that corresponding long sides, short sides, and outer peripheries are aligned, the outer peripheries defining a space in which a fluid is sealed;   each of the plates is corrugated in a wave pattern waving in a stacking direction;   the plates adjacent to each other have intersection points therebetween when seen in the stacking direction, the intersection points being formed at intersections of a plurality of virtual bottom edge lines and a plurality of virtual top edge lines, the bottom edge lines representing bottoms of the wave pattern of one of the plates adjacent to each other and extending in a direction different from a direction of the long side and the top edge lines representing tops of the wave pattern of another one of the plates adjacent to each other and extending in a direction different from the direction of the long side; and   each of the bottoms of the wave pattern represented by the bottom edge lines and each of the tops of the wave pattern represented by the top edge lines come into contact with each other at each of the intersection points, thereby forming a contact portion,   wherein   the plates adjacent to each other are arranged such that the contact portion corresponding to one of the intersection points at an end closest to the outer periphery along the long side among the intersection points existing on one of the bottom edge lines is formed at a position at a predetermined distance in a direction of the short side from the outer periphery along the long side, depending on the direction in which the bottom edge lines extend and the direction in which the top edge lines extend; and   the contact portion corresponding to the one of the intersection points at the end closest to the outer periphery along the long side among the intersection points existing on the one of the bottom edge lines is formed at a distance of between 3 mm and 4.5 mm in a direction of the short side from the outer periphery along the long side when the direction of the bottom edge lines relative to the direction of the long side is between 60 degrees and 70 degrees.   
     
     
         11 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein
 the contact portion corresponding to the one of the intersection points at the end closest to the outer periphery along the long side among the intersection points existing on the one of the bottom edge lines is formed such that the direction of the top edge lines relative to the direction of the long side is between 60 degrees and 70 degrees.   
     
     
         12 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein
 the contact portion corresponding to the one of the intersection points at the end closest to the outer periphery along the long side among the intersection points existing on the one of the bottom edge lines is formed such that the direction of the bottom edge lines relative to the direction of the long side and the direction of the top edge lines relative to the direction of the long side are between 62.5 degrees and 67.5 degrees.   
     
     
         13 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 10 , wherein
 the plates adjacent to each other are arranged such that the closer the direction of the bottom edge lines and the direction of the top edge lines are to a direction perpendicular to the direction of the long side, the further away from the outer periphery along the long side the contact portion is formed.   
     
     
         14 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein
 the plates adjacent to each other are arranged such that the closer the direction of the bottom edge lines and the direction of the top edge lines are to a direction perpendicular to the direction of the long side, the further away from the outer periphery along the long side the contact portion is formed.   
     
     
         15 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 12 , wherein
 the plates adjacent to each other are arranged such that the closer the direction of the bottom edge lines and the direction of the top edge lines are to a direction perpendicular to the direction of the long side, the further away from the outer periphery along the long side the contact portion is formed.   
     
     
         16 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 10 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         17 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 11 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         18 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 12 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         19 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 13 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         20 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 14 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         21 . A heat pump apparatus wherein a compressor, a first heat exchanger, an expansion mechanism, and a second heat exchanger are connected by pipes, the heat pump apparatus, comprising:
 the plate heat exchanger of  claim 15 , as at least either of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger.