Plate heat exchanger with tension ties

Abstract

A plate heat exchanger includes a stack of main plates having ridges and troughs to direct first and second flows of fluids through cavities between the main plates to exchange heat between the fluids while maintaining the first and second flows of fluids separate from each other. The plate heat exchanger includes a first end plate stacked at one end of the stack of main plates and a second end plate stacked at an opposite end of the main plates. Tension ties mechanically connect to each of the first and second end plates through the stack of main plates.

1 . A plate heat exchanger, comprising:
 a stack of main plates having ridges and troughs to direct first and second flows of fluids through cavities between the main plates to exchange heat between the fluids while maintaining the first and second flows of fluids separate from each other;   a first end plate stacked at one end of the stack of main plates;   a second end plate stacked at an opposite end of the main plates; and   tension ties mechanically connected to each of the first and second end plates through the stack of main plates.   
     
     
         2 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tension ties extend through openings in the main plates, the openings in the main plates being in fluid communication with the cavities between the main plates, and
 a first tension tie among the tension ties includes an opening configured to permit a flow of fluid from the first tension tie into a channel formed by the openings in the main plates.   
     
     
         3 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the first tension tie includes a first end connector configured to connect to the first end plate, a second end connector configured to connect to the second end plate and a center column extending between the first end connector and the second end connector, the center column having an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the channel formed by the openings in the main plates. 
     
     
         4 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tension ties extend through openings in the stack of main plates, the openings in the stack of main plates forming a first channel from the first end plate to the second end plate,
 a first tension tie among the tension ties extending through the first channel, the first tension tie being a hollow tension tie having an outer diameter that is substantially the same as an inner diameter of the first channel, the first tension tie including openings configured to permit a flow of fluid between the hollow tension tie and the cavities between the main plates.   
     
     
         5 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tension ties include bottom connectors to mechanically fix the tension ties to the second end plate. 
     
     
         6 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 5 , wherein the tension ties are configured to resist a pressure exerted in opposing directions against the first and second end plates, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 fluid fittings,   wherein the tension ties include receptacles to receive the fluid fittings and openings to permit fluid to flow between the fluid fittings and the stack of main plates.   
     
     
         8 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 7 , wherein each of the tension ties includes a first connection end including the receptacle, the first connection end configured connect to one of the fluid fittings along an inner diameter surface and to connect to the first end plate along an outer diameter surface opposite the inner diameter surface. 
     
     
         9 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 fluid fittings,   wherein the tension ties include receptacles configured to mechanically connect the tension ties to the fluid fittings,   a first fluid fitting among the fluid fittings includes a recess around an outer diameter circumference of the first fluid fitting adjacent to an inner diameter surface of a first tension tie among the tension ties, and   the outer diameter surface of the first fluid fitting has a larger diameter on one side of the recess and a smaller diameter on an opposite side of the recess.   
     
     
         10 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tension ties include top connectors configured to mechanically connect the tension ties to the first end plate and a recess around an outer diameter circumference of the top connector adjacent to an inner diameter surface of the first end plate, and
 the inner diameter surface of the first end plate has a larger diameter on one side of the recess and a smaller diameter on an opposite side of the recess.   
     
     
         11 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a first tension tie among the tension ties has a first end connector configured to connect to the first end plate, a second end connector configured to connect to the second end plate and a center column extending between the first end connector and the second end connector, the center column having a width less than a width of the first end connector, and
 the center column includes at least one opening to permit fluid to flow between the stack of main plates and a channel through the first end connector.   
     
     
         12 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one opening extends a length of the center column. 
     
     
         13 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one opening is a fluted opening extending a length of the center column. 
     
     
         14 . A plate heat exchanger comprising:
 a stack of main plates having ridges and troughs to direct first and second flows of fluids through cavities between the main plates to exchange heat between the fluids while maintaining the first and second flows of fluids separate from each other;   a first end plate stacked at one end of the stack of main plates;   a second end plate stacked at an opposite end of the main plates; and   a tension tie mechanically connected to the first end plate and the second end plate to resist a pressure exerted against at least one of the first and second end plates, the tension tie including a fluid fitting mount to receive a fluid fitting.   
     
     
         15 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid fitting mount includes a recess having an inner diameter configured to receive a fluid fitting of a substantially same outer diameter, the inner diameter of the recess being opposite an outer diameter of the tension tie, the outer diameter of the tension tie configured to connect to an inner diameter an opening in the first end plate. 
     
     
         16 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 15 , wherein the tension tie includes a brazing recess around the outer diameter opposite the fluid port mount, the brazing recess located adjacent to the inner diameter of the opening in the first end plate. 
     
     
         17 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the inner diameter of the opening in the first end plate includes a brazing region on one side of the brazing recess and a pilot region on an opposite side of the recess, the brazing region having an inner diameter greater than an inner diameter of the pilot region. 
     
     
         18 . The plate heat exchanger of  claim 14 , wherein the tension tie includes at least one opening to permit fluid flow between a fluid fitting in the fluid fitting mount and the stack of main plates.