Spacer For A Heat Exchanger And Associated Heat Exchanger

Abstract

A spacer ( 7 ) for an air heater comprises a predefined number of planar walls ( 13; 113 ) that are substantially parallel and are connected two-by-two by folds ( 15 ). The planar walls ( 13; 113 ) include a plurality of louvers ( 17 1 , 17 2 ) that are substantially inclined relative to the general plane (P) defined by the planar wall ( 13; 113 ). The planar wall ( 13; 113 ) further includes at least one strap ( 19; 119 1 , 119 2 , 119 3 , 119 4 ) having longitudinal sides ( 21 ) that extend parallel to the planar wall ( 13; 113 ) and lateral sides ( 23 ) that are linked to the planar wall ( 13; 113 ) by means of at least one connecting rail ( 24 ). An air heater comprises a heat exchange bundle comprising a stack of parallel tubes ( 5 ) for the circulation of the fluid, the tubes having the width (l 1 ) of a tube, and a plurality of such spacers ( 7 ) disposed respectively between two tubes ( 5 ).

1 . A spacer for an air heater, the spacer comprising a predefined number of planar walls that are substantially parallel and are connected two-by-two by folds, the planar walls including a plurality of louvers that are substantially inclined relative to the general plane (P) defined by a planar wall,
 wherein at least one of the planar walls further includes at least one strap having longitudinal sides that extend parallel to the planar wall and lateral sides that are linked to the planar wall by means of at least one connecting rail.   
     
     
         2 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which one planar wall has a substantially rectangular general form and the longitudinal sides of one strap extend in the direction of the height (h′) of the planar wall. 
     
     
         3 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 2 , in which one strap extends for a distance in the order of at least 75% of the height (h′) of the planar wall. 
     
     
         4 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which one strap has a substantially strip-shaped general form defining a plane substantially parallel to the plane (P) defined by the planar wall. 
     
     
         5 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which at least one strap is arranged at one extremity of the planar wall intended to be oriented facing towards the inlet of a gas stream (F) in the air heater. 
     
     
         6 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which one planar wall includes at least two straps facing in two opposite directions. 
     
     
         7 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which one planar wall includes at least two straps arranged in a symmetrical manner on two opposite extremities of the planar wall. 
     
     
         8 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the louvers are arranged on a substantially central part of a planar wall. 
     
     
         9 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , formed from a metallic material and in which one strap is produced by cutting and folding of the metallic material. 
     
     
         10 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the planar walls respectively include at least two groups of louvers having a respective orientation, the louvers of one group being substantially identical. 
     
     
         11 . The spacer as claimed in  claim 1 , having a substantially corrugated general form, the planar walls being connected two-by-two by folds in such a way as to form alternate corrugations. 
     
     
         12 . An air heater in which there circulates a fluid for a thermal exchange with a gas stream (F), the heater comprising a heat exchange bundle having substantially parallelepipedic general form and comprising:
 a stack of parallel tubes for the circulation of the fluid, the tubes having the width (l 1 ) of a tube, and   a plurality of spacers disposed respectively between two tubes so as to be traversed by the gas stream (F), such that the spacers have a width of a spacer (l 2 ) greater than the width of a tube (l 1 ) in such a way as to extend beyond the tubes, and respectively comprise a predefined number of planar walls connected two-by-two by folds, the planar walls including a plurality of louvers substantially inclined relative to the plane (P) defined by the planar walls,
 wherein at least one of the planar walls further includes at least one strap:
 having longitudinal sides that extend parallel to the planar wall and lateral sides linked to the planar wall by means of at least one connecting rail, and 
 arranged on the upstream extremity of the planar wall that is oriented facing towards the inlet of the gas stream (F).