High-efficiency heat exchanger and high-efficiency heat exchange method

Abstract

A high-efficiency heat exchanger adaptable for a heat exchange target fluid having high purity. A heat exchanger has a flow passage through which a heat exchange target fluid flows, and a heat transfer structure that is contacted with the heat exchange target fluid flowing through the flow passage, thus performing heat-transfer type heat exchange through a contact surface of the heat transfer structure with the heat exchange target fluid. The contact surface of the heat transfer structure with the heat exchange target fluid is made of a material stable against the heat exchange target fluid. The heat transfer structure includes heat conductors made of a material having a high thermal conductivity. The heat conductors are mounted near the contact surface of the heat transfer structure with the heat exchange target fluid at positions where the heat conductors are not contacted with the heat exchange target fluid.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A heat exchanger comprising a heat source, a heat transfer structure contacting with a heat exchange target fluid, and a heat transfer member that transfers heat from the heat source to the heat transfer structure, thus performing heat-transfer type heat exchange through a contact surface of the heat transfer structure with the heat exchange target fluid,
 wherein the heat transfer structure includes a body having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid, and many heat conductors mounted to the body,   an inner wall surface of the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid, the inner wall surface defining a contact surface with the heat exchange target fluid, is made of a material stable against the heat exchange target fluid,   the heat conductors are made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than a material of the body, and   the heat conductors have a pin-like configuration and are mounted near the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid at positions where the heat conductors are not contacted with the heat exchange target fluid.   
     
     
         26 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the many heat conductors involve a plurality of heat conductors arranged in opposing relation on both sides of the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid. 
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the heat transfer member comprises two heat transfer members sandwiching the body, and one or more of the heat conductors extend from each of the two heat transfer members. 
     
     
         28 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein at least part of the many heat conductors is formed integrally with the heat transfer member having a plate-like shape. 
     
     
         29 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein at least part of the many heat conductors has an outer surface of a zigzag configuration. 
     
     
         30 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 29 , wherein the zigzag configuration is formed such that a surface area of the outer surface of the zigzag configuration is 1.5 to 3 times a surface area of the outer surface including no projections of the zigzag configuration. 
     
     
         31 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 29 , wherein the heat conductor having the outer surface of the zigzag configuration is a screw. 
     
     
         32 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 30 , wherein the heat conductor having the outer surface of the zigzag configuration is a screw. 
     
     
         33 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 31 , wherein the heat conductor having the outer surface of the zigzag configuration is a flat-head screw, and respective upper surfaces of the heat conductors and of the heat transfer member are contacted with the heat source at a plane. 
     
     
         34 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid has a plurality of bent portions. 
     
     
         35 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein at least part of the heat conductors arranged on a side nearer to the inlet is made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than a material of the heat conductors arranged on a side farther away from the inlet. 
     
     
         36 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the heat conductors are arranged in a larger number and at a higher density on a side nearer to the inlet than on a side farther away from the inlet. 
     
     
         37 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 34 , wherein the outlet is a discharge port in communication with outside. 
     
     
         38 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 35 , wherein the outlet is a discharge port in communication with outside. 
     
     
         39 . A heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger according to  claim 25  is stacked plural. 
     
     
         40 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the inner wall surface of the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid is made of resin, metal, or carbon. 
     
     
         41 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the many heat conductors involve heat conductors made of copper and heat conductors made of aluminum. 
     
     
         42 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 39 , wherein the body is made of resin or stainless steel. 
     
     
         43 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 25 , wherein the heat source is an exothermic source or an endothermic source. 
     
     
         44 . A heat exchange method wherein heat-transfer type heat exchange is performed with respect to a fluid by employing the heat exchanger according to  claim 25 . 
     
     
         45 . A heat exchange method of performing heat-transfer type heat exchange with respect to a fluid by employing the heat exchanger according to  claim 34 ,
 wherein variations in temperature distribution occurred between an upstream side and a downstream side of the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid are suppressed by arranging, on a side nearer to the inlet, the heat conductors made of a material having a higher thermal conductivity than on a side farther away from the inlet, and by arranging, on a side farther away from the inlet, the heat conductors made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than on a side nearer to the inlet.   
     
     
         46 . A heat exchange method of performing heat-transfer type heat exchange with respect to a fluid by employing the heat exchanger according to  claim 35 , wherein variations in temperature distribution occurred between an upstream side and a downstream side of the flow passage for the heat exchange target fluid are suppressed by arranging the heat conductors in a larger number and at a higher density on a side nearer to the inlet than on a side farther away from the inlet.