Spiral Exchanger and Method for Manufacturing Such an Exchanger

Abstract

A spiral exchanger has a winding axis and comprises an outer sheet and an inner sheet secured to one another in a fastening plane before winding and delimiting a space for a fluid between them. The outer sheet and the inner sheet are wound on themselves and each comprises a plurality of flexible areas and a plurality of rigid areas, the flexible areas being more flexible than the rigid areas during folding. The flexible areas and the rigid areas are extended along the winding axis, and at least one flexible area of the outer sheet and at least one flexible area of the inner sheet that delimit the space between them form a pair of flexible areas that are aligned in a same radial direction.

1 . A method for manufacturing a spiral exchanger comprising the following steps:
 stamping, in an outer sheet and an inner sheet, a plurality of flexible areas and a plurality of rigid areas, the flexible areas being more flexible than the rigid areas during folding, and the flexible areas and the rigid areas being elongated along a winding axis;   aligning the outer sheet and the inner sheet such that at least one flexible area of the outer sheet and at least one flexible area of the inner sheet form a pair of flexible areas that are aligned with one another in a same radial direction;   permanently fastening the outer sheet to the inner sheet at predetermined locations to form a space between the outer and inner sheets; and   winding the outer sheet and the inner sheet about the winding axis to form the spiral exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when considered in a direction of winding, the rigid areas are formed by flats and the flexible areas are formed by hollow profiles and edges are formed between the hollow profiles and the flats, and wherein, during the winding steps, the hollows are oriented toward the winding axis. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer or inner sheets comprises a fluid inlet opening to introduce fluid into the space and at least one fluid outlet opening to remove fluid from the space, the at least one of the outer or inner sheets having a first end in a winding direction in which the fluid inlet and outlet openings are arranged, the winding step starting with a second end opposite the first end. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein an average passage diameter in the space decreases between the at least one fluid inlet opening and the at least one fluid outlet opening. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the space formed is U-shaped, W-shaped, or zigzagged, the space having rectilinear branches, the method also comprising a step for cutting the outer and inner sheets between at least two adjacent branches to form a cut-out. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein each branch has a substantially constant width and the width of the branches in a direction of the winding axis of the at least two adjacent branches decreases one relative to the other. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each flexible area, in particular each hollow profile of the outer sheet has, over an entire width of the outer sheet in the direction of the winding axis, a rectilinear part that is located at the fastening plane, and wherein each flexible area, in particular each edge of the inner sheet, has, over its entire length parallel to the winding axis, at least one rectilinear portion that is located in the fastening plane to form a plurality of hinges in the fastening plane. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of rigid areas comprising a plurality of flats of the outer sheet is provided with at least one hollow portion, each hollow portion bearing against a rigid area selected from the rigid areas of the inner sheet subsequent to winding. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , including forming at least one fluid inlet opening to introduce fluid into the space and at least one fluid outlet opening to remove fluid from the space, the at least one inlet opening and the at least one outlet opening being arranged at a first end of one of the outer sheet or the inner sheet in the winding direction, the first end being opposite a second end at which the winding began. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , including forming the space to have at least two branches, and fastening the outer sheet and the inner sheet together between the two branches. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein when considered in cross-section in a direction of winding, further including the steps of forming the rigid areas as flats and the flexible areas as hollow profiles, and forming edges between the hollow profiles and the flats, the hollow profiles in particular being formed toward the winding axis. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the hollow profiles of the outer sheet are, in a winding direction, defined by a first width, and wherein the hollow profiles of the inner sheet are, in the winding direction, defined by a second width that is greater than the first width. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the hollow profiles of the outer sheet have, in a winding direction, a smaller width relative to a width of the flats of the outer sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the width of the flats of the outer sheet is approximately twice the width of the hollow profiles of the outer sheet. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the hollow profiles of the inner sheet have, in the winding direction, a width larger than a width of the flats of the inner sheet. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the width of the hollow profiles of the inner sheet is approximately twice the width of the flats of the inner sheet. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the width of the flats of the inner sheet corresponds to the width of the hollow profiles of the outer sheet, and the width of the flats of the outer sheet corresponds to the width of the hollow profiles of the inner sheet. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the flexible areas of the outer sheet and the flexible areas of the inner sheet are substantially rectilinear. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, after winding the outer sheet and the inner sheet about the winding axis to form the spiral exchanger, a majority of the flexible areas of the outer sheet form, with a respective flexible area of the inner sheet, a pair of flexible areas that are aligned in a same radial direction. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer sheet and the inner sheet comprise a metal sheet.