Heat / enthalpy exchanger element and method for the production

Abstract

Methods, plate elements and heat/enthalpy exchangers, a) perforating an unformed plate element with defined outer dimensions in any desired area and in any desired dimension; b) covering at least one side of the unformed plate element with a thin polymer film with latent energy exchange characteristics and; c) forming the plate element into a desired shape and a pattern of corrugations and/or embossing. The operations b) and c) may be performed in a different order. For instance, when the plate element is made out of plastic, b) may be performed before c) whereas, when the plate element is made out of aluminum (or plastic), c) may be performed before b). Operations a) and/or b) and/or c) may also, in certain embodiments, be combined.

1 . A method for the production of enthalpy exchanger elements comprising the steps of:
 a. perforating a flat plate element according to a predetermined perforation pattern within the plate outer dimensions;   b. applying to at least one side of the plate element a polymer film with water vapor transmission characteristics; and   c. forming the plate element into a desired shape exhibiting a corrugation pattern, whereby the polymer film is formed into the same corrugation pattern shape as that of the plate element.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the flat plate element is a plastic foil. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the flat plate element is perforated using at least one of a needle roller, pins, die punch, and a laser. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that steps b) and c) are performed simultaneously. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , characterized in that after the polymer film is applied to the at least one side of the plate element, the polymer film is bonded to the plate element during the forming step of the plate element. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the polymer film is made of a sulfonated copolymer. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the spatial frequency of any corrugations running in parallel within the corrugation pattern and/or the perforation density, defined by a number of perforations per unit area, is varied, preferably in border areas, to improve frost resistance. 
     
     
         8 . An enthalpy exchanger element produced using the method as defined in  claim 1 , including a plate element with a shape exhibiting a predetermined perforation pattern and a predetermined corrugation pattern, wherein at least one side of the plate element is covered by a polymer film with water vapor transmission characteristics. 
     
     
         9 . The enthalpy exchanger element according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the polymer film is bonded, preferably heat bonded, to the plate element. 
     
     
         10 . The enthalpy exchanger element according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the perforated area of the plate element includes corrugated surface areas. 
     
     
         11 . The enthalpy exchanger element according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the width of corrugations in the border areas of the plate element is larger than the width of corrugations in the middle area of the plate element and/or the perforation density, defined by a number of perforations per unit area, in a border area of the plate element is larger than in the middle area of the plate element. 
     
     
         12 . The enthalpy exchanger element according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the corrugations are oriented to guide a fluid flow. 
     
     
         13 . The enthalpy exchanger element according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the perforations are openings of diverse shapes and sizes with a surface area no less than 50% of the plate surface. 
     
     
         14 . The enthalpy exchanger with at least three plates like enthalpy exchanger elements fixed to each other in parallel orientation to form two fluid paths allowing fluids to flow there through, characterized in that the plate like heat exchanger elements are elements according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         15 . The enthalpy exchanger according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the enthalpy exchanger elements are fixed to each other by means of welding such as laser welding or ultrasonic welding, or by means of chemical solutions such as solvent or glue. 
     
     
         16 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plate is formed of a metal foil. 
     
     
         32 . The enthalpy exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the plate is formed of a metal foil.