Heat exchanger with a liquid/gas mixing device with improved channel geometry

Abstract

A heat exchanger with plates defining a first series of passages for channeling at least one refrigerant fluid and a second series of passages for channeling at least one calorigenic fluid, at least one passage of the first series being defined between a first plate defining an adjacent passage of the second series and a second plate. A mixing device is arranged in the passage of the first series and includes a first surface arranged facing the first plate and a second surface arranged facing the second plate, at least one first channel for channeling a gas phase of the refrigerant fluid, and at least one second channel for channeling a liquid phase of the refrigerant fluid.

1 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger comprising several plates arranged parallel to one another thereby defining a first series of passages for channeling at least one refrigerant fluid and a second series of passages for channeling at least one calorigenic fluid to be placed in a heat-exchange relationship with the at least one refrigerant fluid, at least one passage of the first series being defined between a second plate defining an adjacent passage of the second series and a first plate, a mixing device also being arranged in said at least one passage of the first series and comprising:
 at least one first channel for channeling a gas phase of the refrigerant fluid,   at least one second channel for channeling a liquid phase of the refrigerant fluid,   
       wherein a longitudinal section of the second channel, measured parallel to the second plate, decreases in the direction of said second plate. 
     
     
         17 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein an orifice is arranged between the first channel and the second channel, said orifice comprising an inlet opening into the second channel and an outlet opening into the first channel, a longitudinal section of the second channel decreasing from the inlet of the orifice toward the second plate. 
     
     
         18 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the first channel and the second channel extend parallel to the first and second plates. 
     
     
         19 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the first channel is arranged between the second channel and the first plate. 
     
     
         20 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the passages extend in a longitudinal direction, the first channel extending in the longitudinal direction, and the second channel extending in a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         21 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the first channel is formed of a first cavity formed within the mixing device. 
     
     
         22 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the mixing device comprises a first surface arranged facing the first plate and a second surface arranged facing the second plate, the first cavity opening onto the first surface. 
     
     
         23 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the second channel is formed of a second cavity formed within the mixing device. 
     
     
         24 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein the second cavity formed within the mixing device opens onto the second surface. 
     
     
         25 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the mixing device comprises several first longitudinal channels succeeding one another in the lateral direction. 
     
     
         26 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the second channel comprises a first end situated at the level of the inlet of the orifice and a second end situated on the side of the second plate, the ratio between the longitudinal section of the second channel, measured at the second end, and the longitudinal section of the second channel, measured at the first end, being comprised between 0 and 0.8. 
     
     
         27 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the longitudinal section of the second channel decreases progressively toward the second plate. 
     
     
         28 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the second channel extends in the lateral direction, the cross section of the second channel being, in a plane perpendicular to the lateral direction, at least in part of frustoconical shape converging toward the second plate. 
     
     
         29 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the reduction in the longitudinal section of the second channel is brought about by a lateral constriction of said second channel which occurs in the direction of the second plate. 
     
     
         30 . The exchanger as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the mixing device further comprises at least one third channel extending parallel to the first channel, said third channel being arranged between the second channel and the second plate.