Heat Exchanger Including Manifold

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes heat exchanger plates in a stacked arrangement such that each heat exchanger plate is spaced apart from the adjacent heat exchanger plate. The space between adjacent heat exchanger plates defines an external fluid passageway, and each external fluid passageway is configured to receive a first fluid. Each heat exchanger plate includes a peripheral edge, an internal fluid passageway configured to receive a second fluid. The internal fluid passageway includes an inlet and an outlet that open at the peripheral edge. The heat exchanger further includes a manifold having a supply chamber in fluid communication with the inlet of each heat exchanger plate and a discharge chamber in fluid communication with the outlet of each heat exchanger plate.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchange plate comprising:
 a front face that defines a first heat exchange surface,   a back face on a side of the plate opposed to the front face, the back face defining a second heat exchange surface; and   an interior fluid passageway disposed between the front face and the back face, the surface of the interior fluid passageway defining a third heat exchange surface,   wherein the front face comprises outwardly protruding regions corresponding to the location of the interior fluid passageway, the outwardly protruding regions protruding in a given location to an extent that is defined by a height of the interior fluid passageway in the given location, where height refers to a dimension in a direction normal to the front face, the outwardly protruding regions including
 a first zone corresponding to a first interior fluid passageway height, and 
 a second zone corresponding to a second interior fluid passageway height, where the first interior fluid passageway height is greater than the second interior fluid passageway height. 
   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchange plate of  claim 16 , further comprising a third zone corresponding to a third interior fluid passageway height, where the second interior fluid passageway height is greater than the third interior fluid passageway height. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchange plate of  claim 17 , wherein the third zone is disposed in an area in which the interior fluid passageway extends along a serpentine path. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchange plate of  claim 16 , further comprising
 a peripheral edge that borders the front face and the back face,   a fluid inlet in communication with the interior fluid passageway,   a fluid outlet in communication with the interior fluid passageway,   a manifold region extending outward from the peripheral edge,   wherein the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are disposed in the manifold region, and   the first zone is disposed in the manifold region, and the second zone is disposed outside the manifold region.   
     
     
         20 . The heat exchange plate of  claim 16  further comprising a peripheral edge that borders the front face and the back face, wherein peripheral edge includes
 a first edge, 
 a second edge spaced apart from and extending in parallel to the first edge, 
 a third edge extending between the first edge and the second edge, and 
 a fourth edge spaced apart from and extending in parallel to the third edge, the fourth edge extending between the first edge and the second edge, 
 wherein
 a manifold region extends outward from the third edge, 
 the first zone is disposed in the manifold region, 
 the second zone extends along the third edge between the manifold region and the second edge. 
 
 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchange plate of claim  2 , further comprising a third zone corresponding to a third interior fluid passageway height, where the second interior fluid passageway height is greater than the third interior fluid passageway height, and the third zone extends between the first and second zones and the fourth edge. 
     
     
         22 . A manifold connector, comprising
 a tubular body including
 a first end, the first end including an annular groove, and a sealing member disposed in the groove; 
 a second end opposed to the first end, the second end configured to be joined to a manifold; 
 a fluid passage extending between the first end and the second end, and 
 an outer diameter that varies from the first end to the second end. 
   
     
     
         23 . The manifold connector of  claim 22 , where the tubular body is frustro-conical in shape, and the first end has an outer diameter that is greater than the second end. 
     
     
         24 . The manifold connector of  claim 22 , where the second end comprises a stepped portion whereby the outer diameter of the second end is less than that of the first end. 
     
     
         25 . The manifold connector of  claim 22 , wherein the tubular body comprises
 a first stepped portion disposed between the second end and a mid point between the first end and the second end, the first stepped portion configured so that the outer diameter of the body in the first stepped portion is less than the outer diameter of the first end, and   a second stepped portion disposed between the first stepped portion and the second end, the second stepped portion configured so that the outer diameter of the body in the second stepped portion is less than the outer diameter of the first stepped portion.   
     
     
         26 . A heat exchanger comprising
 two or more heat exchanger plates in a stacked arrangement such that each heat exchanger plate is spaced apart from the adjacent heat exchanger plate, the space between adjacent heat exchanger plates defining an external fluid passageway, each external fluid passageway configured to receive a first fluid, each heat exchanger plate including
 a peripheral edge, 
 an internal fluid passageway configured to receive a second fluid, and 
 an inlet into the internal fluid passageway that opens at the peripheral edge, and 
 a manifold having fluid communication with the inlet of each heat exchanger plate, and 
 a housing that surrounds the stacked arrangement of plates, the housing configured to support the heat exchanger plates in the spaced apart relationship. 
   
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger of  claim 26 , wherein the housing comprises a sidewall, an open first end and an open second end that is opposed to the first end, the open first end defining an inlet for the first fluid into the respective external passageways, and the open second end defining an outlet for the respective first fluid from the external passageways. 
     
     
         28 . The heat exchanger of  claim 26 , wherein the housing comprises an opening configured to receive the manifold, and the manifold extends through the opening. 
     
     
         29 . The heat exchanger of  claim 26  wherein the housing comprises four sides arranged to form a rectangle when viewed in cross-section, and an inner surface of a pair of opposed sides of the housing is formed having parallel grooves, and each groove configured to receive and support a heat exchanger plate. 
     
     
         30 . The heat exchanger of  claim 29  wherein the housing is an assembly of a first sidewall member and a second sidewall member, each sidewall member having an L shape in cross section, wherein the first sidewall member is identical to the second sidewall member. 
     
     
         31 . The heat exchanger member of  claim 26  further comprising a handle disposed on an outer surface of the housing. 
     
     
         32 . The heat exchanger member of  claim 31 , wherein the handle is selectively detachable from the outer surface. 
     
     
         33 . A method of assembling a plate heat exchanger, comprising
 stacking heat exchanger plates having
 a first side providing a first external heat exchange surface, 
 a second side opposed to the first side and providing a second external heat exchange surface, 
 an internal fluid passageway providing an internal heat exchange surface, 
 an opening that communicates with the internal fluid passage; 
   joining edges of the opening of adjacent plates such that a first side of one plate is joined to a second side of an adjacent plate, and such that a manifold chamber is formed within a volume defined at least in part by the respective joined openings, the manifold chamber being in fluid communication with the internal fluid passageway of each plate.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein each heat exchanger plate comprises a peripheral edge and a tab protruding outward from the peripheral edge, wherein the opening is disposed in the tab, the method comprising encapsulating the tab in plastic. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  further comprising attaching a connector to the openings of the outermost plates of the plate stack, and the step of encapsulating the tab in plastic comprises encapsulating a portion of the flange in plastic. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein encapsulating the tab in plastic comprises
 enclosing the tab within a housing,   placing uncured epoxy between the housing and the tab; and   removing the housing after the epoxy has at least partially cured.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the method further comprises
 connecting a connector to the openings of the outward-facing sides of the outer-most plates of the plate stack, and 
 enclosing a portion of the stack that includes the connectors within a housing, the housing configured so that an end of each of the connectors resides outside the housing; 
 placing epoxy between the housing and the portion of the stack that includes the connectors so that the joined edges of the openings and at least a portion of the connectors are encapsulated by the epoxy.