GB2065289A

GB2065289A - Hanging arrangement for plate heat exchanger

Info

Publication number: GB2065289A
Application number: GB7943046A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: APV Corp Ltd
Current assignee: SPX Flow Technology Crawley Ltd
Priority date: 1979-12-13
Filing date: 1979-12-13
Publication date: 1981-06-24
Also published as: GB2065289B

Abstract

In order to simplify handling in certain cases and also to minimise damage to plates during tightening, a top bar (4) for supporting plates (1) of a plate heat exchanger is provided with hanging strips (8) cooperating with hanging eyes (9) on the plates (1). Strips (8) are movably mounted in slots in the top bar and may be retracted to a position wherein the plates are no longer suspended. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hanging arrangement for plate heat exchanger This invention relates to plate heat exchangers, and more particularly to the arrangements for suspending the plates in the heat exchanger frame.

A plate heat exchanger consists for present purposes of a pack of gasketed plates arranged in spaced face-to-face relationship to form flow spaces between the adjacent plates. The edges of the flow spaces are sealed by compressible gaskets. Each plate in the pack is normally suspended from a top bar of a frame and the pack is compressed between a fixed head and a movable follower of the frame.

It is conventional for the plates to be suspended from the top bar by means of a hanging strip, wider than the top bar, bolted to the lower surface of the top bar. This hanging strip cooperates with the under cut formations, known as hanging eyes, in the top edge of the plates so that if the plates are hanging freely vertical they are supported by the hanging strip but if angled in a vertical plane they can be removed from or hung onto the hanging strip.

The hanging of plates individually onto the top bar, and their individual removal, leads to a large amount of handling of the plates which may be undesirable in certain environments, e.g. in the nuciear industry. Also, the plates have to be slidable along the top bar for purposes of opening and closing the pack, and particularly for tightening the pack. In a large heat exchanger, e.g.

having several hundreds of plates in the pack, shortening of the pack during tightening may amount to one foot (30 cm) or more and this movement has to be accommodated by sliding.

This can lead to distortion of or damage to the plates or hanging strip and the friction involved adds considerably to the load to be applied to tighten the pack, either manually or by a form of power tightener.

According to the present invention there is provided a top bar for a plate heat exchanger frame arranged to extend longitudinally of the frame and to have the plates supported thereon, the top bar including a pair of hanging strips for supporting the plates, the said strips protruding from opposite sides of the top bar and at least one of them being movably mounted in the top bar so that the amount of projection may be varied.

The invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which: Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a typical frame for a plate heat exchanger; Figure 2 shows a detail of a top bar according to a form of the present invention; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a different position; and Figure 4 is a sectional view illustrating a further detail.

Turning first to Figure 1, a plate heat exchanger is shown as consisting of a number of plates 1 mounted in a frame consisting of a head 2, an end stop 3, top bar 4, a bottom bar 5 and a follower 6 mounted on the top and bottom bars 4 and 5 respectively. The pack of plates is compressed between the follower 6 and the head 2 by any suitable means, e.g. a screw jack acting on the follower 6 and reacting on the end stop 3, and the pack of plates may be held in the tightened position, and also finally tightened, by means of tie bars 7.

Turning now to Figure 2, the top bar is shown as having a pair of adjustable hanging strips 8 projecting one for either side thereof and cooperating with a conventional hanging eye 9 on each of the plates 1. It will be seen that in the position shown, the plate 1 is suspended from the hanging strips 8, but by angling it in its own plane, it can be released therefrom, and conversely can be introduced on to the hanging strips.

In accordance with the present invention, the two hanging strips 8 are made retractable from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3 wherein they no longer support the plate 1 by means of the hanging eye 9. There are two particular motives for providing this facility. One is that once the pack has been tightened to an intermediate extent, it is adequately supported by being compressed between the head and follower, and possibly also by mechanical interaction between the plates, so that the individual plates no longer need to be suspended from the top bar.Accordingly, the suspension of them leads to unnecessary frictional resistance to further tightening, and also to possible damage to the plates and hanging strips, so that once this intermediate stage of tightening has been achieved, the strips 8 may be retracted and further tightening carried on without the additional frictional resistance. This avoids the possible damage and also reduces the load so that tightening, whether manual or power assisted becomes easier, and the loads applied and reacted are also reduced leading to possible reductions in the required strength of the various frame members and tie bars.

The second advantage is that if manual individual loading or unloading of the plates is undesirable, then the pack may be loaded or unloaded as an entity with the hanging strips retracted, and the hanging strips can be brought into position to support the pack when the transport means is removed. Tightening can then proceed, and the release of the plates would assist in their accurate alignment prior to tightening.

Turning now to Figure 4, it is envisaged that the strips 8 would have extensions 8a and 8b which would be provided with oppositely threaded apertures 8c and 8d, respectively to co-operate with a double threaded bolt 11. Rotation of the bolt in one direction or the other would then cause the conjoint extension or retraction of the two hanging strips 8. It will be appreciated that a similar extension will be provided at each end of each strip and the two ends would thus be individually adjustable by either manual or power rotation of the bolts 11.

Various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A top bar for a plate heat exchanger frame arranged to extend longitudinally of the frame and to have the plates supported thereon, the top bar including a pair of hanging strips for supporting the plates, the said strips protruding from opposite sides of the top bar and at least one of them being movably mounted in the top bar so that the amount of projection may be varied.

2. A top bar as claimed in claim 1, in which the hanging strips are mounted in longitudinal slots in the top bar and are provided with actuating means for conjoint adjustment of their positions relative to the top bar.

3. A top bar as claimed in claim 2 in which the actuating means includes a rotary member having zones provided with oppositely handed threads cooperating with correspondingly threaded apertures in the hanging strips.

4. A top bar as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the hanging strips are provided with actuating means at or adjacent both ends of the top bar.

5. A top bar for a plate heat exchanger frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. A plate heat exchanger frame having a top bar as claimed in any of the preceding claims.

7. A plate heat exchanger having a frame as claimed in claim 6.