Heat exchanger and method of producing the same

Abstract

A heat exchanger comprises a gas casing formed with a gas chamber filled with a refrigerant gas, and a heat exchanging unit received in the gas chamber of the gas casing. The heat exchanging unit has a plurality of regenerative plates each made of a material having a thermal conductivity and a heat capacity. The regenerative plates are positioned in face-to-face and thermally insulated relationships to one another with the surfaces being in substantially perpendicular to the center axis of the heat exchanging unit to define spaces each between the neighboring two regenerative plates. Each of the regenerative plates may be shaped in the symmetrical outline form with respect to its central point and smaller in size than the cross-sections of the gas chamber of the gas casing. Each of the regenerative plates has a plurality of airy holes formed therein. The airy holes of the regenerative plates and part of the spaces define in combination a plurality of inner gas flow passageways extending in substantially perpendicular relationship to the surfaces of the regenerative plates to allow the refrigerant gas to flow therethrough to effect a heat exchange between the regenerative plates and the refrigerant gas therethrough while the refrigerant gas is passing through the gas casing. The heat exchanger can have the loss in the heat conductivity lessened to enhance the efficiency of exchanging the heat energy between the gas and the regenerator as well as can be manufactured by hand without laborious tasks.