EP2147274B1 - Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat - Google Patents

Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2147274B1
EP2147274B1 EP08759677A EP08759677A EP2147274B1 EP 2147274 B1 EP2147274 B1 EP 2147274B1 EP 08759677 A EP08759677 A EP 08759677A EP 08759677 A EP08759677 A EP 08759677A EP 2147274 B1 EP2147274 B1 EP 2147274B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heat exchanger
exchanger tubes
tubes
tube
fins
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Not-in-force
Application number
EP08759677A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2147274A1 (en
Inventor
Dominicus Fredericus Mulder
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
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Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij BV
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Priority to EP08759677A priority Critical patent/EP2147274B1/en
Publication of EP2147274A1 publication Critical patent/EP2147274A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2147274B1 publication Critical patent/EP2147274B1/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F1/00—Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements
    • F28F1/10—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses
    • F28F1/12—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element
    • F28F1/34—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending obliquely
    • F28F1/36—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending obliquely the means being helically wound fins or wire spirals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F1/00—Tubular elements; Assemblies of tubular elements
    • F28F1/10—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses
    • F28F1/12—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element
    • F28F1/24—Tubular elements and assemblies thereof with means for increasing heat-transfer area, e.g. with fins, with projections, with recesses the means being only outside the tubular element and extending transversely
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28B—STEAM OR VAPOUR CONDENSERS
    • F28B1/00—Condensers in which the steam or vapour is separate from the cooling medium by walls, e.g. surface condenser
    • F28B1/06—Condensers in which the steam or vapour is separate from the cooling medium by walls, e.g. surface condenser using air or other gas as the cooling medium

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an indirect heat exchange device comprising finned heat exchanger tubes and to a method of exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid.
  • Finned heat exchanger tubes can be used in indirect heat exchange devices wherein a first fluid, which is passed through the interior of the finned tubes, can exchange heat with a second fluid outside the tubes.
  • the geometric centroid of the cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins of a heat exchanger tube sometimes does not coincide with the axis of the tube.
  • DE-A-1451143 describes an indirect heat exchange device of which the fins of the outer heat exchanger tubes contain additions to shade these outer fins from the sun or other sources of heat.
  • GB-A-281,289 describes finned heat exchanger tubes of which the fins are arranged eccentric relatively to the centre of the tube, which tubes are arranged in layers having opposite eccentricity in order to force gases to take a sinuous path in order to increase the efficiency of the apparatus.
  • US-A-4,002,198 describes a desublimator for isolating sublimation products comprising finned tubes intended to be alternately subjected from the inside to a heating medium and a coolant, the transverse fins of which tubes are arranged in rows staggered laterally in opposite directions by an amount corresponding to the whole spacing between adjacent fin edges to provide additional turbulence surfaces causing greater pressure drops.
  • US-A-4,440,216 teaches to foreshorten the fins at the top of a heat exchanger tube in order for liquid to be more uniformly distributed over the tubes.
  • the fins of liquid treated heat exchanger tubes have a relatively small surface area, i.e. the ratio of surface area of fins to surface area of the tube will be substantially less than 5.
  • the eccentrically finned heat exchanger tube shown in Fig. 6 of NL-C-1019777 has a ratio of surface area of fins to surface area of the tube of substantially less than 5 as well.
  • Finned heat exchanger tubes may in particular be used in air-cooled heat exchanger devices, wherein the fluid outside the tubes is air.
  • Air-cooled heat exchangers can also be referred to as air coolers. Air coolers are described in Perry's Chemical Engineers' handbook, 7th edition, 1997, pages 11-47 to 11-52 . Air coolers are for example used in refinery, petrochemical and chemical processes to cool or condense process fluids inside the tube with air outside the tube. Air coolers typically include a bundle of finned tubes, and a fan, which fan moves air across the tubes.
  • the heat transfer from the fluid inside the tube to the tube itself is typically much more efficient than the heat transfer between the fluid outside the tube (air) and the tube itself.
  • the efficiency of heat transfer can for example be expressed by a so-called film coefficient as defined in Perry's, pages 5-12 to 5-19.
  • the external surface area of the heat exchanger tube is increased by means of fins, so that the product of film coefficient and surface area inside and outside of the heat exchanger tube is of the same order of magnitude.
  • the rate dQ/dt of heat exchanged Q (also referred to as duty) with the surrounding fluid is proportional to the object's exposed area A, and the difference between the object temperature T w and the fluid free-stream temperature T ⁇ .
  • the constant of proportionality h is termed the convection heat-transfer coefficient, also referred to as film coefficient [units W/(m 2 .K)].
  • the flow of fluid outside the tube is typically induced by a fan.
  • the air velocity is often limited, such as by the maximum noise level of a fan, e.g. 80 dBa.
  • the air velocity across a bundle of finned tubes is determined by the static pressure drop (resistance) of the bundle. A higher air velocity will be achieved if the pressure drop (resistance) is lower.
  • Finned tubes are also employed in heaters or furnaces, such as fired heaters, for improving the heat transfer from the heating fluid surrounding the tubes to fluid that is flowing inside the tubes. It has been observed that coking of fluid inside heat exchanger tubes occurs preferentially at the upstream (upwind) side of the flow of fluid outside the tubes, for example in heaters for crude oil entering a crude distillation unit.
  • the heating fluid is combustion gas from the combustion of a fuel, rising upwardly in a heater.
  • Figure 6 of NL-A-1019777 which discloses the preamble of claim 1, is a schematic drawing of a finned heat exchange element and lacks information on how the fins are positioned vis-à-vis the flow of air.
  • an indirect air-cooled heat exchange device comprising heat exchanger tubes arranged in at least 2 layers each of which layers comprises at least 2 heat exchanger tubes and a fan having a blow or suck direction across the heat exchanger tubes and defining an upstream side of the heat exchanger tubes
  • the heat exchanger tubes are eccentrically finned heat exchanger tubes having a ratio of surface area of the fins to surface area of the tube of at least 5, and in which device the heat exchanger tubes have for their position in the device, the same spacing both in magnitude and in direction between the axis of the tube and the geometrical centroid of the envelope defined by the fin and in which the geometric centroid of the cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins of the heat exchanger tubes is arranged upstream from the axis of the tubes.
  • Finned heat exchanger tubes have an axis and are provided with fins, the fins defining an envelope having a cross-section, wherein the cross-section of the envelope has a geometric centroid. In eccentrically finned heat exchangers, this geometric centroid is spaced apart from the axis of the tube.
  • the axis of the tube is the longitudinal axis of the interior of the tube.
  • Eccentricity is defined as the spacing, both in magnitude and direction, between the axis of the tube and the geometrical centroid of the envelope of the tube as positioned in the device.
  • Finned heat exchanger tubes of similar eccentricity in the heat exchange device are finned tubes having an eccentricity which is the same both in magnitude and in direction for their position in the heat exchange device.
  • the influence of the position in the device on the eccentricity of a tube is clear from Figures 1, 3 and 4 of GB-A-281,289 where the eccentriciy of tubes in adjacent layers is opposite in direction due to the different position of tubes in adjacent layers.
  • most, preferably all, finned heat exchanger tubes of the device have a similar eccentricity.
  • the finned heat exchanger tubes of the device according to the present invention have the same eccentricity both in magnitude and direction.
  • the direction of the eccentricity of the heat exchanger tubes of the device is parallel, i.e. either the same or opposite in direction, to the direction in which fluid outside the tubes normally flows.
  • the upstream (also referred to as upwind) side is the side at which the fluid flow direction outside the tubes is towards the finned tubes, and at the downstream (downwind) side the fluid flow outside the tubes is away from the tubes.
  • the different effectiveness can be observed for conventional concentric circular fins in that the temperature of the tips of such fins is lower on the upstream side than on the downstream side.
  • the difference in temperature between the fin tip and the fluid surrounding the fin tip hereinafter referred to as the differential temperature, is also higher for the fins at the upstream side of such conventional heat exchanger tubes. For this reason it is advantageous to arrange the finning eccentrically on the tubes, or in other words, to use non-concentric fins. It will be clear that the difference in effectiveness is more pronounced for heat exchanger tubes having a relatively high surface area, i.e.
  • the ratio of surface area of the fins to surface area of the tube preferably is at most 25.
  • the surface area of the fins is the surface area of the fins to be in contact with the fluid outside the tube while the surface area of the tube is the surface area of the tube in contact with the fluid inside the tube.
  • the fin can have any suitable shape such as circular, elliptical, oval, polygonal, or egg-shaped (i.e. roughly oval with somewhat different radii at the tips; the larger radius can suitably be arranged at the downstream side).
  • An elliptical shape has shown good results.
  • the indirect heat exchange device comprises at least 2 layers, preferably at least 3 layers, more preferably at least 4 layers of heat exchanger tubes.
  • the number of layers is at most 10, more preferably at most 9.
  • each layer comprises at least 2, more preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 4 heat exchanger tubes.
  • the number of layers and the number of tubes is the number of times the tube is present independent from whether the tubes are connected to each other such as via a tube bend.
  • the heat exchanger tubes in adjacent layers are preferably arranged staggered with respect to each other while the tubes in the device still have similar eccentricity.
  • the heat exchange device can further comprise a fan having a blow or suck direction across the heat exchanger tubes and defining an upstream side of the heat exchanger tubes, and wherein the geometric centroid of the cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins is arranged upstream from the axis of the tube.
  • the geometric centroid of the cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins preferably is arranged downstream from the axis of the tubes with respect to the direction of heating fluid flow across the heat exchange device (typically the upper side).
  • the invention provides an indirect heat exchange device arranged in a heater having flow direction of heating fluid across the heat exchange device and defining a downstream side of the heat exchanger tubes of the device, and wherein the geometric centroid of cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins is arranged downstream from the axis of the tubes. In this way a more equal heat transfer around the circumference of the tube is achieved, so that temperature differences at the inner wall between the upstream and downstream sides are minimized. This will suppress preferential coking at the upstream side within the tubes.
  • the expression "the geometric centroid of the cross-section of the envelope defined by the fins is arranged upstream (or downstream) from the axis of the tube” refers to a position of the geometric centroid in a plane parallel to a plane through the tube axis and perpendicular to the direction of the flow of fluid outside the tubes, and which plane is more upstream (or more downstream) than the plane through the tube axis, respectively.
  • the geometric centroid is in an upstream position along the direction of fluid flow outside the tubes with respect to the axis of the tube.
  • the invention also provides the use of the indirect heat exchange device according to the invention for exchanging heat between a first fluid inside the tubes and a second fluid outside the tubes. Accordingly, the invention provides a method of exchanging heat according to claim 4.
  • the upstream and downstream differential temperatures, as defined above and with respect to the flow of fluid outside the tubes, at the tip of the fins of the heat exchanger tubes are substantially equal during use in the method according to the invention.
  • Heat exchanger tubes for use in the device according to the present invention can be manufactured in many different ways.
  • a suitable method of manufacturing comprises
  • a finned heat exchanger tube can be obtained, which has an eccentric envelope with respect to the axis of the tube, wherein the geometric centroid of cross-sections of the envelope extends a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.
  • the elongated strip can be efficiently manufactured by cutting from an elongated strip with parallel straight sides, so that two elongated strips are obtained.
  • FIG. 1 showing schematically a conventional finned heat exchanger tube 1.
  • the tube is provided with fins 3 of circular cross-section.
  • the fins are obtained by helically winding a strip of metal around the inner tube 5.
  • the fins define an envelope 7 having a circular cross-section 8.
  • the geometric centroid of the circle 8 is in the centre 9, which coincides in this case with the longitudinal axis 10 of the tube 1.
  • the conventional finned heat exchanger tube 1 is shown in transverse cross-section in Figure 2 .
  • FIG. 3 showing schematically a finned heat exchanger tube 21 for use in a device according to the invention.
  • the tube is provided with fins 23 defining an envelope 24 of elliptical cross-section 25, eccentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis 30 of the tube 21.
  • the geometric centroid 31 which is at the cross section of the major and minor axes 32,33 of the ellipse, is spaced apart from the axis 30.
  • FIG 4 shows schematically another embodiment of a finned heat exchanger tube 41 for use in a device according to the invention.
  • the fins 43 define an envelope 44 of circular cross section 45.
  • the centre 46 of the circle 45 is spaced apart from the longitudinal axis 50 of the tube 41.
  • FIG. 5 showing schematically a device 51 according to the invention comprising eccentrically finned heat exchanger tubes 53, in an assembly 54 with a fan 55, for example to form an air-cooled heat exchanger.
  • the device in this example comprises 4 layers of tubes when viewed along the blow direction 58 of the fan 55, each of which layer comprises 3 or 4 heat exchanger tubes.
  • Each tube has an upstream side 60 and a downstream side 61, wherein the upstream side is closer to the fan 55 than the downstream side in the case of a fan that blows.
  • the finned tubes 53 are eccentric elliptical as discussed with reference to Figure 3 .
  • a first fluid is passed through the interior 62 of the tubes 53, and the fan blows second fluid (e.g. air) across the tubes along the blow direction 58, so as to exchange heat between the first and second fluids, e.g. to cool the first fluid against air.
  • second fluid e.g. air
  • the elliptical fins are non-concentrically arranged such that the geometric centroid of their envelope is below the axis of the tubes in Figure 5 , at the side of the blowing fan.
  • the model assumes copper tube cores with aluminium fins.
  • the tube core has a fixed temperature of 100 °C.
  • the ambient temperature of the air is 30 °C.
  • the tubes are in cross flow, with an ambient air velocity of 4 m/s. The following parameters were used in the calculations.
  • Finned tube dimensions (all examples):
  • the device according to the invention comprised ellipsoid and eccentrically finned tubes.
  • the device not according to the invention comprised conventional concentric circular finned tubes.
  • Example 1 a duty of 1366.9 W per meter length of the finned tube was obtained, at a pressure drop of 101.5 Pa. In the Comparative Example 2, the duty was somewhat higher, 1505.5 W/m, but at a much higher pressure drop namely 132.0 Pa. The ratio of duty to pressure drop was 18% higher in the Example 1 according to the invention.
  • FIG. 5 The embodiment of a heater wherein preferential coking is to be suppressed would be similar to Figure 5 , but instead of the fan a burner would be arranged, and the elliptical fins would be arranged with the geometric centroid of their envelope above the axis of the tubes in Figure 5 , away from the burner.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Geometry (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
EP08759677A 2007-05-14 2008-05-14 Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat Not-in-force EP2147274B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP08759677A EP2147274B1 (en) 2007-05-14 2008-05-14 Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP07108131 2007-05-14
PCT/EP2008/056036 WO2008138988A1 (en) 2007-05-14 2008-05-14 Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat
EP08759677A EP2147274B1 (en) 2007-05-14 2008-05-14 Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2147274A1 EP2147274A1 (en) 2010-01-27
EP2147274B1 true EP2147274B1 (en) 2012-08-15

Family

ID=38626912

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP08759677A Not-in-force EP2147274B1 (en) 2007-05-14 2008-05-14 Indirect heat exchange device and method of exchanging heat

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US20110000650A1 (da)
EP (1) EP2147274B1 (da)
AU (1) AU2008249955B2 (da)
DK (1) DK2147274T3 (da)
RU (1) RU2476803C2 (da)
WO (1) WO2008138988A1 (da)
ZA (1) ZA200907524B (da)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US11022340B2 (en) 2016-08-01 2021-06-01 Johnson Controls Technology Company Enhanced heat transfer surfaces for heat exchangers
US11499747B2 (en) * 2019-10-04 2022-11-15 Rheem Manufacturing Company Heat exchanger tubes and tube assembly configurations

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB281289A (en) * 1926-11-26 1928-03-15 Paul Leveque Improvements in economisers and like heat exchangers
DE2119345A1 (en) * 1971-04-21 1972-11-02 R. & G. Schmöle Metallwerke, 575OMenden Finned tube - fin dimensions ensure optimum heat conduction at minimum material usage
DE2442420C3 (de) * 1974-09-05 1979-10-31 Basf Ag, 6700 Ludwigshafen Desublimator für die Gewinnung von Sublimationsprodukten, insbesondere von Phthalsäureanhydrid, aus Reaktionsgasen
US4440216A (en) * 1980-02-18 1984-04-03 Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. Finned heat exchanger tube
NL9301995A (nl) * 1993-11-18 1995-06-16 Dejatech Bv Vinbuis voor een warmteuitwisselinrichting.
KR20010096496A (ko) * 2000-04-03 2001-11-07 위성점 열교환 장치에 구비되는 냉각튜브
NL1019777C1 (nl) * 2002-01-18 2003-07-21 Hubertus Cornelis Ma Hubregtse Buisvormig warmtewisselaar-element en werkwijze voor het vormen daarvan.
RU2266486C1 (ru) * 2004-03-26 2005-12-20 Линников Егор Владимирович Трубный ряд аппарата воздушного охлаждения газа

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2008138988A1 (en) 2008-11-20
US20110000650A1 (en) 2011-01-06
RU2009146022A (ru) 2011-06-20
AU2008249955A1 (en) 2008-11-20
EP2147274A1 (en) 2010-01-27
RU2476803C2 (ru) 2013-02-27
ZA200907524B (en) 2010-07-28
AU2008249955B2 (en) 2011-01-20
DK2147274T3 (da) 2012-09-03

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