EP2583043A1 - Heat exchanger unit - Google Patents

Heat exchanger unit

Info

Publication number
EP2583043A1
EP2583043A1 EP10853078.3A EP10853078A EP2583043A1 EP 2583043 A1 EP2583043 A1 EP 2583043A1 EP 10853078 A EP10853078 A EP 10853078A EP 2583043 A1 EP2583043 A1 EP 2583043A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
conduit
heat exchanger
distribution conduit
single distribution
axis
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP10853078.3A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2583043A4 (en
Inventor
Lasad Jaouani
Gregoire Nollet
Remy Kurtz
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.)
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Air Liquide SA, LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical Air Liquide SA
Publication of EP2583043A1 publication Critical patent/EP2583043A1/en
Publication of EP2583043A4 publication Critical patent/EP2583043A4/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

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
    • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
    • F28F9/22—Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/04—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream for air
    • F25J3/04763—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used
    • F25J3/04866—Construction and layout of air fractionation equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J3/0489—Modularity and arrangement of parts of the air fractionation unit, in particular of the cold box, e.g. pre-fabrication, assembling and erection, dimensions, horizontal layout "plot"
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J5/00—Arrangements of cold exchangers or cold accumulators in separation or liquefaction plants
    • F25J5/002—Arrangements of cold exchangers or cold accumulators in separation or liquefaction plants for continuously recuperating cold, i.e. in a so-called recuperative heat exchanger
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
    • F28D9/0062—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by spaced plates with inserted elements
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28D—HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT
    • F28D9/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary plate-like or laminated conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
    • F28D9/0093—Multi-circuit heat-exchangers, e.g. integrating different heat exchange sections in the same unit or heat-exchangers for more than two fluids
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F9/00—Casings; Header boxes; Auxiliary supports for elements; Auxiliary members within casings
    • F28F9/02—Header boxes; End plates
    • F28F9/026—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits
    • F28F9/027—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits in the form of distribution pipes
    • F28F9/0275—Header boxes; End plates with static flow control means, e.g. with means for uniformly distributing heat exchange media into conduits in the form of distribution pipes with multiple branch pipes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
    • F25J2210/40—Air or oxygen enriched air, i.e. generally less than 30mol% of O2
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/42—Modularity, pre-fabrication of modules, assembling and erection, horizontal layout, i.e. plot plan, and vertical arrangement of parts of the cryogenic unit, e.g. of the cold box
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/50—Arrangement of multiple equipments fulfilling the same process step in parallel

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a heat exchanger unit and in particular a heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers.
  • a stream to be cooled is sent to all the heat exchangers via a distribution conduit and a plurality of conduits each send part of the stream to one of the heat exchangers.
  • the cooled streams are removed from each of the heat exchangers by individual conduits, each of which is connected to a collection conduit which contains the cooled stream sent to the heat exchangers by the distribution conduit.
  • Such a heat exchanger unit is described in "The Interaction of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop on Manifolding Aluminium Plate Fin Heat Exchangers" by Sotzek in Linde Reports on Science and Technology, 61 /1999, in FR-A-2844040 and in WO-A-05/085728.
  • the heat exchangers A, B, C, D can be placed in a line as shown in Figure 1 or else in a square format, exchangers A and C being on one side of the conduit and exchangers B and D on the other side ( Figure 2, conduit not shown).
  • One object of the present invention is a heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers of the plate fin type, the heat exchangers being identical and having substantially the same dimensions and having the form of a cuboid, the heat exchangers being linked to at least one single distribution conduit and at least one single collection conduit, at least one first heat exchanger being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
  • the single distribution conduit is linked to the first exchanger via a first conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the second exchanger via a second conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the first conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a first point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a second point, the first point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit.
  • the first conduit is linked to a header on the top or a side wall of the first exchanger and the second conduit is linked to the second exchanger at a point on top or the side wall of the second heat exchanger.
  • the first face of the first heat exchanger is offset to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger by an offset distance less than the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit.
  • the offset distance is less than half the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. - the offset distance is substantially equal to the diameter of the first and/or second conduits.
  • the unit comprises at least four exchangers of the plate fin type, at least two first exchangers being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least two second exchangers being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, each of the first heat exchangers having a first face parallel to the nearest face of one of the second heat exchangers but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
  • the single distribution conduit is linked to the third exchanger via a third conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the fourth exchanger via a fourth conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the third conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a third point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a fourth point, the third point being spaced from the fourth point along the axis of the single distribution conduit and the third point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit, the distance between the second and third points being at least twice the distance between the first and second points and at least twice the distance between the third and fourth points.
  • each heat exchanger has a centre of gravity, the centre of gravity of an exchanger on one side of the single distribution conduit being offset along the axis of the single distribution conduit for the centre of gravity of the nearest exchanger on the other side of the single distribution conduit.
  • the fluid connection conduit connected to the first face of each exchanger is connected to a point falling on a line perpendicular to the axis of the distribution conduit which divides the face into two equal halves.
  • a cryogenic air separation unit including a heat exchanger unit or a cold box as described above, the air separation unit including a distillation column system connected to the heat exchanger unit.
  • the heat exchangers A, B, C and D are identical, having the same dimensions and the same connections.
  • the exchanger B is disposed as a mirror image of exchanger A and exchanger D is a mirror image of exchanger C, the mirror image being slightly displaced along the axis of the conduit E.
  • the conduit E (shown in dotted lines) runs between exchangers A, C and B, D and carries air to the heat exchangers.
  • Each of the exchangers is disposed below the conduit E and has connections 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D to a conduit F (not shown), these connections only being shown in cross-section.
  • Elements belonging to exchanger A are designated by the letter A after the numeral reference and so on.
  • connections 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D which connect to the faces of the heat exchangers running parallel to the axis of the conduit E and which are proximate thereto.
  • these connections are outlet conduit for warmed high pressure nitrogen but they could of course contain other fluids than high pressure nitrogen.
  • the heat exchangers can be placed close together, without touching each other and without any of the connections 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D touching one another. In this way the heat exchangers A and C can be as close as possible to the exchangers B, D.
  • the heat exchangers also have connections 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D for the headers on the top of the heat exchangers, these connections permitting the removal of warmed gaseous oxygen from the heat exchangers.
  • Figure 4 shows conduit E for low pressure gaseous nitrogen cooled in the heat exchangers A, B, C, D and removed from the heat exchangers to conduit E via the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D.
  • the conduits are arranged in pairs extending perpendicular to the axis of conduit E.
  • the conduit 7A is offset to conduit 7B because of the offset positions of exchangers A, B.
  • the conduit 7C is offset to conduit 7D because of the offset positions of exchangers C, D.
  • the offset between the heat exchangers is roughly equal to the diameter of one of the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, which all have the same diameter.
  • the heat exchangers are used to cool air to be sent to a column system of a cryogenic distillation plant.
  • the air is cooled in the heat exchangers by indirect heat exchange with fluids from the cryogenic distillation plant.
  • Each of the heat exchangers A, B, C, D is in the form of a cuboid comprising a plate fin heat exchanger made of aluminium, the cuboid being connected to headers to introduce and remove fluids therefrom.
  • the plate fin heat exchanger comprises a series of plates spaced from one another by fins.
  • the heat exchangers each have two conduits 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D connected to conduit F for the removal of waste oxygen. These pairs of conduits are positioned on both sides of the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and are offset in the same way as these conduits.
  • Conduits 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D are air conduits.
  • Conduit F is a conduit for high pressure gaseous nitrogen which receives warmed high pressure gaseous nitrogen from the four heat exchangers A to D.
  • G is a gaseous oxygen stream from the subcooler.
  • FIG. 5 shows the entire heat exchanger unit, exchanger D being hidden by the others A, B, C and the entire unit being mounted on a support structure H.
  • Conduit J is the conduit sending low pressure gaseous nitrogen from the air separation column system to the heat exchangers A, B, C, D.
  • Conduit K is a waste oxygen conduit bringing waste oxygen from the air separation column system to the heat exchangers A, B, C, D.
  • Conduit L is a gaseous oxygen conduit.
  • Conduit M is a gaseous air conduit.
  • the heat exchanger unit is preferably surrounded by insulation and enclosed in an enclosure, called a cold box.
  • the heat exchanger unit may from part of cryogenic distillation unit, such as an air separation unit where it is used to cool the feed air to a cold enough temperature to allow it to be distilled.
  • heat exchanger need only comprise two heat exchangers B and A or C and D at its simplest.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Details Of Heat-Exchange And Heat-Transfer (AREA)

Abstract

A heat exchanger unit comprises at least two heat exchangers (A, B, C, D) of the late fin type, the heat exchangers being identical and having substantially the same dimensions and having the form of a cuboid, the heat exchangers being linked to at least one single distribution conduit (E, F) and at least one single collection conduit (J, K), at least one first heat exchanger (A, C) being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger (B, D) being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit (1A, 1B, 1C, 1D) connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.

Description

Heat exchanger u nit
The present invention concerns a heat exchanger unit and in particular a heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers.
It is common to use an assembly of several identical heat exchangers to form a heat exchanger. A stream to be cooled is sent to all the heat exchangers via a distribution conduit and a plurality of conduits each send part of the stream to one of the heat exchangers. Similarly the cooled streams are removed from each of the heat exchangers by individual conduits, each of which is connected to a collection conduit which contains the cooled stream sent to the heat exchangers by the distribution conduit.
Such a heat exchanger unit is described in "The Interaction of Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop on Manifolding Aluminium Plate Fin Heat Exchangers" by Sotzek in Linde Reports on Science and Technology, 61 /1999, in FR-A-2844040 and in WO-A-05/085728.
It is desired to make the heat exchanger unit as compact as possible, in particular by reducing the space the heat exchanger unit takes up at floor level ("footprint"). This can reduce or eliminate the need to make welded connections on site.
The heat exchangers A, B, C, D can be placed in a line as shown in Figure 1 or else in a square format, exchangers A and C being on one side of the conduit and exchangers B and D on the other side (Figure 2, conduit not shown).
In the configuration of Figure 2, it is not possible to place the heat exchangers on either side of a collection conduit too closely together since, as the heat exchangers are identical, the fluid conduits connected to the adjacent faces on either side of the conduit are at the same position on the side wall of the heat exchangers and so prevent the heat exchangers from being placed close together.
One object of the present invention is a heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers of the plate fin type, the heat exchangers being identical and having substantially the same dimensions and having the form of a cuboid, the heat exchangers being linked to at least one single distribution conduit and at least one single collection conduit, at least one first heat exchanger being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
Additionally, optional features may exist, including
- the single distribution conduit is linked to the first exchanger via a first conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the second exchanger via a second conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the first conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a first point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a second point, the first point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit.
- the first conduit is linked to a header on the top or a side wall of the first exchanger and the second conduit is linked to the second exchanger at a point on top or the side wall of the second heat exchanger. - the first face of the first heat exchanger is offset to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger by an offset distance less than the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit.
- the offset distance is less than half the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. - the offset distance is substantially equal to the diameter of the first and/or second conduits.
- the unit comprises at least four exchangers of the plate fin type, at least two first exchangers being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least two second exchangers being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, each of the first heat exchangers having a first face parallel to the nearest face of one of the second heat exchangers but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
- the single distribution conduit is linked to the third exchanger via a third conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the fourth exchanger via a fourth conduit running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the third conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a third point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a fourth point, the third point being spaced from the fourth point along the axis of the single distribution conduit and the third point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit, the distance between the second and third points being at least twice the distance between the first and second points and at least twice the distance between the third and fourth points. - each heat exchanger has a centre of gravity, the centre of gravity of an exchanger on one side of the single distribution conduit being offset along the axis of the single distribution conduit for the centre of gravity of the nearest exchanger on the other side of the single distribution conduit. - the fluid connection conduit connected to the first face of each exchanger is connected to a point falling on a line perpendicular to the axis of the distribution conduit which divides the face into two equal halves. According to a further aspect, there is provided a cold box including a heat exchanger unit as described above, the heat exchanger unit being surrounded by insulation.
According to a further aspect, there is provided a cryogenic air separation unit including a heat exchanger unit or a cold box as described above, the air separation unit including a distillation column system connected to the heat exchanger unit.
The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 3 and 5, which show a heat exchanger unit according to the invention, Figures 3 and 4 showing overhead views and Figure 5 showing a side view.
The heat exchangers A, B, C and D are identical, having the same dimensions and the same connections. The exchanger B is disposed as a mirror image of exchanger A and exchanger D is a mirror image of exchanger C, the mirror image being slightly displaced along the axis of the conduit E. The conduit E (shown in dotted lines) runs between exchangers A, C and B, D and carries air to the heat exchangers. Each of the exchangers is disposed below the conduit E and has connections 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D to a conduit F (not shown), these connections only being shown in cross-section. Elements belonging to exchanger A are designated by the letter A after the numeral reference and so on.
The figure also shows connections 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D which connect to the faces of the heat exchangers running parallel to the axis of the conduit E and which are proximate thereto. In the specific embodiments, these connections are outlet conduit for warmed high pressure nitrogen but they could of course contain other fluids than high pressure nitrogen.
Because of the offset between the heat exchanger, the heat exchangers can be placed close together, without touching each other and without any of the connections 1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D touching one another. In this way the heat exchangers A and C can be as close as possible to the exchangers B, D.
The heat exchangers also have connections 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D for the headers on the top of the heat exchangers, these connections permitting the removal of warmed gaseous oxygen from the heat exchangers.
Figure 4 shows conduit E for low pressure gaseous nitrogen cooled in the heat exchangers A, B, C, D and removed from the heat exchangers to conduit E via the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C and 7D. It will be noted that the conduits are arranged in pairs extending perpendicular to the axis of conduit E. The conduit 7A is offset to conduit 7B because of the offset positions of exchangers A, B. The conduit 7C is offset to conduit 7D because of the offset positions of exchangers C, D. The offset between the heat exchangers is roughly equal to the diameter of one of the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, which all have the same diameter.
In this particular case, the heat exchangers are used to cool air to be sent to a column system of a cryogenic distillation plant. The air is cooled in the heat exchangers by indirect heat exchange with fluids from the cryogenic distillation plant.
Each of the heat exchangers A, B, C, D is in the form of a cuboid comprising a plate fin heat exchanger made of aluminium, the cuboid being connected to headers to introduce and remove fluids therefrom. The plate fin heat exchanger comprises a series of plates spaced from one another by fins.
The heat exchangers each have two conduits 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D connected to conduit F for the removal of waste oxygen. These pairs of conduits are positioned on both sides of the conduits 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D and are offset in the same way as these conduits.
Conduits 9A, 9B, 9C, 9D are air conduits. Conduit F is a conduit for high pressure gaseous nitrogen which receives warmed high pressure gaseous nitrogen from the four heat exchangers A to D. G is a gaseous oxygen stream from the subcooler.
Figure 5 shows the entire heat exchanger unit, exchanger D being hidden by the others A, B, C and the entire unit being mounted on a support structure H. The same elements are shown as in Figure 4 with the addition of conduits J, K, L, M. Conduit J is the conduit sending low pressure gaseous nitrogen from the air separation column system to the heat exchangers A, B, C, D. Conduit K is a waste oxygen conduit bringing waste oxygen from the air separation column system to the heat exchangers A, B, C, D. Conduit L is a gaseous oxygen conduit. Conduit M is a gaseous air conduit.
This allows the overall width of a heat exchanger unit to be reduced by around 400mm, for a total width of 6000 mm. This means in some cases, that the heat exchanger unit can be transported as an assembled unit, rather than having to connect the heat exchangers together on site.
The heat exchanger unit is preferably surrounded by insulation and enclosed in an enclosure, called a cold box.
The heat exchanger unit may from part of cryogenic distillation unit, such as an air separation unit where it is used to cool the feed air to a cold enough temperature to allow it to be distilled.
It is obvious that the heat exchanger need only comprise two heat exchangers B and A or C and D at its simplest.

Claims

1 Heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers (A, B, C, D) of the plate fin type, the heat exchangers being identical and having substantially the same dimensions and having the form of a cuboid, the heat exchangers being linked to at least one single distribution conduit (E, F) and at least one single collection conduit (J, K), at least one first heat exchanger (A, C) being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger (B, D) being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit (1 A, 1 B, 1 C, 1 D) connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
2. Unit according to Claim 1 wherein the single distribution conduit (E) is linked to the first exchanger (A, C) via a first conduit (7A, 7C, 9A, 9C) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the second exchanger (B, D) via a second conduit (7B, 7D, 9B, 9D) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the first conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a first point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a second point, the first point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit.
3 Unit according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the first conduit (7A, 7C, 9A, 9C) is linked to a header on the top or a side wall of the first exchanger and the second conduit (7B, 7D, 9B, 9D) is linked to the second exchanger at a point on top or the side wall of the second heat exchanger. 4 Unit according to any preceding claim wherein the first face of the first heat exchanger is offset to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger by an offset distance less than the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit.
5 Unit according to Claim 4 wherein the offset distance is less than half the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit.
6 Unit according to Claim 5 wherein the offset distance is substantially equal to the diameter of the first and/or second conduits (7A, 7C, 7B, 7D, 9A, 9C,
9B, 9D).
7 Unit according to any preceding claim comprising at least four exchangers (A, B, C, D) of the plate fin type, at least two first exchangers (A, C) being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least two second exchangers (B; D) being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, each of the first heat exchangers having a first face parallel to the nearest face of one of the second heat exchangers but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.
8 Unit according to Claim 7 when dependent on Claim 2 wherein the single distribution conduit (E) is linked to the third exchanger (C) via a third conduit (7C,
9C) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the fourth exchanger (D) via a fourth conduit (7D, 9D) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the third conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a third point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a fourth point, the third point being spaced from the fourth point along the axis of the single distribution conduit and the third point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit, the distance between the second and third points being at least twice the distance between the first and second points and at least twice the distance between the third and fourth points. 9 Heat exchanger unit according to any preceding claim wherein each heat exchanger (A, B, C, D) has a centre of gravity, the centre of gravity of an exchanger (A) on one side of the single distribution conduit being offset along the axis of the single distribution conduit for the centre of gravity of the nearest exchanger (B) on the other side of the single distribution conduit.
10 Heat exchanger unit according to any preceding claim wherein the fluid connection conduit connected to the first face of each exchanger is connected to a point falling on a line perpendicular to the axis of the distribution conduit which divides the face into two equal halves.
1 1 Cold box including a heat exchanger unit (A, B, C, D) according to one of the preceding claims, the heat exchanger unit being surrounded by insulation.
12 Cryogenic distillation unit including a heat exchanger unit (A, B, C, D) according to one of claims 1 to 9 or a cold box according to claim 10, the air separation unit including a distillation column system connected to the heat exchanger unit.
13 Cryogenic distillation unit according to Claim 12 suitable for the distillation of air.
EP10853078.3A 2010-06-18 2010-06-18 Heat exchanger unit Withdrawn EP2583043A4 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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PCT/CN2010/074060 WO2011156968A1 (en) 2010-06-18 2010-06-18 Heat exchanger unit

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EP2583043A4 EP2583043A4 (en) 2014-10-08

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JP (1) JP2013528778A (en)
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DE102012006483A1 (en) * 2012-03-29 2013-10-02 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Plate heat exchanger with several modules connected by metal strips

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US20130087314A1 (en) 2013-04-11
EP2583043A4 (en) 2014-10-08
JP2013528778A (en) 2013-07-11
CN102947663B (en) 2016-03-30
WO2011156968A1 (en) 2011-12-22
CN102947663A (en) 2013-02-27

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