GB1595190A - Heat exchanger - Google Patents

Heat exchanger Download PDF

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Publication number
GB1595190A
GB1595190A GB53308/77A GB5330877A GB1595190A GB 1595190 A GB1595190 A GB 1595190A GB 53308/77 A GB53308/77 A GB 53308/77A GB 5330877 A GB5330877 A GB 5330877A GB 1595190 A GB1595190 A GB 1595190A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
pressure
heat
space
tube
heat exchanger
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.)
Expired
Application number
GB53308/77A
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of GB1595190A publication Critical patent/GB1595190A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • F28D20/00—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00
    • F28D20/0034—Heat storage plants or apparatus in general; Regenerative heat-exchange apparatus not covered by groups F28D17/00 or F28D19/00 using liquid heat storage material
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
    • F24H—FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL
    • F24H4/00—Fluid heaters characterised by the use of heat pumps
    • F24H4/02—Water heaters
    • F24H4/04—Storage heaters
    • 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
    • F25B—REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
    • F25B29/00—Combined heating and refrigeration systems, e.g. operating alternately or simultaneously
    • 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
    • F28D7/00—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall
    • F28D7/10—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically
    • F28D7/14—Heat-exchange apparatus having stationary tubular conduit assemblies for both heat-exchange media, the media being in contact with different sides of a conduit wall the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically both tubes being bent
    • 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
    • F28F1/003—Multiple wall conduits, e.g. for leak detection
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F28—HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL
    • F28F—DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION
    • F28F23/00—Features relating to the use of intermediate heat-exchange materials, e.g. selection of compositions
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/14—Thermal energy storage

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)

Description

(54) HEAT EXCHANGER (71) I, HANS PETER JRGENSEN, a Danish subject residing at Industrivej 3 DK-6230 Rdekro, Denmark, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to heat exchangers.
Heat exchangers are used for transferring heat from one medium to another while these mediums are kept separated from each other. In some cases it is very important to obtain security against mixing of the heat supply medium with the heat receiving medium in case of leakage. For example due to corrosion or defects or for other reasons.
If, for example, it is desired to use the condensing heat of a refrigerating or cold storage plant for heating hot tap water it is important to obtain security against a possible leakage on the high-pressure side of the refrigerating system resulting in the refrigerant - which may, for example, be freon or ammonia - mixing with and contaminating the hot tap water.
German published Specification No.
1,551,463 discloses a heat exchanger in which the flow paths for the heat supplying and the heat receiving medium, respectively, are formed by individual, separated conduits which extend through a common space containing a heat transferring liquid.
It may happen that a leakage arises in the conduit defining the flow path for the heat supplying liquid as well as in the conduit defining the flow path for the heat receiving liquid. Under these circumstances, there is a risk not only that some of the heat transmitting liquid leaks into one of the said flow paths, but also that liquid from one flow path penetrates into the other flow path via the heat transferring liquid and is mixed with the liquid in said other flow path. It is also known to detect leakages in a tube by surrounding it by a further tubular wall and by detecting the possible existence of liquid between the tubular walls, for example, by electrical means.
According to the invention there is provided a heat exchanger comprising first and second flow paths for a heat supplying medium and a heat receiving medium, respectively, said flow paths defining therebetween a separating space containing a heat transmitting medium which in use is under a pressure lower than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, and pressure sensitive safety means adapted to discharge heat transmitting medium from said separating space when the pressure therein exceeds a predetermined value which in use is not higher than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, wherein the pressure sensitive safety means is constructed such that when actuated as aforesaid by a sufficient pressure rise in said separating space thereafter remains actuated to permit continuous discharge from said separating space.
An advantage of the invention is that it makes it possible to provide a heat exchanger in which the possibility of penetration of a medium from one flow path, and the heat transmitting medium, into the other flow path in the case of a leakage, is minimized or prevented.
In use, when there is a leakage in a flow path in which the medium therein is under pressure, that medium leaks into the separating space whereby the pressure of the heat transmitting medium is increased to exceed said predetermined value thereby activating the safety means whereby at least some of the heat transmitting medium is released from the separating space. Discharge of heat transmitting medium does not only indicate that a leakage is present in the system, but also tends to immediately relieve the over-pressure in the separating space, thereby to effectively prevent the leakage medium from penetrating into the other flow path via the separating space and through a possible leakage in said other flow path.Thus, a heat exchanger according to the invention does not only indicate a possible leakage but can also automatically remove the risk of mixing of the mediums of the two flow paths whereby constant surveillance of the system becomes unnecessary.
The mediums in the flow paths may be gas or liquid, and the heat transmitting medium moY be a gas or heat conducting solid material in particulate form. The heat transmitting medium is, however, preferably a liquid. In order to make a possible discharge of heat transmitting liquid from said separating space more conspicuous, the said heat transmitting liquid may be coloured.
The pressure sensitive safety means may be of any suitable type provided that they are adpated so as to discharge heat transmitting medium from the separating space when the pressure therein increases substantially so as to exceed said predetermined value and, once so actuated, remain actuated thereafter. The said safety means may, for example, be a fracturable wall part, such as a membrane, which is fractured if the pressure of the heat transmitting medium is increased . to exceed said predetermined value.
In a preferred embodiment of the said separating space is an annular space defined between two tubes. One tube extending within the other tube. One end of said annular space is defined by an O-ring displaceably positioned between said tubes. Under normal operation of the heat exchanger the O-ring may serve for maintaining the said tubes in their correct relative positions and seal the annular space therebetween. If, however, the pressure in the annular separating space between the said tubes increases due to leakage in one of the tubes the O-ring is pressed out from the said space whereby it is opened to the atmosphere.
An embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heat exchanger, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1.
The drawings show a hot-water tank 1 containing a spiral or helical tube 2 surrounded by an outer tube 3. The annular space 4 between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 is filled with a heat transmitting liquid, preferably water to which a dye has been added, and at the ends of the tube 3 outside the tank 1 the said annular space is sealed by means of O-rings 5.
The inner spiral tube 2 may, for example, form the condenser of a refrigerating system or a cold storage plant (not shown). The hot-water tank 1 is surrounded by a heat insulating layer 6 and provided with a supply tube 8 for fresh water and an outlet tube 7 for hot water which has been heated in the tank by means of the medium flowing through the inner spiral tube As the tube 2 constitutes part of the higll-pressule side of the regrigerating sys term, the pressure within the tube 2 exceeds the pressure in the annular space 4 between the tubes 2 and 3. The pressure within the hot-water tank 1 is lower than the pressure within the inner tube 2, but higher than the pressure within the annular space 4 which preferably does not differ substantially from atmospheric pressure.If a leakage occurs in the inner tube 2 the pressure in the space 4 between the tubes 2 and 3 will increase substantially. This pressure increase causes at least one of the O-rings 5 to be pressed out from the space 4 so that the coloured heat transmitting water may flow out. The outflow of coloured liquid indicates that a leakage has occurred in the system and simultaneously removes the over-pressure from the space between the tubes 2 and 3 whereby the risk that the refrigerant penetrates from the space 4 through a possible leakage in the outer tube 3 and into the tank 1 is completely eliminated.
It should be understood that a heat exchanger according to the invention may be used in other fields than that described above. As an example, the heat exchanger may be used for heating heavy oil in ships or in evaporating aggressive substances, or in other cases where the heat should be exchanged between two fluid mediums which should under no circumstances be allowed to become mixed. As explained above, various other types of safety means than the O-rings 5 described may be used in connection with the heat exchanger according to the invention, for example a fracturable wall part.
WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A heat exchanger comprising first and second flow paths for a heat supplying medium and a heat receiving medium, respectively, said flow paths defining therebetween a separating space containing a heat transmitting medium which in use is under a pressure lower than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, and pressure sensitive safety means adapted to discharge heat transmitting medium from said separating space when the pressure therein exceeds a predetermined value which in use is not higher than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, wherein the pressure sensitive safety means is constructed such that when actuated as aforesaid by a sufficient pressure rise in said separating space thereafter remains actuated to permit continuous discharge from said separating space.
2. A heat exchanger according to Claim 1, wherein said heat transmitting medium is a liquid.
3. A heat exchanger according to any preceding claim wherein said heat transmitting liquid is a coloured liquid.
4. A heat exchanger according to any one of the claims 1 to 3 wherein said separating space is an annular space defined
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. or liquid, and the heat transmitting medium moY be a gas or heat conducting solid material in particulate form. The heat transmitting medium is, however, preferably a liquid. In order to make a possible discharge of heat transmitting liquid from said separating space more conspicuous, the said heat transmitting liquid may be coloured. The pressure sensitive safety means may be of any suitable type provided that they are adpated so as to discharge heat transmitting medium from the separating space when the pressure therein increases substantially so as to exceed said predetermined value and, once so actuated, remain actuated thereafter. The said safety means may, for example, be a fracturable wall part, such as a membrane, which is fractured if the pressure of the heat transmitting medium is increased . to exceed said predetermined value. In a preferred embodiment of the said separating space is an annular space defined between two tubes. One tube extending within the other tube. One end of said annular space is defined by an O-ring displaceably positioned between said tubes. Under normal operation of the heat exchanger the O-ring may serve for maintaining the said tubes in their correct relative positions and seal the annular space therebetween. If, however, the pressure in the annular separating space between the said tubes increases due to leakage in one of the tubes the O-ring is pressed out from the said space whereby it is opened to the atmosphere. An embodiment of the heat exchanger according to the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the heat exchanger, and Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1. The drawings show a hot-water tank 1 containing a spiral or helical tube 2 surrounded by an outer tube 3. The annular space 4 between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 3 is filled with a heat transmitting liquid, preferably water to which a dye has been added, and at the ends of the tube 3 outside the tank 1 the said annular space is sealed by means of O-rings 5. The inner spiral tube 2 may, for example, form the condenser of a refrigerating system or a cold storage plant (not shown). The hot-water tank 1 is surrounded by a heat insulating layer 6 and provided with a supply tube 8 for fresh water and an outlet tube 7 for hot water which has been heated in the tank by means of the medium flowing through the inner spiral tube As the tube 2 constitutes part of the higll-pressule side of the regrigerating sys term, the pressure within the tube 2 exceeds the pressure in the annular space 4 between the tubes 2 and 3. The pressure within the hot-water tank 1 is lower than the pressure within the inner tube 2, but higher than the pressure within the annular space 4 which preferably does not differ substantially from atmospheric pressure.If a leakage occurs in the inner tube 2 the pressure in the space 4 between the tubes 2 and 3 will increase substantially. This pressure increase causes at least one of the O-rings 5 to be pressed out from the space 4 so that the coloured heat transmitting water may flow out. The outflow of coloured liquid indicates that a leakage has occurred in the system and simultaneously removes the over-pressure from the space between the tubes 2 and 3 whereby the risk that the refrigerant penetrates from the space 4 through a possible leakage in the outer tube 3 and into the tank 1 is completely eliminated. It should be understood that a heat exchanger according to the invention may be used in other fields than that described above. As an example, the heat exchanger may be used for heating heavy oil in ships or in evaporating aggressive substances, or in other cases where the heat should be exchanged between two fluid mediums which should under no circumstances be allowed to become mixed. As explained above, various other types of safety means than the O-rings 5 described may be used in connection with the heat exchanger according to the invention, for example a fracturable wall part. WHAT I CLAIM IS:
1. A heat exchanger comprising first and second flow paths for a heat supplying medium and a heat receiving medium, respectively, said flow paths defining therebetween a separating space containing a heat transmitting medium which in use is under a pressure lower than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, and pressure sensitive safety means adapted to discharge heat transmitting medium from said separating space when the pressure therein exceeds a predetermined value which in use is not higher than the pressure in at least one of said flow paths, wherein the pressure sensitive safety means is constructed such that when actuated as aforesaid by a sufficient pressure rise in said separating space thereafter remains actuated to permit continuous discharge from said separating space.
2. A heat exchanger according to Claim 1, wherein said heat transmitting medium is a liquid.
3. A heat exchanger according to any preceding claim wherein said heat transmitting liquid is a coloured liquid.
4. A heat exchanger according to any one of the claims 1 to 3 wherein said separating space is an annular space defined
between two tubes, one tube extending within the other, one end of said annular space being defined by an O-ring displaceably positioned between said tubes and constituting said safety means.
5. A heat exchanger according to any one of the claims 1 to 3 wherein said separating space is defined by a fracturable wall part which is fractured when the pressure in said separating space exceeds said predetermined pressure value.
6. A heat exchanger substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
GB53308/77A 1976-12-21 1977-12-21 Heat exchanger Expired GB1595190A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DK574476A DK574476A (en) 1976-12-21 1976-12-21 DOUBLE-WALLED HEAT EXCHANGER

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB1595190A true GB1595190A (en) 1981-08-12

Family

ID=8144914

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB53308/77A Expired GB1595190A (en) 1976-12-21 1977-12-21 Heat exchanger

Country Status (7)

Country Link
BE (1) BE862147A (en)
DE (2) DE7738979U1 (en)
DK (1) DK574476A (en)
FR (1) FR2379040A1 (en)
GB (1) GB1595190A (en)
NL (1) NL7714217A (en)
SE (1) SE7714620L (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015093977A1 (en) * 2013-12-19 2015-06-25 Lars Hansen Tubing for heat exchange, and a method for improving heat exchange
WO2024047036A1 (en) * 2022-08-30 2024-03-07 Johannes Scherer Heat and cold storage unit having a countercurrent heat exchanger

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2911144C2 (en) * 1979-03-21 1981-10-08 Linde Ag, 6200 Wiesbaden Tube heat exchanger with tubes running in a housing that is closed on all sides
DE2917093A1 (en) * 1979-04-27 1980-11-06 Licentia Gmbh HOT WATER HEATER
FR2469667A1 (en) * 1979-11-09 1981-05-22 Energy Utilization Systems Inc Water heater energy source conversion system - uses interspace(s) between condenser tube and sheath tube filled with thermal conductive material
DE8815380U1 (en) * 1988-12-12 1990-04-05 Viessmann GmbH & Co, 8670 Hof Heat exchangers for cooling and fresh storage cells
AT395782B (en) * 1991-06-14 1993-03-25 Ochsner Karl HEAT PUMP

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015093977A1 (en) * 2013-12-19 2015-06-25 Lars Hansen Tubing for heat exchange, and a method for improving heat exchange
US10077950B2 (en) 2013-12-19 2018-09-18 Lars Hansen Tubing for heat exchange, and a method for improving heat exchange
WO2024047036A1 (en) * 2022-08-30 2024-03-07 Johannes Scherer Heat and cold storage unit having a countercurrent heat exchanger

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL7714217A (en) 1978-06-23
DE2757061A1 (en) 1978-06-29
SE7714620L (en) 1978-06-22
BE862147A (en) 1978-04-14
DE7738979U1 (en) 1979-02-15
DK574476A (en) 1978-06-22
FR2379040A1 (en) 1978-08-25
FR2379040B3 (en) 1980-10-03

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PS Patent sealed
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee