GB945433A - Improvements in tubulous heat exchangers - Google Patents

Abstract

945,433. Tubular heat exchangers. BABCOCK & WILCOX Ltd. Feb. 22, 1961 [Feb. 25, A tubulous heat exchanger comprises a pressure vessel containing a tube-bank comprising two or more mutually interposed groups of tubes which extend to and from tube plates or internal headers, the latter providing for fluid flow through each group such that each group has its own inlet and its own outlet chamber. Fig. 2 shows such a pressure vessel 2 having headers 1 each divided into two chambers 1A and 1B. Fluid flows from the inlet chamber 1A to the outlet chamber 1B via the horizontal layers of U-shaped tubes 7, adjacent tube layers extending from different headers. The axial pitching of the holes in the headers which receive the tubes is greater than the circumferential pitching. In the heat exchanger shown in Fig. 4 tube plates 13 are formed across each end of the pressure vessel, the space between the plates and the walls of the vessel being divided by a partition 3 into inlet and outlet chambers in flow connection with each other via the tubes 7. In each case, the second heat exchange fluid flows through the vessel between branches 15, and supports 11 are provided to space the tubes 7 from each other and from the walls of the vessel. In a further modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), a pair of headers are disposed at each end of the vessel, one of each pair serving as inlet and one as outlet, the two being in flow connection via two sets of U-tubes. 1960], No. 6479/61. Heading F4S. In a further modification, Fig. 5, the main part 14 of the pressure vessel in which extend the vertically nested tubes 7, is united with a laterally disposed end part in which lie the headers 1. In a further modification, Fig. 6 (not shown), the pressure vessel includes a main tubular section bearing two part-spherical end sections each having two domed sections across which is a tube plate having behind it inlet and outlet chambers after the manner of Fig. 4, the U-tubes extending in layers into the main section.