US1623617A - Condenser, cooler, and absorber - Google Patents

Description

April 5,1927. 5

' C. F. BRAUN CONDENSER, COOLER, AND ABSORBER Filed Feb. '7", 1925 CARLZBRAUM as a condenser having an outer cylindrical she Patented 7 Apr.

funran QSTLATES r. nnaiirm'or'rasnnnna, curronnm.

CONDENSER, COOLEI B AND ABSORBER.

- Application as an -1, 1923. Serial raj-swans.

This inventimr. relates to a condenser,

cooler-and absorber of the'general type in-'- dicated in my co nding application entitled.v

Condenser, filed une 29, 1921, and'be'aring 5 i the Serial No. 481 287, the condenser in that instance heing of the vertical type, while in present case the structure is of the hori-' Itis the principal object of the presentinvention to provide a tubular horizontal condenser in'which a desired ratio of condensate cooling surface to vapor condensation surface is obtained; and in which there will be no possibility for the condensate to escape 5 without being properly cooled.

The present invention contemplates the "construction of a condenser having a cylindrical horizontally disposed shell inclosing a longitudinall exte'n ing tubenest which tubes are divi ed into two parallel groups by a central partition wall extending substantially-the-leilgth of the shell, the shell being fitted with spaced transverse bafile members so constructed and arranged 'as to impart turbulence to vapors flowing through the shell and so proportioned that aproper ratio of condensing surface and condensate cooling surface will be established throughout the length of the condenser.

. ample in the accompanying drawings, in

4 which: 2

Fig. 1: is a viewin. longitudinal section through 'a battery of condensers embodying the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a view .in transverse section through one'of thecondensers showing the manner-in which equalization of cooling and condensing surfaces is broughnabout, and 40 also disclosing the means by which the passageways within the shell'are separated.

In considering the present inventlonitis to be borne inmind that these condensers are especially adapted for use in oil refining l5 and similar industrial processes", where the usual steam condenser used as a; vapor condenser has proven a failure. This is due to 4 the fact that the ratio of condensate cooling surface to condensation surface is insuflh so cient with the result that the condensate is not cooled to a low temperature, and for the added reason that the vapors and fluids stratify in the circulating tubes. This is overcome in the present case by COIlStl'llCtlIlfi The invention is-illustrated by way of ex ing the vapor openings along the portions of 10 inclosing a tube nest 11. This tube nest is rigidly secured at one endof the shell and communicates with a head 12. The head is fitted with a pair of ports, one conductinga cooling medium to the tubes and the other one carrying it away from the condenser after it has circulated the length of the condenser and has returned. Vapors are admitted through an induction passageway 13 and pass from the condenser througheduction passageway 14. The shell isocentrally divided by a horizontally extending partition '15, which partition extends from a point of abutment against thev fixed tube -sheet to a terminating point near the opposite end of theshell. Referring to s Fig. 2, it will be seen that the partition is formed by a plurality of relatively thin spaced plates. These plates are of greater width than the diameter of the shell and ez'c tend into diametrically opposite grooves in the wall of the shell, By this method the effect of so-called labyrinth packing is ob-' which the tubes and the vapors pass and by which the vapors are given a turbulent action. This will insure that the fluids within the shell will be thoroughly agitated and thatthey will come into intimate contact with the cooling surfaces to ensure a high degree of absorption effect-due to the fact that the battle plates are formed with openings through which the vapors must pass and" by which turbulence'will be created in the flowing stream of vapor, thus agitating the vapor in a manner to disturb its flow andto recurrently bring the vapors into contact with the cooling surfaces. g I

In order to insure that the condensate may battle plates may be designed to form dams. As seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings, each of the battle plates 16 is formed wit pass, and in the edge of which openings cooling tubes ll are positioned.- By eliminatbe cooled to a desired low temperature, the

a plurality of openings 17 through which vapors may i the bailie plates adjacent the partition 15 and the lowermost portion of the shell wall, it will be seen that permanent dams will he formed'by a part of the battle plates, and that a. predetermined number of cool ing tubes will extend through the bathe plate portions which act as dams. Thus condensate accumulating between the transverse battles will flow onto the partition 15 in passageway A or onto the floor of the shell in passageway B. When there is an excess accumulation of condensate, its level will reach the lowermost rows of openings 17 in the baffle plates a' l will overflow into the next suc-' ceeding space between the battle plates. This overflow will continue until the last battle plate in the upper passageway A has-been reached when the condensate will overflow the battle plate indicated as 16' in the drawings, and will flow onto the bottom of the shell forming the floor of the return passageway B. The condensate will gradually overflow the dams formed by the successive batfies, and will eventually be drained out. through the drain 14 and be drawn off through a suitable trap not shown in the drawings. These dams will impound the condensate which is formed between the ba tfie lates and will cause it to accumulate to sucli a depth as is required to immerse a desired number of cooling tubes, thus presenting a required area of cooling surface to the volume of condensate which will ac cumulate. Thus in the design of the structure, a definite ratio of condensate cooling surface and vapor condensing'surface may be determined, and by the construction of the battle plates and the distribution of the tubes, this ratio may be constantly maintained during the operation of the apparatus. Attention is directed to the fact thatin-ordinary condensation systems using steam boxes and the like, the condensate accumulates in large volumes and is entirely outv of proportion to the amount of cooling surface provided, and thus does not have the opportunity to receive the maximum cooling efi'ect derived from more intimate contact with the large area of surface of the cooling tubes as provided in the present instance. FurthermOIG by the present arrangemont,.the surface of the cooling tubes may be apportioned for use in bringing about a condensathm action of the vapor and for cooling the condensation, these apportionments being in proper ratio to insure a maximum condensation, cooling and absorption. action.

In operation of the present invention the condenser is assembled as shown in the drawing, and a vapor admitted to the shell th'rough inlet passageway I23. thereafter travelling the length of the shell along passage A. During this time the vapors will pass through openings in the various transverse bafile plates at the same time circulating around and alongthe cooling tubes. This will bring about a partial condensation of vapors which condensate will fall onto the longitudinal partition 15. The portions of the halite plates adjacent the longitudinal partition are so designed as to cause a desirefl accumulation of condensate between the battles thus submerging the lowermost tubes. The uncondensed vapors will flow the length of the shell, thereafter passing around the end of the partition 15 and returning along the lower passageway B. This passageway is also designed to insure that the condensate will be impounded at intervals and a desired cooling eti'ect produced. Attention is directed to the fact that the vapors passing along the upper passag way A will be confined within this passageway until they reach the end thereof. and that the partition will act as an etl'cctivibarrier between passageways A and B. .'lbis action is brought about due to the fact that the vapors would have a circuitous path of travel 'in order to pass around the edges of the partition plates and across' the series of plate grooves in the opposite faces of the shell. The leakage will also be further resisted by the counter pressure of fluid which may accumulate in the space between the plates of the )artitions since the fluid trapped between tlie plates and the longitudinal partition will tend to form a seal in the joint between the partition plates and the shell wall, and will in the case when viscous liquids are used, cause a body of liquid to be created between the two passageways of the shell, and which liquid will have a lower temperature than that of one passageway and a higher temperature than that of another passageway due to its intermediate position. Its viscosity will, therefore, tend to prevent theflow of the liquids and at the same time will form a body of liquid having a temperature intermediate of the liquids in the two passageways, thus tending to prevent appreciable transfer of heat from one passageway to the other.

It will thus be seen that the invention here disclosed provides suitable means for insuring that a proper proportion of condensation cooling surface will be maintained in relation to the condensing surface and also in relation to the condensate. and it will be further seen that the partition construction here embodied insures that there will be substantially no leakage of vapor between the passageways of the condenser.

\Vhile I have shown the preferred form of my invention as now known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be made in thecombination. construction and arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art. without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A condenser comprising an outer shell extending horizontally, a central longitudinally extending partitionwall forming parallel passageways within said shell, a tube nest comprising two groups of tubes, one extending longitudinall of each passageway, and transverse ba e plates having iin perforate portions for maintaining a direct ratio between the cooling and condensing surfaces. 2. A heat exchanger comprising an outer shell, a air of parallel passageways within said shell communicating with induction and eduction ports at one end of theshell and with each other at the opposite end of the shell, :1 tube nest extending longitudinally of both passageways and through which a cooling medium may. flow in a counterdirection, transverse bafiles disposed across the passageways at intervals throughout the lengths of the tubesand throu h which the tubes extend, and openings t rough said bullies for permitting vapors to pass through the shell and for iin rting turbulence to the vapors, said openings being arranged a predetermined distance above the floors of the passageways so that portions of the baffle plates wil act to impound thecondensate accumulating between adjacent bafiie plates and cause it to accumulate to a desired level and to submerge a predetermined area of cooling surfs-coin the condensate, whereby the condensate will be cooled and an exposed area of ii uid will be provided over the surface of w ich the vapors pass, and between tendin which vapors and liquids an absorption action will take place;

3. In a heat exchanger, or like structure, a longitudinal partition forming parallel passageways within the shell, said partition comprising a pair of parallel spaced plates,

grooves formed in inner face of the parti-. tion wall for separately receiving the edges.

of said plates, whereby the plates will create a substantially ti ht joint with the wall of l form a dead fluid space parallel grooves along the inner face of its side wall and along which the edges of said partition plates may be slidably positioned.

5. In a heat exchanger, or like structure, a tube nest extending lon 'tudinally thereof and slidably positionedt erein, a partition wall structure carried with said tube nest,

whereby the tubes of the nest will be divided into oups and the interior of the shell will be divided into longitudinally extending parallel passageways, said partition structure comprising arallel plates spaced at relatively small distance apart and slidinginto separate parallel grooves along the shell wall, whereby substantially tight 'oints will beformed between the plates an the wall and a substantial dead fluid space will be formed between the plates.

CARL F. BRAUN.

Images