US1654190A - Vapor condenser - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1927. 1,654,190

J. PRIMROSE VAPOR CONDENSER Filed March 21, 1925 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 27, 1927."

UNITED? STATES PA'TEN r OFFICE,

JOHN rnmnosn, or nrorruonn, NEW Yoax, Assienon 'ro rosrna wnnnma conno- BATION, or new YORK, N. Y., A conronarron or raw YORK.

vnron connnnsna.

Application filed March 21, 1925. Serial No. 17,181.

The general object of this invention is to, provide a condenser of large capacity per unit of space occupied, high efiicienc' and requiring a relativel small amount of floor space, and especial y adapted for use in condensing oil vapors in oil refining opera- D tions. p

More specific objects of the invention are to provide an improved disposition of the condensing and heat dissipating surfaces, and to provide fora desirablecontrol of the flow of air as the cooling fluid, over the 1 heat dissipating surface of the condenser.

The various features of novelty, which characterize my invention are polnted out with particularity in the claims annexed to all . which 'mi ht and forming a part of this specification; but for a better understanding of the invention, however, its advantages and specific objects attained with its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of this: invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section throu h the condenser with a portion of an encloslng side wall broken away;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the condenser; and h Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of one of the U-shaped tube elements employed. In the drawings, A represents the vertical side walls, and A the vertical end walls of the housing of the condetnser. The upper end of the housing is closed by a top member A". This top. member A sup orts a fan A which draws air upward t rough the condenser to cool the vapor in the elements C which are supported within the condenser.

Supported by the side walls A and extending transversely thereto are four superposed rows of horizontal U-tube elements C, which carry the vapor to be condensed. To in crease the cooling of the vapor inside the elements, I surround the elements by cast iron rings C of corrugated external contour. In

the construction shown, cast ironrings are placed only on the upper legs of the elements to prevent the too rapid cooling of the vapor I result from placing the rings on bothft e upper and lower legs.

The open ends of the upper legs G of each U-tubes G are connected into a corresponding horizontal header D below the header By making the tubes C of U-shape,'and connecting the ends of the tube legs C and G into the headers D and D respectively, the tube legs C and C can expand and contract under the influence of varying temperatures without loosening the connections between the headers and the legs of the tubes. As shown, in Fig. 2, the various headers D and D are parallel to the side wall A, and lie at the outside of the same. At each of its ends the uppermost header D is connected to a supply pipe D through which the hot oil vapor is conducted into the condenser. The oil vapor entering the uppermost header D through extensions D passes from this uppermost header D into the upper legs of the U-tubes C of the up ermost row, and this vapor and any con en- 'sate formed, passes from the lower legs G of the tube into the corresponding header D The above described course of the oil vapor through the U-tubes of the uppermost row results 1n the reduction of the temperature of the oil vapor below the boiling point of a high boiling example, as kerosene, causing the condensation of that constituent out of the oil vapor by reason of in by the fan A contacting the exterior of such U-tubes. From each end of the header D the oil vapor is conducted to the next lower header D by means of a pair of pipe fittings D. The pipe fitting D has an elbow extension D closed by a valve D, which permits the draining off of the kerosene or other constituent which has been condensed and collects in the 8lb0W @XtBI1- sion D,

The vapor partially cooled by passing through the upper row of U-tubes, enters. the header D through pipe fittings D at each end ofthe header D. The vapor then continues its course from header.D 't-hrough the U-tubes of the second highest row to header D. In passing through this second highest row of Utubes, the vapor is further cooled and another oil product, for example, gasoline, is condensed out. This condensate is collected in the elbow extensions at the point constituent such, for

the cooling effect of air drawn bottom of the pipe fittin D which connect the-second and thir rows of U-tubes, similar to pipe fittings D which connect the first and second rows otU-tubes. Likewise a draw-ofl valve can be laced in pipe fitting D similar to draw-o valve D", by which the condensation can be removed from pipe fitting D The vapor passes successively through the headers and U-tubes and pipe fittings of each succeeding row of U-tubes, and the vapor becomes further. cooled. Each pipe has a draw-ofi valve similar to drawofl' valve D, by which the oil products, for example, kerosene, gasoline, naptha, and benzine, condensed at successively lower levels, are drained off. As the vapor passes down through each succeeding row of "U- tubes, portions of the vapor condense in the first and second rows of U-tubes as above described. .That portion ofthe vapor, which enters the condenser through the uppermost header D and is not condensed within either the first or second rows, is nevertheless cooled and enters the third row of tubes with its volume reduced by reason of being cooled. In order to compensate for this reduction in volume of the vapor, I introduce cores G into the two lowermost rows oftubes. These cores C are centrally supported within the legs, of the U-tubes by means of outwardlyprojecting lugs C. By the provision of these cores, I am enabled to avoid. objectional reduction in velocity of the vapor in the lower rows of U-tube condenser elements. If desired, cores may also be inserted in the row which is second from the top. The size of these cores and the number of them can be varied in accordance with the quantity" of the .vapor to be condensed and. in accordance with other con ditions existing in any particular case.

-Air channels or flues are formed by partition walls B and'B supported by horizontal beams B, secured at their ends to the side walls A. These air channels or flues com rise a main central flue A, and two a'uxi iary flues A and A, one at each side of the main central flue A. The main central flue has the vapor carrying U-t'ubes located therein and provides a large chamber through which air 1s drawn incontact with the lJ-tubes. Spaced openings B and B are cut in the partltion walls forming. connectmg ports between the central flue A and the auxiliary fiues A and A". The two auxiliary flues provide channels through which air can be drawn upwardly alongside of, independent of the main central flue, and the ports permit air to pass from the auxiliary flues into the central flue.

The bottom of each side wall A is provided with a row of holes E for the entrance of atmospheric air drawn into the condenser by the fan A. More or less of mam the air entering the condenser through holes E m'oves upwardly through the'main central chamber, while the balance of the air entering through holes E is drawn upwardly through the auxiliar side channels or flues A and A formed y the partition members B and B with the end walls A.

Between each two rows of U-tubes, there is a row of dampers F. Each row of dampers may be opened and closed by suitable control means F so as to vary the cooling of the vapor by varying the amount of air passing through the dampers to contact the U-tubes;

A side dam er F is arranged in each side channel in t e same horizontal line with each main row of dam ers F and each side damper has a handle a by which it can be opened or closed, independent of the main row of dampers. These side dampers F control the passage of the air upwardly thr ugh auxiliary air channels A and A. Th openings B and B cut in artition walls B and B permit air in the si e chambers A and A to pass into the main central chamber A.- By closing more or less the dampers F the free passage of the air upwardly through the air chambers A and will be more or less obstructed, and more or less of this air will be diverted from the auxiliary air chambers A and A through the openings 13 and B into the main central chamber A.

Since each main row of dampers is separately controlled, it is possible to adjust them so as to permit only the desired quantity of'air to come in contact with each of the rows of U-tubes. Furthermore, since each of the side dampers is separately controlled, it is possible to adjust them so as to divert'only the desired quantity of cool air from the auxiliary flues A and A through the partition ports B and B.

Thus, controlled ampers, increases the efiiciency of the condenser by permitting only the desired quantity of air to come into contact with each row of vapor carrying U- tubes and thus cool the vapor to the desired extent.

My arran ement of separate drains and draw-oil va ves for each air of headers permits the fractional con ensation of the 011 vapor and the separation and draining off of the petroleum products suchas kerosene, gasoline, naptha, benzine, etc. at successively lower levels of the condenser.

While in accordance with the rovisions of the statutes, I have illustrate and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirited my invention as set forth till tlti

in the appended" claims, and that in some LIn an air cooled heat exchanger, the

combination with a bank of tubular 'ele-' ments, of a casing enclosing said elements and having an air inlet and an air outlet between which said elements are interposed, a conduit alongside said casing in communication therewith at distributed points along the length ot the path of flow between said inlet and outlet, dampers in said casing and in said conduit whereby the distribution of air flow over the elements and through the conduit between said inlet and said outlet may be varied.

Q. ln an air cooled heat exchanger, the combination with a banlr of tubular clements arranged in spaced apart rows, of a casing enclosing said elements and having an airinlet and an air outlet between which said elements are interposed, a conduit along side said casing and communicating therewith by, ports located at distributed points alon the length. of the path at flow between said inlet and outlet, dampers in said casing and in said conduit above said ports, whereby the distribution of air flow over the ele;

rnents and through the conduit between said inlet and said outlet may be varied.

3. din air cooled heat exchanger, the coin bination with a casing having an air inlet and an air outlet and a banlr ct tubular ele ments arranged spaced apart rows err.- tending across'the casing between said inlet and outlet, a series out dampers extending across said casing between adjacent rows o1? said elements adapted to throttle and distribute theai flowing past the dampers said outlet, aconduit along mg and communicating points at opposite sides of said dampers and a damper 1n said conduit between said points.

4. In an air cooledhea-t exchanger, a boxlike-casing having an air inlet at its lower end and an air outlet at its upper end, a

bank of horizontally disposed tubular ele ments arranged in horizontal rows extending across said casing, sets of dampers located at successively higher levels in said casing,-

ea'ch set comprising a plurality of dampers arranged between adjacent upper and lower rows of said elements and adapted to throttle and horizontally distribute the flow of air upward past the dampers over the elements above the latter, a vertical conduit alongside said casing -and communicating with the latter at levels above, below and between said sets ot dampers, and dampers in said conduit between said levels,

5. ln a vapor condenser, the combination with a plurality ot rows ot' ll-tubes having upper and lower legs, an upper header con nected to the upper legs oil each row of tubes, a lower header connected to the lower legs oil each row ol ll-tubes, a connection between the lower header at each upper row oil tubes and the upper header ol the neat lower row, and a condensate draw-oil? connection to each of the first mentioned connections,

6. ln a vapor condenser, the combination with superposed rows of ll-tubes having upper and lower legs, ot a casing inclosing said tubes and directing the flow of fluid across said rows of tubes, connections b tween the lower legs oil each upper row and the upper legs ot the next lowerrow, and elongated central cores in tubes in the lower oil said rows to increase the tlow velocity of the "vapor,

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