US1979751A

US1979751A - Heat exchange apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1979751A
Application number: US700286A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles H Leach
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-11-29
Filing date: 1933-11-29
Publication date: 1934-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1951-11-06

Description

NOV. 6, 1934. c H L 1,979,751

HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l EEK 1% .5@ @FII IIEI II:

mined" f \36 lvenlvr Ndv. 6, 1934. c. H. LEACH HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed NOV. 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to heat exchange apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus of this character employed in conjunction with oil refining operations and the like.

The object of the invention is to improve heat exchange apparatus of the tubular type in a manner to facilitate removal of the surrounding shell independently of conditions which may prevail in the interior thereof.

With this principal object in view, I propose to provide in a heat exchanger of the tubular type adapted either as a liquid to liquid exchanger, or a vapor to liquid exchanger, a surrounding shell which tapers lengthwise ofthe tube bundle or adjacent the joint which is to be severed or disconnected for removal of the shell. With this form of construction collections of coke or other solid deposits which tend to bind the shell to the enclosed tubes or baflles in a vapor to liquid exchanger do not interfere with the removal of the shell once these deposits have been initially broken or dislodged. In a like maner, it is possible in constructing a liquid to liquid exchanger with my improved construction to provide for tight bafiling within the shell which would otherwise so seriously impede and interfere with the removal of the shell that it would be impractical for use.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a vapor to liquid exchanger embodying the features of the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates the tapered shell in conjunction with a liquid to liquid exchanger; Fig. 3 is a section of the'liquid to liquid exchanger on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating the mounting for the longitudinal bafile in the liquid to liquid exchanger. The illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a vapor to liquid exchanger well suited for oil refining operations, and in addition a horizontal type of a liquid to liquid exchanger.

The vapor heat exchanger, as indicated particularly in Fig. 1, comprises a supporting member 10 of generally circular conformation, which may be made as a forging, casting or other equivalent construction, This member has a peripheral upstanding flange 12 surrounding one or more condensate basins-14 and supporting a nozzle annulus 16 having inlet and outlet nozzles 1'7 and 18, respectively. The support 10 may be provided, as is common in this type of apparatus, with a transverse tube sheet 20, to which are connected bundles, and which has its greatest diameter the heat exchange tubes 22 which may be formed in a series of bundles, each having a floating head 24 at its upper end to permit independent expansion and contraction of the tube bundles. The interior of the tubes at their lower ends communicates with liquid passages or chambers 26 which are formed in the unitary support 10 below the tube sheet 20. The passages are separated by integral depending ribs 28, and are closed from beneath by a flat cover member 30, which is secured to the ribs by intermediate bolting studs 32, and to a depending peripheral flange 34.- by studs '36. The chambers may be provided, if so desired, with additional partitions 40 for further sub-dividing the flow of liquid through the tubes, as is common in this class of apparatus.

As will be evident, the vapor is introduced through the nozzle 17 and flows upwardly through the initial vapor pass 42, contacting with the tubes therein, and thence downwardly through the vapor pass 44 and outwardly through the nozzle 18. The two vapor passes are divided by a partition 46, which may be connected to the shell and extends upwardly between the adjacent floating heads on the tube bundles.

Vapor flow through the intertubular space is further governed by a series of ring baffies which are located primarily in the circumferential space between the tubes and enclosing shell. These baflles consist of semi-circular rings indicated at 50, 52 and 54, respectively, these rings being supported at spaced intervals upon supporting rods and spacers 56, which are secured at their lower ends to the supporting member 60, projecting inwardly from the flange 12. The bafile rings are graduated to substantially fill the space between the tapered shell and enclosed tube bundle, and the two bafile assemblies complement one another to fill the entire circumferential space. If so desired, the space between adjacent bundles may be further baffled by transverse members 58, which are supported at opposite ends on the bafile ring.

It will be noted that the baffle assembly is supported independently of the shell upon the main support, and remains in place upon shell withdrawal. However, this assembly may be separately removed, if so desired, without interference with the tube bundles themselves. It is inevitable in this class of apparatus that a certain amount of solid deposit will collect during the operation, and periodically the shell must be removed for the purpose of manually cleaning out the vapor space and removing the solid residue.

During operation it is desirable that the space surrounding the tubes and within the shell shall be effectually bafiled, and that the entire shell space shall be available for heat exchange purposes. I accomplish this useful result by tapering the shell outwardly from the closed end to the point at which the shell is connected to the support in order to clear the shell from the enclosed baffle assembly and tube bundles once removal is initiated. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention it will be noted that the main body 62 of the shell is tubular and measurably smaller in diameter adjacent the closed end than at the open end, the intermediate portion providing a gradual and uniform taper. The upper end of the shell body 62 may be integrally closed by a cap 64 welded to the body at 66. 'llhe shell is detachably connected to the nozzle ring by a bolting flange 68 which is secured .to a similar flange '70 on the ring.

Obviously the advantages of the present construction would be secured regardless of whether the shell is detachably connected to the nozzle annulus or ring, or directly to the unitary support with the nozzle ring forming a part either of the shell or an integral part of the support. Furthermore, with this construction I am enabled to more effectively bafiie the circumferential space surrounding the tubes than would otherwise be the case, due to the fact that no substantial clearance is required between the baflie assembly and the inner wall of the shell. In the construction shown in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, the heat exchanger is supported in a generally horizontal position by supporting members 72, which engage with a generally tapered shell 74. This shell is closed at one end by a domed cover '76, bolted to the shell at '78, and at its opposite end is connected with a flat tube sheet bolted between the flange portion of the shell and a bottom cover 82 by a series of bolting connections 84. Liquid is delivered to and from the shell by virtue of nozzles 86 and 88, and is caused to circulate about the tube passes by a longitudinal baflle member 90, which is tapered in conformity with the taper of the shell, and extends lengthwise of the shell, as indicated, from the tube sheet 80 to a point adjacent the upper end of the tube bundle, leaving an opening 92 for the passage of liquid to opposite sides of the baflle. Liquid is circulated through the tube bundles in two passes from the passages 94 formed in the head, liquid being admitted to and delivered from these passages by nozzles 96 and 98. The opposite end of the tube bundle is closed by a head 100, which is bolted to an upper or floating tube sheet 102.

Movement of liquid through the intertubular space longitudinally of the bundle is controlled by transverse baflles in the form of semi-circular plates 104 supported by the bundle or the longitudinal baflie, as the case may desire. cated, these plates are staggered with relation to one another in order to provide a circuitous path for the flow of liquid lengthwise of the tubes. The longitudinal baffle may be provided with flanges 106 turned in the direction of the shell curvature, with asbestos packing or the like 108 interposed between the edges of the longitudinal baffle and the shell to provide a sealed and virtuall'y liquid-tight joint. Through the provision of the tapered shell member the joint between the battles and shell may be tightly sealed without interfering with the disconnection and removal of the tapered'shell from about the tubes, as would As indi-- otherwise be the case in the event that a cylindrical shell were employed.

What is claimed is:

1. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a support provided with a fluid passage, heat exchange tubing connected to the support and communicating with the fluid passage, the tubing consisting of a generally parallel series of tube lengths having a free space therebetween through which fluid medium circulates lengthwise of and about the tubes, and a tubular shell enclosing the intertubular space surrounding the tubes and closed at the end remote from the support, the shell being detachably connected with the support and tapering outwardly from the closed end to the connected end to facilitate removal from abou the tubes.

2. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having a fluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat exchange tubing connected to the support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly with the fluid passage, and a tapered shell enclosing the heat exchange tubing and detachably connected with the supporting assembly, theshell being closed at the end remote from the point of attachment.

3. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having a fluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat exchange tubing connected to the support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly with the fluid passage, a tapered shell enclosing the heat exchange tubing and detachably connected with the supporting assembly, the shell being closed at the end remote from the point of attachment, and a baflle assembly introduced into the space between the heat exchange tubing and the surrounding shell to obstruct the fluid passage between the shell and the tubing. 1

4. Heat exchange apparatus comprising a supporting assembly having a fluid passage and a fluid inlet nozzle, heat echange tubing connected to the support and extending therefrom and communicating interiorly with the fluid passage, a-

tapered shell enclosing the heat exchange tubing and detachably connected with the supporting assembly, the shell being closed at the end remote from the point of attachment, and a baflle assembly located in the space between the tube and surrounding shell and mounted on the supporting assembly to obstruct fluid flow between the tubing and shell and permit removal of the shell independently thereof.

5. Heat exchange apparatus comprising heat exchange tubing, a shell enclosing the space about the tubing and tapered lengthwise of the tubing,

means for directing the flow of fluid medium to and from the interior of the tubing and to and from the intertubular space within and about the tubing, means for detachably supporting the shell in assembled relationship about the tubing, and means for bafliing the inte'rtubular space tightly sealed to the enclosing shell to prevent leakage of fluid medium thereabout.

6. A heat exchanger comprising a length of heat exchange tubing, a shell surrounding the tubing and tapering lengthwise thereof, baflles extending both longitudinally and transversely within the shell and designed to prevent leakage of fluid medium between the baflies and surrounding shell, and means for introducing fluid medium both interiorly of the tubes and in the intertubular space about the tubes.

CHARLES H. LEACH.