Reduced vibration tube bundle device having slotted baffles

Abstract

A slotted support baffle and a blocking baffle are disclosed for a tube bundle device. The baffles include blocking areas, which redirect the flow of fluid within the tube bundle device to improve heat transfer. The slotted support baffle includes a slot and rib structure which supports the tubes of the tube bundle. The support baffles may be used in combination with elongated tube supports.

1 . A tube bundle device comprising:
 a housing;   a tube bundle located within the housing, wherein the tube bundle having a plurality of tubes arranged parallel to one another in tube rows; and   at least one slotted support baffle having a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein, wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart slots being sized to receive at least one of the tubes therethrough,   wherein each slotted support baffle having an outer perimeter and a blocking area formed between the outer perimeter and the plurality of spaced apart slots,   wherein the blocking area being sized to be located within a gap between the housing and outer tubes of the tube bundle.   
   
   
       2 . The tube bundle device according to  1 , further comprising at least one blocking baffle, wherein each blocking baffle comprising:
 a blocking plate having an outer perimeter;   at least one plate opening sized to receive the tubes of the tube bundle therethrough; and   a blocking plate blocking area formed between the outer perimeter of the blocking plate and the at least one plate opening,   wherein the blocking plate blocking area being sized to be substantially located within a gap between the housing and outer tubes of the tube bundle.   
   
   
       3 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 2 , wherein the tube bundle having at least one partition lane separating a portion of the tubes of the tube bundle with another portion of the tubes of the tube bundle, wherein each of the at least one blocking baffle having at least one partition lane blocking plate blocking area formed therein, wherein each of the at least one partition lane blocking plate blocking area being sized to be received within a corresponding at least one partition lane of the tube bundle. 
   
   
       4 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube bundle having at least one partition lane separating a portion of the tubes of the tube bundle with another portion of the tubes of the tube bundle, wherein each of the at least one slotted support baffle having at least one partition lane blocking area formed therein, wherein each partition lane blocking area being sized to be received within the corresponding partition lane of the tube bundle. 
   
   
       5 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 4 , wherein each support baffle comprising:
 a first group of the plurality of slots being located on one side of the at least one partition lane blocking area between a portion of the blocking area and the partition lane blocking area; and   a second group of the plurality of slots being located on another side of the partition lane blocking area between another portion of the blocking area and the partition lane blocking area.   
   
   
       6 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 5 , wherein each slotted support baffle further comprising:
 a plurality of support ribs, wherein each support rib extends substantially parallel to the plurality of slots.   
   
   
       7 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 6 , wherein each slotted support baffle further comprising:
 at least one reinforcement rib extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the support ribs and the slots, wherein each rib intersecting at least one rib and at least one slot.   
   
   
       8 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one first oriented slotted support baffle and at least one second oriented slotted support baffle,
 wherein each of the first oriented slotted support baffles being spaced from an adjacent second oriented slotted support baffle,   wherein the plurality of spaced apart slots on the first oriented slotted support baffle having first orientation and the plurality of spaced apart slots on the second oriented slotted support baffle having a second orientation, which is different from the first orientation.   
   
   
       9 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 8 , wherein the tube bundle having at least one partition lane separating a portion of the tubes of the tube bundle with another portion of the tubes of the tube bundle,
 wherein each of the first oriented slotted support baffle and each of the at least one second oriented slotted support baffle having at least one partition lane blocking area formed therein,   and   wherein each of at least one partition lane blocking area being sized to be received within a corresponding partition lane of the tube bundle.   
   
   
       10 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the first oriented slotted baffle and each of the at least one second oriented slotted support baffle comprising:
 a first group of slots and a second group of slots spaced from the first group of slots and separated by a partition lane blocking area therebetween.   
   
   
       11 . The tube bundle device according to  8 , further comprising at least one blocking baffle, wherein each blocking baffle comprising:
 a blocking plate having an outer perimeter;   at least one plate opening sized to receive the tubes of the tube bundle therethrough; and   a blocking plate blocking area formed between the outer perimeter of the blocking plate and the at least one plate opening,   wherein the blocking plate blocking area being sized to be located substantially within a gap between the housing and outer tubes of the tube bundle.   
   
   
       12 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 11 , wherein one of the at least one blocking baffle being located between adjacent first oriented slotted baffles and second oriented slotted baffles. 
   
   
       13 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one elongated tube support member, wherein the at least one elongated tube support member being selectively located in the space formed between adjacent rows of tubes, wherein each elongated tube support member having a tube engaging zone for engaging an adjacent tube in the tube bundle.   
   
   
       14 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one elongated tube support member, wherein the at least one elongated tube support member being selectively located in the space formed between adjacent rows of tubes, wherein each elongated tube support member having a tube engaging zone for engaging an adjacent tube in the tube bundle, wherein the at least one elongated tube support member being located between adjacent first oriented and second oriented support baffles.   
   
   
       15 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 at least one elongated tube support member, wherein the at least one elongated tube support member being selectively located in the space formed between adjacent rows of tubes, wherein each elongated tube support member having a tube engaging zone for engaging an adjacent tube in the tube bundle.   
   
   
       16 . A slotted support baffle for use in supporting a plurality of tubes in a tube bundles, comprising:
 a plate having an outer perimeter;   a plurality of spaced apart slots formed in the plate, wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart slots being sized to receive at least one of the tubes in the tube bundle therethrough; and   a blocking area formed between the outer perimeter and the plurality of spaced apart slots.   
   
   
       17 . The slotted support baffle according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 at least one partition lane blocking plate blocking area formed therein interconnecting one portion of the blocking area with another portion of the blocking area,   wherein a first group of the plurality of slots being located on one side of one of the at least one partition lane blocking area between a portion of the blocking area and the partition lane blocking area; and   a second group of the plurality of slots being located on another side of one of the at least one partition lane blocking area between another portion of the blocking area and the partition lane blocking area.   
   
   
       18 . The slotted support baffle according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a plurality of support ribs, wherein each support rib extends substantially parallel to the plurality of slots.   
   
   
       19 . The slotted support baffle according to  claim 18 , wherein each slotted support baffle further comprising:
 at least one reinforcement rib extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to the support ribs and the slots, wherein each rib intersecting at least one rib and at least one slot.   
   
   
       20 . The slotted support baffle according to  claim 19 , further comprising a plurality of ribs, wherein each rib extends from a portion of the blocking area to another portion of the blocking area, wherein each rib extends substantially parallel to the plurality of slots and the partition lane blocking portion. 
   
   
       21 . A blocking baffle for use with a tube bundle device having a plurality of tubes, comprising:
 a plate having an outer perimeter;   a pair of openings formed in the plate, wherein each of the pair of openings being sized to receive a portion of the tubes of the tube bundle device; and   a blocking area formed between outer perimeter and the pair of openings.   
   
   
       22 . A blocking baffle according to  claim 21 , further comprising:
 at least one partition lane blocking plate blocking area formed therein interconnecting one portion of the blocking area with another portion of the blocking area.   
   
   
       23 . A method of controlling the flow of fluid within a tube bundle device, wherein the tube bundle device having a housing and tube bundle located therein, wherein the tube bundle having a plurality of spaced parallel tubes, wherein a gap exists between the housing and the tube bundle, wherein the tube bundle having a partition lane separating a first group of the spaced parallel tubes from a second group of the spaced parallel tubes, the method comprising:
 redirecting at least a portion of the flow of fluid in the gap to the tube bundle; and   redirecting at least a portion of the flow of fluid in the partition lane to the tube bundle.   
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein redirecting at least a portion of the flow of fluid in the gap to the tube bundle comprising:
 providing at least one slotted support baffle at a predetermined locations on the tube bundle having a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein, wherein each of the plurality of spaced apart slots being sized to receive at least one of the tubes therethrough, wherein each slotted support baffle having an outer perimeter and a blocking area formed between the outer perimeter and the plurality of spaced apart slots, wherein the blocking area being sized to be substantially located within a gap between the housing and outer tubes of the tube bundle device, wherein the blocking area redirecting the flow of fluid from the gap towards the plurality of spaced apart slots.   
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein redirecting at least a portion of the flow of fluid in the gap to the tube bundle comprising:
 providing at least one blocking baffle at predetermined locations along the tube bundle, wherein each blocking baffle having a blocking plate with an outer perimeter and at least one plate opening sized to receive the tubes of the tube bundle device therethrough, and a blocking plate blocking area formed between the outer perimeter of the blocking plate and the at least one plate opening, wherein the blocking plate blocking area being sized to be located within a gap between the housing and outer tubes of the tube bundle device, wherein the blocking plate blocking area directing the flow of fluid from the gap towards the plurality of spaced apart slots.