Reduced vibration tube bundle support device

Abstract

A tube bundle for a shell and tube type heat exchanger has a support system that allows simple fabrication and provides a secure support of the tubes to mitigate vibration and problems associated with vibration. The tube bundle is composed of tubes that are supported by spaced cages having support rods sized to allow ample clearance with the adjacent tubes and configured in alternating positions and alternating orientations so that sets of four widely spaced cages form a complete support network. To ensure secure support to avoid vibration, sets of support stakes are inserted adjacent to (or in between) the cages to bias the tubes against the support rods of the cages. By this, fabrication is simplified, but a secure support system is maintained.

1 . A tube bundle device, comprising:
 tubes arranged parallel to one another and defining a tube bundle with a longitudinal axis, wherein the tubes are arranged in rows and columns with an x-tube lane separating adjacent rows and a y-tube lane separating adjacent columns;   a first tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in a first orientation in alternating x-tube lanes;   a second tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in a second orientation at an angle to the first orientation in alternating y-tube lanes;   a third tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in the first orientation in alternating x-tube lanes that are offset by one lane from the first tube support cage;   a fourth tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in the second orientation in alternating y-tube lanes that are offset by one lane from the second tube support cage; and   at least one set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from one of the tube support cages substantially parallel to and offset in alternating lanes from at least some of the tube support members of the adjacent tube support cage,   wherein the first, second, third and fourth tube support cages form a set that together defines a grid of tube support members disposed in each x-tube lane and each y-tube lane,   wherein the tube support members have a thickness that is between 90-98% of the width of an x-tube lane or a y-tube lane, thus defining free space between each tube and an adjacent tube support member, and   wherein the tube support stakes bias the tubes against adjacent tube support members.   
   
   
       2 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each tube support cage is about 95% the width of an x-tube lane or a y-tube lane. 
   
   
       3 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each tube support cage is spaced apart at least a distance between 300 mm measured along the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       4 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each tube has a diameter in a range of 12-22 mm and each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of about 500-700 mm measured along the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       5 . The tube bundle device of  claim 4 , wherein each tube has a diameter of approximately 19 mm and each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of about 600 mm. 
   
   
       6 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each tube has a diameter in a range of 23-40 mm and each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of about 1100-1300 mm. 
   
   
       7 . The tube bundle device of  claim 6 , wherein each tube has a diameter of about 25.4 mm and each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of about 1200 mm. 
   
   
       8 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein there is a set of tube support stakes disposed adjacent to each tube support cage. 
   
   
       9 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein there is a set of tube support stake disposed between adjacent tube support cages in the set. 
   
   
       10 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced projections, the projections forming a seat for an adjacent tube. 
   
   
       11 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 10 , wherein the spaced projections are one of spaced dimples and spaced corrugations. 
   
   
       12 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced saddles, each saddle forming a seat for an adjacent tube. 
   
   
       13 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein some of the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced dimples and some of the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced saddles, wherein the pairs of dimples and saddles form seats for adjacent tubes. 
   
   
       14 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the tube support stakes have a combination of dimples and saddles that form a seat for an adjacent tube. 
   
   
       15 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each tube support member is a flat bar. 
   
   
       16 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein each baffle frame is formed of a plate with a central cut-out window. 
   
   
       17 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein the tube bundle has a square cross section. 
   
   
       18 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein the tube bundle has a triangular cross section. 
   
   
       19 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , further comprising a shell and a tubesheet connected to the shell that supports the tube bundle. 
   
   
       20 . The tube bundle device of  claim 1 , wherein the tube bundle having a first end forming an entrance region and a second end forming an exit region, wherein the tube bundle device further comprising at least one additional tube support stake inserted into the tube bundle adjacent one of the first end and the second end. 
   
   
       21 . A tube bundle device, comprising:
 tubes arranged parallel to one another and defining a tube bundle with a longitudinal axis, wherein the tubes are arranged in rows and columns with an x-tube lane separating adjacent rows and a y-tube lane separating adjacent columns;   a first tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in a first orientation in alternating x-tube lanes;   a first set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from the first tube support cage substantially parallel to and offset from at least some of the tube support members;   a second tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in a second orientation at an angle to the first orientation in alternating y-tube lanes;   a second set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from the second tube support cage substantially parallel to and offset from at least some of the tube support members;   a third tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in the first orientation in alternating x-tube lanes that are offset by one lane from the first tube support cage;   a third set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from the third tube support cage substantially parallel to and offset from at least some of the tube support members;   a fourth tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support members secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, each tube support member extending in the second orientation in alternating y-tube lanes that are offset by one lane from the second tube support cage; and   a fourth set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from the fourth tube support cage substantially parallel to and offset from at least some of the tube support members,   wherein the first, second, third and fourth tube support cages form a set that together defines a grid of tube support members disposed in each x-tube lane and each y-tube lane, and each tube support cage is spaced apart at least a distance of 300 mm measured along the longitudinal axis, and   wherein the tube support stakes bias the tubes against adjacent tube support members.   
   
   
       22 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein the tube support members have a thickness that is between 90-98% of the width of an x-tube lane or a y-tube lane, thus defining free space between each tube and an adjacent tube support member. 
   
   
       23 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of at least 600 mm measured along the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       24 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein each tube support cage is spaced apart a distance of at least 1200 mm measured along the longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       25 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced projections, the projections forming a seat for an adjacent tube. 
   
   
       26 . The tube bundle device according to  claim 25 , wherein the spaced projections are one of spaced dimples and spaced corrugations. 
   
   
       27 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced saddles, each saddle forming a seat for an adjacent tube. 
   
   
       28 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein some of the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced dimples and some of the tube support stakes have a plurality of spaced saddles, the dimples and saddles forming seats for adjacent tubes. 
   
   
       29 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein at least some of the tube support stakes have a combination of dimples and saddles that form seats for adjacent tubes. 
   
   
       30 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein each tube support member is a flat bar. 
   
   
       31 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein each baffle frame is formed of a plate with a central cut-out window. 
   
   
       32 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , further comprising a shell and a tubesheet connected to the shell that supports the tube bundle. 
   
   
       33 . The tube bundle device of  claim 21 , wherein the tube bundle having a first end forming an entrance region and a second end forming an exit region, wherein the tube bundle device further comprising at least one additional tube support stake inserted into the tube bundle adjacent one of the first end and the second end. 
   
   
       34 . A heat exchanger having a tube bundle for transporting fluids for heat exchange, comprising:
 tubes arranged parallel to one another and defining a tube bundle with a longitudinal axis, wherein the tubes are arranged in rows and columns with an x-tube lane separating adjacent rows and a y-tube lane separating adjacent columns;   a set of four tube support cages, each tube support cage comprising a baffle frame with a plurality of parallel tube support bars secured to the baffle frame in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,   wherein the set of four tube support cages are axially spaced along the longitudinal axis such that the tube support bars of two tube support cages extend in a first orientation in alternating x-tube lanes and the tube support bars of the other two tube support cages extend in a second orientation at an angle to the first orientation in alternating y-tube lanes; and   at least one set of tube support stakes inserted in the tube bundle adjacent to and spaced from at least one of the tube support cages substantially parallel to and offset from at least some of the tube support members of the adjacent tube support cage in a woven configuration, wherein the tube support stakes are formed with seats to support the tubes,   wherein the set of four tube support cages together define a grid of tube support bars disposed in each x-tube lane and each y-tube lane, and each tube support cage is spaced apart from another tube support cage in the set at least a distance of 300 mm measured along the longitudinal axis,   wherein the tube support bars have a thickness that is at most 98% of the width of an x-tube lane or a y-tube lane, thus defining free space between each tube and an adjacent tube support bar, and   wherein the tube support stakes support the tubes in the seats and bias the tubes against adjacent tube support bars.