Heat exchanger apparatus

Abstract

A method, system and/or apparatus for reducing the pressure drop in a heat exchanger. In one aspect, the invention can be a heat exchanger comprising: a shell forming a cavity, the shell comprising an inlet for introducing a shell-side fluid into the cavity and an outlet for allowing the shell-side fluid to exit the cavity; a tube bundle for carrying a tube-side fluid, the tube bundle located in the cavity along a longitudinal axis; at least one stabilizing plate positioned within the cavity and arranged in a substantially transverse orientation, the stabilizing plate comprising a lattice structure having openings, wherein tubes of the tube bundle extend through the openings; and wherein the openings of the lattice structure are sized and shaped so that the tubes contact the lattice structure and a portion of the openings remain unobstructed by the tubes, thereby allowing axial flow of the shell-side fluid through the stabilizing plate.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell forming a cavity, the shell comprising an inlet for introducing a shell-side fluid into the cavity and an outlet for allowing the shell-side fluid to exit the cavity;   a tube bundle for carrying a tube-side fluid, the tube bundle located in the cavity along a longitudinal axis;   at least one stabilizing plate positioned within the cavity and arranged in a substantially transverse orientation, the stabilizing plate comprising a lattice structure having openings, wherein tubes of the tube bundle extend through the openings; and   wherein the openings of the lattice structure are sized and shaped so that the tubes contact the lattice structure and a portion of the openings remain unobstructed by the tubes, thereby allowing axial flow of the shell-side fluid through the stabilizing plate.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein each of the tubes has four or less points of contact with the lattice structure. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2  wherein the openings of the lattice structure have a rhombus shape having a major diagonal and a minor diagonal, the major diagonal being larger than the minor diagonal. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the stabilizing plate does not introduce a pressure loss into the flow of shell-side fluid from the inlet to the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the stabilizing plate comprises a peripheral frame enclosing the lattice structure, the peripheral frame secured to the shell. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a plurality of baffles positioned within the cavity and arranged in a substantially transverse orientation, the baffles producing cross-flow of the shell-side fluid within the cavity;   a plurality of the stabilizing plates; and   wherein the stabilizing plates and the baffles are arranged in an alternating manner along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 6  wherein the baffles are selected from a group consisting of double segmental plates and disc-and-donut plates. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the stabilizing plate comprises a peripheral frame enclosing the lattice structure, the lattice structure formed by intersecting flat strips. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a tube sheet separating the cavity into a tube-side chamber and a shell-side chamber, the tubes bundle operably coupled to the tube sheet and extending into the shell-side chamber;   wherein the shell-side chamber has a first end at the tube sheet and a second end opposite the first end; and   wherein the inlet is located on a top portion of the shell at the second end of the shell and the outlet is located on a bottom portion of the shell at the first end of the shell.   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9  further comprising:
 the tubes of the tube bundle being U-tubes having a bight; and   an impingement plate positioned within the cavity of the shell between the inlet and the bights of the U-tubes.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the lattice structure is formed by flat strips arranged in an intersecting manner. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11  wherein the flat strips have major surfaces that extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  wherein the lattice structure is formed by a plurality of linear members arranged in an intersecting manner, and wherein the linear members tangentially contact contoured outer surfaces of tubes of the tube bundle. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a tube sheet separating the cavity into a tube-side chamber and a shell-side chamber, the tube bundle operably coupled to the tube sheet and extending into the shell-side chamber, the shell-side chamber having a first end at the tube sheet and a second end opposite the first end;   a longitudinal barrier connected to the shell so as to separate the shell-side chamber into an upper chamber and a lower chamber, a first passageway at the first end coupling the upper and lower chambers, and a second passageway at the second end coupling the upper and lower chambers; and   a transverse barrier extending into the upper and lower chambers.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  further comprising;
 the inlet located on a top portion of the shell in alignment with the transverse barrier so that the shell-side fluid is introduced into the upper chamber of the shell-side chamber; and   the outlet located on a bottom portion of the shell in alignment with the transverse barrier so that the shell-side fluid in the lower chamber can exit the shell-side chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 15  wherein a portion of the transverse barrier in the upper chamber separates the shell-side fluid being introduced into the upper chamber into two shell-side fluid streams flowing in opposite divergent longitudinal directions within the upper chamber, one of the two shell-side fluid streams flowing through the first passageway and into the lower chamber and the other one of the two shell-side fluid streams flowing through the second passageway and into the lower chamber, the two shell-side fluid streams flowing in opposite convergent longitudinal directions within the lower chamber, and wherein a portion of the transverse barrier in the lower chamber directs the two shell-side fluid streams in the lower chamber into the outlet. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 14  further comprising:
 a plurality of baffles positioned within the upper and lower chambers and arranged in a substantially transverse orientation, the baffles producing cross-flow of the shell-side fluid within the upper and lower chambers;   a plurality of the stabilizing plates; and   wherein the stabilizing plates and the baffles are arranged in an alternating manner along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         18 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell having a cavity, the shell comprising an inlet for introducing a shell-side fluid into the cavity and an outlet for allowing the shell-side fluid to exit the cavity;   a tube bundle for carrying a tube-side fluid, the tube bundle positioned in the cavity along a longitudinal axis;   a plurality of lattice structures located in the cavity for transversely stabilizing the tube bundle, wherein tubes of the tube bundle extend through openings of the lattice structure, a portion of the openings remaining unobstructed by the tubes so as to allow substantially unrestricted axial flow of the shell-side fluid through the lattice structure;   a plurality of baffles positioned within the cavity, the baffles producing cross-flow of the shell-side fluid within the cavity; and   wherein the lattice structures and the baffles are arranged in an alternating manner along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18  wherein the openings of the lattice structure have a rhombus shape having a major diagonal and a minor diagonal, the major diagonal being larger than the minor diagonal. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18  further comprising a peripheral frame enclosing the lattice structure. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18  wherein the lattice structure is formed by flat strips arranged in an intersecting manner. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger of  claim 21  wherein the flat strips have major surfaces that extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger of  claim 18  wherein the lattice structure is formed by a plurality of linear members arranged in an intersecting manner, and wherein the liner members tangentially contact contoured outer surfaces of tubes of the tube bundle. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for stabilizing a tube bundle within a heat exchanger comprising:
 a peripheral frame having an inner surface that defines a central opening; and   a plurality of members, each of the members having a first end connected to the peripheral frame and a second end connected to the peripheral frame, the members arranged in an intersecting manner so as to form a lattice structure that fills the central opening, the lattice structure comprising openings for receiving tubes of a tube bundle.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the members are linear members. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the linear members are flat strips having major surfaces that extend substantially perpendicular to the central opening. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the openings are sized and shaped so as to have only four or less points of contact with the tubes of the tube bundle. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the openings have a major diagonal and a minor diagonal, the major diagonal and minor diagonal being substantially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the openings have a rhombus shape. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the entirety of the lattice structure has a Uniform arrangement of the openings. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the peripheral frame is semi-circular or circular in shape. 
     
     
         32 . A tube bundle assembly comprising:
 a plurality of tubes forming a tube bundle that extends along a longitudinal axis, the tubes having an outer surface having a circular transverse cross-section;   a stabilizing structure oriented substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, the stabilizing structure comprising:
 a peripheral frame having an inner surface that defines a central opening; and 
 a plurality of linear members, each of the linear members having a first end connected to the peripheral frame and a second end connected to the peripheral frame, the linear members arranged in an intersecting manner so as to form a lattice structure that fills the central opening, the lattice structure comprising quadrilateral openings; 
   the tubes of the tube bundle extending through the quadrilateral openings so that the circular outer surface of the tubes are in tangential contact with the linear members.   
     
     
         33 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 32  wherein the quadrilateral openings of the lattice structure are sized and shaped so that a portion of the quadrilateral openings remain unobstructed by the tubes, thereby allowing substantially unrestricted axial flow of fluid through the stabilizing structure. 
     
     
         34 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 32  wherein the linear members are flat strips having major surfaces that extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         35 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 32  wherein the openings have a major diagonal and a minor diagonal, the major diagonal and minor diagonal being substantially perpendicular to one another. 
     
     
         36 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 35  wherein the openings have a rhombus shape. 
     
     
         37 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 32  wherein the entirety of the lattice structure has a uniform arrangement of the openings. 
     
     
         38 . The tube bundle assembly of  claim 32  wherein the peripheral frame is semi-circular or circular in shape.