Angled Tube Fins to Support Shell Side Flow

Abstract

A heat exchanger, including: a shell configured to have an inlet and an outlet for a first fluid; baffles disposed in the shell, wherein the baffles are configured to guide the first fluid into a helical flow pattern, and at least some of the baffles are disposed in a helical pattern with a helix angle; a tube disposed in the shell, wherein the tube extends along a longitudinal axis of the shell, the tube passes through the baffles, and the tube is configured to facilitate an exchange of thermal energy between a second fluid within the tube and the first fluid; and fins fixedly attached to an outer surface of the tube, wherein at least some of the fins are angled to match the helix angle of the at least some of the baffles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a shell configured to have an inlet and an outlet for a first fluid;   baffles disposed in the shell, wherein the baffles are configured to guide the first fluid into a helical flow pattern, and at least some of the baffles are disposed in a helical pattern with a helix angle;   a tube disposed in the shell, wherein the tube extends along a longitudinal axis of the shell, the tube passes through the baffles, and the tube is configured to facilitate an exchange of thermal energy between a second fluid within the tube and the first fluid; and   fins fixedly attached to an outer surface of the tube, wherein at least some of the fins are angled to match the helix angle of the at least some of the baffles.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of the fins is constant over an entire outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 2 , wherein the helix angle of the at least some of the baffles is constant. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the helix angle of the at least some of the baffles varies and matches a varying angle of the fins. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the fins is constant over an entire outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the fins varies over an entire outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a number of fins per unit length of the tube is constant over an entire surface of the tube. 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a number of fins per unit length of the tube varies over an entire surface of the tube. 
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the outer surface of the tube is configured to enhance shell side fluid flow and heat transfer performance. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 9 , wherein the outer surface of the tube is smooth, contoured, or includes smooth sections and contoured sections. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the tube is configured to have a cross-section that is configured to enhance tube side flow and heat transfer performance. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein an inside surface of the tube is smooth, wavy, or includes smooth sections and wavy sections. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of tubes that include fins angled to match the helical angle. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a metallurgy of the fins is constant over an entire outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein a metallurgy of the fins varies over an entire outer surface of the tube. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fins are high fins that with a height of 9.0 to 32.0 mm. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the fins have a different composition than the outer surface of the tube.