Baffle assembly for a heat exchanger, heat exchanger including the baffle assembly, fluid heating system including the same, and methods of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A fluid heating system assembly including: a first tube sheet; a second tube sheet opposite the first sheet; a heat exchanger tube, which connects the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet; a baffle such as a plate baffle and/or an annular baffle disposed between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, wherein the heat exchanger tube passes through the baffle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A baffle assembly comprising:
 a first tube sheet;   a second tube sheet opposite the first sheet;   a heat exchanger tube, which connects the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet; and   one or more baffles disposed between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, wherein the heat exchanger tube sealingly passes through the baffle; wherein the one or more baffles comprises one or both of a plate baffle and an annular baffle.   
     
     
         2 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle comprises the plate baffle. 
     
     
         3 . The baffle assembly of  claim 2 , wherein fluid communication between a first side and a second side of the plate baffle is across a perimeter of the plate baffle. 
     
     
         4 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle comprises the annular baffle. 
     
     
         5 . The baffle assembly of  claim 4 , wherein fluid communication between a first side and a second side of the annular baffle is through the annulus of the baffle. 
     
     
         6 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plate baffle has a disk shape, an elliptical shape, a lobular shape, a square shape, a rectangular shape, a rectilinear shape, or a curvilinear shape, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a maximum distance between an outer surface of the heat exchanger tube and the baffle is between 0 centimeters and 3 centimeters;
 and/or wherein the baffle has an aspect ratio of 5 to 10,000, wherein the aspect ratio is a largest dimension of a major surface of the baffle divided by a thickness of the baffle.   
     
     
         8 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising one or both of a continuous weld, which sealingly connects the baffle to the heat exchanger tube; and an adhesive, which adhesively and sealingly connects the baffle to the heat exchanger tube, and wherein the adhesive is disposed between the heat exchanger tube and the baffle. 
     
     
         9 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle comprises
 a rigid element, and   a gasket disposed on a surface of the rigid element and between the rigid element and the heat exchanger tube, wherein the gasket seals the baffle to the heat exchanger tube where the heat exchanger tube passes through the baffle.   
     
     
         10 . The baffle assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising a retainer, which is attached to the rigid element by a fastener, and wherein the gasket is disposed between the rigid element and the retainer. 
     
     
         11 . The baffle assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the gasket comprises a metal plate with a maximum thickness between 0.002 millimeters to 6 millimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises a plurality of heat exchanger tubes, and wherein each heat exchanger tube independently sealingly penetrates the baffle. 
     
     
         13 . The baffle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of baffles comprises 3 to 100 baffles. 
     
     
         14 . The baffle assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of baffles comprises at least one plate baffle and at least one annular baffle. 
     
     
         15 . The baffle assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a seal is formed between the one or more baffles and the heat exchanger tube based solely on a close proximity to each other. 
     
     
         16 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a pressure vessel; and   the baffle assembly of  claim 1 ;   wherein the baffle assembly is sealingly disposed in the pressure vessel.   
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein a maximum distance between an inner surface of the pressure vessel and an edge surface of the annular baffle is between 0 centimeters and 3 centimeters. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 , wherein the baffle assembly comprises an annular baffle, and further comprising a continuous weld, which sealingly connects the annular baffle to the pressure vessel and/or an adhesive, which adhesively and sealingly connects the annular baffle to the pressure vessel, and wherein the adhesive is disposed on the perimeter of the annular baffle. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger of  claim 16 ; wherein a tube seal provided between the heat exchanger tube and the baffle allows for less than or equal to 10 vol % of a total fluid flow traversing the baffle, to flow between them and/or wherein a vessel seal provided between the pressure vessel and an annular baffle allows for less than or equal to 10 vol % of a total fluid flow traversing the baffle, to flow between them. 
     
     
         20 . A method of producing radial flow in a heat exchanger, the method comprising:
 providing a heat exchanger comprising a baffle assembly comprising
 a pressure vessel shell comprising an inlet and outlet, 
 a baffle assembly entirely disposed in the pressure vessel shell, the baffle assembly comprising
 a first tube sheet, 
 a second tube sheet opposite the first sheet, 
 a heat exchanger tube, which connects the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet; and 
 at least one plate baffle disposed between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, wherein the heat exchanger tube sealingly passes through the plate baffle; and/or at least one annular baffle sealingly disposed between the first tube sheet and the second tube sheet, wherein the heat exchanger tube sealingly passes through the annular baffle; and 
 
   directing a production fluid from the first inlet to the first outlet to provide a flow of the production fluid through the pressure vessel shell to produce the radial flow.