US2019226765A1PendingUtilityA1
Distributor for Plate-Fin Heat Exchanger
Est. expiryJan 25, 2038(~11.5 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
F28D 9/00F28F 3/027F28F 3/025F25J 3/04636F25J 3/04466F25J 3/04218F25J 3/04927F25J 2290/32F25J 5/002F25J 3/04903F25J 5/005F28D 9/0068
49
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Claims
Abstract
Plate-fin heat exchanger with mitered distributor design for improved fluid flow distribution through the plate-fin heat exchanger resulting in improved heat exchanger efficiency. Sections of the distributor have different fin types that provide improved distribution of the fluid through the heat exchanger. The fin types for the different sections of the distributor are selected based on a friction factor parameter ratio and a j-factor parameter ratio for the different fin types.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A plate-fin heat exchanger comprising:
a main heat exchanger core section comprising a first group of heat transfer passages and a second group of heat transfer passages, each heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages containing a respective fin section, and each heat transfer passage of the second group of heat transfer passages containing a respective fin section; a distributor section abutting the main heat exchanger core section along a face of the main heat exchanger core section, the distributor section comprising
a plurality of parting sheet segments, the plurality of parting sheet segments disposed in fixed, spaced relation, wherein the plurality of parting sheet segments defines a first group of passages and a second group of passages;
a first header abutting and in fluid communication with the first group of passages along a face of the first header, wherein each passage of the first group of passages is closed on a side opposite the first header by a respective closing bar segment; a second header abutting and in fluid communication with the second group of passages of the distributor section; wherein the first group of passages abuts the main heat exchanger core section along the face of the main heat exchanger core section, wherein each passage of the first group of passages is in fluid communication with a respective heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages of the main heat exchanger core section, and wherein each passage of the first group of passages is closed on a side opposite the main heat exchanger core section by a respective closing bar; wherein each passage of the first group of passages has a long flow path region between the parting sheet segments of each passage of the first group of passages defined by the union of a first cuboid and a second cuboid, the first cuboid extending normal to the respective closing bar from the fin-side facing surface of the respective closing bar to a position 50% of the distance along the face of the first header from the respective closing bar towards the face of the main heat exchanger core section, and the second cuboid extending normal to the respective closing bar segment to a position 50% of the distance along the face of the main heat exchanger core section from the respective closing bar segment towards the face of the first header; wherein each passage of the first group of passages has a short flow path region between the parting sheet segments of each passage of the first group of passages bounded by the long flow path region, a portion of the face of the first header, and a portion of the face of the main heat exchanger core section; wherein the long flow path region of each passage of the first group of passages contains at least a portion of two or more fin sections extending throughout the long flow path region including a first-type fin section and a second-type fin section, at least a portion of the first-type fin section and at least a portion of the second-type fin section abutting at a junction, the first-type fin section comprising a plurality of fins defining a plurality of channels in the first-type fin section, and the second-type fin section comprising a plurality of fins defining a plurality of channels in the second-type fin section; wherein the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages abuts the face of the first header along a border of each respective first-type fin section;
wherein the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages abuts the face of the main heat exchanger core section along a border of each respective second-type fin section, wherein there is a break in continuity between the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages and the respective fin section of the respective heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages in fluid communication with the respective passage of the first group of passages;
wherein the first-type fin section and the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages have a respective friction factor parameter ratio,
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
2
,
Re
=
3000
,
where
0
<
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
2
,
Re
=
3000
≤
0.8
,
where
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
2
,
Re
=
3000
=
f
1
A
f
,
2
2
D
h
,
2
f
2
A
f
,
1
2
D
h
,
1
,
wherein the first-type fin section and the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages have a respective j-factor parameter ratio,
J
1
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
,
where
0
<
J
1
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
≤
0.8
,
where
J
1
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
=
j
1
A
s
,
1
A
f
,
2
j
2
A
s
,
2
A
f
,
1
,
where
f 1 is the respective friction factor for the fins in the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
f 2 is the respective friction factor for the fins in the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
j 1 is the respective j-factor for the fins in the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
j 2 is the respective j-factor for the fins in the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
D h,1 is the respective hydraulic diameter for the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
D h,2 is the respective hydraulic diameter for the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A f,2 is the respective free flow area per unit width per passage for the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A f,2 is the respective free flow area per unit width per passage for the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A s,1 is the respective heat transfer area per unit width per unit length per passage for the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A s,2 is the respective heat transfer area per unit width per unit length per passage for the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
where consistent units are used for each of D h,1 , D h,2 , A f,1 , A f,2 , A s,1 , and A s,2 .
2 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein one or more fin section characteristics of the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages is different than a corresponding fin section characteristic of the respective fin section of each heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages for each passage of the first group of passages in fluid communication with the respective heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages of the main heat exchanger core section.
3 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 2 wherein the one or more fin section characteristics are selected from the group consisting of fin style, free flow area, fin density, fin thickness, and hydraulic diameter.
4 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the plate-fin heat exchanger is configured to pass a first stream through the first group of heat transfer passages in countercurrent flow relationship to a second stream passed through the second group of heat transfer passages.
5 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein a second border of each respective first-type fin section is parallel with the respective closing bar of each respective passage of the first group of passages.
6 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the first-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages has a longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal direction of each respective first-type fin section is aligned parallel with the respective closing bar of each respective passage of the first group of passages.
7 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein a second border of each respective second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages is aligned generally parallel with the respective closing bar of each respective passage of the first group of passages.
8 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages has a longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal direction of each respective second-type fin section is aligned generally parallel with the respective closing bar segment of each respective passage of the first group of passages.
9 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the short flow path region of each respective passage of the first group of passages contains a portion of the respective first-type fin section.
10 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the short flow path region of each respective passage of the first group of passages contains a portion of the respective second-type fin section.
11 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the short flow path region of each passage of the first group of passages contains two or more respective fin sections including a respective third-type fin section comprising a plurality of fins defining a plurality of channels in the respective third-type fin section, wherein the respective third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages abuts the face of the first header along a border ( 34 ) of each respective third-type fin section;
wherein the first-type fin section and the third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages have a respective friction factor parameter ratio,
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
3
,
Re
=
3000
,
where
0
<
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
3
,
Re
=
3000
≤
1
,
where
F
1
,
Re
=
3000
F
3
,
Re
=
3000
=
f
1
A
f
,
3
2
D
h
,
3
f
3
A
f
,
1
2
D
h
,
1
,
where
f 3 is the respective friction factor for the fins in the third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
D h,3 is the respective hydraulic diameter for the third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A f,3 is the respective free flow area per unit width per passage for the third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
where consistent units are used for each of D h,1 , D h,3 , A f,1 , and A f,3 .
12 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 11 wherein each third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends through at least 20% of the volume of the short flow path region of the respective passage.
13 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 11 wherein each third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends from the border of each respective third-type fin section towards a junction and abuts at the junction at least a portion of a fin section extending from the junction towards the face of the main heat exchanger core section.
14 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 11 wherein each third-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends from the border of each respective third-type fin section towards a junction and abuts at the junction at least a portion of at least one fin section of a type different than the type of the third-type fin section.
15 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the short flow path region of each respective passage of the first group of passages contains two or more fin sections including a respective fourth-type fin section comprising a plurality of fins defining a plurality of channels in each respective fourth-type fin section, wherein the respective fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages abuts the face of the main heat exchanger section along a border of each respective fourth-type fin section, wherein there is a break in continuity between the fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages and the respective fin section of the respective heat transfer passage of the first group of heat transfer passages in fluid communication with the respective passage of the first group of passages;
wherein the fourth-type fin section and the second-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages have a respective j-factor parameter ratio,
J
4
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
,
where
0
<
J
4
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
≤
1
,
where
J
4
,
Re
=
3000
J
2
,
Re
=
3000
=
j
4
A
s
,
4
A
f
,
2
j
2
A
s
,
2
A
f
,
4
,
where
j 4 is the respective j-factor for the fins in the fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages evaluated at a Reynolds number of 3000,
A f,4 is the respective free flow area per unit width per passage for the fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
A s,4 is the respective heat transfer area per unit width per unit length per passage for the fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages,
where consistent units are used for each of A f,2 , A f,4 , A s,2 , and A s,4 .
16 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 15 wherein each fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends through at least 20% of the volume of the short flow path region of the respective passage.
17 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 15 wherein each fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends from the border of each respective fourth-type fin section towards a junction and abuts at the junction at least a portion of a fin section extending from the junction towards the face of the distributor section.
18 . The plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 15 wherein each fourth-type fin section of each passage of the first group of passages extends from the border of each respective fourth-type fin section towards a junction and abuts at the junction at least a portion of at least one fin section of a type different than the type of the fourth-type fin section.
19 . A process for exchanging heat between a first stream and a second stream, the process comprising:
providing the plate-fin heat exchanger according to claim 1 ; passing the first stream through the first group of heat transfer passages of the plate-fin heat exchanger in countercurrent flow relationship to the second stream being passed through the second group of heat transfer passages of the plate-fin heat exchanger.
20 . The process according to claim 19 wherein the first stream is a first fluid having an oxygen concentration ranging from 20 vol. % oxygen to 22 vol. % oxygen and a nitrogen concentration ranging from 78 vol. % nitrogen to 80 vol. % nitrogen, and wherein the second stream is a nitrogen-rich waste gas stream from a distillation column.Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
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