Panel tracer system using a panel tracer and heat transfer elements, and method of installing

Abstract

A tracer panel that is easily installed on a structure (e.g., process pipe, vessel, or the like) in the proper locations and orientations. The tracer panel may be made of tubes of particular sizes (e.g., lengths, orientation, bend(s), or the like), which may be partially pre-formed and/or partially formed on site (e.g., cut, bent, assembled, or the like on-site) into the tracer panel. The tracers of the tracer panel may be connected by stiffener members to aid in restricting deformation of the panel or may use flexible members to allow installation on different curved surfaces. The tracer panel may be connected with other tracer panels to form a tracer system. Heat transfer elements and/or heat transfer panels (e.g., made up of multiple heat transfer elements) may be assembled to the tracer panel to improve the heat transfer between the tracer panel and the structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tracer panel of a plurality of tracer panels in a tracer system for heating or cooling a fluid within a structure, the tracer panel comprising:
 two or more tracers spaced apart from each other;   an inlet header tracer operatively coupled to at least one of the two or more tracers; and   an outlet header tracer operatively coupled to at least one of the two or more tracers;   wherein the tracer panel is at last partially curved to form a curved tracer panel configured to be installed on a non-linear surface of the structure.   
     
     
         2 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more tracers comprise two or more longitudinal tracers, and wherein the tracer panel further comprises:
 one or more intermediate serpentine header tracers;   wherein an intermediate serpentine header tracer operatively couples ends of two longitudinal tracers of the two or more longitudinal tracers; and   wherein the one or more intermediate serpentine header tracers have one or more bends to form the curved tracer panel.   
     
     
         3 . The tracer panel of  claim 2 , wherein the two or more longitudinal tracers have one or more bends, and wherein the curved tracer panel is a longitudinal serpentine elbow panel. 
     
     
         4 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more tracers comprise two or more longitudinal tracers; wherein the inlet header tracer is an inlet header manifold operatively coupled to first ends of the two or more longitudinal tracers; and wherein the outlet header tracer is an outlet header manifold operatively coupled to second ends of the two or more longitudinal tracers. 
     
     
         5 . The tracer panel of  claim 4 , wherein the two or more longitudinal tracers have one or more bends, and wherein the curved tracer panel is a longitudinal parallel elbow tracer panel. 
     
     
         6 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more tracers comprise two or more transverse tracers, wherein the two or more transverse tracers each have one or more bends that form the curved tracer panel. 
     
     
         7 . The tracer panel of  claim 6 , wherein the inlet header tracer is an inlet header manifold operatively coupled to first ends of the two or more transverse tracers, and wherein the outlet header tracer is an outlet header manifold operatively coupled to second ends of the two or more transverse tracers. 
     
     
         8 . The tracer panel of  claim 7 , wherein the inlet header manifold or the outlet header manifold have one or more bends, and wherein the curved tracer panel is a transverse parallel elbow panel. 
     
     
         9 . The tracer panel of  claim 6 , wherein the two or more transverse tracers comprise three or more transverse tracers, wherein the tracer panel further comprising:
 one or more converging serpentine header tracers operatively coupling converging ends of two transverse tracers; and   one or more diverging serpentine header tracers operatively coupling diverging ends of two transverse tracers;   wherein the one or more converging serpentine header tracers and the one or more diverging serpentine header tracers form a transverse serpentine elbow panel.   
     
     
         10 . The tracer panel of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 tracer bracing operatively coupling the two or more transverse tracers.   
     
     
         11 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more tracers are operatively coupled to each other or the inlet header tracer and the outlet header tracer through tracer connectors. 
     
     
         12 . The tracer panel of  claim 11 , wherein the tracer connectors comprise compression fittings, flared JIC fittings, butt welding, or socket welding. 
     
     
         13 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more tracers are formed to a length on-site and operatively coupled to the inlet header tracer and the outlet header tracer on site. 
     
     
         14 . The tracer panel of  claim 13 , wherein the inlet header tracer and the outlet header tracer are at least partially pre-formed by bending before shipping on-site. 
     
     
         15 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more flexible members operatively coupling the two or more tracers, wherein the one or more flexible members are configured to allow installation of the tracer panel on structures having different curved surfaces.   
     
     
         16 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more stiffeners operatively coupling the two or more tracers, wherein the one or more stiffeners aid in resisting deformation of the tracer panel.   
     
     
         17 . The tracer panel of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more alignment members on the panel tracer configured to align the tracer panel with an upstream or downstream tracer panel.   
     
     
         18 . A panel tracer system for heating or cooling a structure, the panel tracer system comprising:
 two or more tracer panels operatively coupled in series, wherein the two or more tracer panels comprise:
 two or more tracers spaced apart from each other; 
 an inlet header tracer operatively coupled to at least one of the two or more tracers; and 
 an outlet header tracer operatively coupled to at least one of the two or more tracers; 
   wherein the two or more tracer panels are at last partially curved to form curved tracer panels configured to be installed on one or more non-linear surfaces of the structure.   
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a tracer panel for a panel tracer system for heating or cooling a structure, the method comprising:
 receiving tracer panel configurations for the tracer panel, wherein the tracer panel configurations comprise at least:
 two or more tracers for the tracer panel; and 
 header tracers for the tracer panel; 
   assembling the two or more tracers to the header tracers using tracer connectors on-site based on the tracer panel configurations, wherein the tracer panel is at last partially curved to form a curved tracer panel configured to be installed on a non-linear surface of the structure.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the two or more tracers are trimmed in the field on-site to form two or more customized tracers, wherein the header tracers are at least partially pre-formed header tracers, and wherein the two or more customized tracers are operatively coupled to the at least partially pre-formed header tracers in the field on-site.