Fluid heater

Abstract

A fluid heater is configured to increase the temperature of a process fluid flowing through the fluid heater. The fluid heater includes multiple tubes that route the process fluid through the fluid heater. One or more heaters are disposed radially inward of the tubes such that the thermal energy generated by the heaters radiates outwards to heat the process fluid.

1 . A fluid heater configured to increase a temperature of a process fluid, the fluid heater comprising:
 a heater housing elongate along an axis between a first housing end and a second housing end;   a first manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a fluid inlet of the fluid heater;   a second manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a fluid outlet of the fluid heater;   a plurality of tubes extending within the heater housing between the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly to fluidly connect the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly; and   at least one heater located within the heater housing, wherein the plurality of tubes are arrayed radially outward of the at least one heater.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tubes extend at least partially circumferentially around the at least one heater. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one heater is disposed axially between the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid heater of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one heater does not radially overlap with either of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly are formed, respectively, from an inner manifold and an outer manifold that axially assemble to form an annular flow chamber located between the inner manifold and the outer manifold. 
     
     
         8 . The fluid heater of  claim 7 , wherein the inner manifold interfaces with the outer manifold at an inner connection and an outer connection, the outer connection disposed radially outward from the inner connection. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid heater of  claim 8 , wherein the inner connection is formed by a projection of one of the inner manifold and the outer manifold extending into a groove of the other one of the inner manifold and the outer manifold. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid heater of  claim 8 , wherein the outer connection is formed at an abutment interface between the inner manifold and the outer manifold. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the first manifold assembly includes a first inner manifold connected to the plurality of tubes and a first outer manifold opposing the first inner manifold, the first inner manifold and the first outer manifold defining a first flow chamber in fluid communication with the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein a first fluid port is connected to the first outer manifold, the first fluid port forming the fluid inlet. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein the first inner manifold includes a plurality of fluid apertures extending fully axially therethrough, and wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes extend into a respective fluid aperture of the plurality of fluid apertures. 
     
     
         16 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein the first outer manifold includes a first count of flow apertures through which process fluid is configured to flow, the first inner manifold includes a second count of flow apertures through which the process fluid is configured to flow, and the second count is greater than the first count. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a core extending axially within the heater housing, wherein the plurality of tubes and the at least one heater are disposed within the core.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The fluid heater of claim  24 , wherein the core is formed from a plurality of blocks stacked axially, and wherein the plurality of tubes extend through the plurality of blocks. 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The fluid heater of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of blocks includes a first end block forming a portion of the core axially closest to the first manifold assembly and a second end block forming a portion of the core axially closest to the second manifold assembly. 
     
     
         29 . The fluid heater of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of blocks further includes at least one intermediate block disposed axially between the first end block and the second end block. 
     
     
         30 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors located within the heater housing, and wherein the at least one heater is wired through one of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly, and the plurality of temperature sensors are wired through the other one of the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . The fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein a purge pathway is formed within the heater housing, the purge pathway at least partially disposed radially outward of the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         37 . A fluid heater configured to increase a temperature of a process fluid, the fluid heater comprising:
 a heater housing elongate along an axis between a first housing end and a second housing end;   a first manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a fluid inlet;   a second manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a fluid outlet;   a core disposed within the heater housing axially between the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly, wherein the core is formed from a plurality of blocks stacked axially, the plurality of blocks being thermally conductive;   a plurality of tubes extending through the core between the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly to fluidly connect the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly; and   at least one heater located within the core radially inward of the plurality of tubes.   
     
     
         38 .- 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A fluid heater configured to increase a temperature of a process fluid, the fluid heater comprising:
 a heater housing elongate along an axis between a first housing end and a second housing end;   a first manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a first fluid port formed by one of a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the first manifold assembly comprising:
 a first inner manifold having a first plurality of fluid apertures extending therethrough; 
 a first outer manifold having a first port aperture extending therethrough, the first outer manifold in fluid communication with the first fluid port through the first port aperture; and 
 a first flow chamber formed between the first inner manifold and the first outer manifold, the first flow chamber providing fluid communication between the first port aperture and the first plurality of fluid apertures; 
   a second manifold assembly disposed within the heater housing and in fluid communication with a second fluid port formed by the other one of the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet;   a core disposed within the heater housing axially between the first manifold assembly and the second manifold assembly;   a plurality of tubes extending through the core between the first plurality of fluid apertures and the second manifold assembly to fluidly connect the first flow chamber and the second manifold assembly; and   at least one heater located within the core radially inward of the plurality of tubes.   
     
     
         63 .- 82 . (canceled)