Title of Invention

A MULTIPLE TUBE BUNDLE EXCHANGER

Abstract

The invention relates to a multiple tube bundle heat exchanger, with a housing, in which a plurality of tube bundles is installed between axially opposite tube plates and the housing is subdivided by partitions into a number, corresponding to a number of tube bundles, of chambers or casing spaces, each receiving a tube bundle, characterized in that (a) the tube bundles are provided as independent subassemblies, each forming an integral unit, said tube bundles each consisting of respective heat exchanger tubes and of the associated tube plates fastened at their two axial ends; (b) the housing consists of a casing part with the partitions subdividing or delimiting the chamber or casing spaces, of flanges arranged at the two axial ends and of headpieces which are located bn both sides and which are provided as separate structural parts and are capable of being fastened to the flanges of the casing part; (c) the tube bundle subassemblies inserted into the chambers of the casing part, together with their tube plates, co-operate sealingly with the headpieces and with their tube plates delimit distributor or collecting or transfer chambers formed in the headpieces.

Full Text

The invention relates to a multiple tube bundle heat exchanger, that is to say a heat exchanger arrangement which comprises of plurality of fluidically interconnected heat exchange tube bundles The fluidic interconnection may relate, in this context, both to the medium flowing through the tube bundles and to the medium flowing around the tube bundles or to both. Such multiple tube bundle heat exchangers are already known. For example, CH 586 882 describes a countercurrent tube bundle heat exchanger in the form of an in-series tube bundle heat exchanger, in which are arranged in a common housing a plurality of tube bundles which are fluidically connected in series and through which the primary medium flows in succession. All the tube bundles run between two tube plates common to all the tube bundles, and the head chambers above each of the tube plates are subdivided into part-chambers in such a way as to form an inflow distributor chamber for the primary medium for distribution to the tubes of the first tube bundle, then a series of connecting chambers arranged above one or the other tube plate and intended for connecting the outlet ends of a tube bundle in each case to the inlet ends of an adjacent tube bundle, and, finally, an outlet collecting chamber above the outlet ends of the last tube bundle, in the fluidic series connection. Arranged in the housing between the individual tube bundles are partitions which in each case have overflow orifices near one tube plate or the other, so that the secondary medium flows into a tube bundle chamber and then passes through the overflow orifices from tube bundle chamber to tube bundle chamber, and finally out of the last tube bundle chamber into an outlet. The object of the invention is, by contrast, to provide an arrangement which, on the modular principle, makes it possible to construct economically the most diverse tube bundle heat exchanger arrangements which are varied in the greatest possible way both in terms of size and in terms of the fluidic arrangement or the routing of the primary medium and secondary medium. This object is achieved, according to invention, by means of the arrangement specified in the present invention. Advantageous refinements of the invention are the subject-matter of the sub-claims. The concept of the current invention provides for using standard heat exchanger tube bundles together with standard housing subassemblies which allow a multiplicity of combination possibilities and, of course, also heat exchanger arrangements of different size. Particular features of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show some actual exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention provides a multiple tube bundle heat exchanger, with a housing, in which a plurality of tube bundles is installed between axially opposite tube plates and the housing is subdivided by partitions into a number, corresponding to a number of tube bundles, of chambers or casing spaces, each receiving a tube bundle, characterized in that (a) the tube bundles are provided as independent subassemblies, each forming an integral unit, said tube bundles each consisting of respective heat exchanger tubes and of the associated tube plates fastened at their two axial ends; (b) the housing consists of a casing part with the partitions subdividing or delimiting the chamber or casing spaces, of flanges arranged at the two axial ends and of headpieces which are located on both sides and which are provided as separate structural parts and are capable of being fastened to the flanges of the casing part; (c) the tube bundle subassemblies inserted into the chambers of the casing part, together with their tube plates, co-operate sealingly with the headpieces and with their tube plates delimit distributor or collecting or transfer chambers formed in the headpieces. The drawings show the respective embodiments in a diagrammatic axial section in all the Figures. Of these, in particular: Fig.l shows a countercurrent heat exchanger constructed from a muhiple arrangement of tube bundles and having a fluidic parallel connection of the tube bundles; Fig. 2 shows a countercurrent heat exchanger with a plurality of tube bundles fluidically connected in series; Fig. 3 shows a countercurrent heat exchanger with a plurality of tube bundles fluidically connected - in parallel, but with a housing design modified, as compared with arrangement in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 shows a countercurrent heat exchanger with a plurality of tube bundles fluidically connected in series, but with a housing design developed, as compared with the arrangement according to Fig. 2. The heat exchanger illustrated in Fig. 1 has a housing and a plurality of tube bundles arranged therein. The housing consists of a casing 1, on which are arranged an inlet connection piece 11 and an outlet connection piece 12 respectively introducing and discharging a secondary medium into and out of the casing spaces and at the axial ends of which, on both sides, flanges 13 are formed, also of two headpieces 2 and 3 which are arranged adjacently to the ends of the casing 1 on both sides and each have an inlet and an outlet connection piece 21 and 31 for a primary medium to be led through the tube bundles and which are in each case assigned cover plates 22 and 32 which are capable of being clamped together with the flanges 13 of the casing 1 by screws or threaded rods 23 and 33. Installed in the housing is a plurality of tube bundles 5, specifically, in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, three tube bundles, which are designated by 5A, 5B and 5C. Each tube bundle consists of a number of parallel heat exchanger tubes 51 arranged with clearances relative to one another and in each case of a tube plate 52 connected to these and located at the two axial ends of tube bundle. Each tube bundle consisting of the heat exchanger tubes 51 and of the two associated tube plates 52 constitutes a subassembly in the form of an integral unit and is installed as such in the housing. The seals used for sealing off between the casing 1, the headpieces 2 and 3 and the tube plates 52 are illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing and can easily be recognised as stylised 0-ring seals. although, of course, the actual nature of the seals used may be selected in a desired way, as required. The housing space within the casing 1 is sub¬divided by installed partitions 14 into a number of casing spaces lOA, lOB and IOC corresponding to the number of tube bundles 5. These partitions 14 are provided at the top and bottom with passage orifices 15, via which the individual casing spaces are connected to one another. As can be seen, the head chambers formed in the headpieces 2 and 3 are not subdivided, but extend over all three tube bundles, so that a parallel flow through the three tube bundles 5A, 5B and 5C takes place. The three tube bundles are therefore fluidically connected in parallel. Fig. 2 shows an arrangement which again consists of a housing with three tube bundles 5A, 5B and 5C installed therein. The construction of the housing with the casing 1, headpieces 2 and 3 and connection pieces 11, 12, 21 and 31 for the media involved in the heat exchange and the subdivision of the casing interior into three casing spaces lOA, lOB and IOC by partitions 14 correspond to the arrangement according to Fig. 1. The three tube bundles are constructed in the same way as those in Fig. 1 and again consist in each case of heat exchanger tube 51 and in each case a tube plate 52 at the two axial ends located opposite one another, each tube bundle again constituting an integral unit or subassembly consisting of these parts. However, in the arrangement according to Fig. 2, the headpieces 2 and 3 and the partitions 14 in the casing 1 are modified, compared with the arrangement according to Fig. 1, in such a way that the three tube bundles in the arrangement in Fig. 2 are fluidically connected in series and the secondary medium flowing in through the connection piece 11 and flowing out through the connection piece 12 is routed in all three tube bundles in countercurrent to the primary medium which flows in through the connection piece 21 and flows out through the connection piece 31 and which flows in succession through the heat exchanger tube 51 of the three tube bundles. For this purpose, the headpieces 2 and 3 are modified in such a way that, above the inlet end of the first tube bundle 5C, as seen in the direction of flow of the primary medium, an inlet chamber 24 is formed, also an overflow chamber 35 and 2 5 is formed in each case in the headpiece 3 and in the headpiece 2 for transferring the primary medium between the adjacent ends of the two fluidically successive tube bundles (from 5C to 5B through the overflow chamber 3 5 or from SB to 5A through the overflow chamber 25) , and an outflow chamber 36 is formed above the outflow end of the last tube bundle, that is to say 5A, as seen in the direction of flow of the primary medium. Partitions 2 7 and 3 7 for correspondingly sub¬dividing the headpiece space into the corresponding chambers are therefore formed in the headpieces 2 and 3. In each of the partitions 14 is provided only one overflow orifice 15 which is located in each case near the respective tube plates, so that the secondary medium must in each case flow through essentially the entire axial length of the respective casing chamber in countercurrent to the medium flowing through the tube bundle, until the secondary medium can flow through the respective overflow orifice 15 over into the adjacent casing chamber. For the construction of arrangements according to Figs 1 and 2, standard partitions 14 can be used, which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, can have at both axial ends overflow orifices, one of which is closed in each case, in order to produce an arrangement according to Fig. 2. Likewise, different headpieces with and without partitions 27 and 37 can be kept ready, so that arrangements according to Figs. 1 and 2 can be produced in a modular manner from such elements, as required. Figs 3 and 4 show arrangements similar to those according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, to be precise a multiple tube bundle heat exchanger with tube bundles fluidically connected in parallel (Fig. 3) or tube bundles fluidically connected in series (Fig. 4) . Identical or corresponding parts are again provided with the same reference symbols as in Figs 1 and 2. The (in each case, again, for example, three) tube bundles 5A, 5B and 5C correspond to those according to Figs 1 and 2. The headpieces 2 and 3 also correspond to those according to Figs 1 and 2. The same applies to the casing 1 with the connection pieces 11 and 12. The arrangements according to Figs 3 and 4 differ, however, from the arrangements according to Figs 1 and 2 in a modification or development of the housing structure. This is because, in arrangements according to Figs 3 and 4, the partitions 14 are designed without overflow orifices, that is to say are completely closed. Instead, in arrangements according to Figs 3 and 4, the headpieces 2 and 3 are each supplemented by an intermediate piece 4 which is arranged between the respective headpiece and the flange 13 of the casing 1 and which forms extentions of the partitions 14 or have an overflow orifice 14 where overflows are provided between adjacent casing spaces. As a result, the casing part 1 of the housing, together with the partitions 14, can be produced as a standard part, whilst different intermediate pieces 4 can be kept ready, as required, as parts to be used in a modular manner, in order to produce overflow orifices between the casing spaces. In arrangements according to Figs 3 and 4, if the intermediate pieces 4 are of sufficient axial length, the connection pieces for the casing space (in the embodiments illustrated, designated by 11 and 12 and arranged on the casing 1) may also be arranged on the intermediate pieces 4. In this case, it is possible not only to attach one or both connection pieces laterally to the respective intermediate piece 4, but also to arrange said connection piece axially and lead it through the respective headpieces 2 or 3. The above embodiments were described, on the basis of the arrows indicated in the drawings, as countercurrent heat exchangers. It goes without saying that these may also be operated in the same way as co-current heat exchangers, for which purpose only the direction of flow of one of the two media needs to be reversed. The concept of the current invention makes it possible to construct any desired heat exchangers, using standard components. In particular, the tube bundles may be designed as standard components, from which any desired multiple tube bundle heat exchanger arrangements of different size can be constructed, irrespective of whether they are intended to operate as co-current or countercurrent heat exchangers. For heat exchangers of different size, it is possible to keep ready different housing structural parts, to be precise the casings and headpieces, which are designed in each case for receiving a specific number of tube bundles, or variable block arrangements of such housing structural parts may be provided. By appropriate headpieces being used, to be precise one for parallel operation and one for a series connection of the tube bundles, heat exchanger arrangements can be constructed in a modular manner and therefore highly economically, as required, from relatively few basic components. WE CLAIM: 1. A multiple tube bundle heat exchanger, with a housing (1, 2, 3), in which a plurality of tube bundles (5 A, 5B, 5C) is installed between axially opposite tube plates and the housing is subdivided by partitions (14) into a number corresponding to a number of tube bundles, of chambers or casing spaces (lOA, lOB, IOC), each receiving a tube bundle, characterized in that (a) the tube bundles (5A, 5B, 5C) are provided as independent subassemblies, each forming an integral unit, said tube bundles each consisting of respective heat exchanger tubes (51) and of the associated tube plates (52) fastened at their two axial ends; (b) the housing consists of a casing part (1) with the partitions (14) subdividing or delimiting the chamber or casing spaces (lOA, lOB, IOC), of flanges (13) arranged at the two axial ends and of headpieces (2, 3) which are located on both sides and which are provided as separate structural parts and are capable of being fastened to the flanges of the casing part (1); (c) the tube bundle subassemblies inserted into the chambers of the casing part (1), together with their tube plates (52), co-operate sealingly with the headpieces (2, 3) and with their tube plates delimit distributor or collecting or transfer chambers (24, 25, 35, 36) formed in the headpieces. 2. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the partitions (14) are provided near the axial ends of the casing part (1) which are located on both sides with selectively closable overflow orifices (15) for the overflow of the medium flowing through the casing spaces between adjacent casing spaces. 3. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in order to prolong the casing part (1), there is arranged between the latter and the adjacent headpiece (2, 3) and intermediate piece (4) which is provided as a separate structural part and which forms axial extensions of the partitions (14) and may have selectively overflow orifices (41) between adjacent casing spaces. 4. The heat exchanger as claimed in claim 3, wherein the inlet or outlet or both to or from a casing space is arranged on the respective intermediate piece, and the inlet or outlet is arranged laterally on the intermediate piece or is arranged axially on the respective intermediate piece and is led through the respective headpiece. 5. A multiple tube bundle heat exchanger, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

0281-mas-2001 abstract-duplicate.pdf

0281-mas-2001 abstract.pdf

0281-mas-2001 claims-duplicate.pdf

0281-mas-2001 claims.pdf

0281-mas-2001 correspondence-others.pdf

0281-mas-2001 correspondence-po.pdf

0281-mas-2001 description(complete)-duplicate.pdf

0281-mas-2001 description(complete).pdf

0281-mas-2001 drawings.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-1.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-19.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-26.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-3.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-4.pdf

0281-mas-2001 form-5.pdf

0281-mas-2001 others.pdf

0281-mas-2001 petition.pdf