U.S. patent application number 14/114388 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-20 for shell and tube heat exchanger.
This patent application is currently assigned to CARRIER CORPORATION. The applicant listed for this patent is Jack Leon Esformes, Vishnu M. Sishtla. Invention is credited to Jack Leon Esformes, Vishnu M. Sishtla.
Application Number | 20140048237 14/114388 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46045138 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140048237 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Esformes; Jack Leon ; et
al. |
February 20, 2014 |
SHELL AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER
Abstract
A heat exchanger is provided and includes a shell extending
between opposing tube sheets to define an interior, nozzles coupled
to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the
interior and a tubular body extending between the opposing tube
sheets to transmit a second fluid through the interior whereby heat
transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along a heat
transfer portion of the tubular body defined from respective planes
of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets, the heat transfer
portion having at least first and second topologies at first and
second sections thereof, respectively, which are respectively
disposed proximate to the respective planes of the opposing faces
of the opposing tube sheets.
Inventors: |
Esformes; Jack Leon;
(Jamesville, NY) ; Sishtla; Vishnu M.; (Manlius,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Esformes; Jack Leon
Sishtla; Vishnu M. |
Jamesville
Manlius |
NY
NY |
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
CARRIER CORPORATION
Farmington
CT
|
Family ID: |
46045138 |
Appl. No.: |
14/114388 |
Filed: |
April 26, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
April 26, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US12/35197 |
371 Date: |
October 28, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61480823 |
Apr 29, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/146 ;
165/159 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F 17/005 20130101;
F28F 1/025 20130101; F28F 2210/08 20130101; F28F 2215/04 20130101;
F28D 7/163 20130101; F28D 1/0417 20130101; F28F 2265/06 20130101;
F28D 1/0475 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/146 ;
165/159 |
International
Class: |
F28D 1/04 20060101
F28D001/04; F28D 1/047 20060101 F28D001/047 |
Claims
1. A heat exchanger, comprising: a shell extending between opposing
tube sheets to define an interior; nozzles coupled to the shell by
which a first fluid is communicated with the interior; and a
tubular body extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit
a second fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs
between the first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion
of the tubular body defined from respective planes of opposing
faces of the opposing tube sheets, the heat transfer portion having
at least first and second topologies at first and second sections
thereof, respectively, which are respectively disposed proximate to
the respective planes of the opposing faces of the opposing tube
sheets.
2. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the tubular
body is plural in number.
3. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the first and
second topologies for each plural tubular body are substantially
similar.
4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein the at least
first and second topologies for each plural tubular body are
different from one another.
5. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the first
section extends substantially from the first end of the heat
transfer portion to a mid-section thereof and the second section
extends substantially from the mid-section to the second end of the
heat transfer portion.
6. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising:
fluid nozzles to deliver the second fluid to the tubular body; and
tube supports to structurally support the tubular body.
7. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the at least
first and second topologies comprise differing tube diameters,
hybridized internal geometries and/or hybridized external
geometries.
8. A heat exchanger, comprising: a shell extending between opposing
tube sheets to define an interior; nozzles coupled to the shell by
which a first fluid is communicated with the interior; and at least
first and second fluidly communicative tubular bodies extending
between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second fluid through
the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and
second fluids along respective heat transfer portions of the at
least first and second tubular bodies defined from respective
planes of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets, the
respective heat transfer portions of the at least first and second
tubular bodies having at least first and second topologies.
9. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the first and
second tubular bodies are each plural in number.
10. The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the at least
first topologies for each plural first tubular body are
substantially similar and the at least second topologies for each
plural second tubular body are substantially similar.
11. The heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein the at least
first topologies for each plural first tubular body are different
from one another and the at least second topologies for each plural
second tubular body are different from one another.
12. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the first and
second tubular bodies are disposed in lower and upper sections of
the interior, respectively, with the second tubular body being
downstream from the first tubular body.
13. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the
respective heat transfer portion of the first tubular body has one
or more topologies.
14. The heat exchanger according to claim 12, wherein the
respective heat transfer portion of the second tubular body has one
or more topologies.
15. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, further comprising:
fluid nozzles to deliver the second fluid to the tubular body; tube
supports to structurally support the tubular body; and hair-pin
tubular bodies to fluidly couple the first and second tubular
bodies to one another.
16. The heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the at least
first and second topologies comprise differing tube diameters,
hybridized internal geometries and/or hybridized external
geometries.
17. A heat exchanger, comprising: a shell defining a first
interior; a sub-cooler defining a second interior in the first
interior; nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is
communicated with the first and second interiors; first and second
tubular bodies to transmit a second fluid through the first
interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second
fluids along respective heat transfer portions thereof; and a third
tubular body to transmit the second fluid through the second
interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second
fluids along a heat transfer portion thereof, the heat transfer
portion of the second tubular body having a different topology as
compared to those of the first and third tubular bodies.
18. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the second
tubular body is elevationally interposed between the first and
third tubular bodies.
19. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the heat
transfer portions of the first and third tubular bodies have
similar topologies.
20. The heat exchanger according to claim 17, wherein the topology
of the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body encourages
liquid drainage.
21. A heat exchanger, comprising: a shell defining an interior;
nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated
with the interior; and first and second tubular bodies to transmit
a second fluid through upper and lower elevational sections of the
interior, respectively, whereby heat transfer occurs between the
first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions
thereof, the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body
having a different topology as compared to that of the first
tubular body.
22. The heat exchanger according to claim 21, wherein the second
tubular body comprises a high performance tubular body.
23. The heat exchanger according to claim 22, wherein the first
tubular body comprises a low performance tubular body.
24. The heat exchanger according to claim 21, wherein the topology
of the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body encourages
liquid drainage.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a National Stage Application of
PCT/US12/035,197 filed Apr. 26, 2012, which claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 61/480,823 filed Apr. 29, 2011, the
disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their
entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a heat
exchanger and, more particularly, to a shell and tube heat
exchanger.
[0003] Heating and cooling systems, such as HVAC and refrigeration
systems, typically employ various types of heat exchangers to
regulate heating and cooling. These heat exchangers often include
shell and tube or tube in tube heat exchangers or condensers. In
each case, heat transfer usually occurs between fluids that are
directed to flow in close proximity to one another.
[0004] For example, in a shell and tube heat exchanger, a shell
forms an exterior surface of a vessel into which refrigerant vapor
is introduced. Water is then directed through water tubes extending
through the vessel such that heat transfer occurs between the
refrigerant and the water.
[0005] Shell and tube heat exchangers typically represent about 50%
of the cost of water cooled chillers and they often at least
partially determine an amount of refrigerant a system will need as
well as the unit footprint, both of which will tend to increase
over time in response to increasing energy efficiency requirements
that typically increase the size and cost of shell and tube heat
exchangers. In view of this trend, shell and tube heat exchanger
design improvements to date have capitalized on improved tube
surfaces offered by suppliers. Unfortunately, the new tube surfaces
cannot be fully optimized as the tubing is designed for a very
broad operating range.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, a heat exchanger
is provided and includes a shell extending between opposing tube
sheets to define an interior, nozzles coupled to the shell by which
a first fluid is communicated with the interior and a tubular body
extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second
fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the
first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion of the
tubular body defined from respective planes of opposing faces of
the opposing tube sheets, the heat transfer portion having at least
first and second topologies at first and second sections thereof,
respectively, which are respectively disposed proximate to the
respective planes of the opposing faces of the opposing tube
sheets.
[0007] According to another aspect of the invention, a heat
exchanger is provided and includes a shell extending between
opposing tube sheets to define an interior, nozzles coupled to the
shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the interior and
at least first and second fluidly communicative tubular bodies
extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second
fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the
first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions of
the at least first and second tubular bodies defined from
respective planes of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets,
the respective heat transfer portions of the at least first and
second tubular bodies having at least first and second
topologies.
[0008] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a heat
exchanger is provided and includes a shell defining a first
interior, a sub-cooler defining a second interior in the first
interior, nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is
communicated with the first and second interiors, first and second
tubular bodies to transmit a second fluid through the first
interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second
fluids along respective heat transfer portions thereof, and a third
tubular body to transmit the second fluid through the second
interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second
fluids along a heat transfer portion thereof, the heat transfer
portion of the second tubular body having a different topology as
compared to those of the first and third tubular bodies.
[0009] According to yet another aspect of the invention, a heat
exchanger is provided and includes a shell defining an interior,
nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated
with the interior and first and second tubular bodies to transmit a
second fluid through upper and lower elevational sections of the
interior, respectively, whereby heat transfer occurs between the
first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions
thereof, the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body
having a different topology as compared to that of the first
tubular body.
[0010] These and other advantages and features will become more
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0011] The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is
particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at
the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other
features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a shell and tube heat
exchanger;
[0013] FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic views of the shell and tube
heat exchanger of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a shell and tube heat exchanger
with multiple passes;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a plan view of a shell and tube heat exchanger
according to further embodiments; and
[0016] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a shell and tube heat exchanger
according to still further embodiments.
[0017] The detailed description explains embodiments of the
invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example
with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] In shell and tube heat exchangers, for example, there is
often a high heat flux between the temperature of the refrigerant
and the temperature of the coolant at the coolant entrance to the
shell. As a result, a substantial degree of heat transfer between
the refrigerant and the coolant occurs at or near the coolant
entrance. However, as the coolant progresses through the shell, the
heat flux decreases as the temperatures of the refrigerant and the
coolant approach one another. In accordance with aspects of the
invention, a tubing surface in the exemplary shell and tube heat
exchanger uses a multiplicity of tubing surfaces that are
strategically placed. These tubing surfaces take into account the
decreasing heat flux across the shell and compensate for it by way
of tubing surfaces having, for example, increasing heat transfer
surface area.
[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, in a flooded evaporator, three
tubing surfaces could be used in place of just one common surface
as is the practice today. In the first half of the entering pass,
the heat exchanger would use a tube surface that is optimized for
the high heat flux in that section of the heat exchanger. In the
second half of the entering pass, the tube surface would be
optimized for the medium heat flux in this section of the heat
exchanger. Finally, in the second pass, the tube surface would
likewise be optimized for the lower heat flux in this section of
the heat exchanger.
[0020] These and/or other embodiments of this concept may be used
independently or in combination and include different tube
diameters in the same heat exchanger to better optimize the amount
of external surface area and cross-sectional flow area for water
flow in that section of the heat exchanger, different tube surfaces
in the upper and lower half of a shell and tube arrangement where
the upper half uses a tube optimized for the small amount of liquid
refrigerant condensate in this region and the lower half uses a
different surface that is less affected by the heavy liquid
refrigerant condensate in this region, subcooler tubes in the
condenser that use a different surface than the main section of the
condenser and that is optimized specifically for the subcooler, a
falling film bundle where different tube surfaces are used in
different areas in the bundle as the film thickness changes in the
direction of condensate flow and a falling film bundle where the
upper region of the bundle uses tubes optimized for film
evaporation and the lower region uses tubes optimized for pool
boiling where the tubes are submerged in the refrigerant.
[0021] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a heat exchanger is
provided as, for example, a shell and tube heat exchanger 10
although it is to be understood that the overall form of the heat
exchanger may be varied and need not be limited to a shell and tube
configuration. The heat exchanger includes a tubular shell 20
extending between substantially planar, opposing tube sheets 21, 22
to define a shell interior 25 and nozzles 30, which are coupled to
the shell 20. The nozzles 30 permit and regulate communication of a
first fluid, such as refrigerant vapor, with the shell interior
25.
[0022] The heat exchanger further includes a tubular body 40 or
multiple tubular bodies 40 extending between the opposing tube
sheets 21, 22 to transmit a second fluid, such as water, through
the shell interior 25 whereby heat transfer occurs between the
first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion 41 of the
tubular body 40. In a first set of embodiments, the tubular body 40
transmits the second fluid through the shell interior 25 in a
single direction as a single pass heat exchanger. The heat transfer
portion 41 of the tubular body 40 is the portion of the tubular
body at which it is expected that a substantial portion of the heat
transfer will occur and is defined along the tubular body 40
exterior surface from respective planes of opposing faces 211, 221
of the opposing tube sheets 21, 22.
[0023] In particular, it is to be understood that the tubular body
40 will be formed at opposite ends thereof with substantially
smooth mating surfaces 42, 43. These mating surfaces 42, 43 can be
engaged with corresponding mating surfaces of the opposing tube
sheets 21, 22 by, for example, welding, brazing or metallurgical
bonding, to form a tight seal between the tubular body 40 and the
tube sheets 21, 22. In this way, the shell interior 25 is sealed
from an exterior thereof but for access thereto for the first fluid
via the nozzles 30. The mating surfaces 42, 43 generally extend
from distal ends of the tubular body 40 and end axially proximate
to the planes of the opposing faces 211, 221.
[0024] The heat transfer portion 41 of the tubular body 40 has at
least first and second topologies 50, 51 at first and second
sections 501, 511 thereof, respectively, as shown for example in
FIG. 2. The first and second sections 501, 511 are respectively
disposed proximate to the respective planes of the opposing faces
211, 221 of the opposing tube sheets 21, 22 and extend in axially
opposite directions. That is, the first section 501 and the first
topology 50 of the heat transfer portion 41 extends from the plane
of the face 211 in a first axial direction and the second section
511 and the second topology 51 extends from the plane of the face
221 in a second axial direction, which is opposite to the first
axial direction.
[0025] In accordance with embodiments, the first section 501 and
the first topology 50 may be formed from the face 211 to a
mid-section of the heat transfer portion 41 while the second
section 511 and the second topology 51 may be formed from the
mid-section of the heat transfer portion 41 to the face 221. In
accordance with further embodiments, the mid-section may be defined
at the mid-point of the tubular body 40, which can be anywhere
along the tubular body 40, such that the first and second
topologies 50, 51 respectively extend along respective portions or,
in some cases, halves of the heat transfer portion 41. In
accordance with still further embodiments, the heat transfer
portion 41 may include other sections interposed between the first
and second sections 501, 511. In these cases, the heat transfer
portion 41 includes three or more sections and three or more
topologies.
[0026] In any case, if it is assumed that the first topology 50 is
associated with the coolant entrance to the shell interior 25 where
heat flux is largest and the second topology 51 is associated with
the coolant exit where heat flux is the lowest, then the second
topology 51 will have, for example, more heat transfer surface area
than the first topology 50. Where each topology is characterized by
the addition of fins on the exterior surface of the tubular body
40, this means that the fins of the second topology 51 will be
larger and/or more concentrated than those of the first topology
50. As such, a degree of heat transfer from the coolant entrance to
the coolant exit will be substantially maintained despite a
decreasing heat flux. Moreover, since the first topology 50 does
not include the larger and/or more concentrated fins of the second
topology 51, a cost of the tubular body 40 as a whole may be
reduced. For a shell and tube heat exchanger having many tubular
bodies 40 (see below), the cost reduction can result in multiplied
savings.
[0027] For single pass heat exchangers, generally, the tubular body
40 may be plural in number with each tubular body 40 being arranged
together in a bundle within the shell 20 to transmit the second
fluid through the shell interior 25. In accordance with various
embodiments, the first and second topologies 50, 51 for each plural
tubular body 40 may be substantially similar or unique (i.e.,
different) from one another. That is, each plural tubular body 40
may have a substantially similar construction as the other plural
tubular bodies 40 or each may be unique or different from one
another. For example, the plural tubular bodies 40 at the outer
reaches of the bundle may be provided with first and second
topologies 50, 51 that differ from those of the plural tubular
bodies 40 at the interior of the bundle. In a similar fashion, in
order to account for refrigerant pressure gradients in an
elevational direction through the shell interior 25, the first and
second topologies 50, 51 of the plural tubular bodies 40 at the
lower portion of the shell interior 25 may differ from the first
and second topologies 50, 51 of the plural tubular bodies 40 at the
upper portion of the shell interior 25. As an example, the
topologies of the plural tubular bodies 40 at the lower portion of
the shell interior 25 may be configured for engagement with heavy
liquid refrigerant condensate and the topologies of the plural
tubular bodies 40 at the upper portion of the shell interior 25 may
be configured for engagement with light liquid refrigerant
condensate.
[0028] The plural tubular bodies 40 receive the second fluid from
entrance fluid nozzles 60 and deliver the second fluid to exit
fluid nozzles 61 at the first and second sections 501, 511,
respectively. The entrance and exit fluid nozzles 60, 61 may
therefore be coupled to the tube sheets 21, 22 and/or to the plural
tubular bodies 40. The bundle of the plural tubular bodies 40 may
be held together and supported within the shell 20 by tube supports
70, which structurally support the plural tubular bodies 40 at
possibly multiple axial and circumferential locations.
[0029] With reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the first and second
topologies 50, 51 may include differing tube diameters, hybridized
internal geometries, hybridized external geometries, differing
cross-sectional flow diameters, hybridized rifling, hybridized
fluting, hybridized fin arrangements, hybridized groove
arrangements, hybridized baffle arrangements, hybridized surface
embossments and/or combinations thereof.
[0030] For example, as shown in FIG. 2 and as described above, the
first topology 50 is formed along the first section 501 and is
characterized by a first rifling of an outer surface of the tubular
body 40 while the second topology 51 is formed along the second
section 511 and is similarly characterized by a second rifling.
Since a concentration of the second rifling is, however, greater
than that of the first rifling, the number of rifling grooves-lands
along the second section 511 is greater than the number of rifling
grooves-lands along the first section 501. As such, heat transfer
surface area is more prevalent at second section 511 than at first
section 501 and the degree of heat transfer encouraged by the
second topology 51 is greater than that of the first topology 50.
Thus, if the second fluid moves through the tubular body 40 from
the first section 501 to the second section 511 and has a larger
heat flux at first section 501 than at second section 511, there is
a lesser need for a high degree of rifling at first section 501
than at second section 511, which is served by the hybridized
rifling of FIG. 2.
[0031] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate further embodiments of the
invention in that FIG. 3 illustrates that the tubular body 40 could
be provided with differing tube diameters, D1 and D2 along the
first section 501 and the second section 511, respectively, while
FIG. 4 illustrates that the surface of the tubular body 40 could be
provided with surface embossments of a first
concentration/dimension along the first section 501 and of a second
concentration/dimension along the second section 511. It is to be
understood that the embodiments discussed herein and provided in
the figures are merely exemplary however and that other
configurations and arrangements are possible. In particular, it is
understood that the change from the first topology 50 to the second
topology 51 may be gradual and, in fact, may occur along the axial
length of the tubular body 40 with no particular border defined
between them.
[0032] It is to be further understood that, where the tubular body
40 is supported by a leg 71 of the tube supports 70, the exterior
surface of the tubular body 40 may be smoothed for mating with a
corresponding surface of the tube support leg 71. This is shown
schematically in FIG. 2 where the tube support leg 71 contacts the
relatively smooth portion of the tubular body 40 at a location
along the second section 511, which is surrounded by the features
of the second topology 51. As shown, the smooth surface is axially
and possibly circumferentially localized at the location of the
tube support leg 71 and, in the cases of the tubular body 40 being
bundled, the smooth surface will generally be found only on those
outermost tubular bodies 40 actually contacting the tube support
legs 71.
[0033] With reference to FIG. 5 and, in accordance with another
aspect of the invention, the second fluid may be transmitted
through the shell 20 in at least two passes. In this case, the heat
exchanger 10 includes at least first and second fluidly
communicative tubular bodies 401, 402, which may each be plural in
number, to transmit a second fluid through the shell interior 25 in
at least two-passes whereby heat transfer occurs between the first
and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions 411. That
is, as shown in FIG. 5, the first tubular body 40 receives the
second fluid from entrance nozzles 60 and transmits the second
fluid through the shell interior 25 in a first direction toward
hair-pin tubular bodies 62. The second tubular body 40 transmits
the second fluid from the hair-pin tubular bodies 62 through the
shell interior 25 in a second direction, which may be substantially
opposite the first direction, toward the exit fluid nozzles 61.
Moreover, it is to be understood that additional pass
configurations are possible in which case additional tubular bodies
40 will be employed to similar effects.
[0034] The heat transfer portion 411 of the first tubular body 401
has at least a first topology 50 and the heat transfer portion 411
of the second tubular body 402 has at least a third topology 52.
More particularly, as shown in FIG. 5, the heat transfer portion
411 of the first tubular body 401 has first and second topologies
50, 51 in a similar construction as that of the tubular bodies 40
discussed above while the heat transfer portion 411 of the second
tubular body 402 has third and fourth topologies 52, 53. In this
way, with the first tubular body 401 disposed lower than the second
tubular body 402, the first topology 50 of the first tubular body
401 can be adapted for the high heat flux at the coolant entrance
as well as the high refrigerant pressure in the lower section of
the shell interior 25 and the second topology 51 of the first
tubular body 401 can be adapted for the low heat flux at the
coolant hair-pin turn as well as the high refrigerant pressure in
the lower section of the shell interior 25. By contrast, the third
topology 52 of the second tubular body 402 can be adapted for the
low heat flux at the coolant hair-pin turn as well as the low
refrigerant pressure in the upper section of the shell interior 25
and the fourth topology 53 of the second tubular body 402 can be
adapted for the high heat flux at the coolant entrance (now, the
coolant exit) as well as the low refrigerant pressure in the upper
section of the shell interior 25.
[0035] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention and,
with reference to FIG. 6, a shell and tube heat exchanger is
provided as a condenser 600. The condenser 600 includes a shell 610
defining a first interior 611 and a sub-cooler 620 defining a
second interior 621 in a lower elevational section of the first
interior 611. An upper nozzle 630 and a lower nozzle 631 are
coupled to the shell 610 such that a first fluid, such as
refrigerant vapor, is communicated with the first and second
interiors 611, 621 from an upper elevational location towards a
lower elevational location.
[0036] First and second tubular bodies 640, 641 transmit a second
fluid, such as water, through the first interior 611 whereby heat
transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along the heat
transfer portion 650 of the first tubular body 640 and the heat
transfer portion 651 of the second tubular body 641. The first
tubular body 640 is disposed within the upper elevational section
of the first interior 611 and the second tubular body 641 is
disposed below the first tubular body 640 within the first interior
611. As such, as the first fluid is communicated with the first
interior 611, the first fluid may be communicated as vapor to the
first tubular body 640 where the first fluid contacts the first
tubular body 640 and condenses to form liquid. This liquid then
falls toward the second tubular body 641 and interferes with
contact between remaining first fluid vapor and the second tubular
body 641.
[0037] A third tubular body 642 is disposed proximate to the lower
elevational section of the first interior 611 and within the
sub-cooler 620. That is, the second tubular body 641 is
elevationally interposed between the first and third tubular bodies
640, 642. In this position, the third tubular body 642 transmits
the second fluid through the second interior 621 and heat transfer
occurs between the first and second fluids along a heat transfer
portion 652 of the third tubular body 642. Since the first fluid is
communicated with the second interior 621 in large part as a vapor
in accordance with known sub-cooling methods, the problem of liquid
interference between the first fluid and the third tubular body 642
may be avoided.
[0038] In accordance with embodiments, the heat transfer portion
651 of the second tubular body 641 has a unique or different
topology at least as compared to the topologies of the respective
heat transfer portions 650, 652 of the first and third tubular
bodies 640, 642. This unique topology may, for example, include
drainage grooves 660 and/or other similar features that encourage
removal of the liquid phase first fluid from the heat transfer
portion 651 of the second tubular body 641. The topologies of the
respective heat transfer portions 650, 652 of the first and third
tubular bodies 640, 642 may be similar to one another.
[0039] In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention and,
with reference to FIG. 7, a shell and tube heat exchanger is
provided as a condenser 700. The condenser 700 includes a shell 710
defining an interior 711. An upper nozzle 730 and a lower nozzle
731 are coupled to the shell 710 such that a first fluid, such as
refrigerant vapor, is communicated with the interior 711 from an
upper elevational location towards a lower elevational
location.
[0040] First and second tubular bodies 740, 741 transmit a second
fluid, such as water, through the interior 711 whereby heat
transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along the heat
transfer portion 750 of the first tubular body 740 and the heat
transfer portion 751 of the second tubular body 741. The first
tubular body 740 is disposed within an upper elevational section of
the interior 711 and the second tubular body 741 is disposed below
the first tubular body 740 within a lower elevational section of
the interior 711. As such, as the first fluid is communicated with
the interior 711, the first fluid may be communicated as vapor to
the first tubular body 740 where the first fluid contacts the first
tubular body 740 and condenses to form liquid. This liquid then
falls toward the second tubular body 741 and interferes with
contact between remaining first fluid vapor and the second tubular
body 741.
[0041] In accordance with embodiments, the first tubular body 740
is provided as a low performance tube whereas the second tubular
body is provided as a high performance tube. That is, the heat
transfer portion 751 of the second tubular body 741 has a unique or
different topology at least as compared to the topology of the heat
transfer portion 750 of the first tubular bodies 740. This unique
topology may, for example, include drainage grooves 760 and/or
other similar features that encourage removal of the liquid phase
first fluid from the heat transfer portion 751 of the second
tubular body 741 or otherwise increase a degree of heat transfer
permitted across the heat transfer portion 751 of the second
tubular body 741. By contrast, the topology of the heat transfer
portion 750 of the first tubular body 740 may be characterized by,
for example, a uniform tubular surface. In this way, by using some
high performance tubular bodies in locations where they are most
effective and some low performance tubular bodies in locations
where high performance is of limited utility, costs for the
condenser 700 may be limited.
[0042] While the invention has been described in detail in
connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be
readily understood that the invention is not limited to such
disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to
incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or
equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are
commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention.
Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been
described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may
include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the
invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing
description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended
claims.
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