# US 11,441,846 B2 · Tubeless heat exchanger for fluid heating systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,846 B2 - Document ID: US11441846B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/298,571 - Filed: 2019-03-11 - Published: 2019-07-04 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-11 - Assignees: Fulton Group N.A., Inc. - Applicants: Fulton Group N.A., Inc. - Inventors: Carl Nicholas Nett; Richard James Snyder; Keith Richard Waltz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441846B2 ## CPC - F28D 7/10: the conduits being arranged one within the other, e.g. concentrically {(multiple wall tubes for leak detection F28F1/003)} - B21D 39/02: of sheet metal by folding, e.g. connecting edges of a sheet to form a cylinder - B21D 53/02: heat exchangers {or parts thereof}, e.g. radiators, condensers {fins, headers}(making finned or ribbed tubes by fixing strip material or the like to tubes B21C37/22) - B21D 53/04: of sheet metal - B21D 53/08: of both metal tubes and sheet metal (connecting tubes in openings B21D39/06) - B23P 15/26: heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)} - F28D 7/026: {the conduits of only one medium being helically coiled and formed by bent members, e.g. plates, the coils having a cylindrical configuration} - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) ## Abstract A method for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid includes providing a tubeless heat exchanger having a tubeless heat exchanger core, the tubeless heat exchanger core having an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core having a core inlet arranged to receive the first fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the first fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing, wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the first fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the second fluid, and providing the first fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings. In some embodiments, the first fluid may be a thermal transfer fluid, the second fluid may be a production fluid, and the production fluid may be held in a vessel, such as a pressure vessel. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for heating a production fluid disposed in a vessel, comprising: providing a tubeless heat exchanger, comprising: a tubeless heat exchanger core disposed at least partially within the vessel, the tubeless heat exchanger core comprising an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core further comprising a core inlet arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing; and wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the thermal transfer fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the production fluid, and wherein the flow passage defines a circumferential path comprising at least one pass around a perimeter of the heat exchanger core; providing the thermal transfer fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat from the thermal transfer fluid to the production fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings; providing an outlet member, which penetrates the vessel and which fluidically connects the core outlet through the vessel to provide the thermal transfer fluid outside of the vessel; and providing a conduit fluidically connected to the heat exchanger core, and arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid to the heat exchanger core, the conduit having a conduit outlet end fluidically connected to the core inlet and a conduit inlet end arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid, wherein the conduit is configured to provide the thermal transfer fluid from the conduit inlet, along the conduit to the conduit outlet and the core inlet to the flow passage, and wherein the conduit comprises a conduit outer surface, at least a portion of the conduit outer surface also arranged to be contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flow passage comprises a flow passage guide, the flow passage guide comprising at least one of: a rib, a ridge, and a deformation of the inner surface of one or both of the inner casing and the outer casing, to guide the flow of the thermal transfer fluid along the flow passage from the core inlet to the core outlet. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flow passage defines a helical path between the core inlet and core outlet. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an entirety of the outer surfaces of the tubeless heat exchanger core is contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner casing and the outer casing of the heat exchanger core each have a largest outer diameter of 30 cm to 350 cm and a maximum height of 15 cm to 1,400 cm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an aspect ratio of the flow passage of the tubeless heat exchanger core is 10 to 100, wherein the aspect ratio is a ratio of a height of the flow passage to a width of the flow passage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner casing and the outer casing of the tubeless heat exchanger core has a thickness of 0.5 centimeters to 5 centimeters. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner casing is coaxial with the outer casing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the production fluid contacts an entirety of the outer surfaces of the inner and outer casings of the heat exchanger core, and the production fluid, and the thermal transfer fluid each independently comprise a liquid, a gas, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the production fluid and the thermal transfer fluid each independently comprise water, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 hydrocarbon, air, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the production fluid comprises liquid water, steam, a thermal fluid, a glycol, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal transfer fluid does not contact the vessel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flow passage is contained entirely within the vessel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger core comprises a core top head and a core bottom head, and wherein the inner casing and outer casing are disposed between the core top head and the core bottom head. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the outer surfaces of the inner casing, the outer casing, and the bottom head are contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the outer surface of the top head is contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner casing and outer casing are both cylindrical. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the conduit is coaxial with the tubeless heat exchanger core. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the core inlet is disposed on the inner casing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the outlet member mechanically attaches the core outlet to the vessel to provide mechanical support for the heat exchanger core and to avoid thermal stresses in the heat exchanger core within the vessel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vessel has a vessel inlet arranged to receive production fluid and a vessel outlet arranged to provide heated production fluid. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein a vessel comprises a pressure vessel. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner casing and the outer casing each independently have a circular cross-sectional shape, an elliptical cross-sectional shape, an oval cross-sectional shape, a stadium cross-sectional shape, a semicircular cross-sectional shape, a square cross-sectional shape, a rectangular cross-sectional shape, a triangular cross-sectional shape, or combination thereof. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the inner casing and the outer casing have a same cross-sectional shape. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flow passage has a helical shape, a stepped shape, a shape of a segment of a circle, a shape of a segment of a helix, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the flow passage has a circular cross-sectional shape, an annular cross-sectional shape, an elliptical cross-sectional shape, an oval cross-sectional shape, a stadium cross-sectional shape, a semicircular cross-sectional shape, a square cross-sectional shape, a rectangular cross-sectional shape, a triangular cross-sectional shape, or combination thereof. ### Claim 27 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the flow passage guide is rigidly attached to the inner casing, the outer casing, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 28 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the inner casing and the flow passage guide, the outer casing and the flow passage guide, or a combination thereof are rigidly attached by a weld. ### Claim 29 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein a pitch of the flow passage guide is between 0 degrees and 90 degrees with respect to a tangent direction, wherein the tangent direction is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the outer casing. ### Claim 30 A method for heating a production fluid disposed in a vessel, comprising: providing a tubeless heat exchanger, comprising: a tubeless heat exchanger core disposed at least partially within the vessel, the tubeless heat exchanger core comprising an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core further comprising a core inlet arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing; and wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the thermal transfer fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein an entirety of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the production fluid in the vessel, and wherein the flow passage defines a circumferential path comprising at least one pass around a perimeter of the heat exchanger core; providing the thermal transfer fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat from the thermal transfer fluid to the production fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings; providing an outlet member, which penetrates the vessel and which fluidically connects the core outlet through the vessel to provide the thermal transfer fluid outside of the vessel; and providing a conduit fluidically connected to the heat exchanger core, and arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid to the heat exchanger core, the conduit having a conduit outlet end fluidically connected to the core inlet and a conduit inlet end arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid, wherein the conduit is configured to provide the thermal transfer fluid from the conduit inlet, along the conduit to the conduit outlet and the core inlet to the flow passage, and wherein the conduit comprises a conduit outer surface, at least a portion of the conduit outer surface also arranged to be contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the core inlet is disposed on the inner casing. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the heat exchanger core is arranged within the vessel to avoid thermal stress in the heat exchanger core. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the flow passage comprises a flow passage guide, the flow passage guide comprising at least one of: a rib, a ridge, and a deformation of the inner surface of one or both of the inner and outer casing, to guide the flow of the thermal transfer fluid along the flow passage from the core inlet to the core outlet. ### Claim 34 A method for transferring heat between a thermal transfer fluid and a production fluid disposed in a vessel, comprising: providing a tubeless heat exchanger, comprising: a tubeless heat exchanger core disposed at least partially within the vessel, the tubeless heat exchanger core comprising an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for a thermal transfer fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core further comprising a core inlet arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing; wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the thermal transfer fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the production fluid, wherein the flow passage defines a helical path, and wherein the flow passage defines a path comprising at least one circumferential pass around a perimeter of the heat exchanger core; and wherein the flow passage comprises at least one of: a rib, a ridge, and a deformation of the inner surface of one or both of the inner casing and the outer casing, to guide the flow of the thermal transfer fluid along the flow passage; providing the thermal transfer fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat between the thermal transfer fluid and the production fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings; providing an outlet member, which penetrates the vessel and which fluidically connects the core outlet through the vessel to provide the thermal transfer fluid outside of the vessel; and providing a conduit fluidically connected to the heat exchanger core, and arranged to provide the thermal transfer fluid to the heat exchanger core, the conduit having a conduit outlet end fluidically connected to the core inlet and a conduit inlet end arranged to receive the thermal transfer fluid, wherein the conduit is configured to provide the thermal transfer fluid from the conduit inlet, along the conduit to the conduit outlet and the core inlet to the flow passage, and wherein the conduit comprises a conduit outer surface, at least a portion of the conduit outer surface also arranged to be contacted by the production fluid. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein an aspect ratio of the flow passage of the tubeless heat exchanger core is 10 to 100, wherein the aspect ratio is a ratio of a height of the flow passage to a width of the flow passage. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the core inlet is disposed on the inner casing. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34, wherein the heat exchanger core is arranged within the vessel to avoid thermal stress in the heat exchanger core. ### Claim 38 A method for transferring heat between a first fluid and a second fluid disposed in a vessel, comprising: providing a tubeless heat exchanger, comprising: a tubeless heat exchanger core, the tubeless heat exchanger core comprising an inner casing and an outer casing disposed around the inner casing, the inner and outer casings defining therebetween a flow passage for the first fluid to flow, the tubeless heat exchanger core further comprising a core inlet arranged to receive the first fluid and a core outlet arranged to provide the first fluid, the core inlet and core outlet being fluidically connected to the flow passage, and at least one of the core inlet and core outlet being disposed on the inner casing; and wherein each of the outer casing and the inner casing has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the respective inner surfaces face each other and define therebetween the flow passage for the first fluid to flow from the core inlet to the core outlet and wherein at least a portion of the respective outer surfaces are arranged to be contacted by the second fluid, and wherein the flow passage defines a circumferential path comprising at least one pass around a perimeter of the heat exchanger core; providing the first fluid into the core inlet to transfer heat between the first fluid and the second fluid through at least a portion of both the inner and outer casings; providing an outlet member, which penetrates the vessel and which fluidically connects the core outlet through the vessel to provide the first fluid outside of the vessel; and providing a conduit fluidically connected to the heat exchanger core, and arranged to provide the first fluid to the heat exchanger core, the conduit having a conduit outlet end fluidically connected to the core inlet and a conduit inlet end arranged to receive the first fluid, wherein the conduit is configured to provide the first fluid from the conduit inlet, along the conduit to the conduit outlet and the core inlet to the flow passage, and wherein the conduit comprises a conduit outer surface, at least a portion of the conduit outer surface also arranged to be contacted by the second fluid.