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US 12,487,036 B2Granted
Fluid coolers, heat exchangers, seal assemblies and systems including fluid coolers or heat exchangers and related methods
AssigneeFlowserve Pte. Ltd.
InventorsRonald van Noesel, Dennis van Graefschepe, Frank Oomen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Heat exchangers include at least one looped tube having at least one section that is laterally offset from another section of the looped tube. Fluid cooling systems and seal systems may include such heat exchangers.
Claims20
A seal system comprising:
- a fluid cooler comprising:
- a conical coil comprising at least one pipe defining stacked loops of decreasing diameter;
- fins protruding from an exterior surface of the at least one pipe;
- a vent at an uppermost portion of the conical coil comprising a vent valve and a vent pipe;
- a drain at a lowermost portion of the conical coil comprising a drain valve and a drain pipe;
- and
- at least two mounting flanges, wherein a first mounting flange connects a top ring of the conical coil to a frame and a second mounting flange connects a bottom ring of the conical coil to the frame;
- and
- a seal assembly connected to the fluid cooler, the fluid cooler configured to receive fluid from a portion of the seal assembly in order to transfer heat energy between fluid within the conical coil and another fluid on an exterior of the conical coil proximate the conical coil and the fins.
6 more elements
A seal system comprising:
- a fluid cooler comprising:
- a conical coil comprising at least one pipe defining stacked loops of decreasing diameter;
- fins protruding from an exterior surface of the at least one pipe;
- and
- a frame and the at least one pipe comprising at least two tubes coupled to extending between a first fitting and a second fitting, the at least two tubes defining a substantially conical coil, the at least two tubes extending around a longitudinal axis of the fluid cooler, a centerline of the conical coil defined by the at least two tubes being coextensive with a vertical axis extending perpendicular to a lateral surface over which the frame is positioned;
- and
- a seal assembly connected to the fluid cooler, the fluid cooler configured to receive fluid from a portion of the seal assembly in order to transfer heat energy between fluid within the conical coil and another fluid on an exterior of the conical coil proximate the conical coil and the fins.
4 more elements
A seal system comprising:
- a fluid cooler comprising:
- a tube defining a substantially conical coil, the tube extending around a longitudinal axis of the fluid cooler, the tube having at least one arcuate section that is laterally offset from another arcuate section of the tube in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- fins attached to an exterior surface of the tube;
- fittings coupled to the tube to enable fluid flow into and out of the tube;
- and
- a frame with the tube coupled to and extending between a first fitting and a second fitting of the fittings, the tube defining a substantially conical coil, the tube extending around a longitudinal axis of the fluid cooler, a centerline of the conical coil defined by the tube being coextensive with a vertical axis extending perpendicular to a lateral surface over which the frame is positioned;
- and
- a seal assembly connected to the fluid cooler, the fluid cooler configured to receive fluid from a portion of the seal assembly in order to transfer heat energy between the fluid within the conical coil and another fluid on an exterior of the conical coil proximate the conical coil and the fins.
5 more elements
A method of cooling a fluid in a seal assembly, the method comprising:
- transferring fluid from a fluid assembly comprising one or more fluid seals to a heat exchanger;
- passing the fluid through at least one finned tube defining a conical helical structure of the heat exchanger between a first end of the conical helical structure to a second end of the conical helical structure, a first portion of the conical helical structure having a diameter that is greater than an adjacent second portion of the conical helical structure;
- cooling the fluid during the passing of the fluid through the conical helical structure between transferring heat energy from the fluid within the at least one finned tube to another fluid on an exterior of the at least one finned tube to provide a cooled fluid;
- venting a gas from the heat exchanger through a vent at an upper portion of the conical helical structure;
- and
- draining the fluid through a drain at a lower portion of the conical helical structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.