Reduced vibration tube bundle device

A tube bundle device according to claim 9 in which the tubes are held tightly against the support rods by the action of the support stakes.

A tube bundle device comprising tubes arranged parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the tube bundle in rows with tube lanes separating the tube rows, the tubes being supported by:

• (i) a plurality of tube support cages at a plurality of axially spaced locations along the tubes, each cage comprising elongated parallel tube support members spaced apart from one another and secured to an encircling ring, each of the parallel members extending transversely with respect to the tubes through a tube lane between adjacent rows of tubes,
• (ii) a plurality of sets of tube support stakes at a plurality of axially spaced locations along the tubes, each set comprising a plurality of parallel, elongated members inserted into tube lanes between rows of tubes to engage the tubes on each side of the row into which each stake is inserted,
• the tube support members of each cage being rotated about the axis of the tube bundle with respect to the tube support members of an axially adjacent cage, the tube support stakes of each set of support stakes being rotated about the axis of the tube bundle with respect to the tube support stakes of an axially adjacent set.

A tube bundle device according to claim 19 in which the tubes are held tightly against the support rods by the action of the support stakes.

A method of fabricating a tube bundle device in which tubes are inserted into at least one tubesheet which receives one end of each tube and into a tube support cage to form a tube bundle of tubes arranged in rows parallel to one another and to a longitudinal axis of the tube bundle with tube lanes separating the tube rows, at least one tube support cage comprising elongated parallel tube support members secured to an encircling ring, each of the parallel members extending transversely with respect to the tubes to define a tube lane between adjacent rows of tubes, the support members being spaced apart from one another to allow play between the tubes and the support members, inserting at least one set of tube support stakes into the tube bundle at a location along the tubes spaced from each tube support cage in the defined tube lanes between rows of tubes, aligned parallel to the tube support members of an adjacent tube support cage, the stakes comprising elongated members engaging the tubes on each side of the row into which each stake is inserted, to urge each tube against a tube support member of a support cage.