Tube Sheet Assembly for a Heat Exchanger

Abstract

A tube sheet assembly for a heat exchanger is disclosed. The tube sheet assembly includes a plastic sheet having multiple tube-retention holes defined therein and a metal plate having multiple holes defined therein, each hole being substantially coaxial with a corresponding tube-retention hole of the plastic sheet. The metal plate is connected to the plastic sheet. The metal plate can be fabricated of, for example, steel or other metals. The plastic sheet can be fabricated of, for example, nylon, ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene, or polytetrafluoroethylene. Tubes can be disposed in the tube-retention holes of the plastic sheet and the holes of the metal plate. In an example, the tube-retention holes of the plastic sheet have a smaller diameter than the holes of the metal plate and the tubes contact the plastic sheet without contacting the metal plate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.