Tube support and protection system for helical coil heat exchangers

In a heat exchanger, a tube bundle comprising at least one helical coil having a plurality of tube convolutions, a plurality of tube support members comprising pairs of inner and outer saddle-shaped barrel members selectively disposed on adjacent tube convolutions of said helical coil at selected azimuth positions about the axis of said coil, means securing said pairs of inner and outer saddle-shaped barrel members on selected pairs of adjacent tube convolutions so as to secure the tube convolutions of each of said selected pairs of tube convolutions in substantially fixed spaced relation with said inner barrel members on each pair of secured tube convolutions being disposed in opposed relation, said inner and outer saddle-shaped barrel members at each selected azimuth position being disposed in axially aligned relation along the axial length of the coil and cooperating to support said tube convolutions in the axial direction of the coil at said selected azimuth positions, said outer barrel members on each of said pairs of secured tube convolutions being disposed in substantially diametrically opposite relation to an associated one of said inner barrel members, spacer means disposed between said opposed inner barrel members, said securing means comprising strap means cooperative with said pairs of inner and outer barrel members so as to maintain said pairs of barrel members in said substantially fixed spaced relation on their respective tube convolutions.

A tube support and protection system for axially supporting the tube convolutions of a helical tubular coil, comprising, in combination, a plurality of inner barrel members each of which has a generally arcuate surface adapted for engagement with the peripheral surface of a portion of a tube convolution, a plurality of outer barrel members each of which has a generally arcuate surface adapted for engagement with the peripheral surface of a portion of a tube convolution, said outer barrel members each having a projecting abutment thereon, said inner and outer barrel members being disposed in pairs on selected pairs of adjacent tube convolutions at selected azimuth positions about the axis of the helical coil such that the inner barrel members on said adjacent tube convolutions are in opposed relation and the outer barrel members of said pairs of inner and outer barrel members are diametrically opposite their associated inner barrel members, strap means securing said pairs of inner and outer barrel members on said pairs of adjacent tube convolutions and adapted to prevent relative motion between said inner and outer barrel members and their respective tube convolutions and also prevent relative movement between the adjacent tube convolutions of each of said selected pairs of tube convolutions, and tensioning means disposed between said opposed inner barrel members on each said pair of adjacent tube convolutions to maintain said strap means in sufficient tension to prevent said relative movement.