Baffle
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorWilliam M. Small
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plurality of parallel tubes in the form of at least a first plurality of parallel tube rows and a second plurality of parallel tube rows are supported by a baffle comprising an outer ring capable of surrounding the tubes and a plurality of parallel rods which form a plurality of parallel chords with the outer ring wherein the rods are capable of passing in the spaces between the tubes forming adjacent parallel tube rows of one plurality of parallel tube rows and wherein the number of rods in the baffle is substantially less than the total number of rods which could be positioned in the spaces between the tube rows in the plurality of parallel tube rows.
Claims23
Supporting apparatus for a plurality of tubes in the form of a tube bundle suitable for use in a shell and tube heat exchanger, said tubes positioned to form at least a first plurality of parallel tube rows and a second plurality of parallel tube rows and spaces between at least a portion of the adjacent tube rows comprising:
- at least one baffle set providing radial support for each tube and comprising at least three baffles, wherein each baffle comprises
- an outer ring surrounding said tube bundle;
- and
- a plurality of rods positioned in a portion of the spaces between adjacent tube rows in one plurality of parallel tube rows and cooperating with said outer ring to form a plurality of parallel chords with said outer ring, each said rod being of sufficient size to provide support for the tubes in the tube rows adjacent said rod, and the number of rods in each of said baffles being substantially less than the total number of rods necessary for positioning one rod in each of the spaces between all of the tube rows in the plurality of parallel tube rows and, wherein each of said baffles is positioned substantially parallel to the other baffles in the apparatus.
Apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of tubes forming a tube bundle suitable for use in a shell and tube heat exchanger, said tubes positioned to form at least a first plurality of parallel tube rows and a second plurality of parallel tube rows and spaces between at least a portion of the adjacent tube rows:
- means supporting the ends of said tube bundle;
- and
- means supporting the tubes in the tube bundle intermediate their ends, said intermediate supporting means comprising
- at least one baffle set, each baffle set providing radial support for each tube and comprising at least four baffles wherein each baffle comprises
- an outer ring surrounding said tube bundle and positioned in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tube bundle;
- a plurality of rods positioned in a portion of the spaces between adjacent tube rows in one plurality of parallel tube rows, attached to said outer ring and forming a series of parallel chords with said outer ring, said rods of sufficient size to provide support for the tubes in the tube rows adjacent each rod, and the number of rods used in each of said baffles being substantially less than the total number of rods necessary for positioning one rod in each of the spaces between all of the tube rows in the plurality of parallel tube rows and, wherein each of said baffles is positioned substantially parallel to the other baffles in the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.