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US 4,386,456 AGranted
Method of assembling a unitary heat exchanger tube bundle assembly
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorHerbert A. Volz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved heat exchanger in which the tube bundle therein comprises a plurality of tubes supported intermediate their ends by at least one annular enlargement disposed around and frictionally secured to the outer surface of at least one of the tubes with the annular enlargement contacting the outer surface of each tube next adjacent thereto. Means are also provided for encircling and maintaining the tubes in spaced relation in contact with the annular enlargements. Method of constructing the tube bundle for the heat exchanger is also disclosed.
Claims5
A method of assembly of a unitary heat exchanger tube bundle assembly comprising a plurality of tubes, said method comprising the steps of:
- arranging the tubes in a plurality of tube rows and a plurality of tube columns with each tube row spaced a distance from an adjacent tube row and each tube column spaced a distance from an adjacent tube column with the tubes of each row being positioned in a common plane and the tubes of each column being positioned in a common plane, the common plane of each column of tubes intersecting the planes of the rows of tubes at a predetermined angle;
- positioning a plurality of resilient annular spring clips around selected individual tubes, each said annular spring clip defining a spiral extending through no more than two turns about an axis and having two end faces whereby each of said spring clips contacts the outer surface of each next adjacent tube, said positioning step including:
- stressing each resilient spring clip against its internal spring bias to increase its inside diameter to a dimension greater than the outside diameter of a tube by engaging the end faces of said spring clip with one another;
- positioning each stressed spring clip over a selected individual tube at the desired location on the tube;
- and
- permitting each stressed spring clip to partially relax from its stressed condition to frictionally engage the outer surface of the corresponding individual tube in response to its internal spring bias at the desired location on the tube by disengaging the spring clip end faces from one another;
- urging the tubes and resilient annular spring clips into firm contact one with another;
- and
- encircling the tubes with a rigid structure contacting the outermost tubes to maintain the tubes and annular spring clips into firm contact one with another and to form a unitary tube bundle assembly.
6 more elements
A method of assembly of a unitary heat exchanger tube bundle assembly comprising a plurality of tubes, said method comprising the steps of:
- arranging the tubes longitudinally in a plurality of tube rows and a plurality of tube columns with each tube row spaced a distance from an adjacent tube row and each tube column spaced a distance from an adjacent tube column with the tubes of each tube row being positioned in a common plane and the tubes of each tube column being positioned in a common plane, the planes of the tube columns interesecting the planes of the tube rows at a predetermined angle;
- positioning a first set of resilient annular spring clips around and in frictional engagement with a first set of selected individual tubes, each of said first set of annular spring clips defining a spiral extending through no more than two turns about an axis and having two end faces, whereby the outer periphery of each of said first set of resilient annular spring clips contacts the outer surface of each next adjacent tube;
- positioning a second set of resilient annular spring clips around and in frictional engagement with a second set of selected individual tubes, longitudinally spaced from said first set of spring clips, each of said second set of annular spring clips defining a spiral extending through no more than two turns about an axis, whereby the outer periphery of each of said second set of resilient annular spring clips contacts the outer surface of each next adjacent tube;
- urging the tubes and the annular spring clips into firm contact with each other;
- and
- encircling the tubes with a rigid structure contacting the outermost tubes to maintain the tubes and annular spring clips in firm contact with each other and to form a unitary tube bundle assembly;
- and
- wherein said first and second sets of resilient annular spring clips are positioned by:
- deforming each resilient spring clip against its internal spring bias to increase its inside diameter to a dimension greater than the outside diameter of a selected corresponding respective individual tube by engaging the end faces of said spring clip with one another;
- positioning each spring clip while so deformed over a selected corresponding respective individual tube at a predetermined location longitudinally displaced along the tube;
- and
- permitting each deformed spring clip to partially relax from its deformed condition to frictionally engage the outer surface of the corresponding respective individual tube in response to its internal spring bias at the predetermined location on the tube by disengaging the spring clip end faces from one another.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.