# US 4,397,350 A · Flow guiding in tube bundle heat exchangers

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- Number: US 4,397,350 A
- Document ID: US4397350A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/287,956
- Filed: 1981-07-29
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1978-01-23
- Assignees: Swisscal Holding S.A.
- Inventors: Rene Gossalter
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397350A

## CPC

- F15D 1/02: in pipes or conduits
- F16L 55/00: Devices or appurtenances for use in, or in connection with, pipes or pipe systems (F16L1/00 - F16L53/00, F16L57/00, F16L59/00 take precedence; repairing or joining pipes on or under water F16L1/26; cleaning of pipes B08B9/02, e.g. removal of blockages B08B9/027; devices for preventing bursting of water pipes by freezing E03B7/10)
- F28F 9/22: Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates
- F28F 13/06: by affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media {(F28F13/003 takes precedence; static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026)}
- F28F 2009/226: {Transversal partitions}
- Y10S 165/417: including spacer or support for transverse tube support or shell-side flow director
- F15D: FLUID DYNAMICS, i.e. METHODS OR MEANS FOR INFLUENCING THE FLOW OF GASES OR LIQUIDS
- F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A heat exchanger is disclosed as including a bundle of tubes within a tubular casing, wherein uniform helical flow of a heat exchange medium within the casing is created by a series of stepped transverse baffle plates having the shape of circular sectors. Successive sectors are interconnected by cylindrical supports which are positioned between neighboring exchanger tubes in order to prevent the medium from flowing between successive baffle plates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A tube bundle heat exchanger comprising:
(a) a tubular outer casing for containing a first heat exchange medium,
(b) a plurality of spaced parallel tubes within said casing for containing a second heat exchange medium,
(c) a series of baffle plates within said casing, each extending transversely of said tubes and each having a sector angle of less than 180.degree.,
(d) successive baffle plates being positioned in stepped relation to one another so as to define a helical flow path for the first heat exchange medium, and
(e) a plurality of spacing supports connected between each successive pair of baffle plates,
(f) at least some of said supports extending parallel to said tubes and being positioned along a radius of the casing between adjacent tubes so as to substantially form a barrier between the tubes to permit flow between said successive pair of baffle plates along the helical flow path, to constrain the first medium to follow said helical flow path.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein all of said supports are substantially identical to provide a uniform axial spacing between successive baffle plates.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The invention of claim 1 or 2 wherein each of the supports is generally cylindrical.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The invention of claim 1 wherein each baffle plate has bores through each of which one of said tubes extends.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 4)

The invention of claim 1 or 4 wherein at least one edge of each baffle plate conforms to the shape of its neighboring tubes.