Bayonet tube heat exchanger
OwnerWilliam R. Williamsoninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bayonet tube heat exchanger and the method of use of the exchanger, the exchanger having a bayonet tube positioned within a sheath, the bayonet tube is used to create an annulus with the sheath for condensing vapors inside the sheath and to remove condensate and non-condensible gases under vacuum through the bayonet tube. An alternate embodiment uses an insulated plastic bayonet tube positioned within a sheath, the plastic bayonet tube used as an inlet for fluids into a small annular passage between the bayonet tube and its sheath with high turbulence for heat transfer in condensing vapors outside the sheath. Multiple sheaths and bayonet tubes are disclosed for applications to vapor recompression and long tube flash evaporators and to freon chillers and condensers.
Claims31
A method for operating a bayonet tube heat exchanger comprising:
- (a) forming a first fluid flow zone between the inner surface of a shell having a closed end and the outer surface of a tubular thin gauge sheath having a closed end, the closed end of the sheath being spaced from the closed end of the shell;
- (b) forming a second fluid flow zone between the inner surface of the sheath and the outer surface of a bayonet tube concentrically inserted into said sheath, the inner end of said bayonet tube being open and spaced from the closed end of said sheath, and the outer end of said bayonet tube extending outside said second fluid flow zone;
- (c) causing a first fluid to flow through said first fluid flow zone;
- (d) causing a second fluid to flow through said second fluid flow zone wherein said second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid flow zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner surface of said sheath;
- (e) directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube;
- applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow in said annulus for removing condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid from said annulus to said vacuum source;
- and
- (g) removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone.
A bayonet tube heat exchanger comprising:
- (a) a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, an inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end;
- (b) at least one thin gauge tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell;
- (c) means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surface of said sheath and said shell;
- (d) a bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure, and having an outer portion extending at least through said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from said closed end of said sheath;
- (e) means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid flow zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner surface of said sheath;
- (f) means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube;
- (g) means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone;
- and
- (h) means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow in said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.
The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 14, 9 or 12, wherein each tubular sheath is inclined downwardly toward said first tube sheet closure of said shell.
A freon heat pump comprising:
- (a) a freon compressor;
- and
- (b) a freon chiller comprising:
- i. a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, and inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end;
- ii. at least one externally finned tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell;
- iii. means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surfaces of said finned sheath and said shell;
- iv. an insulating plastic bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from the closed end of said sheath;
- and
- v. means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner end of said sheath;
- vi. means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube;
- vii. means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone;
- and
- viii. means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow and said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.