Condensing gas-to-gas heat exchanger

A condensing heat exchanger for transferring heat between a gaseous fluid having condensable fractions and a second cooler fluid, comprising in combination:

• an outer shell enclosure for confining the first gaseous fluid;
• conduit means communicating with the said outer shell enclosure for admitting the first gaseous fluid;
• conduit means communicating with the said outer shell enclosure for discharging the first gaseous fluid;
• a plurality of vertically spaced heat transfer conduit means having vertical centerplanes and transverse centerplanes perpendicular thereto disposed and horizontally declined within the said outer shell enclosure for confining flow of the second cooler fluid through the said heat exchanger;
• inlet and outlet conduit means communicating with the said horizontally-declined heat transfer conduit means for confining flow of the second cooler fluid into and out of the said condensing heat exchanger;
• absorbent drainage wick conduit means whose upper portion is disposed lengthwise adjacent the outer surface of each of the said horizontally-declined heat transfer conduit means below the transverse centerplane which is perpendicular to the vertical centerplane thereof, while the lower portion of each of the said absorbent drainage wick conduit means extends as an appendage below all of the said horizontally-declined heat transfer conduit means;
• whereby condensate from fractions of the first gaseous fluid which drains downwardly across the outer surface of the said horizontally-declined heat transfer conduit means is absorbed into the said absorbent drainage wick conduit means and confined within the said absorbent drainage wick conduit means by capillary action, while the condensate is impelled by hydrostatic pressure to flow downwardly through interstitial passageways of the said absorbent drainage wick conduit means to a lower point below all of the said horizontally-declined heat transfer conduit means.