US 4,823,866 AGranted

Tube support for heat exchanger

AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company

InventorHarold R. Hunt

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Abstract

The tubes in a tube bundle through which heat exchange medium flows transversely are supported by rods arranged at a substantial angle with respect to the direction of fluid flow. In a preferred embodiment, tube bundles supported by rods are positioned in a stirred vessel for heat exchange with the fluid in the stirred vessel. In a further preferred embodiment, the stirred vessel is a fermentor for the production of bacteria or yeast.

Claims12

Dependent claims

Apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of parallel tubes forming a tube bundle having a longitudinal axis, such tubes being arranged in a plurality of parallel tube rows with regular straight lanes being defined through the tube bundle transverse to the direction of the tube rows, there being a first plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of +.theta.1 with respect to the direction of the tube rows and a second plurality of lanes being defined through the tube bundle at an angle of -.theta.1 with respect to the direction of the tube rows, there being a third plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of +.theta.2 with respect to the direction of the tube rows and a fourth plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of -.theta.2 with respect to the direction of the tube rows, wherein .theta.1 is in the range of 10.degree. to 60.degree. wherein .theta.2 is in the range of 40.degree. to 80.degree., and wherein .theta.2 is greater than .theta.1,
(b) a first band embracing an outer tube limit of the tube bundle,
(c) a first plurality of rods attached to said first band and extending through the first plurality of lanes, each rod of said first plurality of rods being of sufficient diameter to contact the tubes defining the limits of each lane of the first plurality of lanes, each tube of the tube bundle being contacted by at least one rod of the first plurality of rods,
(d) a second band spaced longitudinally apart from the first band with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube bundle, said second band embracing the outer tube limit of the tube bundle;
and
(e) a second plurality of rods attached to said second band extending through said second plurality of lanes, each rod of said second plurality of rods being of sufficient diameter to contact the tubes defining the limits of each lane of the second plurality of lanes, each tube of the tube bundle being contacted by at least one rod of the second plurality of rods.

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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

Apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of parallel tubes forming a tube bundle having a longitudinal axis, such tubes being arranged in a plurality of parallel tube rows with regular straight lanes being defined through the tube bundle transverse to the direction of the tube rows, there being a first plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of +.theta.1 with respect to the direction of the tube rows and a second plurality of lanes being defined through the tube bundle at an angle of -.theta.1 with respect to the direction of the tube rows, there being a third plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of +.theta.2 with respect to the direction of the tube rows and a fourth plurality of lanes defined through the tube bundle at an angle of -.theta.2 with respect to the direction of the tube rows, wherein .theta.1 is in the range of 10.degree. to 60.degree. wherein .theta.2 is in the range of 40.degree. to 80.degree., and wherein .theta.2 is greater than .theta.1,
(b) a first band embracing an outer tube limit of the tube bundle,
(c) a first plurality of rods attached to said first band and extending through the first plurality of lanes, each rod of said first plurality of rods being of sufficient diameter to contact the tubes defining the limits of each lane of the first plurality of lanes, each tube of the tube bundle being contacted by at least one rod of the first plurality of rods,
(d) a second band spaced longitudinally apart from the first band with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tube bundle, said second band embracing the outer tube limit of the tube bundle;
and
(e) a second plurality of rods attached to said second band extending through said second plurality of lanes, each rod of said second plurality of rods being of sufficient diameter to contact the tubes defining the limits of each lane of the second plurality of lanes, each tube of the tube bundle being contacted by at least one rod of the second plurality of rods.

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