Unit to enhance heat transfer through heat exchanger tube

A unit to increase a rate of a transfer of heat through a set of standard spaced tubes in a tube bundle of a vertically positioned condenser-type heat exchanger, said unit comprising:

• a set of thin, wire-like, elliptical-like shaped elements having one side engaging said tube in a leak-resistant manner that creates a minimal area of contact between said elements and said tube, said elements positioned parallel and on an angle with respect to a vertical axis of said tube to form a set of element low points,
• a thin, wire-like riser attached to said elements at said low points, and
• an outward extension of said elements and said attached riser from said tube being less than one half a distance between said tube and adjacent tubes of said bundle,
• wherein during use a high temperature condensable medium flows into said exchanger to contact said tube, a coolant enters said exchanger to flow inside said tubes, heat energy flows from said high temperature medium to said coolant so that said medium condenses on said tubes and forms condensate that flows down said tubes, said elements of said units intercepting said condensate flow and directing such to said element low points to drain down said risers, and said units increasing said rate of heat transferring through said tubes by reducing a thickness of said condensate flow.

A unit to increase a transfer of heat through a set of standard spaced tubes in a tube bundle in a vertically positioned heat exchanger, said unit comprising:

• a set of convolute elements formed from a continuous thin, wire-like body having a modified helical-like shape, said elements engaging said tube in a leak-resistant manner that creates a minimal area of contact between said elements and said tube, said elements defined respectively by a first and a second segment with said first segment positioned on a slope greater than a slope of said second segment to form a set of substantially aligned element low points at a joinder of said respective first and second segments,
• a thin, wire-like riser attached to said elements at said low points, and
• an outward extension of said elements and attached riser from said tube being less than one half a distance between said tube and adjacent tubes in said bundle,
• wherein during use a high temperature condensable medium flows into said exchange to contact said tubes, a coolant enters said exchanger to flow inside said tubes, heat energy flows from said high temperature medium to said coolant so that said medium condenses on said tubes to form condensate that flows down said tubes, said elements of said units intercept said flow and direct such to said element low points to drain down said risers, and said units increase said rate of heat transferring through said tubes by reducing a thickness of said condensate flow.