Baffleless tube and shell heat exchanger having fluted tubes

A baffleless tube and shell heat exchanger for cooling a liquid, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet and an outlet;
• a plurality of tubes longitudinally disposed in said shell, each of said tubes having an inlet and an outlet for passing one of a coolant and said liquid therethrough, the other of said coolant and said liquid passing through said shell along the exterior of said tubes, the interior and exterior circumference of said tubes being fluted substantially along the entire length thereof to define spiralled cavities therein such that said one of said coolant and said liquid flows substantially longitudinally through said tubes in a spiralled manner in said cavities and said other of said coolant and said liquid passes substantially longitudinally through said shell in a spiralled manner;
• and
• means for supporting said tubes wherein the flow of said other of said coolant and said liquid through said heat exchanger only experiences restriction due to said tubes and said support means, there being no baffles to restrict said flow, wherein each of said tubes has reduced diameter portion and wherein said tube supporting means comprises a plurality of brackets disposed in said shell for supporting said tubes, each of said brackets having a plurality of interconnected partially circular portions which respectively partially circumscribe said reduced diameter portion of said tubes, the diameter of said partially circular portions of said brackets being less than the maximum diameter of said flutes such that said brackets do not substantially restrict the flow of said fluid through said shell on the exterior of said tubes.

A baffleless tube and shell heat exchanger for cooling a liquid, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet and an outlet;
• a plurality of tubes longitudinally disposed in said shell, each of said tubes having an inlet and an outlet for passing one of a coolant and said liquid therethrough, the other of said coolant and said liquid passing through said shell along the exterior of said tubes, the interior and exterior circumference of said tubes being fluted substantially along the entire length thereof to define spiralled cavities therein such that said one of said coolant and said liquid flows substantially longitudinally through said tubes in a spiralled manner in said cavities and said other of said coolant and said liquid passes substantially longitudinally through said shell in a spiralled manner;
• and
• means for supporting said tubes wherein the flow of said other of said coolant and said liquid through said heat exchanger only experiences restriction due to said tubes and said support means, there being no baffles to restrict said flow, wherein each of said tubes has reduced diameter portion and wherein said tube supporting means comprises a plurality of brackets disposed in said shell for supporting said tubes, each of said brackets having a plurality of interconnected partially circular portions which respectively partially circumscribe said reduced diameter portion of said tubes, the diameter of said partially circular portions of said brackets being less than the maximum diameter of said flutes such that said brackets do not substantially restrict the flow of said fluid through said shell on the exterior of said tubes, wherein the inside diameter of said unfluted tubular portion is at least as large as the minimum inside diameter of said tubes.

A baffleless tube and shell heat exchanger for cooling a liquid, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet and an outlet;
• a plurality of tubes longitudinally disposed in said shell, each of said tubes having an inlet and an outlet for passing one of a coolant and said liquid therethrough, the other of said coolant and said liquid passing through said shell along the exterior of said tubes, the interior and exterior circumference of said tubes being fluted substantially along the entire length thereof to define spiralled cavities therein such that said one of said coolant and said liquid flows substantially longitudinally through said tubes in a spiralled manner in said cavities and said other of said coolant and said liquid passes substantially longitudinally through said shell in a spiralled manner;
• and
• means for supporting said tubes wherein the flow of said other of said coolant and said liquid through said heat exchanger only experiences restriction due to said tubes and said support means, there being no baffles to restrict said flow, wherein each of said tubes has reduced diameter portion and wherein said tube supporting means comprises a plurality of brackets disposed in said shell for supporting said tubes, each of said brackets having a plurality of interconnected partially circular portions which respectively partially circumscribe said reduced diameter portion of said tubes, the diameter of said partially circular portions of said brackets being less than the maximum diameter of said flutes such that said brackets do not substantially restrict the flow of said fluid through said shell on the exterior of said tubes, wherein said partially circular portions of said brackets are semicircular.

A baffleless tube and shell heat exchanger for cooling a liquid, comprising:

• a shell having an inlet and an outlet;
• a plurality of tubes longitudinally disposed in said shell, each of said tubes having an inlet and an outlet for passing one of a coolant and said liquid therethrough, the other of said coolant and said liquid passing through said shell along the exterior of said tubes, the interior and exterior circumference of said tubes being fluted substantially along the entire length thereof to define spiralled cavities therein such that said one of said coolant and said liquid flows substantially longitudinally through said tubes in a spiralled manner in said cavities and said other of said coolant and said liquid passes substantially longitudinally through said shell in a spiralled manner;
• and
• means for supporting said tubes wherein the flow of said other of said coolant and said liquid through said heat exchanger only experiences restriction due to said tubes and said support means, there being no baffles to restrict said flow, wherein said tube supporting means comprises a plurality of brackets disposed in said shell for supporting said tubes, each of said brackets having a plurality of interconnected partially circular portions which respectively partially circumscribe said reduced diameter portion of said tubes, the diameter of said partially circular portions of said brackets being less than the maximum diameter of said flutes such that said brackets do not substantially restrict the flow of said fluid through said shell on the exterior of said tubes, wherein said reduced diameter portion is not fluted.