Heat exchanger for condensing vapor into liquid phase, power generating plant using the heat exchanger and absorption refrigerator using the heat exchanger

A heat exchanger for performing a heat exchange between a vapor containing non-condensable gas components and a heat exchanging medium, thereby condensing said vapor into liquid phase, said heat exchanger comprising:

• a vessel having a vapor inlet for receiving said vapor containing said non-condensable gas components and a discharge port through which said non-condensable gas components are to be discharged;
• and
• a tube nest disposed in said vessel and having a plurality of tubes through which said heat exchanging medium flows;
• said vapor containing non-condensable gas components flowing towards said discharge port across said tube nest so as to be condensed into liquid phase through heat exchange with said heat exchanging medium flowing through said tubes while said non-condensable gas components are separated from said liquid phase and flow towards said discharge port;
• said tube nest having such a structure as to produce a change in the dynamic pressure of flow of said vapor towards said discharge port for thereby creating such a static pressure distribution in said heat exchanger that a lower static pressure is established in a region where said discharge port is provided than in a region where said vapor inlet is provided,
• wherein said tube nest comprises a plurality of tube groups disposed in spaced relationship to define therebetween vapor passages communicating with said vapor inlet, said discharge port being disposed adjacent one of said tube groups, said tube groups being so arranged that the widths of said vapor passages in terms of the distance between adjacent tube groups are varied such that the width of a vapor passage closer to said discharge port is smaller than the width of a vapor passage remoter from said discharge port, and
• wherein said vessel has formed therein an inlet chamber disposed in communication with said vapor inlet, said tube nest being so disposed that said vapor passages are in direct communication with said inlet chamber.

A power generating plant including steam generating means for generating steam, turbine means driven by the steam generated in said steam generating means, a condenser for condensing into liquid phase the steam which has driven said turbine means, and feeding means for returning the liquid phase to said steam generating means, said steam containing non-condensable gas components, wherein said condenser comprises a heat exchanger for performing a heat exchange between said steam containing non-condensable gas components and a heat exchanging medium, thereby condensing said steam into liquid phase, said heat exchanger comprising:

• a vessel having a steam inlet for receiving said steam containing said non-condensable gas components and a discharge port through which said non-condensable gas components are to be discharged;
• and
• a tube nest disposed in said vessel and having a plurality of tubes through which said heat exchanging medium flows;
• said steam containing said non-condensable gas components flowing towards said discharge port across said tube nest so as to be condensed into liquid phase through heat exchange with said heat exchanging medium flowing through said tubes while said non-condensable gas components are separated from said liquid phase and flow towards said discharge port;
• said tube nest having such a structure as to produce a change in the dynamic pressure of flow of said vapor towards said discharge port for thereby creating such a static pressure distribution in said heat exchanger that a lower static pressure is established in a region where said discharge port is provided than in a region where said vapor inlet is provided, wherein said tube nest comprises a plurality of tube groups disposed in spaced relationship to define therebetween steam access lanes communicating with said steam inlet, said discharge port being disposed adjacent one of said tube groups, said tube groups being so arranged that the widths of said steam access lanes in terms of the distance between adjacent tube groups are varied such that the width of a steam access lane closer to said discharge port is smaller than the width of a steam access lane remoter from said discharge port,
• and wherein said tube nest is disposed in said vessel such that at least one additional vapor passage is defined between said tube nest and a wall of said vessel, said vapor passages formed between adjacent tube groups communicating with said inlet through said additional passage.

An absorption refrigerator including a vapor generator for heating an absorbent liquid to generate first vapor and thickened absorbent liquid, a condenser for condensing the first vapor into first liquid, an evaporator for evaporating the first liquid thereby generating second vapor, an absorber for cooling and condensing the second vapor into liquid phase, and means for introducing the thickened absorbent liquid from said vapor generator into said absorber, said second vapor containing non-condensable gas components which are separated from said second vapor when said second vapor is condensed in said absorber, said thickened absorbent liquid being introduced into said absorber to absorb the liquid phase formed by condensation in said absorber, whereby said thickened absorbent is thinned by said liquid phase, the thinned absorbent liquid being then returned to said vapor generator,

• said absorber comprising a heat exchanger for performing a heat exchange between said second vapor and a heat exchanging medium, thereby condensing said second vapor into liquid phase, said heat exchanger comprising:
• a vessel having a vapor inlet for receiving said vapor containing said non-condensable gas components and a discharge port through which said non-condensable gas components are to be discharged;
• and
• a tube nest disposed in said vessel and having a plurality of tubes through which said heat exchanging medium flows;
• said vapor containing non-condensable gas components flowing towards said discharge port across said tube nest so as to be condensed into liquid phase through heat exchange with said heat exchanging medium flowing through said tubes while said non-condensable gas components are separated from said liquid phase and flow towards said discharge port;
• said tube nest having such a structure as to produce a change in the dynamic pressure of flow of said vapor towards said discharge port for thereby creating such a static pressure distribution in said heat exchanger that a lower static pressure is established in a region where said discharge port is provided than in a region where said vapor inlet is provided,
• wherein said tube nest comprises a plurality of tube groups disposed in spaced relationship to define therebetween vapor passages communicating with said vapor inlet, said discharge port being disposed adjacent one of said tube groups, said tube groups being so arranged that the widths of said vapor passages in terms of the distance between adjacent tube groups are varied such that the width of a vapor passage closer to said discharge port is smaller than the width of a vapor passage remoter from said discharge port, and
• wherein said tube nest is disposed in said vessel such that at least one additional vapor passage is defined between said tube nest and a wall of said vessel, said vapor passages formed between adjacent tube groups communicating with said inlet through said additional passage.

A power generating plant including steam generating means for generating steam, turbine means driven by the steam generated in said steam generating means, a condenser for condensing into liquid phase the steam which has driven said turbine means, and feeding means for returning the liquid phase to said steam generating means, said steam containing non-condensable gas components, wherein said condenser comprises a heat exchanger for performing a heat exchange between said steam containing non-condensable gas components and a heat exchanging medium, thereby condensing said steam into liquid phase, said heat exchanger comprising:

• a vessel having a steam inlet for receiving said steam containing said non-condensable gas components and a discharge port through which said non-condensable gas components are to be discharged;
• and
• a tube nest disposed in said vessel and having a plurality of tubes through which said heat exchanging medium flows;
• said steam containing said non-condensable gas components flowing towards said discharge port across said tube nest so as to be condensed into liquid phase through heat exchange with said heat exchanging medium flowing through said tubes while said non-condensable gas components are separated from said liquid phase and flow towards said discharge port;
• said tube nest having such a structure as to produce a change in the dynamic pressure of flow of said vapor towards said discharge port for thereby creating such a static pressure distribution in said heat exchanger that a lower static pressure is established in a region where said discharge port is provided than in a region where said vapor inlet is provided, wherein said tube nest comprises a plurality of tube groups disposed in spaced relationship to define therebetween steam access lanes communicating with said steam inlet, said discharge port being disposed adjacent one of said tube groups, said tube groups being so arranged that the widths of said steam access lanes in terms of the distance between adjacent tube groups are varied such that the width of a steam access lane closer to said discharge port is smaller than the width of a steam access lane remoter from said discharge port, and wherein said vessel has formed therein an inlet chamber disposed in communication with said steam inlet, said tube nest being so disposed that said steam access lanes are in direct communication with said inlet chamber.

An absorption refrigerator including a vapor generator for heating an absorbent liquid to generate first vapor and thickened absorbent liquid, a condenser for condensing the first vapor into first liquid, an evaporator for evaporating the first liquid thereby generating second vapor, an absorber for cooling and condensing the second vapor into liquid phase, and means for introducing the thickened absorbent liquid from said vapor generator into said absorber, said second vapor containing non-condensable gas components which are separated from said second vapor when said second vapor is condensed in said absorber, said thickened absorbent liquid being introduced into said absorber to absorb the liquid phase formed by condensation in said absorber, whereby said thickened absorbent is thinned by said liquid phase, the thinned absorbent liquid being then returned to said vapor generator,

• said absorber comprising a heat exchanger for performing a heat exchange between said second vapor and a heat exchanging medium, thereby condensing said second vapor into liquid phase, said heat exchanger comprising:
• a vessel having a vapor inlet for receiving said vapor containing said non-condensable gas components and a discharge port through which said non-condensable gas components are to be discharged;
• and
• a tube nest disposed in said vessel and having a plurality of tubes through which said heat exchanging medium flows;
• said vapor containing non-condensable gas components flowing towards said discharge port across said tube nest so as to be condensed into liquid phase through heat exchange with said heat exchanging medium flowing through said tubes while said non-condensable gas components are separated from said liquid phase and flow towards said discharge port;
• said tube nest having such a structure as to produce a change in the dynamic pressure of flow of said vapor towards said discharge port for thereby creating such a static pressure distribution in said heat exchanger that a lower static pressure is established in a region where said discharge port is provided than in a region where said vapor inlet is provided, wherein said tube nest comprises a plurality of tube groups disposed in spaced relationship to define therebetween vapor passages communicating with said vapor inlet, said discharge port being disposed adjacent one of said tube groups, said tube groups being so arranged that the widths of said vapor passages in terms of the distance between adjacent tube groups are varied such that the width of a vapor passage closer to said discharge port is smaller than the width of a vapor passage remoter from said discharge port, and wherein said vessel has formed therein an inlet chamber disposed in communication with said vapor inlet, said tube net being so disposed that said vapor passages are in direct communication with said inlet chamber.