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US 5,893,410 AGranted
Falling film condensing heat exchanger with liquid film heat transfer
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorNicholas Dinkel Halbrook
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The falling film condensing heat exchanger includes a plurality of vertical tubes carrying a coolant. A distribution plate is disposed at the upper end of the condenser shell and has a plurality of apertures receiving the tubes. The apertures in the distribution plate define an annular space around the tubes which permits liquid to flow through the distribution plate apertures in the form of a thin film about the tubes below the distribution plate to enhance heat transfer between the vapor on the shell side and the coolant on the tube side. The distribution plate has depressions about each of the apertures to puddle the liquid, ensuring flow of liquid through the apertures in the form of a thin film about the surface of each tube.
Claims12
A condenser comprising:
- a condenser shell;
- a plurality of tubes within and extending between upper and lower ends of said shell for conveying a coolant between said ends;
- an inlet for flowing a vapor to be condensed into said shell and about said tubes;
- a distribution plate located in said shell above said vapor inlet and having a plurality of apertures surrounding said tubes adjacent the upper end of said shell;
- and
- an inlet for flowing liquid into said shell above said plate and through said apertures, the liquid flowing through the apertures flowing along the exterior surfaces of said tubes below said distribution plate to establish a falling film of liquid adherent to and about each of said tubes and thereby facilitate heat exchange between the vapor and the coolant thereby to condense the vapor;
- said distribution plate having a plurality of depressions surrounding said tubes, respectively, for puddling liquid about the tubes and terminating in said apertures, edges of said depressions in said distribution plate about said tubes being larger in diameter than the diameter of the tubes passing through said apertures thereby defining a substantially annular flow of liquid through each aperture and an annular liquid film about the tube passing through the aperture.
4 more elements
A condenser comprising:
- a condenser shell;
- a plurality of tubes within and extending between upper and lower ends of said shell for conveying a coolant between said ends;
- an inlet for flowing a vapor to be condensed into said shell and about said tubes;
- a plurality of distribution plates located at different elevations within said shell, with one distribution plate located in said shell above said vapor inlet;
- each distribution plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough surrounding tubes passing through said apertures with said one distribution plate having a number of apertures equal to the number of tubes;
- an inlet for flowing liquid into said shell above said one distribution plate and through said apertures thereof, the liquid flowing through the apertures flowing along the exterior surfaces of said tubes below said one distribution plate to establish a falling film of liquid adherent to and about each of said tubes and thereby facilitate heat exchange between the vapor and the coolant whereby the vapor is condensed to liquid, at least part of the liquid formed from the condensed vapor and at least part of the film of liquid formed on the tube portions above each distribution plate below said one distribution plate being combined and passed through said apertures thereof to form a thin film about tube portions below said distribution plates other than said one distribution plate;
- each of said distribution plates has a plurality of depressions surrounding said tubes, respectively, and terminating in said apertures, edges of said depressions in said distribution plate about said tubes being larger in diameter than the diameter of the tubes passing through said apertures thereby defining a substantially annular flow of liquid through each aperture and an annular liquid film about the tube passing through the aperture.
4 more elements
A condenser comprising:
- a condenser shell;
- a plurality of tubes within and extending between upper and lower ends of said shell for conveying a coolant between said ends;
- an inlet for flowing a vapor to be condensed into said shell and in and about said tubes;
- a distribution plate located in said shell above said vapor inlet and having a plurality of apertures surrounding said tubes adjacent the upper end of said shell;
- and
- an inlet for flowing liquid into said shell above said plate and through said apertures, the liquid flowing through the apertures flowing along the exterior surfaces of said tubes below said distribution plate to establish a falling film of liquid adherent to and about each of said tubes and thereby facilitate heat exchange between the vapor and the coolant thereby to condense the vapor;
- at least one of said apertures being defined in part by a radially inwardly directed flange of said distribution plate spaced radially outwardly of a tube therethrough defining an annular flow region about said tube, said flange having an edge in registration with said opening, said edge being tapered.
4 more elements
A condenser comprising:
- a condenser shell;
- a plurality of tubes within and extending between upper and lower ends of said shell for conveying a coolant between said ends;
- an inlet for flowing a vapor to be condensed into said shell and in and about said tubes;
- a distribution plate located in said shell above said vapor inlet and having a plurality of apertures surrounding said tubes adjacent the upper end of said shell;
- an inlet for flowing liquid into said shell above said plate and through said apertures, the liquid flowing through the apertures flowing along the exterior surfaces of said tubes below said distribution plate to establish a falling film of liquid adherent to and about each of said tubes and thereby facilitate heat exchange between the vapor and the coolant thereby to condense the vapor;
- and
- a second plate having a reduced lateral extent compared to said first plate and having a plurality of apertures respectively surrounding a predetermined number of said tubes for forming a thin film of liquid about the tubes passing through said second plate.
4 more elements
A condenser comprising:
- a condenser shell;
- a plurality of tubes within and extending between upper and lower ends of said shell for conveying a coolant between said ends;
- an inlet for flowing a vapor to be condensed into said shell and in and about said tubes;
- a plurality of distribution plates located at different elevations within said shell, with one distribution plate located in said shell above said vapor inlet;
- each distribution plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough surrounding tubes passing through said apertures with said one distribution plate having a number of apertures equal to the number of tubes;
- an inlet for flowing liquid into said shell above said one distribution plate and through said apertures thereof, the liquid flowing through the apertures flowing along the exterior surfaces of said tubes below said one distribution plate to establish a falling film of liquid adherent to and about each of said tubes and thereby facilitate heat exchange between the vapor and the coolant whereby the vapor is condensed to liquid, at least part of the liquid formed from the condensed vapor and at least part of the film of liquid formed on the tube portions above each distribution plate below said one distribution plate being combined and passed through said apertures thereof to form a thin film about tube portions below said distribution plates other than said one distribution plate;
- said distribution plates below said one distribution plate having a reduced lateral extent compared to said one distribution plate and having a plurality of apertures surrounding a predetermined number of said tubes for forming a thin film of liquid about the tubes passing through said reduced distribution plates.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.