Heat exchange system and method of use

A system for the exchange of heat between first and second fluids comprising:

• a tubular housing having a substantially horizontal axis and a bore, the bore having an inlet for the admission of the first fluid and an outlet for the discharge of the first fluid;
• a fluid mover in the inlet for moving the first fluid from the inlet to the outlet of the bore;
• an array of heat exchange tubes located in the bore and having two or more substantially linearly extending sections extending substantially parallel to the axis of the housing, the tubes having a multiplicity of axially spaced and circumferential fins formed therealong which extend radially from the tubes, the bore of the housing remaining substantially unimpeded so that the first fluid moves through the bore along the length of the tubes and transverse to the fins for discharge from the outlet, the array further comprising one or more U-shaped sections each formed of one of the linearly extending section which extends along the housing substantially from the inlet to the outlet and connected to another of the linearly extending sections which extends along the housing substantially from outlet to the inlet for conducting a second fluid therethrough for alternating co-current and countercurrent flow with the first fluid;
• and
• means for moving the second fluid through the tubes so that heat is transferred between the first and second fluids,
• wherein two or more of the one or more U-shaped sections are indexed circumferentially and in parallel arrangement about the axis of the housing, the linearly extending sections and the U-shaped sections being sufficiently spaced to enable the first fluid to flow therebetween from the inlet to the outlet of the housing, the two or more U-shaped sections being connected together to form a contiguous and extended heat exchange surface.