Heat exchanger having a counterflow evaporator
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsFranklin D. Lomax, Jr., Christopher Van Dyke, Edward T. McCullough
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An evaporator including a lower drum, an upper drum, and at least one tube extending between the lower drum and the upper drum. The plurality of tubes have fluid passageways therein extending from the lower drum to the upper drum. A duct is provided having a heating gas passageway provided therein. The at least one tube extends through the heating gas passageway. The fluid passageways define an overall flow path from the lower drum to the upper drum extending in a direction substantially counter-current to an overall flow path defined by the heating gas passageway extending from a gas inlet of the heating gas passageway to a gas outlet thereof.
Claims21
A method of generating steam comprising:
- providing a fluid flowing from a lower drum through at least one tube to an upper drum;
- providing a heated gas flowing from a gas inlet of a heating gas passageway to a gas outlet of the heating gas passageway such that the heated gas contacts the at least one tube and heats the fluid within the at least one tube from liquid-phase to gaseous-phase, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one tube in a substantially counter-current direction to an overall flow path of the heated gas flowing from the gas inlet of the heating gas passageway to the gas outlet of the heating gas passageway, further comprising providing a secondary heat transfer coil within the lower drum to heat the fluid within the lower drum.
A method of generating steam comprising:
- providing a fluid flowing from a lower drum through at least one tube to an upper drum;
- providing a heated gas flowing from a gas inlet of a heating gas passageway to a gas outlet of the heating gas passageway such that the heated gas contacts the at least one tube and heats the fluid within the at least one tube from liquid-phase to gaseous-phase, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one tube in a substantially counter-current direction to an overall flow path of the heated gas flowing from the gas inlet of the heating gas passageway to the gas outlet of the heating gas passageway, further comprising providing a mist eliminator at the upper drum to remove liquid droplets suspended in the gaseous phase of the fluid as the fluid travels through the upper drum.
A method of generating steam comprising:
- providing a fluid flowing from a lower drum through at least one tube to an upper drum;
- providing a heated gas flowing from a gas inlet of a heating gas passageway to a gas outlet of the heating gas passageway such that the heated gas contacts the at least one tube and heats the fluid within the at least one tube from liquid-phase to gaseous-phase, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one tube in a substantially counter-current direction to an overall flow path of the heated gas flowing from the gas inlet of the heating gas passageway to the gas outlet of the heating gas passageway, further comprising:
- providing a second fluid flowing from a second lower drum through at least one second tube to the upper drum;
- providing a second heated gas flowing from a second gas inlet of a second heating gas passageway to a second gas outlet of the second heating gas passageway such that the second heated gas contacts the at least one second tube and heats the second fluid within the at least one second tube from liquid-phase to gaseous-phase, wherein the second fluid flows through the at least one second tube in a substantially counter-current direction to an overall flow path of the second heated gas flowing from the second gas inlet of the second heating gas passageway to the second gas outlet of the second heating gas passageway.
A method of super heating steam comprising:
- providing an economizer having a fluid flowing within at least one economizer pipe from an economizer fluid inlet to an economizer fluid outlet;
- providing a evaporator having a lower drum connected through at least one tube to an upper drum, where the lower drum receives the fluid from the economizer fluid outlet, and the fluid flows from the lower drum through the at least one tube to the upper drum;
- providing a superheater having at least one superheater pipe with a superheater fluid inlet and a superheater fluid outlet, where the superheater fluid inlet receives the fluid from the upper drum of the evaporator;
- and providing a heated gas flowing through a heating gas passageway extending through the superheater, the evaporator, and the economizer, such that the heated gas contacts the at least one superheater pipe, the at least one tube, and the at least one economizer pipe, wherein the fluid flows through the at least one tube of the evaporator in a substantially counter-current direction to an overall flow path of the heated gas flowing through the evaporator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.