Tube bundle heat exchanger

Abstract

A tube bundle heat exchanger has tubes which are held at each side in tube plates or oval-tube collecting-tube plates and are connected to these in each case by means of a weld seam. The connection of the tubes to the inlet-side tube plate or oval-tube collecting-tube plate is formed in each case by means of a conical and/or trumpet-shaped transition piece. The cross section of the transition piece reduces as viewed in the gas flow direction in such a way that the inlet-side end, as viewed in the gas flow direction, of the transition piece is connected in a buttjoint to the tube plate or oval-tube collecting-tube plate. The inner and outer contours of the transition piece and of the welded connection region are formed without gaps and comers to the tube plate or oval tube collecting-tube plate and so as to be straight and/or with a radius, measured from the outer contour, of at least 5 mm.

Claims

1. A tube bundle heat exchanger comprising: a gas inlet chamber adapted to receive a gas into the heat exchanger; a gas outlet chamber adapted to emit the gas from the heat exchanger; an inlet-side tube plate disposed proximate to the gas inlet chamber, the inlet-side tube plate having a substantially flat axially outward facing surface, the inlet-side tube plate having a plurality of inlet-openings that are coplanar with the axially outward facing surface; an outlet-side tube plate disposed proximate to the gas outlet chamber, the outlet-side tube plate having a plurality of outlet-openings; and a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes having an inlet end with a first circular cross sectional flow area having a first inside diameter and each of the plurality of tubes having an outlet end, each of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate being circular; wherein the outlet end of each of the plurality of tubes is welded to a respective outlet-opening of the outlet-side tube plate; a transition piece attached to at least one of the plurality of tubes, the transition piece comprising; (i) a tubular segment having a first circular cross sectional flow opening and the first inside diameter, the tubular segment extending along a longitudinal axis of the transition piece, the tubular segment having an outlet-side end at the first cross sectional flow opening, the outlet-side end being welded to the inlet end of a respective one of the plurality of tubes; (ii) an arcuate outlet-side transition segment extending from the tubular segment towards a respective one of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate, the outlet-side transition segment having an axially extending arcuate outlet-side inside surface and an axially extending arcuate outlet-side exterior surface, the axially extending arcuate outlet-side exterior surface having an outlet-side radius of curvature; (iii) a conical transition segment extending from the arcuate outlet-side transition segment and expanding symmetrically away from the longitudinal axis and outwardly toward a respective one of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate; (iv) an inlet-side transition segment having an axially extending arcuate inlet-side inside surface and an axially extending arcuate inlet-side exterior surface, the axially extending arcuate inlet-side exterior surface having an inlet-side radius of curvature, the arcuate inlet-side transition segment extending a length from the conical transition segment toward and welded to a respective one of the inlet-openings and the arcuate inlet-side transition segment having circular cross sections entirely along the length thereof and having a second circular cross sectional flow opening that is substantially coplanar with the axially outward facing surface the inlet-side tube plate and the second circular cross sectional flow opening having a second inside diameter that is greater than the first inside diameter of the first cross sectional flow opening; and wherein each of the plurality of tubes and the transition piece provide fluid communication of the gas between the gas inlet chamber and the gas outlet chamber, wherein the axially extending arcuate inlet-side inside surface and the axially extending arcuate inlet-side exterior surface are formed without gaps or corners to the inlet-side tube plate, and further wherein the outlet-side radius of curvature is 20 mm and the inlet-side radius of curvature is 5 mm.

2. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the arcuate outlet-side transition segment further comprises an outlet-side inner contour.

3. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the inlet-side inner contour and the inlet-side outer contour being formed without gaps or corners to the inlet-side tube plate.

4. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the inlet-side transition segment is welded to a respective one of the inlet-openings without gaps and corners.

5. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the transition piece has a length that is 1.5 times the second inside diameter.

6. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein the second inside diameter is at least 1.2 times the first inside diameter.

7. A tube bundle heat exchanger comprising: a gas inlet chamber adapted to receive a gas into the heat exchanger; a gas outlet chamber adapted to emit the gas from the heat exchanger; an inlet-side tube plate disposed proximate to the gas inlet chamber, the inlet-side tube plate having a substantially flat axially outward facing surface, the inlet-side tube plate having a plurality of inlet-openings that are coplanar with the axially outward facing surface; an outlet-side tube plate disposed proximate to the gas outlet chamber, the outlet-side tube plate having a plurality of outlet-openings; and a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes having an inlet end with a first circular cross sectional flow opening having a first inside diameter and each of the plurality of tubes having an outlet end, each of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate being circular; wherein the outlet end of each of the plurality of tubes is welded to a respective outlet-opening of the outlet-side tube plate; a transition piece attached to at least one of the plurality of tubes, the transition piece comprising: (i) an arcuate outlet-side transition segment welded to the inlet end of a respective one of the plurality of tubes and extending toward a respective one of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate, the arcuate outlet-side transition segment having an axially extending arcuate outlet-side inside surface and an axially extending arcuate outlet-side exterior surface, the axially extending arcuate outlet-side exterior surface having an outlet-side radius of curvature; (ii) a conical transition segment extending from the outlet-side transition segment and toward a respective one of the inlet-openings of the inlet-side tube plate; (iii) an inlet-side transition segment having an axially extending arcuate inlet-side inside surface and an axially extending arcuate inlet-side exterior surface, the axially extending inlet-side exterior surface having an inlet-side radius of curvature, the arcuate inlet-side transition segment extending a length from the conical transition segment toward and welded to a respective one of the inlet-openings and the arcuate inlet-side transition segment having circular cross sections entirely along the length thereof and having a second circular cross sectional flow opening that is substantially coplanar with the axially outward facing surface of the inlet-side tube plate and the second circular cross sectional flow opening having a second inside diameter that is greater than the first inside diameter of the first cross sectional flow area, and outlet-side radius of curvature being greater than the first inlet-side radius of curvature; and wherein each of the plurality of tubes and the transition piece provide fluid communication of the gas between the gas inlet chamber and the gas outlet chamber, wherein the axially extending arcuate inlet-side inside surface and the axially extending arcuate inlet-side exterior surface are formed without gaps or corners to the inlet-side tube plate, and further wherein the outlet-side radius of curvature is 20 mm and the inlet-side radius of curvature is 5 mm.

8. A method for using the tube bundle heat exchanger according to claim 7, comprising: introducing the gas to the conical transition segment from the inlet-side tube plate.

9. The tube bundle heat exchanger of claim 7, wherein the inlet-side transition segment is welded to a respective one of the inlet-openings without gaps and corners.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with the aid of the drawing and the description.

(2) The following are shown:

(3) FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through a tube bundle heat exchanger.

(4) FIG. 2 is a detail section of the transition from the tube plate to the tube in accordance with detail A from FIG. 1.

(5) FIG. 3 is an alternative design of FIG. 2.

(6) FIG. 4 is an alternative design of FIG. 2.

(7) FIG. 5 is a detail section of the transition of an oval tube collecting tube plate to a tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) FIG. 1 shows a tube bundle heat exchanger 1 represented schematically in longitudinal section. Tube bundle heat exchangers 1 of this type are needed in many material processing installations, such as, for example, gasification installations, thermal and catalytic splitting installations, steam reforming installations, etc., in which a process gas, an exhaust gas or something similar is produced. As a rule, the tube bundle heat exchanger 1 is used for cooling the hot gas 18 mentioned above, which is introduced into the gas inlet chamber 8 of the heat exchanger 1 via a line, not shown, and is directed from here through a multiplicity of straight tubes 2, subsequently collected in the gas outlet chamber 9 of the heat exchanger 1 and discharged from the heat exchanger 1 by means of a line, not shown. In that regard, the tubes 2, by means of which an indirect heat exchange with a cooling medium 19 surrounding the tubes 2 takes place, are arranged at a distance from each other between two tube plates 3, 4 or oval tube collecting tube plates 5, 6 and are connected with the latter in fixed and gas-tight usually welded fashion.

(9) In order to keep the thermal stresses taking place at the entry of the hot gas 18 from the gas inlet chamber 8 into the particular heat exchanger tubes 2 at the inlet-side, as viewed in the gas flow direction, tube plates 3, 5 and the inlet-side ends 16 of the tubes 2 as small as possible, according to the invention the connection of the tubes 2 with the inlet-side tube plate 3 (see FIGS. 2 through 4) or oval tube collecting tube plate 5 (see FIG. 5) is formed in each case by means of a conical and/or trumpet-shaped transition piece 10 whose cross section decreases as viewed in the gas flow direction (see arrow). Moreover, the inlet-side end 16, as viewed in the gas flow direction, of the transition piece 10 is connected in the manner of a butt joint to the tube plate 3 or oval tube collecting tube plate 5, and the inner and outer contours 11, 12 of the transition piece 10 and of the welded connection region 13 are formed without gaps and corners to the tube plate 3 or oval tube collecting tube plate 5, and so as to be straight and/or with a radius, measured from the outer contour 12, of at least 5 mm.

(10) This means that the inventive design of the transition from the tube plate 3 or the oval tube collecting tube plate 5 to the tube 2 creates an aerodynamic contour 11, 12 on both the gas-contacted and cooling medium-contacted side of the tube 2, of the transition piece 10 and of the tube plate 3 or oval tube collecting tube plate 5, which does not exhibit a gap, a corner or an angular transition anywhere. This means that according to the invention, all of the transitions, including that of the welded transition region 13 to the inner or outer contour 11, 12, are either straight or flat, and/or are designed with a radius.

(11) According to FIGS. 2 and 5, the transition piece 10 is the widened, e.g. mechanically, from the tube 2 at diameter di transitioning to diameter Di at the inlet end 16 of tube 2. In this design, only weld seam 7 is needed between the tube 2 and the tube plate 3 or 5, which forms the welded connection region 13 between the tube 2 and the tube plate 3, 5. FIGS. 3 and 4 show a transition piece 10 that consists of a separate tube part 15 and is as a rule easier to manufacture, since the tube part 15 is significantly shorter than the complete tube 2 and is thus easier to process as well. For the head-side connection of the outlet-side end 17, as viewed in the gas flow direction, of the tube part 15, an additional weld seam 22 is needed, which forms the welded connection region 14 between the tube 2 and the tube part 15. This welded connection region 14 is advantageously made either straight or flat and/or with a radius both on the inside as well as on the outside contour 11, 12, i.e., the region 14 is made without corners and gaps.

(12) The transition pieces 10 according to FIGS. 2 through 5 exhibit on their inlet-side end 16, relative to the outer contour 12 of the transition pieces 10, a radius R1 of 5 mm, for example. According to FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, adjoining that is an additional radius R2 of 60 mm, for example. By contrast, in the case of the transition piece 10 according to FIG. 4, adjoining the first radius is a conical contraction (e.g., conical transition piece 10) having an inlet-side transition segment T1 with a first inner contour and a first outer contour and an outlet-side transition segment T2 with a second inner contour and a second outer contour. The first outer contour having a radius of curvature of 20 mm, for example, at the inlet-side transition segment T1. The second outer contour having a radius of curvature of at least 5 mm at the outlet-side transition segment T2. As shown in FIG. 4 the tubes 2 include a conical transition piece 10 expanding outwardly from a first end 10A to a second end 10B thereof. The first end 10A extends from the inlet-side transition segment T1 of a respective one of the plurality of tubes 15. The second end 10B terminates at the outlet-side transition segment T2 of the respective one the tubes 2 at the inlet end 16 at the respective opening of the inlet-side tube plate 3.

(13) The inside contour 11 of the transition pieces 10 according to FIGS. 2 and 5 then exhibits corresponding radii that are greater by the wall thickness s of the transition piece 10. If the wall thickness t of the tube plate 3, 5 does not correspond to the wall thickness s of the tube 2, then according to the invention the transition between the two wall thickness s and t within the welded connection region 13 is designed according to the invention either straight or flat and/or with a radius. A wall thickness t of the tube plates 3, 5 that differs from the wall thickness s of the tube 2 can be compensated according to FIGS. 3 and 4 with a transition piece 10 designed. as a tube part 15, in that the particular wall thickness at the tube ends of the tube part 15 are adjusted to the wall thicknesses t and s of the tube plate 3, 5 as well as of the tube 2. This means that, viewed in the gas flow direction, inside the tube piece 15 the wall thickness t continuously decreases or increases to the wall thickness s. In that regard, the tube part 15 can advantageously be designed as a forged part.

(14) The length LO of the transition piece 10 is advantageously 1.5 times the inside diameter di of the tube 2 and the inside diameter Di of the transition piece 10 directly at the entry into the transition piece 10 is advantageously 1.2 times the inside diameter di of the tube 2.

(15) By way of example, FIG. 4 shows in place of the trumpet-shaped transition piece 10 a conical transition piece 10, which is also formed from a separate tube part 15. Here again, the tube part 15 is connected with the tube plate 3 and the tube 2 by two weld seams 7, 22.

(16) FIG. 5 shows a tube bundle heat exchanger 1 with double tubes 2, 21 in which the cooling medium 19 circulates in the annular cross section between the inner tube 2 and the outer tube 21. Because of the outer tubes 21 that carry the cooling medium 19, the heat exchanger outer jacket 23, which is shown in FIG. 1 and which would otherwise be required, can be dispensed with. While in the case of the heat exchanger 1 shown in FIG. 1, the cooling medium 19 is fed to and discharged from the space inside the outer jacket 23 and the tube plates 3, 5 and 4, 6, according to FIG. 5 the cooling medium 19 is fed and discharged by means of oval tube collector 20. In this case, the connection of the transition piece 10 according to the invention takes place with the oval tube collecting tube plate 5.

(17) Water that is partially or completely vaporized by the addition of heat can be used as the cooling medium 19.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(18) 1 Tube bundle heat exchanger 2 Tube 3 Tube plate, inlet side. 4 Tube plate, outlet side 5 Oval tube collecting tube plate, inlet side 6 Oval tube collecting tube plate, outlet side 7 Weld seam 8 Gas inlet chamber 9 Gas outlet chamber 10 Transition piece 10A outlet-side end 10B inlet-side end T1 inlet-side transition segment T2 outlet-side transition segment 11 Inside contour 12 Outside contour 13 Welded connection region 14 Welded connection region 15 Tube part 16 Inlet-side end of the transition piece or of the tube 17 Outlet-side end of the transition piece or of the tube 18 Gas 19 Cooling medium 20 Oval tube collector 21 Outer tube 22 Weld seam 23 Jacket