Support of heat exchangers made of wound tubes

Abstract

A heat exchanger, comprising: a tube bundle having at least one tube for receiving a fluid medium, wherein the at least one tube is wound about a core tube which extends along a longitudinal axis, and a first tube section of the at least one tube rests against at least one web which extends along the tube core and at least one first bracket element for securing the first tube section to the at least one web, the at least one first bracket element having a lower face which faces the first tube section and rests against the first tube section. The invention additionally relates to a securing system and to a method.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger (1), comprising: a tube bundle (3) having at least one tube (30) for receiving a fluid medium (M), wherein the at least one tube (30) is wound around a core tube which extends along a longitudinal axis (z), wherein the at least one tube (30) rests with a first tube section (31) against at least one web (10) which extends along the core tube (300), and at least one first bracket element (41) for fixing the first tube section (31) on the at least one web (10), wherein the at least one first bracket element (41) rests with a lower face (41a) facing the first tube section (31) against the first tube section (31), wherein the at least one first bracket element (41) has at least one first securing region (411), which forms an elevation (400) on an upper face (41b), facing away from the lower face (41a), of the at least one first bracket element (41), and which forms a depression (401) on the lower face (41a) of the at least one first bracket element (41), and wherein the at least one first securing region (411, 412, 413, 414) of the at least one first bracket element (41) is welded to an additional bracket element (42, 43) or to an additional web (10) via a welded connection (S).

2. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one first bracket element (41) has a first end section (41c) and an opposite second end section (41e), wherein the two end sections (41c, 41e) are connected to one another via a curved middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41), wherein the middle section (41d) rests against the first tube section (31), and wherein the first end section (41c) is connected to the at least one web (10) via a welded connection (S), and wherein the second end section (41e) is connected to the at least one web (10) via a welded connection (S).

3. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one first securing region (411) of the at least one first bracket element (41) is formed on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41) and is connected to a first end section (42c) of a second bracket element (42) via a welded connection (S).

4. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one first bracket element (41) has a second securing region (412), which forms an elevation (400) on the upper face (41b) of the at least one first bracket element (401) and which forms a depression (401) on the lower face (41a) of the at least one first bracket element (41), wherein the second securing region (412) is formed on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41) and is opposite the first securing region (411) in a circumferential direction (U) of the first tube section (31), wherein the second securing region (412) is connected to a second end section (43e) of a third bracket element (43) via a welded connection (S).

5. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, wherein the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41) is wider in an axial direction (A) of the first tube section (31) than the two end sections (41c, 41e) of the at least one first bracket element (41), and/or in that the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41) has a greater length in the axial direction (A) than in a circumferential direction (U) of the first tube section (31), and/or in that the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element is wider in the axial direction (A) than the at least one web (10).

6. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, wherein, on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41), a third securing region (413) is provided, which forms an elevation (400) on the upper face (41b) of the at least one first bracket element (41), and which forms a depression (401) on the lower face (401) of the at least one first bracket element (41), wherein the third securing region (413) is connected to an additional web (10) of the tube bundle (3) of the heat exchanger (1) via a welded connection (S).

7. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 6, wherein, on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41), a fourth securing region (414) is provided, which forms an elevation (400) on the upper face (41b) of the at least one first bracket element (41), and which forms a depression (401) on the lower face (41a) of the at least one first bracket element (41), wherein the fourth securing region (414) is opposite the third securing region (413) in an axial direction (A) of the first tube section (31), and wherein the fourth securing region (414) is connected to the additional web (10) of the tube bundle (3) of the heat exchanger (1) via a welded connection (S).

8. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 4, wherein the first and second securing regions (411, 412) are arranged in an axial direction (A) between a third and fourth securing regions (413, 414) on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41).

9. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 2, wherein the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41) has a first and a second passage opening (44, 45), such that the middle section (41d) resting against the first tube section (31) leaves a first and a second surface region (34, 35) of the first tube section (31) free, wherein the additional web (10) rests, with a first base (13), on the first surface region (34) and, with a second base (14), on the second surface region (35) of the tube section (31).

10. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 3, wherein the second bracket element (42), for fixing a second tube section (32) of a tube (30) of the tube bundle (3), which extends adjacently to the first tube section (31) and rests against the at least one web (10), rests, with a lower face (42a) facing the second tube section (32), against the second tube section (32), wherein the second bracket element (42) has a first end section (42c) and an opposite second end section (42e), wherein the two end sections (42c, 42e) of the second bracket element (42) are connected to one another via a middle section (42d) of the second bracket element (42), wherein the middle section (42d) of the second bracket element (42) rests against the second tube section (32), and wherein the first end section (42c) of the second bracket element (42) is connected to the first securing region (411) of the at least one first bracket element (41) via a welded connection (S), and wherein the second end section (42e) of the second bracket element (42) is connected to the web (10) via a welded connection (S).

11. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 10, wherein the second bracket element (42) has, in its middle section (42d), a securing region (421), which forms an elevation (400) on an upper face (42a), facing away from the lower face (42a), of the second bracket element (42), and which forms a depression (401) on the lower face (42a) of the second bracket element (42), wherein the securing region (421) of the second bracket element (42) is connected to a third bracket element (43) via a welded connection (S).

12. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 11, wherein the third bracket element (43) is provided for fixing a third tube section (33) of a tube (30) of the tube bundle (3), which runs adjacently to the second tube section (32) and rests against the at least one web (10), with a lower face (43a), facing the third tube section (33), of the third bracket element (43) resting against the third tube section (33), wherein the third bracket element (43) has a first end section (43c) and an opposite second end section (43e), wherein the two end sections (43c, 43e) of the third bracket element (43) are connected to one another via a middle section (43d) of the third bracket element (43), and wherein the middle section (43d) of the third bracket element (43) rests against the third tube section (33), and wherein the first end section (43c) of the third bracket element (43) is connected to the securing region (421) of the second bracket element (42) via a welded connection (S), and wherein the second end section (43e) of the third bracket element (43) is connected to a second securing region (412) of an additional first bracket element (41) via a welded connection (S).

13. The heat exchanger as recited in claim 7, wherein the first and second securing regions (411, 412) are arranged in an axial direction (A) between the third and fourth securing regions (413, 414) on the middle section (41d) of the at least one first bracket element (41).

Description

(1) Further details and advantages of the invention shall be explained by the following description of figures of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the figures. The following are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a securing of tube sections of a tube bundle to webs of the tube bundle by means of securing brackets according to one design which has been customary in the manufacturing plant of the applicant up to now;

(3) FIG. 2 a cutaway sectional view of an example of a heat exchanger according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 a perspectival view of a first securing bracket of a securing system according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 a perspectival view of a plurality of tube sections of a tube bundle of a wound heat exchanger (for example, in the manner of FIG. 2), wherein the tube sections are fixed to the webs of the tube bundle by means of first, second, and third securing brackets according to the invention;

(6) FIG. 5 a partially cut side view of several first bracket elements according to FIG. 3 arranged one above the other in the radial direction of the tube bundle; and

(7) FIG. 6 a sectional view of the tube bundle of a heat exchanger according to the invention, wherein the welded connections between the securing brackets are shown.

(8) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a wound heat exchanger 1 according to the invention in connection with FIG. 3.

(9) The heat exchanger 1 has a tube bundle 3 which is shown by way of example in FIG. 2 in a perspectival and partially cut view.

(10) The tube bundle 3 can thereby have several tubes 30 for receiving at least one second fluid medium M, wherein, according to FIG. 2, the tubes 30 are wound—in particular, helically—onto the core tube 300 of the heat exchanger 1, which extends along the longitudinal axis z, such that the tube bundle 3 has several tube layers 4, which are arranged one above the other in the radial direction R of the tube bundle 3. Thereby, the respective radial direction R is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis z and points away from it or outwards.

(11) According to FIG. 2, the tube bundle 3 is surrounded by a cylindrically-shaped shell 5, which delimits a jacket space 6 in which the tube bundle 3 is arranged together with the core tube 300. For example, a second medium M′ can be introduced into the jacket space 6 via a connecting piece 52 and can be removed from the jacket space 6 via an additional connecting piece 53, such that the at least one first medium M and the second medium M′ can exchange heat indirectly with one another. It is possible to divide the tubes 30 into several tube groups (three tube groups are shown in FIG. 2, for example) which can also be charged, for example, with different first media M. In order to introduce the at least one first medium M into the tubes 30 of the tube bundle 30, the heat exchanger 1 has at least one connecting piece 50. The at least one first medium M can be withdrawn again from the tube bundle 3 via at least one additional connecting piece 51. Furthermore, the tube bundle 3 can be surrounded by a cylindrical shroud 7, which serves to suppress a bypass flow in the jacket space 6 past the tube bundle 3.

(12) As is further illustrated in FIG. 2, an, in particular, constant plurality of webs 10 is in each case provided—in particular, between an innermost tube layer 4 of the tube bundle 3 and the core tube 300, as well as between each two tube layers 4, adjacent in the radial direction R, of the tube bundle 3—in the circumferential direction of the tube layers 4 (i.e., between each two adjacent tube layers 4, the same number of webs 10 is provided), wherein the webs 10 each extend along the longitudinal axis z and are arranged one above the other in the radial direction R.

(13) Thereby, the respective web 10 according to FIG. 3 has an upper face 10a facing away from the core tube 300 and a lower face 10b facing away from the upper face, which lower face faces the core tube 300 in each case. A plurality of concave recesses 15 is provided on the upper face 10a of the respective web 10 (FIG. 3 shows only one recess 15), which recesses are arranged equidistantly from one another—in particular, along the respective web 10. These recesses 15 are formed in a second leg 12, extending along the longitudinal axis z, of the respective web 10, which protrudes from a first leg 11, extending along the longitudinal axis z, in the radial direction R of the tube bundle 3. In the respective recess 15, a tube section of a wound tube is arranged in each case, which is designated in FIG. 3 as the first tube section 31. FIG. 4 shows in this regard several adjacent tube sections 31, 32, 33, which are arranged next to one another along the longitudinal axis z. The individual adjacent tube sections 31, 32, 33 may belong to a wound tube 30 or to different tubes 30, which are wound in a tube layer 4 onto the core tube 300. The respective tube sections 31, 32, 33 protrude from the respective recess 15 in the radial direction R of the tube bundle 3.

(14) In order to protect the tube bundle 3 as well as possible during winding, the webs 10 extend over the entire length of the tube bundle 3 in the direction of the longitudinal axis z. Thereby, two webs 10 adjacent in the radial direction R are also connected to one another—in particular, over their entire length along the longitudinal axis z—at, in particular, regular intervals via the first bracket elements 41, which are described further below.

(15) According to the invention, it is provided (cf., in particular, FIG. 3) that these first securing brackets 41, which are shown in FIGS. 3 through 6, serve for fixing in each case a first tube section 31 of the tube bundle 3 to an associated underlying web 10 of the tube bundle 3, wherein the at least one first bracket element 41 rests with a lower face 41a facing the first tube section 31 against the first tube section 31, and wherein the at least one first bracket element 41 has at least one first securing region 411 which, according to detail D of FIG. 3 or 4, forms an elevation 400 on an upper face 41b, facing away from the lower face 41a, of the at least one first bracket element 41, and which forms a depression 401 on the lower face 41a of the at least one first bracket element 41.

(16) The additional securing regions 412, 413, 414, 421 described further below also have this structure shown in detail D.

(17) Due to the formation of the first securing region 411, a welded connection S can be produced between the first securing region 411 and, for example, an additional bracket element, wherein heat generated during welding is kept away from the first tube section 31 due to the depression 401. The risk of damage to the tube section 31 due to the welding is thereby considerably reduced.

(18) In addition to the at least one first bracket element 41, the heat exchanger 1 or the securing system according to the invention has, according to one embodiment, at least one second bracket element 42 along with, according to an additional embodiment, at least one third bracket element 43.

(19) As shown in FIGS. 4 through 6, the first, second, and third bracket elements 41, 42, 43 are alternately arranged next to one another along the longitudinal axis z of the heat exchanger or of the tube bundle 3—preferably over the entire length of the tube bundle 3—and are connected to one another and to the webs 10, adjacent in the radial direction R, of the tube bundle 3 with welded connections S. The welded connections S between the individual bracket elements 41, 42, 43 and between bracket elements 41, 42 and the webs 10 are shown, in particular, in FIGS. 5 and 6.

(20) The connections of the bracket elements 41, 42, 43 among one another and to two webs 10 adjacent in the radial direction R shall be described below for a tube layer 4 of the tube bundle 3 and apply in particular to all tube layers 4 and webs 10 of the tube bundle 3.

(21) When the tube bundle 3 is wound, the individual tubes 30 are wound around the core tube 300, wherein the tube or tubes 30 of a tube layer 3 are each wound on webs 10, which are arranged on the core tube 300 or are arranged and secured on the last wound tube layer 4. When the tube or tubes 30 are wound, tube sections 31, 32, 33 of adjacent windings come to lie on a web 10—as already explained above—which windings then rest next to one another against the web 10 along the longitudinal axis z and thereby engage in the recesses 15 of the web 10 under consideration.

(22) Thereby, the three tube sections 31, 32, 32, which are fixed to the web 10 with a first, a second, and a third bracket element 41, 42, 43, are referred to as first, second, and third tube sections 31, 32, 33. According to this, the arrangement of the bracket elements 41, 42, 43 repeats along the longitudinal axis z, such that the next three adjacent tube sections 31, 32, 33 are again referred to as first, second, or third tube sections 31, 32, 33.

(23) As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the at least one first bracket element 41 has a first end section 41c and an opposite second end section 41e, wherein the two end sections 41c, 41e are connected to one another by a curved middle section 41d of the first bracket element 41, wherein the lower face 41a of the first bracket element 41 in the region of the middle section 41d rests against the first tube section 31. Thereby, the middle section 41d encompasses the first tube section 31 in sections in the circumferential direction U of the first tube section 31 at an upper face, facing away from the web 10, of the first tube section 31. To fix the first tube section 31 to the web 10 by means of the first bracket element 41, the two end sections 41c, 41e are in each case now connected to the web 10 via a welded connection S.

(24) The first securing region 411, already described above and provided on the middle section 41d, of the first bracket element 41, is thereby connected to a first end section 42c of a second bracket element 42 via a welded connection S. Since the lower face 41a of the first bracket element 41 in the region of the middle section 41d of the first bracket element 41 rests against the first tube section 31, the first bracket element 41 or the first securing region 411 together with the first tube section 31 enclose the associated depression 401 as a cavity (cf. detail D of FIGS. 3 and 4). This cavity 401 protects the first tube section 31 from excessive heat when establishing the specified welded connection S between the first securing region 411 of the first bracket element and the first end section 42c of the second bracket element 42.

(25) Furthermore, for fixing the second tube section 32 adjacent to the first tube section 31 to the web 10, the second bracket element 42 in turn rests with a lower face 42a facing the second tube section 32 against the second tube section 32. The second bracket element 42 has an opposite second end section 42e next to the first end section 42c, wherein the two end sections 42c, 42e of the second bracket element 42 are in turn connected to one another via a middle section 42d of the second bracket element 42. The lower face 42a of the second bracket element 42 rests in the region of the middle section 42d of the second bracket element 42 against the second tube section 32 and thereby encompasses the second tube section 32 in a circumferential direction U of the second tube section 32 in sections on an upper face, facing away from the web 10, of the second tube section 32.

(26) While, as already explained above, the first end section 42c of the second bracket element 42 is arranged adjacently to the first securing region 411 of the first bracket element 41 and is connected thereto via a welded connection S, the second end section 42e of the second bracket element 42 is, conversely, connected to the web 10 via a welded connection S. Thus, the second bracket element 42 is connected, on the one hand, to the first bracket element 41 and, on the other, to the web 10, in order to fix the second tube section 32 on the web 10.

(27) The second bracket element 42 also has in its middle section 42d (see detail D of FIG. 3 or 4) a securing region 421, which forms an elevation 400 on an upper face 42a, facing away from the lower face 42a, of the second bracket element 42, and which forms a depression 401 on the lower face 42a of the second bracket element 42, wherein the securing region 421 of the second bracket element 42 is connected via a welded connection S to the first end section 43c of a third bracket element 43.

(28) Since, here as well, the lower face 42a of the second bracket element 42 in the region of the middle section 41d of the second bracket element 42 rests against the second tube section 32, the second bracket element 42 or the securing region 421 together with the second tube section 32 also encloses the associated depression 401 as a cavity, which protects the second tube section 32 from excessive heat during the production of the welded connection S between the securing region 421 and the first end section 43c of the third bracket element 43.

(29) The third bracket element 43 serves to fix a third tube section 33, which runs adjacently to the second tube section 32 and rests against the web 10. Thereby, the third bracket element 43 rests with a lower face 43a, facing the third tube section 33, against the third tube section 33, wherein the third bracket element 43 has an opposite second end section 43e next to the first end section 43c, wherein the two end sections 43c, 43e of the third bracket element 43 are in turn connected to one another via a middle section 43d of the third bracket element 43. The lower face 43a of the third bracket element 43 rests, in the region of the middle section 43d of the third bracket element 43, against an upper face, facing away from the web 10, of the third tube section 33, wherein the second end section 43e of the third bracket element 43 is connected to a second securing region 412 of an additional first bracket element 41 (cf., in particular, FIG. 4). This second securing region 412 is opposite the first securing region 411 of the additional first bracket element 41 in a circumferential direction U of the first tube section 31 encompassed by the additional first bracket element 41. The second securing region 413 of the additional first bracket element 41 is formed analogously to the first securing region 411, i.e., it in turn encloses a depression 401 with the respective first tube section 31, which protects this tube section 31 from excessive heat generation when establishing a welded connection between the second securing region 412 of the additional first bracket element 41 and the second end section 43e of the third bracket element 43. The arrangement of the first, second, and third bracket elements 41, 42, 43 described above then begins again with the additional first bracket element 41 (cf., in particular, FIG. 4).

(30) As can be seen in particular from FIGS. 4 and 6, the third bracket element 43 does not have a raised securing region, but instead extends from the securing region 421 of the adjacent second bracket element 42 to the second securing region 412 of the adjacent additional first bracket element 41. This means, in particular, that the third bracket element 43 is not connected directly to the web 10 via welded connections.

(31) According to FIG. 5, the next web 10, which is located further outwards in the radial direction R of the tube bundle 3, is now secured to the web 10 below it via the first bracket elements 41 arranged along the longitudinal axis z. On this web 10, which is arranged radially further outwards, the tube or tubes 30 or tube sections 31, 32, 33 of the next tube layer 4 are then fixed, and, in particular, in the manner described above.

(32) In order to describe the connection between the first bracket elements 41 and the webs 10 arranged above them, which are located radially further outwards, the middle section 41d of a first bracket element 41 is first described in more detail below by way of example (cf., in particular, FIGS. 3 and 5).

(33) The middle section 41d of the first bracket element 41, which is considered here by way of example, is preferably formed to be wider in FIG. 3 in an axial direction A of the first tube section 31 than the web 10, at which the two end sections 41c, 41e of the first bracket element 41 are fixed via welded connections S (cf. also FIG. 6).

(34) On the middle section 41d, for fixing the web 10 located further outwards in the radial direction R (cf. also FIG. 5), a third and a fourth securing region 413, 414 are now provided, which are opposite one another in the axial direction A and are spaced apart from one another in such a way that the web 10, which is located radially further outwards, can be arranged between these two securing regions 413, 414 on the middle section 41d of the first securing bracket 41 (and on the middle sections of the additional first securing brackets 41 arranged along the longitudinal axis z), such that it runs parallel to the web 10 located below it. The web 10, which is located radially further outwards, thereby rests with two bases 13, 14 on the first tube section 31, which is encompassed by the first bracket element 41. For this purpose, the first bracket element 41 has at its middle section 41d two passage openings 44, 45, which lie opposite one another in the axial direction A and each leave a surface region 34, 35 of the first tube section 31 free (see FIG. 3), wherein the bases 13, 14 each engage in an associated passage opening 44, 45 and thereby rest on or against each associated surface region 34, 35 of the first tube section 31.

(35) The third securing region 413 of the first bracket element 41 is connected to an adjacent edge of the web 10, which is located further outwards in the radial direction R, via a welded connection S, as is shown, in particular, in FIG. 5. Furthermore, the fourth securing region 414 is connected to an opposite edge of the web 10, which is located further outwards in the radial direction R, via a welded connection S.

(36) In this manner, the webs 10, lying one above the other in the radial direction R, of the tube bundle 3 can be connected to one another via the first bracket elements 41 arranged between them. Thereby, the first bracket elements 41 are welded, on the one hand, via their end sections 41c, 41e to the web 10 located further inwards in the radial direction R and, on the other, via the third and fourth securing regions 413, 414 to the web 10 located further outwards in the radial direction R.

(37) Thereby, the third and fourth securing regions 413, 414 according to detail D of FIGS. 3 and 4 are also formed. That is, the third or fourth securing regions 413, 414 each enclose a depression 401 or a cavity 401 on the inner side 41a, 41b of the middle section 41d together with the respective first tube section 31, such that the respective first tube section 31 is in turn protected from excessive heat generation if the corresponding third and fourth securing regions 413, 414 are welded to the associated web 10.

(38) The welded connections S between the bracket elements 41, 42, 43 and the webs 10 can be successively produced when the tubes 30 are wound onto the core tube 300. Thereby, the tube sections 31, 32, 33 of a tube layer 4 come to rest on the respective web 10 and are connected to the respective web 10 in the manner described above, one after the other, via the bracket elements 41, 42, 43. If the current tube layer 4 is completed, webs 10 are arranged above the bracket elements 41, 42, 43 of the tube layer 4 and are connected to the third and fourth securing regions 413, 414 of the first bracket elements 41 of the finished wound tube layer 4 by means of welded connections S. One or more tubes 30 are then wound again onto these webs 10, which are located radially further outwards, and are in turn secured to these webs 10 in the manner described with the bracket elements 41, 42, 43. This process can be repeated until the desired number of tube layers 4 is reached.

(39) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs 1 Heat exchanger 3 Tube bundle 4 Tube layer 5 Jacket 6 Jacket space 7 Shroud 10  Web 10a Upper face 10b Lower face 11, 12 Leg 15  Recess 30  Tubes 31, 32, 33 Tube section 34, 35 Surface region 41  First bracket element 42  Second bracket element 43  Third bracket element 44, 45 Passage opening 50, 51, 52, 53 Connecting piece 400  Elevation 401  Depression 411, 412, 413, 414 Securing region 421  Securing region 300  Core tube M First medium M′ Second medium R Radial direction S Welded connection U Circumferential direction Z Longitudinal axis