Turbulence generator

Abstract

A turbulence generator useful for mixing or as a heat exchanger, comprising a housing having an interior surface defined by an interior wall or walls, and an exterior surface, with at least two turbulence elements, each having at least one non-structured section ( 3 ) and at least one structured section ( 4 ), comprised of a plurality of alternating ribs ( 8 ) and gaps ( 9 ), removably inserted therein.

1 . A turbulence generating heat exchanger, comprising a housing having an interior surface defined by an interior wall or walls, and an exterior surface, with at least two turbulence elements ( 2 ,  2 ′) removably inserted therein, said turbulence elements each having at least one non-structured section ( 3 ) and at least one structured section ( 4 ), said structured section being comprised of a plurality of alternating ribs ( 8 ) and gaps ( 9 ), said turbulence elements forming opposing continuous lines of contact, opposing broken lines of contact, or opposing continuous and/or broken lines of contact with the interior surface of said housing, said continuous lines being defined by contact of said at least one nonstructured section of said element against said interior surface, said broken lines being defined by a series of contact points of said ribs of said at least one structured section against said interior surface, said turbulence elements being fixed within said housing by said contact lines or points, or by said contact lines and points, said ribs forming an angle α of 10 to 80 degrees to a theoretical axis passing through said housing parallel to an interior wall thereof, at least two superimposed turbulence elements forming a lattice structure in the cross-section of said housing as a result of alternating the angle α of the ribs, at least 50% of the external surface of the housing being provided with a jacket for a heat transfer medium or being disposed for contact with a heat transfer fluid.  
   
   
       2 . The turbulence generating heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the ribs ( 8 ) have a square, rectangular or hexagonal cross-section.  
   
   
       3 . The turbulence generating heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein said turbulence elements are each comprised of one eccentrically positioned non-structured section and two structured rib sections of different lengths.  
   
   
       4 . The turbulence generating heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the event the interior cross-section of said housing is not completely filled with turbulence elements, the non-filled portion of said cross-section is filled with cross-sectionally adjusted filling elements ( 11 ) which simultaneously serve as deflecting contours for guiding flow.  
   
   
       5 . A heat exchanger assembly having at least two turbulence generating heat exchangers according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said turbulence generating heat exchangers are perfused in parallel and are completely filled with at least two packs of turbulence elements and are welded to common inflow and outflow plates, so that uniform flow takes place into all of the turbulence generating heat exchangers and all of the turbulence heat exchangers have a common temperature adjustment chamber and as a result form a heat exchanger bundle capable of adjusting the temperature of fluids in the range from −50° C. to 500° C. and is operable at a pressure range from 1 mbar to 200,000 mbars, and in which product-side hold-up of the turbulence generating heat exchangers is at most 10% to 95% of the total interior volume thereof.  
   
   
       6 . A method for adjusting the temperature of a fluid or a fluid mixture having a viscosity in the range of from 0.001 to 1 Pas, which comprises passing said fluid or fluid mixture through the interior of a turbulence generating heat exchanger of  claim 1  provided with said jacket while passing a heat transfer medium through said jacket and maintaining a temperature difference between the heat transfer medium and the temperature of the fluid or fluid mixture at the discharge end of said turbulence generating heat ex changer of less than 15° C.  
   
   
       7 . Method for carrying out endothermic or exothermic reactions of fluid reactants or reactants in solution, in a single-phase or multi-phase state, wherein said fluid reactants or solution of reactants are first homoginzed and then reacted in one or more turbulence generating heat exchangers of  claim 1  arranged in series or parallel to each other.  
   
   
       8 . A flash heater, crossflow heat exchanger, sterilizer, off-gas condenser, or heat exchanger for a motorcar radiator or oil cooler, comprising a turbulence generating heat, exchanger of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A turbulence generator, comprising a housing having an interior surface defined by an interior wall or walls, and an exterior surface, with at least two turbulence elements ( 2 ,  2 ′) removably inserted therein, said turbulence elements each having at least one non-structured section ( 3 ) and at least one structured section ( 4 ), said structured section being comprised of a plurality of alternating ribs ( 8 ) and gaps ( 9 ), said turbulence elements forming opposing continuous lines of contact, opposing broken lines of contact, or opposing continuous and broken lines of contact with the interior surface of said housing, said continuous lines being defined by contact of said at least one nonstructured section of said element against said interior surface, said broken lines being defined by a series of contact points of said ribs of said at least one structured section against said interior surface, said turbulence elements being fixed within said housing by said contact lines or points or by said contact lines and points, said ribs forming an angle α of 10 to ˜80 degrees to a theoretical axis passing through said housing parallel to an interior wall thereof, at least two superimposed turbulence elements forming a lattice structure in the cross-section of said housing as a result of alternating the angle α of the ribs.  
   
   
       10 . A radiator, comprising a plurality of turbulence generators according to  claim 9 , being spaced apart from each other sufficiently for air to flow between them.  
   
   
       11 . A motorcar radiator or oil cooler, comprising the radiator of  claim 10  which is formed of at least one material having a specific thermal conductivity of 15 W/mK to 400 W/mK.  
   
   
       12 . A method for cooling a motorcar engine or the oil of a motorcar engine with the oil cooler of  claim 11 , wherein heat is discharged to the ambient air via the external-surfaces of the turbulence generators and the heat transfer performance of the turbulence generators is increased by enlarging the external surfaces of the turbulence generators by sheet lamellae attached thereto.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said lamellae are attached by solder.