Heat exchanger unit

Abstract

A heat exchanger unit includes at least two heat exchangers of the plate fin type that are substantially identical cuboids offset from each other. The heat exchangers are linked to at least one single distribution conduit and at least one single collection conduit. At least one first heat exchanger is situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger is situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit. A first face of the first heat exchanger is parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger, but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit. Each heat exchanger is fluidly connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the each fluid connection does not contact one another.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A heat exchanger unit comprising:
 a first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are both of the plate fin type, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second exchanger have substantially the same dimensions and are in the form of a cuboid;   a distribution conduit; and   a collection conduit, wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are linked to the distribution conduit and the collection conduit,   wherein the first heat exchanger is situated on one side relative to the axis of the distribution conduit and the second heat exchanger is situated on the other side relative to the axis of the distribution conduit,   wherein a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another.   
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger unit of  claim 14 , wherein the distribution conduit is linked to the first heat exchanger via a first conduit running perpendicular to the distribution conduit and to the second exchanger via a second conduit running perpendicular to the distribution conduit, the first conduit being linked to the distribution conduit at a first point and the second conduit being linked to the distribution conduit at a second point, the first point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the distribution conduit. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first conduit is linked to a header on the top or a side wall of the first exchanger and the second conduit is linked to the second exchanger at a point on top or the side wall of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the first face of the first heat exchanger is offset to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger by an offset distance less than the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the offset distance is less than half the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the offset distance is substantially equal to the diameter of the first and/or second conduits. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , comprising a third heat exchanger and a fourth heat exchanger, wherein the third heat exchanger is identical to the first heat exchanger and the fourth heat exchanger is identical to the second heat exchanger, wherein the third heat exchanger is situated on the same side of the distribution conduit as the first heat exchanger and the fourth heat exchanger is situated on the same side of the distribution conduit as the second heat exchanger, wherein the third heat exchanger has a first face parallel to a proximate face of the fourth heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another. 
     
     
         21 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein the distribution conduit is linked to the third heat exchanger via a third conduit running perpendicular to the distribution conduit and to the fourth exchanger via a fourth conduit running perpendicular to the distribution conduit, the third conduit being linked to the distribution conduit at a third point and the fourth conduit being linked to the distribution conduit at a fourth point, the third point being spaced from the fourth point along the axis of the single distribution conduit and the third point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit, the distance between the second and third points being at least twice the distance between the first and second points and at least twice the distance between the third and fourth points. 
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein each heat exchanger has a centre of gravity, the center of gravity of the first heat exchanger being offset along the axis of the distribution conduit by the center of gravity of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the fluid connection conduit connected to the first face of each exchanger is connected to a point falling on a line perpendicular to the axis of the distribution conduit which divides the face into two equal halves. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger unit is disposed within a cold box and the heat exchanger unit is surrounded by insulation. 
     
     
         25 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the heat exchanger unit is part of a cryogenic air separation unit further comprising a cold box and a distillation column system, wherein the distillation column system is in fluid communication with the heat exchanger unit. 
     
     
         26 . A heat exchanger unit comprising at least two heat exchangers (A, B, C, D) of the plate fin type, the heat exchangers being identical and having substantially the same dimensions and having the form of a cuboid, the heat exchangers being linked to at least one single distribution conduit (E, F) and at least one single collection conduit (J, K), at least one first heat exchanger (A, C) being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least one second heat exchanger (B, D) being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, a first face of the first heat exchanger being parallel to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit ( 1 A,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D) connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another. 
     
     
         27 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the single distribution conduit (E) is linked to the first exchanger (A, C) via a first conduit ( 7 A,  7 C,  9 A,  9 C) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit and to the second exchanger (B, D) via a second conduit ( 7 B,  7 D,  9 B,  9 D) running perpendicular to the single distribution conduit, the first conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a first point and the second conduit being linked to the single distribution conduit at a second point, the first point being spaced from the second point along the axis of the single distribution conduit. 
     
     
         28 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the first conduit ( 7 A,  7 C,  9 A,  9 C) is linked to a header on the top or a side wall of the first exchanger and the second conduit ( 7 B,  7 D,  9 B,  9 D) is linked to the second exchanger at a point on top or the side wall of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         29 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the first face of the first heat exchanger is offset to the nearest face of the second heat exchanger by an offset distance less than the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. 
     
     
         30 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the offset distance is less than half the length of the face in the direction of the axis of the distribution conduit. 
     
     
         31 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the offset distance is substantially equal to the diameter of the first and/or second conduits ( 7 A,  7 C,  7 B,  7 D,  9 A,  9 C,  9 B,  9 D). 
     
     
         32 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 26 , comprising at least four exchangers (A, B, C, D) of the plate fin type, at least two first exchangers (A, C) being situated on one side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit and at least two second exchangers (B; D) being situated on the other side relative to the axis of the single distribution conduit, each of the first heat exchangers having a first face parallel to the nearest face of one of the second heat exchangers but offset in the direction of the axis of the single distribution conduit and each heat exchanger having a fluid connection conduit connected to the face proximate to the distribution conduit, the offset being such that the fluid connection conduits do not contact one another. 
     
     
         33 . The heat exchanger unit as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein each heat exchanger (A, B, C, D) has a centre of gravity, the centre of gravity of an exchanger (A) on one side of the single distribution conduit being offset along the axis of the single distribution conduit for the centre of gravity of the nearest exchanger (B) on the other side of the single distribution conduit.