Temperature moderated supports for flow tubes

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method that allows use of the same or similar material as the flow tubes for the supports and without requiring more expensive stainless or higher alloy supports. The disclosure provides one or more temperature moderated support tubes that allow the process fluid in the flow tubes to also pass through the support tubes. The benefit is that the process fluid moderates the temperature of the support tubes and hence the thermal expansion of the support tubes to be relatively consistent with the expansion of the flow tubes of the coil, and further benefits from additional heat transfer area using the support tubes. Thus, the support tubes can be made from the same or similar material as the flow tubes. The ledges/brackets could be also of the same material as the coil material.

1 . A system for flowing process fluid through a flow tube for heat transfer in a chamber, comprising:
 a flow tube having an internal flow path to flow the process fluid therethrough; and   a support tube configured to be coupled to the chamber and having an internal flow path to flow the process fluid therethrough, the internal flow path of the support tube being fluidicly coupled to the internal flow path of the flow tube and the support tube being mechanically coupled to the flow tube to support the flow tube.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support tubes having an internal flow path to flow the process fluid therethrough, the plurality of support tubes being fluidicly coupled together through a header and the header being fluidicly coupled to the flow tube. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first header coupled to the plurality of support tubes, a second header coupled to a distal portion of the plurality of support tubes from the first header, and the second header coupled to the flow tube distal from the first header. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a first header coupled to the plurality of support tubes, a second header coupled to a distal portion of the plurality of support tubes from the first header, and the first header coupled to the flow tube distal from the second header. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the header is fluidicly coupled in a peripheral direction to one or more of the support tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the header is fluidicly coupled in a radial direction to one or more of the support tubes. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of flow tubes independently coupled to the plurality of support tubes to establish combined flow paths of at least one support tube with at least one flow tube relative to other combined flow paths of other combinations of at least one supports tube and at least one flow tube. 
     
     
         8 . A method of flowing a process fluid through a flow tube and a support tube for heat transfer in a chamber, comprising:
 flowing the process fluid through an internal flow path of the support tube;   flowing the process fluid through an internal flow path of the flow tube fluidicly coupled to the flow path of the support tube; and   flowing the process fluid out of the internal flow path of the flow tube or the support tube.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a plurality of support tubes having an internal flow path is fluidicly coupled to a header having an internal flow path, and further comprising flowing the process fluid through the flow paths of the plurality of support tubes and the header. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising flowing the process fluid through a first header coupled to the plurality of support tubes, flowing the process fluid through a second header coupled to a distal portion of the plurality of support tubes from the first header, and flowing the process fluid through the flow tube coupled to the second header. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising flowing the process fluid through a first header coupled to the plurality of support tubes, flowing the process fluid through a second header coupled to a distal portion of the plurality of support tubes from the first header, and flowing the process fluid through a flow tube coupled to the first header. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising flowing the process fluid through the header in a peripheral direction. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising flowing the process fluid through the header in a radial direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of flow tubes coupled to the plurality of support tubes, and comprising flowing the process fluid through a first flow tube and a first support tube fluidicly coupled to the first tube independently of a process fluid flowing through a second flow tube and a second support tube coupled to the second flow tube.