Shell and tube heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger is provided and includes a shell extending between opposing tube sheets to define an interior, nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the interior and a tubular body extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion of the tubular body defined from respective planes of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets, the heat transfer portion having at least first and second topologies at first and second sections thereof, respectively, which are respectively disposed proximate to the respective planes of the opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets.

1 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a shell extending between opposing tube sheets to define an interior;   nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the interior; and   a tubular body extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion of the tubular body defined from respective planes of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets,   the heat transfer portion having at least first and second topologies at first and second sections thereof, respectively, which are respectively disposed proximate to the respective planes of the opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body is plural in number. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the first and second topologies for each plural tubular body are substantially similar. 
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least first and second topologies for each plural tubular body are different from one another. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the first section extends substantially from the first end of the heat transfer portion to a mid-section thereof and the second section extends substantially from the mid-section to the second end of the heat transfer portion. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 fluid nozzles to deliver the second fluid to the tubular body; and   tube supports to structurally support the tubular body.   
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least first and second topologies comprise differing tube diameters, hybridized internal geometries and/or hybridized external geometries. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a shell extending between opposing tube sheets to define an interior;   nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the interior; and   at least first and second fluidly communicative tubular bodies extending between the opposing tube sheets to transmit a second fluid through the interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions of the at least first and second tubular bodies defined from respective planes of opposing faces of the opposing tube sheets,   the respective heat transfer portions of the at least first and second tubular bodies having at least first and second topologies.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second tubular bodies are each plural in number. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least first topologies for each plural first tubular body are substantially similar and the at least second topologies for each plural second tubular body are substantially similar. 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least first topologies for each plural first tubular body are different from one another and the at least second topologies for each plural second tubular body are different from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the first and second tubular bodies are disposed in lower and upper sections of the interior, respectively, with the second tubular body being downstream from the first tubular body. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein the respective heat transfer portion of the first tubular body has one or more topologies. 
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , wherein the respective heat transfer portion of the second tubular body has one or more topologies. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 fluid nozzles to deliver the second fluid to the tubular body;   tube supports to structurally support the tubular body; and   hair-pin tubular bodies to fluidly couple the first and second tubular bodies to one another.   
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 8 , wherein the at least first and second topologies comprise differing tube diameters, hybridized internal geometries and/or hybridized external geometries. 
     
     
         17 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a shell defining a first interior;   a sub-cooler defining a second interior in the first interior;   nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the first and second interiors;   first and second tubular bodies to transmit a second fluid through the first interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions thereof; and   a third tubular body to transmit the second fluid through the second interior whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along a heat transfer portion thereof,   the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body having a different topology as compared to those of the first and third tubular bodies.   
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein the second tubular body is elevationally interposed between the first and third tubular bodies. 
     
     
         19 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein the heat transfer portions of the first and third tubular bodies have similar topologies. 
     
     
         20 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 17 , wherein the topology of the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body encourages liquid drainage. 
     
     
         21 . A heat exchanger, comprising:
 a shell defining an interior;   nozzles coupled to the shell by which a first fluid is communicated with the interior; and   first and second tubular bodies to transmit a second fluid through upper and lower elevational sections of the interior, respectively, whereby heat transfer occurs between the first and second fluids along respective heat transfer portions thereof,   the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body having a different topology as compared to that of the first tubular body.   
     
     
         22 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein the second tubular body comprises a high performance tubular body. 
     
     
         23 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 22 , wherein the first tubular body comprises a low performance tubular body. 
     
     
         24 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 21 , wherein the topology of the heat transfer portion of the second tubular body encourages liquid drainage.