Core-in-shell exchanger refrigerant inlet flow distributor

Abstract

Apparatuses and systems for introducing two-phase refrigerant into a shell of a core-in-shell exchanger are disclosed. One system includes: an exchanger shell; a heat-exchanging core disposed inside the exchanger shell; and an inlet flow distributor for directing incoming fluid comprising: a baffle plate with an array of orifice holes, wherein the orifice holes are off-set from the heat-exchanging core.

1 . A heat-exchanging apparatus comprising:
 an exchanger shell;   a heat-exchanging core disposed inside the exchanger shell; and   an inlet flow distributor for directing incoming fluid comprising: a baffle plate with an array of orifice holes, wherein the orifice holes are off-set from the heat-exchanging core.   
     
     
         2 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-exchanging core is selected from the group consisting of: a brazed aluminum heat exchanger, a plate-fin heat exchanger, a tube bundle, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the array of orifice holes comprises one or more rows of the orifice holes fashioned on the baffle plate. 
     
     
         4 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the array of orifice holes comprises two or more rows of orifice holes, wherein the two or more rows of orifice holes are different in length. 
     
     
         5 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet flow distributor is configured to prevent direct impinging of the fluid onto the heat-exchanging core. 
     
     
         6 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet nozzle is installed directly over the array of orifice holes. 
     
     
         7 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the array of orifice holes has a total area that ranges from about 5% to about 25% of the total area of the baffle plate. 
     
     
         8 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the orifice holes have a shape selected from the group consisting of: a circle, a square, a rectangle, a hexagon, a star, a cross, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-exchanging apparatus is installed in a liquefied natural gas plant, a gas plant, an NGL processing plant, an ammonia processing plant, an ammonia refrigeration system, or an ethylene plant. 
     
     
         10 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the baffle plate is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel, carbon steel alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A heat-exchanging apparatus comprising:
 a hollow horizontally-oriented exchanger shell;   a heat-exchanging core disposed inside the hollow horizontally-oriented exchanger shell;   an inlet flow distributor comprising: a baffle plate with an array of orifice holes and a wall plate, wherein the orifice holes are off-set from the heat-exchanging core and the wall plate directs an incoming fluid through at least one orifice hole; and   an inlet configured to introduce the incoming fluid into the hollow horizontally-oriented exchanger shell through the inlet flow distributor.   
     
     
         12 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the heat-exchanging core is selected from the group consisting of: a brazed aluminum heat exchanger, a plate-fin heat exchanger, a tube bundle, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the array of orifice holes comprises one or more rows of the orifice holes fashioned on the baffle plate. 
     
     
         14 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the array of orifice holes comprises two or more rows of orifice holes, wherein the two or more rows of orifice holes are different in length. 
     
     
         15 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the inlet flow distributor is configured to prevent direct impinging of the fluid onto the heat-exchanging core. 
     
     
         16 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one inlet nozzle is installed directly over the array of orifice holes. 
     
     
         17 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the array of orifice holes has a total area that ranges from about 5% to about 25% of the total area of the baffle plate. 
     
     
         18 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the orifice holes have a shape selected from the group consisting of: a circle, a square, a rectangle, a hexagon, a star, a cross, and a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the core-in-shell exchanger is installed in a liquefied natural gas plant, a gas plant, an NGL processing plant, an ammonia processing plant, an ammonia refrigeration system, or an ethylene plant. 
     
     
         20 . The heat-exchanging apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the baffle plate is made from a material selected from the group consisting of: stainless steel, austenitic stainless steel, carbon steel alloy, aluminum, aluminum alloy, and a combination thereof.