Shell and tube heat exchanger with improved anti-fouling properties

Abstract

A shell and tube heat exchanger comprising: a shell having an inlet end-cap attached to a first end of the shell, wherein an outlet end-cap is attached to a second end of the shell and a tube bundle being housed within the shell, said tube bundle including a plurality of parallel-spaced tubes that traverse the interior of shell from a first end to a second end of the tube bundle, and wherein a plurality of baffles are arranged within the shell supporting the parallel-spaced tubes of the tube bundle. At least a part of the shell and tube heat exchanger is provided with a coating comprising silicon oxide, SiO x .

1 . A shell and tube heat exchanger comprising:
 a shell having an inlet end-cap attached to a first end of the shell, wherein an outlet end-cap is attached to a second end of the shell and a tube bundle being housed within the shell, said tube bundle including a plurality of parallel-spaced tubes that traverse the interior of shell from a first end to a second end of the tube bundle, and wherein a plurality of baffles are arranged within the shell supporting the parallel-spaced tubes of the tube bundle, wherein   said shell and tube heat exchanger is provided with a coating comprising:   silicon oxide, SiO x , having an atomic ratio of O/Si>1, a content of carbon ≧10 atomic % and a coating layer thickness of about 1-30 μm, which coating was prepared by sol-gel processing and applied to at least a part of the shell and tube heat exchanger surfaces.   
     
     
         2 . A shell and tube heat exchanger according to clam  1 , wherein the layer thickness of said coating on the surfaces is 1.5-25 μm, preferably 2-20 μm, more preferably 2-15 μm, even more preferably 2-10 μm, and most preferably 3-10 μm. 
     
     
         3 . A shell and tube heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprising:
 silicon oxide, SiO x , has an atomic ratio of O/Si ≧1.5-3, preferably O/Si ≧2-2.5.   
     
     
         4 . A shell and tube heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a content of carbon ≧20-60 atomic %, preferably 30-40 atomic %.