Heat exchanger

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a packing comprising at least one external oblique fin having a surface, and a plurality of tubes, each tube having an inlet, an outlet, a wall, an outer surface, and an axis. The plurality of tubes are substantially parallel and separate from each other. The packing may include a plurality of fins arranged in a plurality of columns. Each column includes a plurality of external oblique fins associated with a respective tube disposed along at least part of a length of the respective tube, and first fins in a first column have substantially the same first orientation. The first orientation of the first fins in the first column is different from a second orientation of second fins in a second column.

1 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a packing comprising at least one external oblique fin having a surface; and   a plurality of tubes, each tube having an inlet, an outlet, a wall, an outer surface, and an axis;   wherein the plurality of tubes are substantially parallel and separate from each other.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the packing comprises a plurality of fins arranged in a plurality of columns, each column includes a plurality of external oblique fins associated with a respective tube disposed along at least part of a length of the respective tube, and first fins in a first column have substantially the same first orientation, and the first orientation of the first fins in the first column is different from a second orientation of second fins in a second column. 
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein each tube has a reference plane, wherein a defining intersection is an intersection between the reference plane and a surface of the at least one external oblique fin,
 wherein an angle between the defining intersection and the tube axis in the direction of the inlet is greater than 0° and less than 90°.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger of  claim 3 , wherein the angle between the defining intersection and the tube axis in the direction of the inlet is greater than 0° and less than 45°. 
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises at least one of a plurality of transitional members, a plurality of supports and a plurality of skids. 
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a helicoid transition member. 
     
     
         7 . The heat exchanger of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a tube and shell type heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a packing; and   a plurality of tubes, each tube having an inlet, an outlet, a wall, and an axis;   wherein:
 the plurality of tubes are substantially parallel to each other and separate from each other; and 
 the packing comprises one or more external fins having a helicoid shape and having an axis of rotation that does not coincide with the tube axis. 
   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the axis of rotation is external to the plurality of tubes. 
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger of  claim 8 , wherein the packing comprises first external helicoidal fins twisted in a first direction and second external helicoidal fins twisted in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         11 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of tubes, each tube having an inlet, an outlet, a wall, an outer surface, and an axis; and   a packing comprising a plurality of fins arranged in a plurality of columns, each column including at least one external oblique fin associated with a respective tube disposed along at least part of a length of the respective tube.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , further comprising a first fin in a first column having a first orientation, and a second fin in a second column having a second orientation different from the first orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein each tube has a reference plane, wherein a defining intersection is an intersection between the reference plane and a surface of the at least one external oblique fin,
 wherein an angle between the defining intersection and the tube axis in the direction of the inlet is greater than 0° and less than 90°.   
     
     
         14 . The heat exchanger of  claim 13 , wherein the angle between the defining intersection and the tube axis in the direction of the inlet is greater than 0° and less than 45°. 
     
     
         15 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises at least one of a plurality of transitional members, a plurality of supports and a plurality of skids. 
     
     
         16 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger further comprises a helicoid transition member. 
     
     
         17 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the heat exchanger is a tube and shell type heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The heat exchanger of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of tubes are substantially parallel and separate from each other.