Enhanced surface walls

Abstract

This invention relates generally to: (1) methods of forming enhanced-surface walls ( 20 ) for use in apparatae (e.g., heat transfer devices, fluid mixing devices, etc.) for performing a process, (2) to enhanced-surface walls per se, and (3) to various apparatae incorporating such enhanced-surface walls. The method improved method broadly comprises the steps of: providing a length of material ( 21 ) having opposite initial surfaces ( 22 a, 22 b ), said material having a longitudinal centerline (x-x) positioned substantially midway between said initial surfaces, said material having an initial transverse dimension measured from said centerline to a point on either of said initial surfaces located farthest away from said centerline, each of said initial surfaces having a initial surface density, said surface density being defined as the number of characters on an surface per unit of projected surface area; impressing secondary patterns ( 23 a, 23 b ) having secondary pattern surface densities onto each of said initial surfaces to distort said material and to increase the surface densities on each of said surfaces and to increase the transverse dimension of said material from said centerline to the farthest point of such distorted material; and impressing primary patterns ( 25 a, 25 b ) having primary pattern surface densities onto each of such distorted surfaces to further distort said material and to further increase the surface densities on each of said surfaces; thereby to provide an enhanced-surface wall for use in an apparatus for performing a process.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said primary patterns are directional. 
     
     
         27 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said secondary patterns are non-directional. 
     
     
         28 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said wall complies with one of the following ASME/ASTM designations: A249/A, A135, A370, A751, E213, E273, E309, E1806, A691, A139, A213, A214, A268, A 269, A270, A312, A334, A335, A498, A631, A671, A688, A691, A778, A299/A, A789, A789/A, A789/M, A790, A803, A480, A763, A941, A1016, A1012, A1047/A, A250, A771, A826, A851, B674, E112, A370, A999, E381, E426, E527, E340, A409, A358, A262, A240, A537, A530, A 435, A387, A299, A204, A20, A577, A578, A285, E165, A380, A262 and A179. 
     
     
         29 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said material is homogeneous. 
     
     
         30 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said material is provided with a coating on at least one of said initial surfaces. 
     
     
         31 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said material is chemically-treated. 
     
     
         32 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An enhanced-surface wall for use in an apparatus for performing a process, comprising:
 a length of material having opposite initial surfaces, said material having a longitudinal centerline positioned substantially midway between said initial surfaces, said material having had an initial transverse dimension measured from said centerline to a point on either of said initial surfaces located farthest away from said centerline, each of said initial surfaces having an initial surface density, said surface density being defined as the number of characters on a surface per unit of projected surface area;   secondary patterns densities impressed onto each of said initial surfaces, said secondary patterns having secondary pattern surface densities distorting said material and increasing the surface densities on each of said surfaces and increasing the transverse dimension of said material from said centerline to the farthest point of such distorted material;   wherein the maximum transverse dimension of said material from said centerline to the farthest point of such distorted material is less than 150% of the maximum transverse dimension from said centerline to the farthest point on either of said initial surfaces; and   primary patterns impressed onto each of such distorted surfaces and further distorting said material to further increase the dimension from said centerline to the farthest point on either of such further-distorted surfaces, said primary patterns having primary pattern surface densities and further increasing the surface densities of each of said such further-distorted surfaces; and   wherein the minimum dimension of such further-distorted material, when measured from said centerline to any point on either of such further-distorted surfaces, is at least 50% of the minimum dimension of said material, when measured from said centerline to the farthest point on either of said initial surfaces.   
     
     
         35 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein each secondary pattern surface density is greater than each primary pattern surface density. 
     
     
         36 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said secondary patterns are the same. 
     
     
         37 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said secondary patterns are shifted relative to one another such that a maximum dimension from said centerline to one distorted surface will correspond to a minimum dimension from said centerline to the other distorted surface. 
     
     
         38 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein the minimum dimension of said material, when measured from any point on one of such distorted surfaces to the closest point on the opposite one of such distorted surfaces, is at least 95% of the minimum dimension from any point on one of said initial surfaces to the closest point on the opposite initial surface. 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein said primary patterns are the same. 
     
     
         44 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 43  wherein said primary patterns are shifted relative to one another such that a maximum dimension from said centerline to one further-distorted surface will correspond to a minimum dimension from said centerline to the other further-distorted surface. 
     
     
         45 . The enhanced-surface wall as set forth in  claim 34  wherein the minimum dimension of said such further-distorted material, when measured from said centerline to any point on either of said such further-distorted surfaces, is at least 95% of the minimum dimension of said material, when measured from said centerline to either of said initial surfaces. 
     
     
         46 - 47 . (canceled)