Evaporator

Abstract

An evaporator includes an enclosure with a lateral confinement shell with a substantially horizontal axis, which internally accommodates a dispenser of a coolant fluid and at least one tube bundle, which is arranged below the dispenser. The evaporator further includes exchanger tubes, which are passed through by a fluid to be cooled. At least one first group of exchanger tubes is arranged along rows which extend on substantially horizontal and mutually superimposed planes. The exchanger tubes of each row are arranged in at least one respective tray for collecting and distributing the liquid coolant fluid. Each tray has, along at least one first longitudinal edge, at least one first containment sidewall which is adapted to allow the liquid coolant fluid contained therein to fall by overflowing into an underlying tray and is provided in its bottom with openings for draining the liquid coolant fluid.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An evaporator comprising: an enclosure having a lateral confinement shell with a substantially horizontal axis, which internally accommodates a dispenser of a liquid coolant fluid and at least one tube bundle, which is arranged below said dispenser and comprises a plurality of exchanger tubes which extend substantially parallel to the axis of said shell and are configured to be passed through by a fluid to be cooled, at least one first group of said exchanger tubes being arranged along rows which extend on substantially horizontal and mutually superimposed planes, wherein the exchanger tubes of each one of said rows are arranged in at least one respective tray, which is adapted to collect the liquid coolant fluid in order to keep the exchanger tubes of each one of said rows at least partially immersed in said liquid coolant fluid, each one of the trays having, along at least one first longitudinal edge, at least one first containment sidewall which is adapted to allow the liquid coolant fluid contained therein to fall by overflowing into an underlying tray and is provided in its bottom with a plurality of openings for draining the liquid coolant fluid, which are arranged at the exchanger tubes of the underlying tray in order to allow the liquid coolant fluid to fall from each tray onto the outer surface of the exchanger tubes of the underlying tray. 
     
     
         16 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein each tray is provided with a second containment sidewall which extends upward to contain at least partially the overlying tray. 
     
     
         17 . The evaporator according to  claim 16 , wherein said second containment sidewall is arranged along a second longitudinal edge of the corresponding tray which lies opposite with respect to said first longitudinal edge. 
     
     
         18 . The evaporator according to  claim 16 , wherein said second containment sidewall has a portion having an extension inclined towards the outside of the corresponding tray. 
     
     
         19 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein said trays have, in mutual alternation, in succession, said first longitudinal edge directed towards one side of said shell or towards the opposite side. 
     
     
         20 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein said openings for draining have a size that is calibrated to balance a quantity of liquid coolant fluid that enters each tray with a quantity of coolant fluid that exits in vapor form from each tray. 
     
     
         21 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein a size of said openings for draining is different from tray to tray. 
     
     
         22 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , further comprising, for each tray, means of flow control configured to move on command and adapted to affect at least partially said openings for draining. 
     
     
         23 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein each tray is mounted stacked by interlocking on an underlying tray to provide a load-bearing structure for at least the exchanger tubes of said first group of exchanger tubes. 
     
     
         24 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein each tray has at least one supporting partition which defines at least one positioning abutment for an overlying tray. 
     
     
         25 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein each tray has, at first and second tray ends arranged along its longitudinal axis that is parallel to the axis of said shell, containment end walls which define receptacles for the respective exchanger tubes. 
     
     
         26 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , further comprising, at least one shielding wall disposed inside said shell and laterally to said tube bundle, said at least one shielding wall extends downward and defines, for the vapor of said coolant fluid that exits from said trays, at least one first flow channel which extends downward and is delimited between said tube bundle and said at least one shielding wall and at least one second flow channel which extends upward and is delimited between said shell and said shielding wall. 
     
     
         27 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , further comprising a second group of exchanger tubes disposed below said first group of exchanger tubes, said second group of exchanger tubes is configured to cause the evaporation of the excess liquid coolant fluid collected in the lower part of said shell. 
     
     
         28 . The evaporator according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one discharge outlet configured for the extraction of oil is disposed in a lower part of said shell.