Conduit and inner base plate for a heat exchanger, associated heat exchanger, aircraft and method of vaporizing a working fluid

Abstract

A conduit for a heat exchanger with an outer tube having an outer inlet and an outer outlet and defining an outer passage configured for guiding a working fluid from the outer inlet to the outer outlet, and an inner tube having an inner inlet and an inner outlet and defining an inner passage configured for guiding the working fluid from the inner inlet to the inner outlet. The inner tube is arranged in the outer passage and defines with the outer tube an annular space the inner outlet opening in the outer passage. Also a tubesheet, heat exchanger and aircraft with such conduits.

1 . A conduit for a heat exchanger comprising:
 an outer tube comprising an outer inlet and an outer outlet and defining an outer passage configured for guiding a working fluid from the outer inlet to the outer outlet; and   an inner tube comprising an inner inlet and an inner outlet and defining an inner passage configured for guiding the working fluid from the inner inlet to the inner outlet,   wherein the inner tube is arranged in the outer passage and defines with the outer tube an annular space, the inner outlet opening in the outer passage.   
     
     
         2 . The conduit for a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner inlet is arranged out of the outer passage. 
     
     
         3 . The conduit for a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a distance between the outer inlet and the inner outlet over a distance between the outer inlet and the outer outlet is between 5% and 25%. 
     
     
         4 . The conduit for a heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of an inner diameter of the inner tube over an inner diameter of the outer tube is between 40% and 80%. 
     
     
         5 . An inlet base plate for a heat exchanger configured for receiving a plurality of conduits according to  claim 1 , the inlet base plate comprising:
 an inner tubesheet configured for receiving inner tubes of each of the conduits; and   an outer tubesheet configured for receiving outer tubes of each of the conduits,   the inner tubesheet and the outer tubesheet spaced apart and defining a plate cavity configured for receiving the inner tubes.   
     
     
         6 . The inlet base plate for a heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein a distance between the inner tubesheet and the outer tubesheet is between 10 mm and 50 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The inlet base plate for a heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner tubsheet comprises a plurality of injection orifices, each injection orifice configured for injecting the working fluid into one of the inner tubes, and a section of each injection orifice decreasing along an injection direction. 
     
     
         8 . The inlet base plate for a heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein the inner tubesheet comprises a plurality of inner recesses each configured for receiving the inner inlet of one of the inner tubes, or
 wherein the outer tubesheet comprises a plurality of outer recesses each configured for receiving the outer inlet of one of the outer tubes, or   both.   
     
     
         9 . A heat exchanger comprising:
 a plurality of conduits according to  claim 1 ; and   an inlet base plate comprising
 an inner tubesheet configured for receiving inner tubes of each of the conduits; and 
 an outer tubesheet configured for receiving outer tubes of each of the conduits, 
 the inner tubesheet and the outer tubesheet spaced apart and defining a plate cavity configured for receiving the inner tubes, 
 the inner tubesheet of the inlet base plate receiving inner tubes of each of the conduits and the outer tubesheet of the inlet base plate receiving outer tubes of each of the conduits, the inner tubes passing through the plate cavity defined between the inner tubesheet and the outer tubesheet. 
   
     
     
         10 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an inlet dome defining, with the inner tubesheet, an inlet cavity, the inlet cavity configured for receiving the working fluid and in fluidic communication with the inner tubes of each conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an outlet base plate; and   an outlet dome,   the outlet base plate configured for receiving the outer tubes of each conduit and defining, with the outlet dome, an outlet cavity, the outlet cavity configured for receiving gaseous working fluid and in fluidic communication with the outer tubes of each conduit.   
     
     
         12 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a shell arranged around the plurality of conduits and configured for guiding a heat-transfer fluid around the plurality of conduits.   
     
     
         13 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a plurality of baffles arranged within the shell and around each of the conduits, the baffles being parallel one relative to another and extending transversally to the conduits, the baffles being transversally shifted one relative to another such as to define a boustrophedonical circuit for the heat-transfer fluid in the shell.   
     
     
         14 . An aircraft comprising:
 the heat exchanger according to  claim 9 .   
     
     
         15 . A method of vaporizing a working fluid using the heat exchanger according to  claim 9 , the method comprising the following steps:
 injecting liquid working fluid at the inner inlets of the inner tubes of each conduit of the heat exchanger,   vaporizing of the liquid working fluid into gaseous working fluid in the inner passage of each inner tube, and   outflowing the gaseous working fluid from the inner passage of each inner tube to the outer passage of each corresponding outer tube through the inner outlet.