Method and apparatus for increasing uniformity of heat transfer

Claim 2

In a method for increasing the uniformity in the transfer of heat in a heat exchanger having a plurality of tubular means through which the heated medium flows, said plurality of tubular means respectively having inlet ends and opposed outlet ends, the steps of respectively directing the medium which is to be heated through said plurality of tubular means from said inlet toward said outlet ends thereof, measuring the temperature of the medium at the outlet end of each of said plurality of tubular means, and then providing at the inlet end of each of said plurality of tubular means a nonadjustable throttle, to throttle said plurality of tubular means to extents, respectively, which will achieve substantially uniform temperatures of the heated medium at the outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means.

Claim 3

In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the amount of medium directed into the plurality of tubular means together with leakage losses determine the amount of medium required to flow through the plurality of tubular means.

Claim 4

In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein said plurality of tubular means are respectively in the form of individual tubes, and said measurement of temperature respectively taking place at the outlet ends of the plurality of individual tubes.

Claim 5

In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein the heated medium is water, the step of converting the heated water into steam within the plurality of tubular means without any intermediate collection of the heated medium and then superheating the resulting steam.

Claim 6

In a method as recited in claim 1 and wherein if a part of said tubulAr means is no longer operative, the extent of throttling in those tubular means immediately adjacent the part thereof which is not operative is reduced so as to be less than the extent of throttling in those tubular means which are more distant from the part which is not operative, to reduce the tendency of overheating in the walls of those tubular means adjacent the part which is not operative.

Claim 7

In a heat exchanger, a plurality of tubular means through which medium to be heated flows, said plurality of tubular means respectively having inlet ends and opposed outlet ends, and throttling means situated at said inlet ends of said plurality of tubular means for throttling the flow of medium through the plurality of tubular means to an extent which will provide at the outlet ends of the plurality of tubular means substantially uniform temperatures the degree of uniformity of which is beyond that which would prevail without said throttling means, and a plurality of thermocouple means situated at and respectively coacting with said outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means for measuring the temperature of the medium discharging through the latter outlet ends, said throttling means having a construction selected in accordance with the temperatures measured by the plurality of thermocouple means for achieving said degree of uniformity in the temperatures of the heated medium at the outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means.

Claim 8

In a heat exchanger, a plurality of tubular means through which medium to be heated flows, said plurality of tubular means respectively having inlet ends and opposed outlet ends, and throttling means situated at said inlet ends of said plurality of tubular means for throttling the flow of medium through the plurality of tubular means to an extent which will provide at the outlet ends of the plurality of tubular means substantially uniform temperatures the degree of uniformity of which is beyond that which would prevail without said throttling means, and a plurality of thermocouple means situated at and respectively coacting with said outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means for measuring the temperature of the medium discharging through the latter outlet ends, said throttling means having a construction selected in accordance with the temperatures measured by the plurality of thermocouple means for achieving said degree of uniformity in the temperatures of the heated medium at the outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 and wherein an inlet plate is formed with bores respectively receiving the inlet ends of the plurality of tubular means, and said throttling means including an apertured plate situated in front of said inlet plate and formed with a plurality of throttling apertures respectively communicating with the inlet ends of the plurality of tubular means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 and wherein a sealing means is situated between said plates for providing a fluidtight coaction therebetween.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 and wherein said sealing means includes flat-ground surfaces of said plates which engage each other and form a fluidtight interface therebetween.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 6 and wherein an outlet plate is formed with bores respectively receiving the outlet ends of the plurality of tubular means, and a plurality of relatively short tubes respectively communicating with said outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means and at which said plurality of thermocouple means are respectively located.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 and wherein an auxiliary plate carries said tubes and fluidtightly engages said outlet plate while providing communication between said tubes and said outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means, respectively.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 and wherein a chamber means communicates with said outlet ends for receiving the medium discharging therefrom, said chamber means having a removable cover, and connecting means connecting said tubes to said cover for removal of said tubes and plurality of thermocouple means with said cover.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 10 and wherein a wall means defines a chamber receiving the medium discharging through said outlet ends, said thermocouple means including conductors extending through said wall means and protecting means coacting with said conductors for protecting the latter from the heated medium discharging from said outlet ends of said plurality of tubular means.