Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A heat exchanger system comprising tube positiOning means including elongated tube support members supporting a plurality of heat exchange tubes in a flow of a first fluid passing over the tubes in an upstream to downstream direction generally transverse to the tubes for effecting a heat transfer between the fluid passing over the heat exchange tubes and a second fluid in the interior of said tubes and flow directing baffle means extending between adjacent elongated tube support members generally parallel to two of said heat exchange tubes on the downstream side of said two tubes for directing a flow of gas around the downstream portions of said tubes whereby substantial heat flow will be obtained through the entire surface of said heat exchange tubes wherein each of said flow directing baffle means has two flow-directing surfaces each of which is arcuately cross-sectionally shaped and is curved concentrically with respect to one of said two tubes and intersect along an apex line equidistantly spaced from and parallel to the axes of said two tubes between which each respective baffle is spaced.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A heat exchanger system comprising tube positiOning means including elongated tube support members supporting a plurality of heat exchange tubes in a flow of a first fluid passing over the tubes in an upstream to downstream direction generally transverse to the tubes for effecting a heat transfer between the fluid passing over the heat exchange tubes and a second fluid in the interior of said tubes and flow directing baffle means extending between adjacent elongated tube support members generally parallel to two of said heat exchange tubes on the downstream side of said two tubes for directing a flow of gas around the downstream portions of said tubes whereby substantial heat flow will be obtained through the entire surface of said heat exchange tubes wherein each of said flow directing baffle means has two flow-directing surfaces each of which is arcuately cross-sectionally shaped and is curved concentrically with respect to one of said two tubes and intersect along an apex line equidistantly spaced from and parallel to the axes of said two tubes between which each respective baffle is spaced.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said elongated support members comprises a slat member of rectangular cross-sectional configuration which has a plurality of circular apertures extending inwardly from one edge for clampingly receiving respective ones of said tubes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 2 wherein said elongated support members and baffle members are integrally formed of plastic construction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 3 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of strong, flexible thin-walled metal in the form of a continuous spiral body wall convolution extending through the wall along substantially the entire length of the wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of metal having a high modulus of elasticity of at least 29x106 and a heat transfer k factor of at least 14.4.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 4 wherein the wall thickness of said heat exchange tubes is less than 0.012 inch and said tube is formed of stainless steel alloy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tubes are in the form of at least one continuous unitary length of tubing extending in a plurality of vertically and horizontally aligned linear segments connected by bent U-shaped segments with said support members being connected to said linear segments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The invention of claim 7 wherein said two flow-directing surfaces are arcuately cross-sectionally curved concentrically with respect to one of said linear segments and intersect along an apex line equidistantly spaced from and parallel to the axes of two of said linear segments between which each of said respective baffle members is mounted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 8 wherein each of said elongated support members comprises a slat member of rectangular cross-sectional configuration which has a plurality of circular apertures extending inwardly from one edge for clampingly receiving respective ones of said linear segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention of claim 10 wherein said elongated support members and baffle members are integrally formed of plastic construction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 10 wherein said heat exchange tubs are formed of strong, flexible thin-walled metal in the form of a continuous spiral body wall convolution extending through the wall along substantially the entire length of the wall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention of claim 11 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of metal having a high modulus of elasticity of at least 29x106 and a heat transfer k factor of at least 14.4.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The invention of claim 12 wherein the wall thickness of said heat exchange tubes is less than 0.012 inch and said tube is formed of a stainless steel alloy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tubes extend in vertically aligned arcuate circular concentric sectors in respective spaced horizontal planes and said heat transfer medium flows around said tuBes in a generally radial direction with respect to said sectors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The invention of claim 14 wherein said two flow directing surfaces are curved concentrically along their length with respect to one of said arcuate circular sectors and intersect along an arcuate apex line equidistantly spaced from and parallel to the axes of two of said arcuate circular sectors between which each respective baffle is spaced.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
41 words
The invention of claim 15 wherein each of said elongated support members comprises a slat member of rectangular cross-sectional configuration which has a plurality of circular apertures extending inwardly from one edge for clampingly receiving respective ones of said arcuate sectors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein said elongated support members and said baffle members are integrally formed of plastic construction.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 17 wherein said circular sectors lying in a common horizontal plane are connected by a plurality of U-shaped connector portions with said connector portions and said circular sectors being formed of a unitary piece of tubing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 15 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of a strong, flexible thin-walled metal in the form of a continuous spiral body wall convolution extending through the wall along substantially the entire length of the wall.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 19 wherein the wall thickness of said heat exchange tubes is less than 0.012 inch and said tube is formed of stainless steel alloy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of a strong, flexible thin-walled metal in the form of a continuous spiral body wall convolution extending through the wall along substantially the entire length of the wall.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
The invention of claim 21 wherein said heat exchange tubes are formed of metal having a high modulus of elasticity of at least 29x106and a heat transfer k factor of at least 14.4.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
45 words
The invention of claim 20 wherein the wall thickness of said heat exchange tubes is less than 0.012 inch and said tube is formed of stainless steel alloy. 24 The invention of claim 23 wherein said tubing is formed of series 400 stainless steel alloy.