Heat exchanger

Claim 2

A heat exchange vessel of the kind comprising an elongate removable bundle or assemblage of tubes extending within a chamber through which one heat-exchange fluid is passed, the tubes collectively receiving and, after heat exchange has occurred, delivering another heat exchange fluid through one end boundary wall of the chamber that is formed by a disconnectable tube-plate to which the tubes are joined, having an outer face which is releasably the tube plate is secured, with an intervening gasket seal, to an end part of the exchanger that defines with the tube plate distribution and reception chambers for the heat-exchange fluid which flows through the tube bundle, the outer face of the tube plate also being releasably secured, with an intervening gasket seal, to an annular structural member which surrounds the said end portion of the exchanger and which has peripheral portions extending radially outwardly beyond the edges of the tube plate, the adjacent end portion of the shell of the heat exchanger overlapping and surrounding the tube plate and being releasably secured, with an intervening gasket seal, to said peripheral portions of the annular structural member.

Claim 3

An exchanger as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end part of the heat exchanger which provides for the supply and withdrawal of heat exchange fluid to the tubes is detachable from the tube plate without the need also to remove the annular structural member.

Claim 4

An exchanger as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tube plate is received into an annular recess in the terminal portion of the shell.

Claim 5

A heat exchanger comprising: a hollow shell having an outwardly facing axial recess in one end and an axially facing end wall surrounding the recess; a tube plate disposed within said recess, the plate having dimensions which closely match those of the recess and having an outer axial face; a plurality of tubes disposed within the shell, each tube having both ends joined to the tube plate whereby the tubes can receive and discharge a heat exchange fluid through the tube plate; a heat exchanger end part and means releasably securing the end part to the outer face of the tube plate with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, the end part defining with the tube plate distribution and reception chambers for the heat exchange fluid which passes through the tubes; a rigid structural clamping ring surrounding the heat exchanger end part so as to permit removal of the latter while the clamping ring is in position, means releasably securing the clamping ring to the outer face of the tube plate with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, and means releasably securing the clamping ring to the axially facing end wall of the shell with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, whereupon removal of the heat exchanger end part and the clamping ring all of the aforesaid gaskets are accessible.

Claim 6

A heat exchanger comprising: a hollow shell having an outwardly facing axial recess in one end and an axially facing end wall surrounding the recess; a tube plate disposed within said recess, the plate having dimensions which closely match those of the recess and having an outer axial face; a plurality of tubes disposed within the shell, each tube having both ends joined to the tube plate whereby the tubes can receive and discharge a heat exchange fluid through the tube plate; a heat exchanger end part and means releasably securing the end part to the outer face of the tube plate with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, the end part defining with the tube plate distribution and reception chambers for the heat exchange fluid which passes through the tubes; a rigid structural clamping ring surrounding the heat exchanger end part so as to permit removal of the latter while the clamping ring is in position, means releasably securing the clamping ring to the outer face of the tube plate with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, and means releasably securing the clamping ring to the axially facing end wall of the shell with an annular gasket clamped therebetween, whereupon removal of the heat exchanger end part and the clamping ring all of the aforesaid gaskets are accessible.