US3822741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tubular heat exchanger with stress-relieving structure
Assignee: Waagner Biro AG
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Filing: 1973-03-09
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Granted: 1974-07-09
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Expires: 1993-03-09
Abstract
Abstract A tubular heat exchanger which has a structure for relieving stresses which otherwise would occur from temperature fluctuations. A plurality of tubes are connected at their opposite ends to a pair of tube plates which in turn are fixed to opposed enlarged end portions of an elongated vessel which surrounds the tubes and which extends between the tube plates. The enlarged end portions of the vessel are flexible and of a sufficient yieldability to absorb stresses which otherwise would occur due to elongation and contraction of the tubes.
Inventors
- 👤 J Lippitsch
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 09:40
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28F; F28F9/00; F28F9/22; F28F2009/222; F28F2009/226; F28F2265/00; F28F2265/26; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S165/00; Y10S165/051; Y10S165/052; Y10S165/06; Y10S165/061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
293 words
In a heat exchanger, a plurality of tubes, a pair of means communicating with said tubes for directing a heat-exchanging medium therethrough, said pair of means respectively including a pair of tube plates respectively fixed to the ends of said tubes, and vessel means surrounding and containing said tubes for directing a heat-exchanging medium along the exterior of said tubes, said vessel means having an elongated intermediate portion situated between and spaced from said tube plates and a pair of opposed end portions which are enlarged as compared to said intermediate portion and which extend from said intermediate portion up to said tube plates, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means respectively having outer ends fixed to said tube plates and inner ends fixed to and surrounding said intermediate portion of said vessel means at the exterior of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion of said vessel means having a constant diameter and a pair of opposed elongated free end portions which respectively extend into said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means beyond the inner ends of the latter toward but terminating short of said tube plates, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means being formed respectively with an inlet and outlet for the heat-exchanging medium which flows along the exterior of said tubes, so that the latter heat-exchanging medium will flow through gaps which are respectively formed between said tube plates and the opposed free end portions of said intermediate vessel portion, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means being flexible and having a sufficient yieldability to respond to contraction and elongation of said tubes resulting from temperature fluctuations so as to reduce stresses which otherwise would occur in said tubes and tube plates.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
293 words
In a heat exchanger, a plurality of tubes, a pair of means communicating with said tubes for directing a heat-exchanging medium therethrough, said pair of means respectively including a pair of tube plates respectively fixed to the ends of said tubes, and vessel means surrounding and containing said tubes for directing a heat-exchanging medium along the exterior of said tubes, said vessel means having an elongated intermediate portion situated between and spaced from said tube plates and a pair of opposed end portions which are enlarged as compared to said intermediate portion and which extend from said intermediate portion up to said tube plates, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means respectively having outer ends fixed to said tube plates and inner ends fixed to and surrounding said intermediate portion of said vessel means at the exterior of said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion of said vessel means having a constant diameter and a pair of opposed elongated free end portions which respectively extend into said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means beyond the inner ends of the latter toward but terminating short of said tube plates, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means being formed respectively with an inlet and outlet for the heat-exchanging medium which flows along the exterior of said tubes, so that the latter heat-exchanging medium will flow through gaps which are respectively formed between said tube plates and the opposed free end portions of said intermediate vessel portion, said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means being flexible and having a sufficient yieldability to respond to contraction and elongation of said tubes resulting from temperature fluctuations so as to reduce stresses which otherwise would occur in said tubes and tube plates.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means respectively terminating at said tube plates in reduced ends which lower the stiffness of said vessel means at the region of said tube plates and increase the yieldability of said vessel means in an axial direction which is parallel to said tubes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein each of said enlarged end portions of said vessel means has next to the tube plate to which it is fixed a substantially S-shaped cross section and forming one half of a bellows convolution.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
122 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said inlet and outlet for the heat-exchanging medium which flows along the exterior of said tubes are located in alignment with each other respectively at the same locations circumferentially of the pair of opposed enlarged portions of said vessel means, and said opposed free end portions of said intermediate vessel portion which is surrounded by said enlarged end portions respectively terminating in opposed end edges which are respectively situated in oppositely inclined planes with said end edges being situated at their greatest distance from each other in the region of said inlet and outlet and closest to each other at the parts of said end edges which are most distant from said inlet and outlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said enlarged opposed end portions of said vessel means respectively have in the region of said tube plates the configurations of a pair of bellows for increasing the flexibility and yieldability of said opposed enlarged end portions of said vessel means in the regioN of said tube plates.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
163 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said opposed free ends of said intermediate portion of said vessel means are situated from each other at least in the region of said inlet and outlet by a distance at least as great as the distance between said inlet and outlet so that the heat exchanging medium entering through said inlet will first engage an outer surface of one of said opposed free ends of said intermediate portion of said vessel means before flowing from the interior of the enlarged end portion of said vessel means which is provided with said inlet around an end edge of said intermediate portion of said vessel means into the interior thereof to flow axially along the exterior of the tubes in said intermediate portion of said vessel means, while the heat-exchanging medium which flows out through said outlet must first flow around the opposite end edge of said intermediate portion of said vessel means before reaching said outlet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
The combination of claim 4 and wherein said greatest distance between said end edges is at least as great as the distance between said inlet and outlet so that the heat-exchanging medium entering through said inlet must first flow through the narrowest part of a space defined between the tube plate at the region of said inlet and the adjacent end edge of said intermediate portion of said vessel means while the heat-exchanging medium which flows out through said outlet must also first flow through the narrowest part of the space defined between the opposed end edge of said intermediate portion of said vessel means and the adjacent tube plate before reaching said outlet.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-08 | 1978-01-07 | 1978-07-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-08 | 1982-01-07 | 1982-07-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-08 | 1986-01-07 | 1986-07-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |