Heat exchanger

Claim 2

A heat exchanger which comprises a toroidal shell having inlet and outlet ports for admission of a hot gas to the interior of the shell and for discharge of the gas, the shell having a transverse inner wall limiting revolution of the hot gas in the toroidal shell to a maximum of one revolution; a plurality of turns of at least one continuous length of tubing, the tubing turns being arranged in a plurality of spaced, annular bundles within and about the axis of the toroidal shell, the tubing passing from one bundle to another in each turn thereof about the toroidal axis and each turn of tubing in each bundle being spaced from adjacent turns of tubing; an annular support ring carried within the shell and supportively contacting the bundles with the latter being uniformly helically twisted about the support ring; means for flowing a gas to be heated into one end of the tubing; and means at the other end of the tubing for leading hot, expanded gas exteriorly of the shell.

Claim 3

The heat exchanger of claim 1 including a jetting connector at one end of the tubing for jetting the gas to be heated into the tubing.

Claim 4

The heat exchanger of claim 1 wherein the bundles of tubing include a primary series of bundles supported by the annular ring and containing a continuous length of hollow tubing, and a secondary series of bundles arranged exteriorly of the primary bundles and in supportive contact with inner walls of the toroidal shell, the secondary bundles containing a second, continuous length of tubing communicating with the first-mentioned length of tubing.

Claim 5

The heat exchanger of claim 3 including a jetting connector at one end of the tubing in the primary bundles for jetting a gas to be heated into the last-mentioned tubing, and a second jetting connector communicating the primary and secondary bundles for jetting gas received from the primary bundles into the tubing of the secondary bundles.

Claim 6

The heat exchanger of claim 3 wherein the primary and secondary bundles of tubing are twisted helically in the same direction about the support ring.

Claim 7

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein each tubing bundle is twisted helically through substantially one revolution about the annular support ring in each turn of the tubing bundle about the toroidal axis of the shell.

Claim 8

The heat exchanger of claim 5 wherein individual turns of tubing within each bundle are helically twisted with respect tO the longitudinal axis of that bundle, each turn of tubing making substantially one helical revolution about the bundle axis.

Claim 9

The heat exchanger of claim 4 wherein the toroidal shell has a transversely corrugated inner surface in supportive contact with the secondary tubing bundles, the inner surface of the shell and the centrally positioned annular support ring cooperating to rigidly support the primary and secondary bundles of tubing within the shell.

Claim 10

The heat exchanger of claim 2 wherein the jetting connector includes means for recirculating a gas to be heated through the tubing bundles.

Claim 11

A heat exchanger comprising a toroidal shell having inlet and outlet ports for admitting a hot gas to the interior of the shell and for discharging the gas therefrom, the shell having an inner transverse wall limiting annular flow of the hot gas to a maximum of one revolution within the shell and the shell having an inner, transversely corrugated surface for imparting turbulance to the hot gas; a coil of continuous, primary tubing arranged in a plurality of spaced annular bundles within the toroidal shell, each successive turn of tubing passing from one bundle to another and each turn of tubing in a bundle being spaced from other tubing turns in that bundle, a centrally positioned, annular support ring carried within the shell and in supportive contact with the primary tubing bundles; a coil of continuous secondary tubing arranged in a plurality of spaced, annular secondary bundles about the axis of and within the toroidal shell and lying outwardly of the primary tubing bundles, each turn of secondary tubing passing from one secondary bundle to another and the secondary tubing bundles being supported within the shell by exterior surfaces of the primary bundles and by internal surfaces of the toroidal shell; the turns of tubing in each primary and secondary bundle being held together by bundle clips spaced circumferentially of the bundles, and each of the primary and secondary bundles being helically twisted with respect to the support ring and each of the tubing turns within each bundle being helically twisted about the longitudinal axis of that bundle; first and second jetting connectors, the former connecting ends of the primary tubing and the latter connecting ends of the secondary tubing and each connector having an out-flow port, the out-flow port of the first connector communicating through a connector tube with the second connector and the out-flow port of the second connector being connected to an outlet tube for leading hot, expanded gas exteriorly of the toroidal shell, each connector having an internal jetting orifice for increasing the speed of gas entering the connector.

Claim 12

A heat exchanger comprising a toroidal shell having inlet and outlet ports for admitting a hot gas to the interior of the shell and for discharging the gas therefrom, the shell having an inner transverse wall limiting annular flow of the hot gas to a maximum of one revolution within the shell and the shell having an inner, transversely corrugated surface for imparting turbulance to the hot gas; a coil of continuous, primary tubing arranged in a plurality of spaced annular bundles within the toroidal shell, each successive turn of tubing passing from one bundle to another and each turn of tubing in a bundle being spaced from other tubing turns in that bundle, a centrally positioned, annular support ring carried within the shell and in supportive contact with the primary tubing bundles; a coil of continuous secondary tubing arranged in a plurality of spaced, annular secondary bundles about the axis of and within the toroidal shell and lying outwardly of the primary tubing bundles, each turn of secondary tubing passing from one secondary bundle to another and the secondary tubing bundles being supported within the shell by exterior surfaces of the primary bundles and by internal surfaces of the toroidal shell; the turns of tubing in each primary and secondary bundle being held together by bundle clips spaced circumferentially of the bundles, and each of the primary and secondary bundles being helically twisted with respect to the support ring and each of the tubing turns within each bundle being helically twisted about the longitudinal axis of that bundle; first and second jetting connectors, the former connecting ends of the primary tubing and the latter connecting ends of the secondary tubing and each connector having an out-flow port, the out-flow port of the first connector communicating through a connector tube with the second connector and the out-flow port of the second connector being connected to an outlet tube for leading hot, expanded gas exteriorly of the toroidal shell, each connector having an internal jetting orifice for increasing the speed of gas entering the connector.