Bayonet tube heat exchanger

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further comprising applying a vapor compressor to said first fluid flow zone thereby compressing said vapor and passing said compressed vapor to said second fluid flow zone wherein said vapor is condensed.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of said bayonet tube is approximately 1/16 of the cross-sectional area of its concentric sheath.

Claim 5

A bayonet tube heat exchanger comprising: (a) a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, an inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end; (b) at least one thin gauge tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell; (c) means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surface of said sheath and said shell; (d) a bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure, and having an outer portion extending at least through said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from said closed end of said sheath; (e) means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid flow zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner surface of said sheath; (f) means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube; (g) means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone; and (h) means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow in said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.

Claim 6

A bayonet tube heat exchanger comprising: (a) a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, an inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end; (b) at least one thin gauge tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell; (c) means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surface of said sheath and said shell; (d) a bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure, and having an outer portion extending at least through said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from said closed end of said sheath; (e) means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid flow zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner surface of said sheath; (f) means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube; (g) means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone; and (h) means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow in said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.

Claim 7

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 4 wherein said means for applying said vacuum source is a pipe for fluid communication to said vacuum source.

Claim 8

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 4, wherein said means for applying a vacuum source to said outer end of said bayonet tube comprises a vacuum chamber adjacent said first tube sheet closure and in fluid communication with a vacuum source, said outer end of said bayonet tube opening into said vacuum chamber.

Claim 9

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the closed distal end of said shell includes a sight window.

Claim 10

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 6, wherein the side of said vacuum chamber opposite the first tube sheet includes a sight window.

Claim 11

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 4, including a plurality of tubular sheaths each with its concentric bayonet tube and wherein said means for forming said first fluid flow zone includes a second tube sheet closure joining the outer surfaces of the open ends of said sheaths and the inner surface of said shell, and wherein said means for forming said second fluid flow zone includes a plenum between said second tube sheet closure, said first tube sheet closure and said shell.

Claim 12

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of either of claims 4 or 9, having a circular plate for positioning bayonet tubes in sheaths, said plate having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said shell and having a plurality of holes, said holes corresponding to the sheaths in number and located in said plate in corresponding relationship to said sheaths, said holes having a diameter slightly larger than and engageable for sliding relationship with said bayonet tubes when the open ends of said bayonet tubes are inserted in said holes, and means for positioning said plate in the heat exchanger at a fixed distance from said first tube sheet closure.

Claim 13

The plate of claim 10, wherein the means for positioning the plate a fixed distance from the first tube sheet includes a plurality of spacer rods fixed at one end to the plate.

Claim 14

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein said means for forming said first and second fluid flow zones include at least one inlet and one outlet for each said zone, the inlet and outlet for said second zone opening into said plenum, and wherein said means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone includes said outlet for said second fluid flow zone.

Claim 15

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 4, 9 or 12, wherein the cross-sectional area of each bayonet tube is approximately 1/16 the cross-sectional area of its concentric sheath.

Claim 16

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 14, 9 or 12, wherein each tubular sheath is inclined downwardly toward said first tube sheet closure of said shell.

Claim 17

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 9, wherein said means for forming a first fluid flow zone includes at least one inlet and one outlet through said shell, and wherein said means for forming a second fluid flow zone includes an inlet through said outer portion of at least one of said bayonet tubes and an outlet through at least one other of said bayonet tubes.

Claim 18

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 9 wherein said means for forming a first fluid flow zone includes at least one inlet and one outlet through said shell, and wherein said means for forming a second fluid flow zone includes an inlet through said outer portion of each said bayonet tube and at least one outlet through said shell.

Claim 19

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 16 including an inlet feed chamber into which said outer portions of said bayonet tubes open.

Claim 20

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 4 wherein said means for forming a first fluid flow zone includes at least one inlet and one outlet through said shell, and wherein said means for forming a second fluid flow zone includes an inlet through said outer portion of each said bayonet tube and at least one outlet through said shell.

Claim 21

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to any one of claims 4, 9, 18 and 16, wherein each of said sheaths is formed of corrosion resistant metal.

Claim 22

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 19 wherein said corrosion resistant metal is titanium.

Claim 23

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 18 including an inlet feed chamber into which said outer portions of said bayonet tubes open.

Claim 24

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to any one of claims 21, 17 and 15, wherein said open end of said bayonet tube is bevelled around its exterior circumference.

Claim 25

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of any one of claims 18, 16, 21, 17 and 15, wherein the bayonet tubes and the sheaths are dimensioned to provide an annular passage between the sheath and the bayonet tube having a cross-sectional area which is less than twenty-five (25%) percent of the inner cross-sectional area of the sheath.

Claim 26

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 18, wherein each of said bayonet tubes is formed of insulating material for preventing reheating of fluid flowing in said second fluid flow zone.

Claim 27

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 24, wherein the bayonet tube has positioning means for maintaining said tube uniformly cncentric within said sheath.

Claim 28

The bayonet tube heat exchanger of claim 25, wherein said positioning means includes three spacers each projecting radially from said bayonet tube at 120° apart from each other around the circumference of said bayonet tube.

Claim 29

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 24, wherein said insulating material is plastic.

Claim 30

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein said plastic bayonet tube is spirally grooved on its external surface whereby turbulent flow is imparted to said second fluid.

Claim 31

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 27, wherein each of said sheaths are provided with means for imparting turbulent flow to said second fluid.

Claim 32

The bayonet tube heat exchanger according to claim 29, wherein said means for imparting turbulent flow to said second fluid comprises spirally grooved external surfaces of said sheaths.

Claim 33

A freon heat pump comprising: (a) a freon compressor; and (b) a freon chiller comprising: i. a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, and inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end; ii. at least one externally finned tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell; iii. means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surfaces of said finned sheath and said shell; iv. an insulating plastic bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from the closed end of said sheath; and v. means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner end of said sheath; vi. means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube; vii. means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone; and viii. means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow and said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.

Claim 34

A freon heat pump comprising: (a) a freon compressor; and (b) a freon chiller comprising: i. a substantially horizontal outer shell having an elongated center section, and inner end having a first tube sheet closure and a closed distal end; ii. at least one externally finned tubular sheath having a closed end adjacent but spaced from said closed distal end of said shell and an open end facing said first tube sheet closure of said shell; iii. means for forming a first fluid flow zone between the outer surfaces of said finned sheath and said shell; iv. an insulating plastic bayonet tube concentrically positioned in at least one of said sheaths, said bayonet tube piercing said first tube sheet closure and an inner portion terminating in an open end spaced from the closed end of said sheath; and v. means for forming a second fluid flow zone wherein a second fluid is condensed in heat exchange relation with said first fluid flow zone, said second fluid zone including the annulus formed between said bayonet tube and the inner end of said sheath; vi. means for directing said second fluid into said annulus in the direction of said open end of said bayonet tube; vii. means for removing condensate from said second fluid flow zone; and viii. means for applying a vacuum source to the outer end of said bayonet tube for directing fluid flow in said bayonet tube in the direction opposite that of said second fluid flow and said annulus whereby condensate and non-condensible gases entrained in said second fluid are removed from said annulus to said vacuum source.