US4747447A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat exchanger
Assignee: SOUTH BREEZE Corp EDINBURG VA A VA CORP
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Filing: 1983-03-17
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Granted: 1988-05-31
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Expires: 2003-03-17
Abstract
Abstract A very simple and inexpensive heat exchanger comprises a closed vessel having thermally conducting walls and helium gas within the vessel. The helium gas is a heat transfer medium between a source of heat or cold and the vessel walls and the vessel walls are a heat transfer medium between the helium gas and a fluid in contact with the walls to be heated or cooled.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry J. Scanlan
- 👤 Leif Liljegren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 23:11
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24H; F24H1/00; F24H1/10; F24H1/12; F24H1/121; F24H1/22; F24H1/34; F24H1/36; F24H1/48; F24H1/50; F24H8/00; F28; F28D; F28D15/00; F28D7/00; F28D7/10; F28D7/103; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B30/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A heat exchanger comprising a closed tubular vessel having thermally conducting peripheral walls and thermally conducting internal walls, helium gas within the vessel at a pressure of not less than about 200 kPa absolute, means for supplying heat to the vessel internal walls, whereby the internal walls transfer heat to the helium gas in at least one region thereof remote from the vessel peripheral walls, bounding walls including a wall closely spaced outwardly from and surrounding the vessel peripheral walls and defining with the vessel peripheral walls a chamber adapted to receive a dischargeable fluid to be heated, at least one inlet to the chamber adapted to admit said fluid into the chamber, and at least one outlet from the chamber spaced apart from the inlet and adapted to discharge said fluid from the chamber to establish a fluid flow therethrough, the inlet and outlet being located such that fluid flows through the chamber along a path that is continuously closely adjacent the vessel peripheral walls, whereby the helium gas transfers heat to the vessel peripheral walls which in turn transfer heat to the fluid flowing through the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
A heat exchanger comprising a closed tubular vessel having thermally conducting peripheral walls and thermally conducting internal walls, helium gas within the vessel at a pressure of not less than about 200 kPa absolute, means for supplying heat to the vessel internal walls, whereby the internal walls transfer heat to the helium gas in at least one region thereof remote from the vessel peripheral walls, bounding walls including a wall closely spaced outwardly from and surrounding the vessel peripheral walls and defining with the vessel peripheral walls a chamber adapted to receive a dischargeable fluid to be heated, at least one inlet to the chamber adapted to admit said fluid into the chamber, and at least one outlet from the chamber spaced apart from the inlet and adapted to discharge said fluid from the chamber to establish a fluid flow therethrough, the inlet and outlet being located such that fluid flows through the chamber along a path that is continuously closely adjacent the vessel peripheral walls, whereby the helium gas transfers heat to the vessel peripheral walls which in turn transfer heat to the fluid flowing through the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
42 words
A heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the heat supplying means supplies a flow of a fluid source of heat and the vessel internal wall is a portion of a conduit that is adapted to receive the flowing source of heat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
A heat exchanger according to claim 2 wherein the inlet and outlet of the chamber are located to provide a flow of the fluid to be heated through the chamber in a direction opposed to the flow of the flowing source of heat through the conduit portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A heat exchanger according to claim 2 wherein the vessel internal wall has flutes extending inwardly and lengthwise to exchange the heat flux between the flowing fluid source of heat and the vessel internal wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
A heat exchanger according to claim 1 wherein the vessel has transverse dividers defining a multiplicity of separate adjacent compartments in the vessel to promote a large temperature gradient along the path of flow of the fluid to be heated through the chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
152 words
A heat exchanger comprising a tubular vessel having thermally conducting peripheral walls and thermally conducting internal walls, helium gas within the vessel at an initial pressure at ambient temperature of not less than about 200 kPa absolute, and means for supplying head to the vessel internal walls, whereby the internal walls transfer heat to the helium gas in the vessel in at least one region thereof remote from the vessel peripheral walls, the vessel being closed to prevent expansion of the contained helium gas as it is heated and to prevent circulation of the helium gas other than by natural convection, whereby the helium gas is a heat transfer medium between the heat supplying means and the vessel peripheral walls and the heat is distributed without forced circulation to the vessel walls by the helium to heat the vessel peripheral walls to a predetermined temperature for heating a fluid outside the vessel.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
152 words
A heat exchanger comprising a tubular vessel having thermally conducting peripheral walls and thermally conducting internal walls, helium gas within the vessel at an initial pressure at ambient temperature of not less than about 200 kPa absolute, and means for supplying head to the vessel internal walls, whereby the internal walls transfer heat to the helium gas in the vessel in at least one region thereof remote from the vessel peripheral walls, the vessel being closed to prevent expansion of the contained helium gas as it is heated and to prevent circulation of the helium gas other than by natural convection, whereby the helium gas is a heat transfer medium between the heat supplying means and the vessel peripheral walls and the heat is distributed without forced circulation to the vessel walls by the helium to heat the vessel peripheral walls to a predetermined temperature for heating a fluid outside the vessel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A heat exchanger according to claim 6 wherein the heat supplying means supplies a flow of a fluid source of heat and the vessel internal wall is a portion of a conduit that is adapted to receive the flowing fluid source of heat.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-05-31 | 1991-11-30 | 1992-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-05-31 | 1995-11-30 | 1996-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-05-31 | 1999-11-30 | 2000-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |