Heat exchange – With first fluid holder or collector open to second fluid
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-02
2001-08-21
Flanigan, Allen (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
With first fluid holder or collector open to second fluid
C165S140000, C165S114000, C165SDIG002, C165SDIG002
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276442
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to steam surface condensers and liquid-to-liquid heat exchangers of the kind generally known as shell and tube-type heat exchangers. Typical conventional steam condensers and heat exchangers and similar devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,764,876, 3,338,052, 3,698,476, 4,084,546, 4,106,559, 4,206,802, 4,300,481 and 4,620,588.
Shell and tube-type steam surface condenser technology is well known and has been used for many applications. In such condensers, steam condenses on the outside surfaces of tubes which are kept cool by a cooling medium such as water which is circulated through the tubes. Most steam surface condensers have straight, smooth tubes of equal length that are bundled together to produce a significant volume of condensate in a relatively small volume of space.
Similarly, shell and tube-type heat exchanger technology is well known and has been used in many applications. In such heat exchangers, the warmer medium generally flows on one side of a tube and the cooler medium flows on the other side so that the warmer medium is cooled and the cooler medium is warmed. Unlike the shell and tube steam surface condenser, however, the cooling medium can flow either inside the tubes or outside of the tubes. Many shell and tube-type heat exchangers also use straight, smooth equal length tubes that are bundled together, which allows a significant quantity of heat to be transferred from the warm medium to the cool medium in a relatively small volume of space. Some shell and tube heat exchangers use U-shaped tubes and/or provide enhancements on the tubes such as fins to increase efficiency or reduce the size of the unit and/or the manufacturing costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combined condenser/heat exchanger which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a combined condenser/heat exchanger which performs the functions of a steam condenser and a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger in a single unit having an efficient and economic structural arrangement.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a plurality of steam condenser tubes and a plurality of heat exchanger tubes supported by tube sheets and having a heat exchanger tube bundle and shell disposed inside a condenser tube bundle and shell so that both the heat exchanger and the condenser sections function in the same manner as if they were separate units, but heat can be transferred from the condenser section into the heat exchanger section or vice-versa for more efficient heating or cooling of the medium involved.
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BakerBotts LLP
Electric Boat Corporation
Flanigan Allen
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