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Shell-Side Fluid Distribution in Coil Wound Heat Exchangers

a heat exchanger and shell-side technology, which is applied in indirect heat exchangers, liquefaction, lighting and heating apparatus, etc., can solve the problems of reducing the efficiency of the heat exchanger and the liquefaction process, affecting the efficiency of the liquefaction process, and affecting the effect of the heat exchanger and the heat exchanger, so as to ensure the proper distribution of fluids. , the effect of substantial effor

Inactive Publication Date: 2016-07-21
AIR PROD & CHEM INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a system for indirect heat exchange between a feed gas and a refrigerant using a coil wound heat exchanger. The system includes a shell space, at least one tube bundle located in the shell space, and a distributor assembly. The tube bundle is made up of a central mandrel and a plurality of tubes helically wrapped around the central mandrel. The system also includes a first expansion conduit and a second expansion conduit. The technical effects of the invention include improved heat exchange efficiency, reduced refrigerant flow resistance, and improved system performance.

Problems solved by technology

This is especially pertinent to Floating Liquid Natural Gas (FLNG) facilities where sea conditions may lead to vessel motion which may in turn cause mal-distribution of the liquid refrigerant.
Such mal-distribution of liquid refrigerant and resulting uneven heat transfer reduces the effectiveness of the heat exchanger and the efficiency of the liquefaction process.
Therefore, in the design of a CWHE, substantial effort is made, and cost incurred, to ensure proper distribution of fluids.

Method used

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  • Shell-Side Fluid Distribution in Coil Wound Heat Exchangers
  • Shell-Side Fluid Distribution in Coil Wound Heat Exchangers
  • Shell-Side Fluid Distribution in Coil Wound Heat Exchangers

Examples

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example

[0076]In an exemplary operation, the hot bundle of a coil wound heat exchanger (e.g., hot bundle 108) employing a C3MR liquefaction cycle comprises three tube circuits; one each for the feed, mixed refrigerant liquid (MRL) and mixed refrigerant vapor (MRV) streams. Initially, inner distributor cavities 183 and 185 and outer distributor cavities 184 and 186 of the distributor arms receive equal amounts of shell-side MR and irrigate the inner and outer portions of the tube bundles equally. In other words, flows 250 and 252 are equal to flows 176 and 182. It is assumed for this example that the inner distributor outlets have the same surface area as the outer distributor outlets. It is also assumed that the tube side MR is distributed in a ratio of 51:49. This scenario represents an “Initial” scenario described in Table 1 below.

[0077]FIG. 7 shows the cooling curves for the hot tube bundle 902 (e.g., 108) and the cold tube bundle 904 (e.g., 102) for inner distributor cavities 183 and 18...

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide improved shell-side fluid distribution in coil wound heat exchanger system and methods therefor. The fluid distribution system includes a system having a plurality of distribution arms having inner and outer cavities and valves to control the flow of shell-side fluid to control radial temperature profiles in a coil wound heat exchanger having multiple bundles of tubes.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]Coil Wound Heat Exchangers (CWHEs) are often employed for natural gas liquefaction. CWHEs typically contain helically wound tube bundles housed within an aluminum or stainless steel pressurized shell. For Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) service, a typical CWHE includes multiple tube bundles, each having several tube circuits. Cooling might be provided using a variety of refrigerants, for example, a mixed refrigerant (MR) stream having a mixture of nitrogen, methane, ethane / ethylene, propane, butanes and pentanes is a commonly used refrigerant for many base-load LNG plants. The refrigeration cycle employed for natural gas liquefaction might be a cascade cycle, single mixed refrigerant cycle (SMR), propane-precooled mixed refrigerant cycle (C3MR), dual mixed refrigerant cycle (DMR), nitrogen or methane expander cycles, or any other appropriate refrigeration process. The composition of the MR stream is optimized for the feed gas composition and operating conditions.[0002]Locat...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F28D7/02
CPCF28D7/02F25J5/002F25J2290/32F28D7/024F28F9/026F28F27/02F28F2250/06
Inventor ROBERTS, MARK JULIANKRISHNAMURTHY, GOWRI
Owner AIR PROD & CHEM INC