System and method for vertical baffle rod heat exchanger

Abstract

A vertical baffle rod heat exchanger can be used for heat rejection, condensing operations, power generation, petroleum chemical plants, waste heat recovery, and other industrial applications. The vertical baffle rod heat exchanger can include a shell; a tube sheet; a tube bundle having a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending in an axial direction; six or more longitudinal partitions; and a plurality of baffle rod rings disposed along an axial length of the plurality of heat exchange tubes. At least one longitudinal partition can be a notched longitudinal partition. The plurality of baffle rod rings can have lateral baffle rods and longitudinal baffle rods. The lateral baffle rods and the longitudinal baffle rods can pass through gaps between each two adjacent tubes of the plurality of heat exchange tubes. The lateral baffle rods can pass through openings in the notched longitudinal partition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to heat exchanger systems. More specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to vertical baffle heat exchangers for removing reaction heat. Background Technology

[0002] Philips Petroleum Company invented the rodbaffle heat exchanger in 1970 to eliminate vibrations caused by flow in plate baffle heat exchangers. A rodbaffle heat exchanger is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger that uses baffles to support the tubes and prevent vibration. Furthermore, the baffles can be used to modify the shell-side flow distribution and generate a more turbulent shell-side flow. The term "baffle" refers to an annular ring in which the ends of multiple support rods are connected; hence the name "rodbaffle." Examples of rodbaffle heat exchangers can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,642,778 and Chinese Patent No. 104197751, which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, a conventional baffle heat exchanger, such as shell-and-tube heat exchanger 10, may include a baffle tube bundle 12 surrounded by a shell 14. Tubes 28 in the tube bundle 12 are supported by a plurality of baffle assemblies 16, 18, 20, and 22. A fluid enters the shell side of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger 10 through inlet 26 and, after heat exchange with the fluid in the tubes 28, exits the shell side via outlet 30. Fluid flowing through the tube side of the heat exchanger enters the end cap 38 of the heat exchanger through inlet 32 ​​and exits the end cap 44 of the heat exchanger via outlet 34. Thus, fluid flows from the end chamber 36 defined by the end cap 38 and tube sheet 40 of the heat exchanger 10 through the tubes 28 into the opposing end chamber 42, which is similarly defined by the end cap 44 and another tube sheet 46. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This overview is provided to introduce some concepts that will be further described in the detailed description below. These concepts are not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor are they intended to help define the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0005] In one aspect, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to a vertical baffle heat exchanger suitable for heat removal, condensation operations, power generation, petrochemical plants, waste heat recovery, and other industrial applications. The vertical baffle heat exchanger may include a shell; a tube sheet; a tube bundle having a plurality of axially extending heat exchange tubes, wherein the tube bundle is a U-shaped tube bundle, and may have U-bends in the plurality of heat exchange tubes; six or more longitudinal baffles, wherein at least one longitudinal baffle is a notched longitudinal baffle; and a plurality of baffle rings disposed along the axial length of the plurality of heat exchange tubes, wherein the plurality of baffle rings may have lateral baffles and longitudinal baffles. The lateral baffles and longitudinal baffles may pass through the gap between every two adjacent tubes in the plurality of heat exchange tubes, and the lateral baffles may pass through openings in the notched longitudinal baffles. The notched longitudinal baffles may extend a length in the longitudinal direction, at least to the lower end of the U-shaped tube bundle, to provide a lower liquid seal. The notched longitudinal diaphragm can extend radially for a length such that the notched end of the notched longitudinal diaphragm is located within the U-shaped tube bundle.

[0006] In one or more aspects, the vertical baffle heat exchanger may further include a plurality of support rods disposed on the circumference of the shell, the support rods being adapted to secure the tube bundle and serve as slideways for the plurality of baffle rings. The plurality of support rods may be spaced apart from each other and rotate in 90-degree increments around the circumference of the plurality of baffle rings. A non-condensable gas outlet may be disposed horizontally near the upper tube sheet of the shell, similar to the steam inlet. A liquid-sealed cylindrical section may be disposed near an elbow-shaped section on the shell side. An impact plate may be disposed within the shell to distribute the incoming steam from the inlet.

[0007] In some aspects, the multiple baffle rings may have a group of four baffle rings: a first baffle ring having multiple lateral baffles extending from the inner surface of a first baffle ring, a second baffle ring having multiple longitudinal baffles extending from the inner surface of a second baffle ring, a third baffle ring having multiple lateral baffles extending from the inner surface of a third baffle ring, and a fourth baffle ring having multiple longitudinal baffles extending from the inner surface of a fourth baffle ring. A vertical baffle heat exchanger may include at least four groups of four baffle rings. Furthermore, a fifth group of four baffle rings may include two first baffle rings, a third baffle ring, and a fourth baffle ring. Each of the multiple baffle rings may be evenly spaced from the adjacent baffle ring along the length of the U-shaped tube bundle. Each of the six or more longitudinal baffles may be a notched longitudinal baffle. The width of each longitudinal baffle may be between 3 and 9 mm.

[0008] On another front, the distance between the longitudinal partitions and the length of the notched longitudinal partitions can vary. The distance between the first and second longitudinal partitions can be greater than the distance between the second and third longitudinal partitions. The distance between the second and third longitudinal partitions can be greater than the distance between the third and fourth longitudinal partitions. The distance between the third and fourth longitudinal partitions can be greater than the distance between the fourth and fifth longitudinal partitions. The distance between the fourth and fifth longitudinal partitions can be greater than the distance between the fifth and sixth longitudinal partitions. The notched end of each notched longitudinal partition can be a vertical distance from the shell. The vertical distance of the notched longitudinal partitions gradually decreases from the first longitudinal partition to the sixth longitudinal partition.

[0009] Other aspects and advantages will become apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 A side view of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to the prior art is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 A top view of a baffle heat exchanger according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0012] Figure 3 A perspective view of a plurality of baffle rings of a baffle heat exchanger according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0013] Figure 4 A partial close-up top view of a plurality of tubes of a baffle heat exchanger according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0014] Figure 5 A partial view of a baffle heat exchanger according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0015] Embodiments of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. For consistency, the same elements in the figures are indicated by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a more thorough understanding of the claimed subject matter. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description. As used herein, the terms “connected” or “linked to” or “connected to” or “attached to” can indicate the establishment of a direct or indirect connection and are not limited to any one of them unless explicitly stated otherwise. As used herein, fluid can refer to slurry, liquid, gas, and / or mixtures thereof. Where possible, similar or identical reference numerals are used in the drawings to identify common or identical elements. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and for clarity, certain features and views in the drawings may be shown enlarged to scale.

[0016] On one hand, the embodiments disclosed herein relate to baffled heat exchangers for heat removal, condensation operations, power generation, petrochemical plants, waste heat recovery, and other industrial applications. In this disclosure, the baffled heat exchanger may also be interchangeably referred to as a baffled condenser. Furthermore, the baffled heat exchanger may include vertical baffles with vertical partitions. Baffled heat exchangers can facilitate the removal of heat of polymerization in the cooling loop. Moreover, compared to conventional condensers, baffled heat exchangers can allow for higher condensation efficiency.

[0017] Conventional baffle heat exchangers in industrial applications are typically large and heavy due to their horizontal arrangement. Furthermore, traditional vertical baffle heat exchangers use smaller, shorter longitudinal baffles. Conventional vertical baffle heat exchangers are insufficient to meet the increased size and capacity of modern polymerization reactors. For example, as size and capacity increase, conventional vertical baffle heat exchangers may shut down due to excessively low liquid levels, subsequently causing a short circuit in the vapor flow.

[0018] Therefore, one or more embodiments of this disclosure can be used to overcome these challenges and provide additional advantages over conventional baffle heat exchangers, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In one or more embodiments, the baffle heat exchanger can increase the gas velocity around the tubes in the baffle heat exchanger and increase the operating range with respect to the heat transfer coefficient. According to embodiments herein, the baffle heat exchanger may include extended baffles, allowing for lower liquid levels to expand the operating range of the polymerization process. In one or more embodiments, extended longitudinal baffles can reduce the risk of plant downtime during unexpected changes in cooling water temperature and allow the plant to operate at higher production volumes. The baffle arrangement in the heat exchanger provides improved vibration protection through a more uniform distribution of the baffles. Furthermore, the baffle heat exchanger can improve reliability and performance throughout the operating cycle. In summary, the baffle heat exchanger can minimize product engineering, risks associated with baffle manufacturing, reduced assembly time, lower hardware costs, and reduced weight and packaging.

[0019] According to embodiments described herein, a baffle heat exchanger may include multiple longitudinal baffles to increase steam velocity and make heat transfer more efficient. In a non-limiting example, the baffle heat exchanger may have six longitudinal baffles. In one or more embodiments, the supports for the lateral and longitudinal baffles of the baffle heat exchanger may be separated and more evenly distributed to improve vibration resistance. Furthermore, the length of the longitudinal baffles may be increased to cover at least the entire length of the U-tube bundle to increase operational flexibility by maintaining a liquid seal even at low levels.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the baffle heat exchanger may be a vertical baffle condenser with one or more extended longitudinal baffles (e.g., six or more extended longitudinal baffles). By increasing the gas velocity around the tubes, the extended longitudinal baffles can allow for higher condensation efficiency in the vertical baffle condenser. Furthermore, the extended longitudinal baffles can increase the operating range with respect to the heat transfer coefficient through extended baffles, which allows for lower liquid levels.

[0021] Turn Figure 2 , Figure 2A top view of a baffle heat exchanger 100 according to one or more embodiments of the present invention is shown. The baffle heat exchanger 100 may include six or more longitudinal baffles 101. The six or more longitudinal baffles 101 may be inserted within a tube bundle 102 of the baffle heat exchanger 100. The tube bundle 102 is surrounded by a housing 103. A plurality of instrument nozzles 120 may be positioned around the housing 103. The instrument nozzles 120 may provide various measurements of the baffle heat exchanger 100, such as level measurements, temperature measurements, and other measurements in the baffle heat exchanger 100. Furthermore, a tube sheet 119 may be disposed on top of the six or more longitudinal baffles 101. In one or more embodiments, the distance D between the longitudinal baffles 101 may vary. In a non-limiting example, the distance D between the first longitudinal baffle 101a and the second longitudinal baffle 101b may be greater than the distance between the second longitudinal baffle 101b and the third longitudinal baffle 101c. The distance between the second longitudinal partition 101b and the third longitudinal partition 101c can be greater than the distance between the third longitudinal partition 101c and the fourth longitudinal partition 101d. The distance between the third longitudinal partition 101c and the fourth longitudinal partition 101d can be greater than the distance between the fourth longitudinal partition 101d and the fifth longitudinal partition 101e. The distance between the fourth longitudinal partition 101d and the fifth longitudinal partition 101e can be greater than the distance between the fifth longitudinal partition 101e and the sixth longitudinal partition 101f. It is also conceivable that the width W of each longitudinal partition 101 can have a value between 3 and 9 mm, for example, 8 mm.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, one or more of the six or more longitudinal partitions 101 may be notched longitudinal partitions 104 disposed in the tube bundle 102. Each notched longitudinal partition 104 may have a notched end 105 at a vertical distance Dn from the housing 103. Each notched longitudinal partition 104 may have a different vertical distance Dn. The vertical distance Dn of the notched longitudinal partitions 104 may gradually decrease from the first longitudinal partition 101a to the sixth longitudinal partition 101f. In a non-limiting example, the vertical distance Dn of the first longitudinal partition 101a may be greater than the vertical distance of the second longitudinal partition 101b. The vertical distance of the second longitudinal partition 101b may be greater than the vertical distance of the third longitudinal partition 101c. The vertical distance of the third longitudinal partition 101c may be greater than the vertical distance of the fourth longitudinal partition 101d. The vertical distance of the fourth longitudinal partition 101d may be greater than the vertical distance of the fifth longitudinal partition 101e. The vertical distance of the fifth longitudinal partition 101e can be greater than the vertical distance of the sixth longitudinal partition 101f. In some embodiments, the value of the vertical distance Dn is selected such that there is sufficient area between the notched longitudinal partition 104 and the housing 103 to allow steam to enter the next partition. Furthermore, adjacent notched longitudinal partitions 104 can be oriented 180 degrees such that the end 105 of each notched partition terminates the adjacent notched longitudinal partition 104 in the opposite direction to the housing 103.

[0023] Still referencing Figure 2 The outlet 107 may be located horizontally near the tube sheet 119 on the housing 103, similar to the inlet 108 (circumferential position). In some embodiments, the outlet 107 may be a non-condensable gas outlet, and the inlet 108 may be a steam inlet. Steam may enter the baffle heat exchanger 100 from the inlet 108 and flow through a flow path defined by six or more longitudinal baffles 101 (see box arrow F) to exit through the outlet 107. Furthermore, a liquid-sealed cylindrical section 109 may be located below the elbow section 109a of the baffle heat exchanger 100 on the housing 103. The elbow section 109a may be part of the housing 103 forming the outlet 107 and the inlet 108. Additionally, an impact plate 110 may be installed in the housing 103 to distribute the incoming steam from the inlet 108.

[0024] In some embodiments, a plurality of tubes 106 may extend axially within a tube bundle 102, such that six or more longitudinal baffles 101 separate the plurality of tubes 106 of the tube bundle 102. In one or more embodiments, the tube bundle 102 may be a U-shaped tube bundle, such that the plurality of tubes 106 have bends. It is also contemplated that a notched longitudinal baffle 104 may extend radially for a length such that a notched end 105 is located within the tube bundle 102. The radial length of the notched longitudinal baffle 104 may be measured from the end attached to the housing 103 to the notched end 105. The minimum longitudinal length of the notched longitudinal baffle 104 is greater than the lowest point where the tubes 106 are disposed in the U-shaped tube bundle. By extending the notched longitudinal baffle 104 in the longitudinal direction to at least the end of the U-shaped tube bundle, a lower liquid seal is achieved and the operating range of the baffle heat exchanger 100 is increased.

[0025] like Figure 3 As shown, in one or more embodiments, the baffle heat exchanger 100 may include multiple tubes (see...) Figure 2 Multiple baffle rings are distributed along the axial axis Ax of (106) in the diagram. This is for illustrative purposes only. Figure 3 Four baffle rings are shown; however, the baffle heat exchanger 100 can have any number of baffle rings without departing from the scope of the invention. Furthermore, a plurality of support rods 115 may be arranged on the circumference of the housing (see...). Figure 2 103), which can be used to fix tube bundles (see 103). Figure 2 102) and serves as a slide for multiple baffle rod rings. In a non-limiting example, the baffle rod heat exchanger 100 may have four evenly spaced support rods 115, such that the support rods 115 can be arranged around the circumference of the multiple baffle rod rings in 90-degree increments.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, a plurality of baffle rod rings, four in a group, may be provided. The plurality of baffle rod rings are configured such that each baffle rod ring is rotated 90 degrees relative to its adjacent baffle rod ring. By offsetting the plurality of baffle rod rings by 90 degrees, the baffle rod heat exchanger 100 can eliminate liquid accumulation and achieve multiple tubes (see...) Figure 2The high-flux flow of condensate on (106) is described. In a non-limiting example, the first baffle ring 111 of the set of four baffle rings may have a plurality of lateral baffles 111a extending from the inner surface 111b of the first baffle ring 111. The second baffle ring 112 of the set of four baffle rings may have a plurality of longitudinal baffles 112a extending from the inner surface 112b of the second baffle ring 112. The third baffle ring 113 of the set of four baffle rings may have a plurality of lateral baffles 113a extending from the inner surface 113b of the third baffle ring 113. The fourth baffle ring 114 of the set of four baffle rings may have a plurality of longitudinal baffles 114a extending from the inner surface 114b of the fourth baffle ring 114.

[0027] Now for reference Figure 4 In one or more embodiments, Figure 4 A partial close-up top view is shown of a plurality of tubes 106 separated by the lateral baffles 111a and 113a of the first and third baffle rings 111 and 113 and the longitudinal baffles 112a and 114a of the second and fourth baffle rings 112 and 114.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, lateral baffles 111a and 113a pass through the gap 116a between adjacent tubes 106 along the X-axis. Longitudinal baffles 112a and 114a pass through the gap 116b between adjacent tubes 106 along the Y-axis. Alternatively, lateral baffles 111a and 113a can also pass through a notched longitudinal baffle (see...). Figure 2 The opening in 104). By increasing the distance between the lateral and longitudinal rods, the flow of liquid condensate in the multiple tubes 106 can be less restricted, and the supports of the multiple tubes 106 can be more evenly distributed along the length of the multiple tubes 106.

[0029] Now for reference Figure 5 In one or more embodiments, Figure 5 A partial view of the baffle heat exchanger 100 is shown. Figure 5 As shown, multiple tubes 106 can be within a tube bundle 102, for example, a U-shaped tube bundle extending L. Those skilled in the art will understand how the U-shaped tube bundle allows the multiple tubes 106 to bend, for example, with a U-bend 118, such that the total length of the multiple tubes 106 is greater than the length L of the U-shaped tube bundle. This allows the baffle heat exchanger 100 to have longer tubes 106 while remaining compact and reducing the overall footprint of the baffle heat exchanger 100. Furthermore, the inlet 108 is located on the upper front side of the tube bundle 102, while the outlet 107 is located on the rear side of the tube bundle 102. It is also conceivable that the outlet 107 may have a smaller diameter than the inlet 108.

[0030] like Figure 5As shown, in one or more embodiments, the baffle heat exchanger 100 may have four sets of... Figure 3 The diagram shows a set of four baffle rings, resulting in eight sets of baffle rings with lateral bars and eight sets of baffle rings with longitudinal bars. Furthermore, the baffle heat exchanger 100 may include a fifth set of four baffle rings, configured with two first baffle rings, such that the order of the baffle rings is 111, 111, 113, 114, counting from the U-bend 118 in the U-tube bundle. It is also conceivable that the low point of the U-bend 118 may match the lowest baffle ring in the baffle heat exchanger 100. Each baffle ring may be spaced apart from its adjacent baffle by a distance Drb, such that the baffle rings are evenly spaced along the length L of the U-tube bundle. Furthermore, each baffle ring may have a thickness T, such that the baffle rings have a uniform thickness. It is also conceivable that the rear portion 117 of the U-tube bundle may have an anti-vibration mesh structure.

[0031] While this disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art who benefit from it will understand that other embodiments can be devised without departing from the scope of this disclosure as described herein. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vertical baffle heat exchanger, comprising: case; Tube sheet; A tube bundle having multiple heat exchange tubes extending axially, wherein the tube bundle is a U-shaped tube bundle including U-shaped bends in the multiple heat exchange tubes; Six or more longitudinal partitions extending along the longitudinal direction of the housing, wherein at least one longitudinal partition is a notched longitudinal partition having a notched end, the notched end being a vertical distance (Dn) from the housing; and Multiple baffle rings are arranged along the axial length of multiple heat exchange tubes, wherein the multiple baffle rings have lateral baffles and longitudinal baffles, the lateral baffles extending radially along the X-axis, and the longitudinal baffles extending radially along the Y-axis. The lateral baffles and longitudinal baffles pass through the gaps between every two adjacent tubes in the multiple heat exchange tubes, and the lateral baffles pass through openings in the notched longitudinal baffles. In this configuration, at least one notched longitudinal baffle extends a minimum length in the longitudinal direction, the minimum length being greater than the lowest point of the tubes in the U-shaped tube bundle. In this embodiment, at least one notched longitudinal diaphragm extends a length in the radial direction such that the notched end is within the tube bundle.

2. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes multiple support rods arranged on the circumference of the housing, which are used to fix the tube bundle and serve as slides for multiple baffle rings.

3. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 2, wherein, Multiple support rods are spaced apart from each other and rotate in 90-degree increments around the circumference of multiple deflector rings.

4. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1 further includes a non-condensable gas outlet, which is located at a similar level to the steam inlet near the upper tube sheet of the shell.

5. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 4 further includes a liquid-sealed cylindrical section disposed on the elbow-shaped section near the shell side.

6. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 4 further includes an impact plate disposed in the shell for distributing the incoming steam from the steam inlet.

7. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, Multiple baffle rings include a group of four baffle rings: A first baffle ring has a plurality of lateral baffles extending from the inner surface of the first baffle ring. The second baffle ring has a plurality of longitudinal baffles extending from the inner surface of the second baffle ring. The third baffle ring has multiple lateral baffles extending from the inner surface of the third baffle ring, and The fourth baffle ring has a plurality of longitudinal baffles extending from the inner surface of the fourth baffle ring.

8. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 7 further includes at least four sets of four baffle rings.

9. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 8 further includes a fifth group of four baffle rings, including two first baffle rings, a third baffle ring, and a fourth baffle ring.

10. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the multiple baffle rings is evenly spaced from the adjacent baffle ring along the length of the U-shaped tube bundle.

11. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the six or more longitudinal partitions is a notched longitudinal partition.

12. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, The width of each longitudinal partition is between 3 and 9 millimeters.

13. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein, The distance between the longitudinal partitions and the length of at least one longitudinal partition with a notch are variable.

14. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 13, wherein: The distance between the first longitudinal partition and the second longitudinal partition is greater than the distance between the second longitudinal partition and the third longitudinal partition. The distance between the second and third longitudinal partitions is greater than the distance between the third and fourth longitudinal partitions. The distance between the third and fourth longitudinal partitions is greater than the distance between the fourth and fifth longitudinal partitions, and The distance between the fourth and fifth longitudinal partitions is greater than the distance between the fifth and sixth longitudinal partitions.

15. The vertical baffle heat exchanger according to claim 14, wherein, The notched end of each longitudinal partition is a vertical distance from the shell, and the vertical distance of the notched longitudinal partitions gradually decreases from the first longitudinal partition to the sixth longitudinal partition.

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