Heat exchanger module and method thereof

Abstract

A heat exchanger module (2) comprising: a body (3) comprising at least two helical sheets (31, 32) delimiting therebetween a first circulation channel (50) for a first fluid (A) and a second circulation channel (51) for a second fluid (B); and a separator (4) for receiving the first fluid (A), adapted to pass a first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) towards another heat exchanger module located below the heat exchanger module and to prevent a second component (A2) of the first fluid (A) from reaching the other heat exchanger module, the first component (A1) of the first fluid comprising a gas phase, the second component (A2) of the first fluid (A) comprising a gas phase, and the first component (A1) of the second fluid comprising a gas phase. And the second component (A2) of the first fluid consists of a liquid phase.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to heat exchangers, and more particularly to spiral heat exchangers configured to handle liquid-phase fluids. Background Art

[0002] A spiral heat exchanger module typically includes a central tubular portion and a spiral body, the spiral body including at least two sheets wound in a spiral form around the central tubular portion. The central tubular portion may be formed by the wound portions of two sheets or by a separate tubular member to which two sheets are welded.

[0003] Two sheets wound in a spiral form around the central tubular portion together define a first spiral-shaped circulation channel for the circulation of a hot fluid and a second spiral-shaped circulation channel for the circulation of a cold fluid. The circulation of the hot fluid and the cold fluid within the spiral circulation channels allows heat exchange between the fluids.

[0004] The modules can be configured to be stacked in a vertical direction to produce a multi-stage heat exchanger unit. To this end, each module has openings at its ends, which are configured to be attached to each other. In this way, the hot fluid can undergo multiple successive heat exchanges within the heat exchanger unit.

[0005] However, in some applications, the hot fluid to be processed may consist mainly of a gas phase, and each heat exchange causes condensation of the components of the gas phase. In this way, as the hot fluid passes through successive modules, the proportion of the liquid phase in the hot fluid increases. However, increasing the proportion of the liquid phase may reduce the efficiency of heat exchange.

[0006] In fact, on the one hand, some of the heat transferred between the hot fluid and the cold fluid contributes to cooling the liquid phase, which limits the efficacy of cooling the gas phase. On the other hand, the liquid phase may contain compounds that tend to form deposits on the inner walls of the heat exchanger modules and may cause blockage of the first circulation channel after a certain length of time. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the heat exchange efficiency within a multi-stage heat exchanger unit.

[0008] To this end, according to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heat exchanger module, which includes:

[0009] - A body, the body including at least two sheets, each sheet being wound into a spiral shape around the same main axis, the sheets including a first sheet and a second sheet, a first circulation channel for a first fluid and a second circulation channel for a second fluid being defined between the first sheet and the second sheet, the second circulation channel being separate from the first circulation channel, the first sheet and the second sheet having edges that define a first face of the body and a second face of the body opposite the first face, the first face and the second face extending transversely to the main axis, the first face having a first inlet opening to allow the first fluid to circulate from the outside of the body towards the first circulation channel, and the second face having a first outlet opening to allow the first fluid to circulate from the first circulation channel towards the outside of the body; and - A separator for receiving the first fluid flowing through the first outlet opening, the separator being adapted to allow a first component of the first fluid to pass towards a first inlet opening of another heat exchanger module located below the heat exchanger module and to prevent a second component of the first fluid from reaching the first inlet opening of the other heat exchanger module, the first component of the first fluid including a gas phase and the second component of the first fluid being composed of a liquid phase.

[0010] In this way, the separator prevents some of the liquid phase of the first fluid (e.g., at least 80% of the liquid phase of the first fluid) from entering the next module in the stack. Thus, the proposed solution correspondingly reduces the liquid phase and improves the heat exchange efficiency within the multi-stage heat exchanger.

[0011] In a possible embodiment, it may be provided that the separator includes a passage allowing the first component of the first fluid to circulate towards the first inlet opening of another heat exchanger module, and a first partition wall having a first collecting surface arranged to receive the first fluid originating from the first outlet opening, the first collecting surface being oriented relative to the main axis for guiding the first component of the first fluid by gravity while moving the second component of the first fluid away from the passage.

[0012] It may also be provided that the first collecting surface is oriented relative to the main axis for guiding the second component of the first fluid by gravity towards the outlet pipe of the first fluid.

[0013] Thus, gravity can advantageously be used to prevent some of the liquid phase of the first fluid from entering the subsequent module. In this way, the separation does not require an additional power input.

[0014] It may be provided that the first partition wall has a conical shape having an axis combined with the main axis.

[0015] It may also be provided that the passage includes a through-opening located at the apex of the cone.

[0016] It may be provided that the separator includes a second partition wall which is arranged to prevent a first component of the first fluid from the first outlet opening from reaching the passage.

[0017] It may also be provided that the second partition wall extends around the main axis.

[0018] It may further be provided that the second partition wall has a second collecting surface oriented relative to the main axis for guiding the first component of the first fluid towards the first collecting surface by gravity.

[0019] In this way, the heat exchange is further improved by further separating the liquid from the first fluid.

[0020] It may be provided that the second partition wall has a conical shape which has an axis combined with the main axis.

[0021] It may be provided that the heat exchanger module includes an inlet pipe for injecting a second fluid from the outside of the body towards the second circulation passage and a first outlet pipe for discharging the second fluid from the second circulation passage towards the outside of the body.

[0022] In this way, some of the liquid phase can be discharged from the module. This discharge also utilizes some of the liquid phase, for example, by reheating it and recycling it in the module.

[0023] It may be provided that the module includes a nozzle for spraying a cleaning product into the first fluid at the position where the first fluid enters the first circulation passage via the first inlet opening.

[0024] In this way, the cleaning product helps to reduce the risk of blockage of the first circulation passage in which the first fluid circulates and further improves the heat exchange.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a heat exchanger unit which includes at least two heat exchanger modules according to the first aspect, the heat exchanger modules being coupled together such that a first component containing a gas phase of the first fluid from the heat exchanger modules of the heat exchanger unit enters the first circulation passage via the first inlet opening of the body of another heat exchanger module of the heat exchanger unit.

[0026] It may be provided that each heat exchanger module includes a nozzle for spraying a cleaning product into the first fluid at the position where the first fluid enters the first circulation passage via the first inlet opening, and the heat exchanger unit includes a control unit which is configured to control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by each nozzle of each heat exchanger module according to the difference between the pressure of the first fluid when leaving the first outlet opening and the pressure of the first fluid when entering the first inlet opening of the body of the heat exchanger module.

[0027] Thus, once the heat exchange in the module decreases, the cleaning product can be injected, effectively saving the cleaning product.

[0028] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, a method for treating a first fluid is provided, which includes the following steps:

[0029] - circulating the first fluid in a first circulation channel of the body of the first heat exchanger module according to the first aspect;

[0030] - dividing the first fluid flowing through the first outlet opening of the body of the first heat exchanger module into a first component of the first fluid containing a gas phase and a second component of the first fluid consisting of a liquid phase;

[0031] - discharging the second component of the first fluid; and

[0032] - injecting the first component of the first fluid into the first circulation channel of the body of the second heat exchanger module.

[0033] It may be stipulated that the second heat exchanger module is according to the first aspect. Description of the Drawings

[0034] Other features, objectives, and advantages will become apparent from the following description, which is merely illustrative and non-limiting and must be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, where:

[0035] Figure 1 and Figure 2 shows a heat exchanger unit;

[0036] Figure 3 schematically shows a cross-sectional plan view of an example of a heat exchanger module;

[0037] Figure 4 schematically shows a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger module; and

[0038] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for treating a fluid. Detailed Description of the Embodiments

[0039] In Figure 1 and Figure 2 a heat exchanger unit 1, also called a multi-stage exchanger, is shown. The heat exchanger unit 1 is several meters high, for example, 4 meters, and has a floor area of several square meters, for example, 5 m 2 . The heat exchanger unit 1 has a mass of several hundred tons, for example, 350 tons.

[0040] In normal use, the heat exchanger unit 1 is vertical. The heat exchanger unit 1 includes a plurality of heat exchanger modules 2a, 2b, 2c stacked relative to each other and firmly connected. InFigure 1 and Figure 2 In the example shown, the heat exchanger unit 1 includes three heat exchanger modules 2a, 2b, 2c. Of course, the exchanger unit 1 may include more than three modules or less than three modules. In this example, the modules are cylindrical in shape, but they may also be cubic, oval, or have any other shape suitable for assembly from sheet metal or manufacture by casting. The first inlet pipe 5 communicates with the upper end portion of the heat exchanger unit 1, and the first outlet pipe 7 opposite the inlet pipe 5 communicates with the lower end portion of the heat exchanger unit 1. Each heat exchanger module 2a, 2b, 2c includes a respective inlet pipe 6a, 6b, 6c and a respective outlet pipe 8a, 8b, 8c. Each heat exchanger module 2a, 2b, 2c may also include a plurality of inlet pipes and / or a plurality of outlet pipes. The connectors 9a, 9c between the inlet pipes and the outlet pipes are configured to couple the heat exchanger modules to each other. The heat exchanger unit 1 is configured to effect heat exchange between a first fluid A and a second fluid B in each heat exchanger module 2a, 2b, 2c. During operation, the first fluid A (e.g., a hot fluid to be cooled) enters the exchanger unit 1 in the upper region of the heat exchanger unit via the inlet pipe 5 and leaves the heat exchanger unit 1 in the lower region of the heat exchanger unit via the outlet pipe 7. In this way, the first fluid A flows into the heat exchanger unit 1 by gravity by continuously circulating in each heat exchanger module 2a, 2b, 2c. In each heat exchanger module 2a, 2b, 2c, the first fluid exchanges heat with the second fluid B, which is, for example, a coolant that circulates through the heat exchanger unit 1 by passing through the inlet pipes 6a, 6b, 6c and the outlet pipes 8a, 8b, 8c of each module 2a, 2b, 2c.

[0041] Figure 3 and Figure 4An example of the heat exchanger module 2 is shown. The heat exchanger module 2 includes a body 3 in which a first fluid A and a second fluid B can circulate to effect heat exchange between the first fluid A and the second fluid B. The body 3 includes four sheets 31, 32, 33, 34. The sheets 31, 32, 33, 34 are wound in a spiral form around the same main axis X, and these sheets together define a first circulation channel 50 and a second circulation channel 51. The exchanger module 3 is configured to cause the first fluid A to circulate longitudinally with respect to the main axis X via the first circulation channel 50. To achieve this, a first face of the body and a second face of the body opposite the first face are defined by the edges 310, 311 of each of the sheets 31, 32, 33, 34. The first face has an inlet opening 24 for allowing the first fluid A to circulate from the outside of the body 3 towards the first circulation channel 50, and the second face has an outlet opening 25 for allowing the first fluid A to circulate from the first circulation channel 50 towards the outside of the body 3. In this way, the first fluid A enters the body 3 via the inlet opening 24 and then circulates in the first channel 50 defined by the second and third sheets 32, 33 and the fourth and first sheets 34, 31 until it reaches the outlet opening 25. The heat exchanger module 2 is also configured to allow the second fluid B to circulate between the inlet pipe 6 and the outlet pipe 8. The second circulation channel 51 is in a spiral shape. In this way, the second fluid B enters the body 3 via the inlet pipe 6 and initially circulates in a spiral form towards the inside of the body 3 in the second channel 51 defined by the first sheet 31 and the second sheet 32 to converge towards the main axis X, and then it circulates a second time in a spiral form towards the outside of the body 3, still in the second channel 51 defined by the third sheet 33 and the fourth sheet 34 this time, so as to move away from the main axis X until it reaches the outlet pipe 8. Thus, during the circulation of the two fluids A, B in the two channels 50, 51, heat exchange occurs between the first fluid A and the second fluid B via the sheets 31, 32, 33, 34.

[0042] Of course, the body 3 may include other groups of sheets, such as three sheets or two sheets, and the number of sheets is limited to at least two such that the first channel 50 and the second channel 51 can be defined.

[0043] The heat exchanger module 2 further includes a separator 4 which is configured to separate the liquid phase from the gas phase of the first fluid when the first fluid A leaves the heat exchanger module 2. On the one hand, the separator 4 is adapted to let a first component A1 of the first fluid A which is mainly in the gas phase pass towards an inlet opening of another heat exchanger module located below the exchanger module in the stack, and on the other hand prevent a second component A2 consisting of the liquid phase from reaching the first inlet opening of another heat exchanger module.

[0044] Figure 4An example of the separator 4 is shown. When the heat exchanger module 2 is operating normally, the separator 4 is located below the outlet opening 25. The separator 4 includes a first wall 41 and a second wall 42 located above the first wall 41. The first wall 41 and the second wall 42 are each of a conical shape, with the main axis X as their axis. The walls 41, 42 can also be inclined planes or any other surface inclined with respect to the main axis X. When the first fluid A passes through the separator 4, a first portion of the second component A2 is directly collected by the first wall 41 (without flowing onto the second wall 42), and a second portion of the second component A2 is collected by the second wall 42 and then guided by the second wall 42 towards the first wall 41. In this way, the second component A2 composed of the liquid phase is recovered by the first wall 41 forming the recovery surface of the liquid phase. The first wall 41 and the second wall 42 are inclined with respect to the main axis X such that when the axis X is vertically positioned (under normal use), the first wall 41 and the second wall 42 guide the second component A2 of the first fluid A away from the main axis X by the action of gravity to guide the second component of the first fluid.

[0045] The first wall 41 further includes a passage opening 43 through which the first component A1 of the first fluid A, which is mainly in the gas phase, can flow. In Figure 4 the example shown, the passage opening 43 is located at the apex of the cone formed by the first wall 41. The second wall 42 is located above the first wall 41 and is also spaced apart from the first wall 41 by a certain distance. The first portion of the second component A2 is guided by the first wall 41 and the second wall 42 to prevent it from flowing towards the heat exchanger module located below via the passage opening 43. The second wall 42 extends above the passage opening 43 so as to prevent the second portion of the second component A2 from flowing through the passage opening 43 by guiding the second portion of the second component A2 towards the first wall 41. Thus, the separator 4 allows the second component A2 composed of the liquid phase to be blocked while allowing the first component A1 containing the gas phase to pass through, because when the first and second components A1, A2 flow into the heat exchanger module 2 by the action of gravity, the second component A2 composed of the liquid phase is held by the first recovery wall 41, while the first component A1 mainly in the gas phase is directed to another heat exchanger module 2. In order to discharge the second component A2 held by the first wall 41 from the heat exchanger module 2, the heat exchanger module 2 can further include other discharge pipes 12 that communicate with the second surface, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 shown, or connected to the second surface.

[0046] In Figure 4In it, the heat exchanger module 2 includes four nozzles 10, which are arranged near the position where the first fluid A enters the first circulation channel A via the inlet opening 24. Of course, the heat exchanger module 2 can include a single nozzle, fewer than four nozzles, or more than four nozzles. The nozzles 10 are configured to spray a cleaning product in liquid form into the flow of the first fluid A for cleaning the sheet and preventing components of the first fluid (such as naphthalene) from depositing on the sheet. The cleaning product can be, for example, a mixture of water and tar, which effectively removes naphthalene from the sheet. The naphthalene and the cleaning product flow to the outlet opening 25 by runoff. The cleaning product and naphthalene in liquid form flowing out of the outlet opening 25 form a part of the second component A2 recovered by the separator 4. In this way, the first fluid A is cleaner when leaving each exchanger module 2, effectively limiting the risk of blockage in the heat exchanger module 2. Each heat exchanger module 2 of the heat exchanger unit 1 can include a set of nozzles 10 for spraying a cleaning product into the first fluid when the first fluid A enters the heat exchanger module 2. As a variant, only the heat exchanger module 2 can include a set of nozzles 10, or multiple heat exchanger modules 2 can include a set of nozzles 10. The set of nozzles 10 can also be supplied by means of a supply pipe 11 ( Figure 2 ).

[0047] It can be provided that the heat exchanger unit 1 includes a control unit, which is configured to control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by each set of nozzles 10. The control unit can control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by each nozzle of each heat exchanger module 2. It can be provided that the control unit can control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by the nozzles of each heat exchanger module 2, or the heat exchanger module 2, or each module of multiple heat exchanger modules. It can also be provided that the control unit can control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by multiple nozzles of each heat exchanger module 2, or the heat exchanger module 2, or each module of multiple modules. The control unit can also control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product according to the difference between the pressure when the first fluid A leaves the outlet opening 25 and the pressure when the first fluid A enters the inlet opening 24 of the body 3 of the heat exchanger module 2. The control unit can also control the rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product according to the minimum value, maximum value, or average value of the difference between the pressure when the first fluid A leaves the outlet opening 25 and the pressure when the first fluid A enters the inlet opening 24 of the body 3 in each heat exchanger module 2, or in each module of multiple modules.

[0048] In this way, the heat exchanger unit 1 is capable of performing a method for treating the first fluid A, in which, with reference to Figure 5 , the following steps are performed.

[0049] During step E1, the first fluid A circulates in the first circulation passage 50 of the main body of the first heat exchanger module 2a.

[0050] During step E2, the first component A1 (mainly in the gas phase) of the first fluid A flowing through the first outlet opening 25 of the main body 3 is separated from the second component A2 of the first fluid A consisting of the liquid phase by the separator 4.

[0051] During step E3, the second component A2 of the first fluid A is discharged from the first heat exchanger module 2a, for example.

[0052] During step E4, the first component A1 of the first fluid A is injected into the first circulation passage 50 of the main body 3 of the second heat exchanger module 2b.

[0053] Many modifications may be made to the heat exchanger unit, heat exchanger module, and method without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger module (2), comprising: A body (3), the body comprising at least two sheets (31, 32), each sheet (31, 32) being rolled into a spiral shape around the same main axis (X), the sheets comprising a first sheet (31) and a second sheet (32), thereby defining a first circulation channel (50) for a first fluid (A) and a second circulation channel (51) for a second fluid (B) between the first sheet and the second sheet, the second circulation channel being separated from the first circulation channel (50), the first sheet (31) and the second sheet (32) having edges (310 , 311), the edge defines a first face of the body (3) and a second face of the body (3) opposite to the first face, the first face and the second face extend transversely to the main axis (X), the first face has a first inlet opening (24) to allow a first fluid (A) to circulate from the outside of the body (3) toward the first circulation channel (50), and the second face has a first outlet opening (25) to allow the first fluid (A) to circulate from the first circulation channel (50) toward the outside of the body (3); as well as A separator (4) for receiving a first fluid (A) flowing through the first outlet opening (25), the separator (4) being suitable for allowing a first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) to pass toward a first inlet opening of another heat exchanger module located below the heat exchanger module and preventing a second component (A2) of the first fluid (A) from reaching the first inlet opening of the other heat exchanger module, the first component (A1) of the first fluid comprising a gas phase, and the second component (A2) of the first fluid consisting of a liquid phase.

2. The heat exchanger module (2) according to claim 1, wherein: The separator (4) comprises a passage allowing a first component of the first fluid to circulate toward a first inlet opening of the other heat exchanger module, and a first partition wall (41), the first partition wall having a first collecting surface arranged to receive the first fluid (A) originating from the first outlet opening (25), the first collecting surface being oriented relative to the main axis (X) for guiding the first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) by gravity while moving the second component (A2) of the first fluid (A) away from the passage.

3. The heat exchanger module (2) according to claim 2, wherein: The first collecting surface is oriented relative to the main axis (X) for directing the second component (A2) of the first fluid (A) towards the outlet pipe of the first fluid by the effect of gravity.

4. The heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein: The first partition wall (41) has a tapered shape having an axis that merges with the main axis (X).

5. The heat exchanger module according to claim 4, wherein: The passage comprises a passage opening (43) located at the apex of the cone.

6. The heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein: The separator (4) comprises a second partition wall (42) arranged to prevent the first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) originating from the first outlet opening (25) from reaching the passage.

7. The heat exchanger module according to claim 6, wherein: The second partition wall (42) has a second collecting surface oriented relative to the main axis (X) for guiding the first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) towards the first collecting surface by gravity.

8. The heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 6 or 7, wherein: The second partition wall (42) has a tapered shape having an axis that merges with the main axis (X).

9. A heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising an inlet pipe (6) for injecting the second fluid (B) from the outside of the main body toward the second circulation channel (51) and a first outlet pipe (8) for discharging the second fluid (B) from the second circulation channel (51) toward the outside of the main body (3).

10. A heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising a nozzle (10) for spraying a cleaning product in the first fluid (A) at the location where the first fluid (A) enters the first circulation channel (50) via the first inlet opening (24).

11. A heat exchanger unit (1), comprising at least two heat exchanger modules (2a, 2b) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the heat exchanger modules (2a, 2b) being connected together so that a first component (A1) containing a gas phase of a first fluid (A) originating from a heat exchanger module (2a) of the heat exchanger unit (1) enters a first circulation channel (50) via a first inlet opening (24) of a body (3) of another heat exchanger module (2b) of the heat exchanger unit (1).

12. The heat exchanger unit (1) according to claim 11, wherein: Each heat exchanger module (2a, 2b) comprises a nozzle (10) for spraying a cleaning product in the first fluid (A) at a position where the first fluid (A) enters the first circulation channel (50) via the first inlet opening (24), and the heat exchanger unit (1) comprises a control unit, which is configured to control the flow rate and / or temperature of the cleaning product sprayed by each nozzle (10) of each heat exchanger module (2a, 2b) according to the difference between the pressure of the first fluid (A) when leaving the first outlet opening (25) and the pressure of the first fluid (A) when entering the first inlet opening (24) of the body of the heat exchanger module.

13. A method for treating a first fluid (A), comprising the steps of: causing a first fluid (A) to circulate (E1) in a first circulation channel (50) of the body of a first heat exchanger module (2a) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, separating the first fluid (50) flowing through the first outlet opening (25) of the body of the first heat exchanger module (2a) into a first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) comprising a gas phase and a second component (A2) (E2) of the first fluid (A) consisting of a liquid phase, discharging a second component (A2) of said first fluid (A) (E3), and The first component (A1) of the first fluid (A) is injected into the first circulation channel (50) of the body of the second heat exchanger module (2b) (E4).

14. The processing method according to claim 13, wherein: The second heat exchanger module (2b) is a heat exchanger module according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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