A hierarchical thermal resistance matched shared core layer solid medium heat storage module, system and heat storage method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- RUIENTHALPY ENERGY TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images

Figure CN122448007A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of high-temperature thermal energy storage technology, specifically relating to a shared core layer solid medium thermal storage module, system, and heat storage and release method suitable for high-temperature heat exchange between gaseous or steam working fluid and solid sensible heat storage medium. Background Technology
[0002] Solid sensible heat storage devices are characterized by a wide operating temperature range, a wide range of medium sources, and high operational safety, making them valuable for applications in industrial waste heat recovery, solar thermal power generation, and high-temperature process heating. Most existing solid sensible heat storage devices employ a structure in which heat exchange tubes or plates are embedded within a monolithically cast solid heat storage body, with the heat transfer medium flowing within the heat exchange components and exchanging heat with the surrounding solid heat storage material.
[0003] The above structure has the following problems under large-capacity and high-temperature cycling conditions: the local area near the heat exchange component has limited heat diffusion capacity, making it difficult for heat to be transferred to the depth of the heat storage body in a timely manner, and the heat exchange process is constrained by the near-wall heat transfer bottleneck; in order to improve the near-wall thermal conductivity, if high thermal conductivity materials are used as a whole, the material cost will be high, and the proportion of high volumetric heat capacity materials in the heat storage body will decrease, which is not conducive to balancing heat storage density and economy; in addition, the thermal expansion coefficients of the heat exchange component and the solid heat storage material are usually different. Under the condition of integral casting or integral embedding, repeated charging and releasing of heat can easily cause cracking, debonding or voids at the interface, resulting in increased interfacial thermal resistance and affecting long-term operational reliability.
[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a new solid-medium thermal storage structure that balances heat exchange rate, thermal storage capacity, material cost, and thermal cycle reliability. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a graded thermal resistance matched shared core layer solid medium thermal storage module, system, and thermal storage and release method to solve the problems of insufficient near-wall heat transfer capacity, large amount of high thermal conductivity materials, and interface cracking, debonding, and thermal resistance drift caused by the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between heat exchange components and solid materials in existing integral cast-in-place solid thermal storage structures.
[0006] In this invention, a "membrane wall heat exchange panel" refers to a plate-shaped heat exchange component formed by welding or integrally connecting multiple parallel fluid heat exchange tubes and fins connecting adjacent fluid heat exchange tubes. A "shared core layer" refers to a single prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer located between two prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers, through which the two membrane wall heat exchange panels jointly perform bilateral heat charging and heat release via the corresponding prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a solid-medium thermal storage module, which, along the main heat transfer direction, sequentially comprises a first membrane wall heat exchange panel, a first compliant interface layer, a first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, a prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, a second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, a second compliant interface layer, and a second membrane wall heat exchange panel. Both the first and second membrane wall heat exchange panels include multiple parallel-arranged fluid heat exchange tubes and fins connecting adjacent fluid heat exchange tubes. The prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is disposed between the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers. The first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers are respectively located between the membrane wall heat exchange panel and the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer. The first membrane wall heat exchange panel, the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and the second membrane wall heat exchange panel are all independent prefabricated components. They form interlayer thermal contact interfaces through compression loading, rather than being integrally cast into a single embedded structure. The thermal conductivity of both the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers is higher than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, and the volumetric heat capacity of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is higher than that of both the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers.
[0008] The first and second compliant interface layers can be made of one or more of the following: flexible graphite paper, expanded graphite foil, metal nonwoven fiber sheet, metal sheet, metal-graphite composite foil, alloy foil, and ceramic fiber. A flow-turbulence component can be installed inside the fluid heat exchange tube to enhance convective heat transfer between the heat transfer medium and the inner wall of the heat exchange tube. The thickness of the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers along the main heat transfer direction can be less than the thickness of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer along the main heat transfer direction.
[0009] The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and / or the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer are made of solid composite materials with hematite and silicon carbide as the main components. Compared with the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer has a higher proportion of hematite and a lower proportion of silicon carbide.
[0010] This invention also provides a solid-medium thermal storage system, comprising multiple thermal storage modules, an inlet manifold, an outlet manifold, and a compression loading component. Multiple thermal storage modules are stacked along a stacking direction to form a stack, with fluid heat exchange tubes within each module connected in parallel or in series with the inlet and outlet manifolds, respectively. The compression loading component applies an interfacial compression load to the stack along the stacking direction to maintain thermal contact between adjacent components with different coefficients of thermal expansion during heat charging and releasing. Flow equalization components may be installed within the inlet and outlet manifolds. The compression loading component can provide all or part of the interfacial compression load by the weight of the stack itself, or it can be supplemented by an external pre-tensioning mechanism; the external pre-tensioning mechanism may be a disc spring assembly, a compression spring, a spring washer, a leaf spring, a hydraulic loading component, or a combination thereof.
[0011] Optionally, the heat transfer medium of the solid medium thermal storage system is a liquid working fluid, which is water, heat transfer oil, ethylene glycol, carbon dioxide, or a mixture of the above working fluids.
[0012] Optionally, the heat transfer medium of the solid medium thermal storage system is a gaseous working medium, which is air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, industrial flue gas, industrial exhaust gas, or a mixture of the above working media.
[0013] This invention also provides a method for achieving heat storage and release using the aforementioned solid-medium thermal storage system. During heat charging, the high-temperature heat transfer medium is distributed via the inlet manifold and then enters the fluid heat exchange tubes of each membrane wall heat exchange panel in series or parallel. Heat is sequentially transferred through the membrane wall heat exchange panel, the compliant interface layer, and the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer to the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, which receives heat simultaneously from opposite sides. During heat release, heat is transferred in the opposite direction from the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer through the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the compliant interface layer, and the membrane wall heat exchange panel to the heat transfer medium. During the heat charging and heat release stages, the thermal contact between the membrane wall heat exchange panels, the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, which have different coefficients of thermal expansion, is maintained by a clamping loading member, suppressing interface cracking, debonding, and void growth caused by mismatched coefficients of thermal expansion.
[0014] Compared with existing integral cast-in-place solid thermal storage structures, this invention has the following advantages: By setting a prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer near the heat exchange channel and a prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer in the middle, it achieves graded thermal resistance matching between rapid near-wall heat homogenization and deep thermal storage, which helps shorten the path of heat transfer from the heat exchange surface to the interior of the thermal storage body; by using independent prefabricated components, a compliant interface layer, and a compression loading component to form an interlayer thermal contact interface, it helps alleviate interface cracking, debonding, and void growth caused by the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients between the membrane wall heat exchange panel and different solid materials; by mainly arranging high thermal conductivity materials near the heat exchange surface, while using high heat capacity materials in large volume areas, it helps to ensure heat exchange capacity while also considering thermal storage density and material economy; and by connecting multiple thermal storage modules in series or parallel through a manifold box to form a system, it facilitates large-area, high-flux gas or steam heat exchange. Attached Figure Description
[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the thermal storage module along the main heat transfer direction in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the heat storage module along the main heat transfer direction in an embodiment of the present invention;
[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the solid medium thermal storage system in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:
[0019] 11—First membrane wall heat exchange panel; 12—Second membrane wall heat exchange panel; 21—First compliant interface layer; 22—Second compliant interface layer; 31—First prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer; 32—Second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer; 40—Prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer; 51—Inlet manifold box; 52—Outlet manifold box; 64—Compression loading component. Detailed Implementation
[0020] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.
[0021] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a solid sensible heat storage module, a specific embodiment of which is described below. Figures 1-2The thermal storage module of this embodiment includes, in sequence along the main heat transfer direction, a first membrane wall heat exchange panel 11, a first compliant interface layer 21, a first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31, a prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, a second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32, a second compliant interface layer 22, and a second membrane wall heat exchange panel 12. The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 are respectively located between the two membrane wall heat exchange panels and the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, such that the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 is located in the middle of the module and is in contact with the two high thermal conductivity layers. The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31, the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 do not have fluid channels inside; they mainly perform heat conduction and storage functions.
[0022] Both the first membrane wall heat exchange panel 11 and the second membrane wall heat exchange panel 12 can adopt a membrane wall structure. Each membrane wall heat exchange panel includes multiple parallel fluid heat exchange tubes and fins connecting adjacent fluid heat exchange tubes. When the heat transfer medium flows inside the fluid heat exchange tubes, the heat exchange tubes and fins together form a heat transfer surface in contact with the solid layer. To improve the convective heat transfer coefficient inside the tubes, flow-turbulence components can be provided inside the fluid heat exchange tubes. These flow-turbulence components can be helical flow-turbulence vanes, twisted bands, corrugated elements, or other components that can enhance fluid mixing and disrupt the boundary layer.
[0023] The first compliant interface layer 21 and the second compliant interface layer 22 are respectively disposed between the membrane wall heat exchange panel and the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer. The compliant interface layer is used to compensate for assembly errors, surface roughness differences, and thermal expansion differences between adjacent component surfaces, and forms a stable thermally conductive contact interface under the action of compressive load. The compliant interface layer can be one or more of the following: flexible graphite paper, expanded graphite foil, metal nonwoven fiber sheet, metal sheet, metal-graphite composite foil, alloy foil, and ceramic fiber.
[0024] The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 are made of a high thermal conductivity solid sensible heat composite material that maintains structural stability within the operating temperature range. Their thermal conductivity is higher than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40. They are used to withstand the heat flow from the membrane wall heat exchange panel and rapidly diffuse heat into the module's interior. The prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 is also made of a high heat capacity solid sensible heat composite material that maintains structural stability within the operating temperature range. Its volumetric heat capacity is higher than that of the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers 31 and 32. It is used as the main heat storage medium to store heat. To balance heat distribution and heat storage functions, the thickness of the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers 31 and 32 along the main heat transfer direction can be less than the thickness of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 along the main heat transfer direction.
[0025] The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 are solid composite materials with hematite and silicon carbide as the main components. The content of silicon carbide in the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 is higher than that in the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, so that the material has a higher thermal conductivity and can quickly transfer the heat of the heat exchange panel to achieve rapid heat uniformity.
[0026] The prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 is a solid composite material with hematite and silicon carbide as the main components. The content of hematite in the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 is higher than that in the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32, so that the material has a higher volume heat capacity, can store a large amount of heat, and undertake the heat storage function of the main module.
[0027] Each of the above layers is fabricated as an independent prefabricated component. During assembly, they are stacked in the following order: first membrane wall heat exchange panel 11, first compliant interface layer 21, first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31, prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32, second compliant interface layer 22, and second membrane wall heat exchange panel 12. The heat exchange panels are not directly cast and embedded in the overall heat storage body. After assembly, a compression loading process ensures a tight fit between the compliant interface layer and adjacent components, reducing initial contact thermal resistance and maintaining stable interface contact during thermal cycling.
[0028] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a solid-medium thermal storage system, a specific embodiment of which is described below. Figure 3 The solid-medium thermal storage system of this embodiment includes multiple thermal storage modules, an inlet manifold 51, an outlet manifold 52, and a compression loading member 64. Multiple thermal storage modules are stacked along the stacking direction to form a stack. The fluid heat exchange tubes within each thermal storage module are connected in parallel or in series with the inlet manifold 51 and the outlet manifold 52, respectively, allowing the heat transfer medium to enter the multiple thermal storage modules. To improve the flow distribution of each heat exchange tube, flow equalization members can be installed in the inlet manifold 51 and the outlet manifold 52.
[0029] The clamping loading member 64 is used to apply a continuous interfacial clamping load to the stack along the stacking direction. The clamping loading member 64 can utilize the weight of the stack itself to provide all or part of the clamping load, or it can use an external preload mechanism to supplement the load. The external preload mechanism can be a disc spring assembly, a compression spring, a spring washer, a leaf spring, a hydraulic loading member, or a combination thereof. Through the above-mentioned clamping loading, the thermal expansion differences between the layers with different coefficients of thermal expansion can be compensated during heat charging and heat dissipation, suppressing significant cracking, debonding, or void growth at the interface.
[0030] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a method for storing and releasing heat using the aforementioned solid medium thermal storage system. In this embodiment, water, air, carbon dioxide, steam, or a mixture thereof are used as the heat transfer medium. During heat charging, the high-temperature heat transfer medium is distributed by the inlet manifold 51 and enters the fluid heat exchange tubes of each membrane wall heat exchange panel. After convective heat exchange with the inner wall of the heat exchange tube, the heat is transferred from the first membrane wall heat exchange panel 11 through the first compliant interface layer 21 and the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 to the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40. Simultaneously, the heat is transferred from the second membrane wall heat exchange panel 12 through the second compliant interface layer 22 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 to the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, thereby achieving double-sided heat charging. Since the thermal conductivity of the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31 and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32 is higher than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40, their temperature rise response speed is faster than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40. They can first form rapid heat homogenization near the heat exchange surface and then further transfer the heat to the central core layer.
[0031] During heat release, the heat stored in the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer 40 is transferred along opposite paths, respectively through the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 31, the first compliant interface layer 21 and the first membrane wall heat exchange panel 11, and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer 32, the second compliant interface layer 22 and the second membrane wall heat exchange panel 12 to the low temperature heat transfer medium in the fluid heat exchange tube, thereby realizing double-sided heat release and output of heat.
[0032] In a specific engineering embodiment, the stack can form a thermal storage unit with a planar dimension of 5m × 5m. Five layers of membrane wall heat exchange panels, connected in series or parallel, can be installed within the stack. Adjacent layers of membrane wall heat exchange panels share a prefabricated high-heat-capacity solid core layer. Those skilled in the art can adjust the number of membrane wall heat exchange panel layers, the planar dimensions of the module, and the thickness of each layer according to the target thermal storage capacity, heat transfer medium flow rate, allowable pressure drop, site conditions, and manufacturing capabilities.
[0033] With the above structure, without changing the basic concept of the present invention, the arrangement of the membrane wall heat exchange panel, the compliant interface layer material, the compression loading method, the type of heat transfer medium, and the dimensional parameters of each layer can be adjusted; these equivalent substitutions or modifications should all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Claims
1. A solid sensible heat storage module, characterized in that, The system comprises, sequentially arranged along the main heat transfer direction, a first membrane wall heat exchange panel, a first compliant interface layer, a first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, a prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, a second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, a second compliant interface layer, and a second membrane wall heat exchange panel; wherein, both the first and second membrane wall heat exchange panels include multiple parallel fluid heat exchange tubes and fins connecting adjacent fluid heat exchange tubes; the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is disposed between the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers; the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers, the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers, the second prefabricated high thermal capacity solid core layer, the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid core layer ... High thermal conductivity solid layers are respectively arranged between the membrane wall heat exchange panel and the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer; the first membrane wall heat exchange panel, the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and the second membrane wall heat exchange panel are all independent prefabricated components, which are compressed and loaded to form interlayer thermal contact; the thermal conductivity of the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer are both higher than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer, and the volumetric heat capacity of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is higher than that of the first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer and the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer.
2. The solid sensible heat storage module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first compliant interface layer and the second compliant interface layer are made of flexible graphite paper, expanded graphite foil, metal nonwoven fiber sheet, metal sheet, metal-graphite composite foil, alloy foil, ceramic fiber, or a combination of the above materials.
3. The solid sensible heat storage module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main components of the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers are both high thermal conductivity solid sensible heat composite materials, and the main component of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is a high heat capacity solid sensible heat composite material.
4. The solid sensible heat storage module according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and / or the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer are made of solid composite materials with hematite and silicon carbide as the main components. Compared with the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer has a higher proportion of hematite and a lower proportion of silicon carbide.
5. The solid sensible heat storage module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thicknesses of the first and second prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers along the main heat transfer direction are both less than the thickness of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer along the main heat transfer direction.
6. The solid sensible heat storage module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fluid heat exchange tube is equipped with a flow-turbulence-inducing component.
7. A solid-medium thermal storage system, characterized in that, It includes multiple solid sensible heat storage modules as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, an inlet manifold box, an outlet manifold box, and a compression loading member; the multiple solid sensible heat storage modules are stacked along the stacking direction to form a stack; the fluid heat exchange tubes in each solid sensible heat storage module are connected in parallel with the inlet manifold box and the outlet manifold box respectively; the compression loading member applies an interfacial compression load to the stack along the stacking direction to maintain thermal contact between adjacent components with different coefficients of thermal expansion during the heat charging and heat dissipation process.
8. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The inlet manifold and / or outlet manifold are equipped with flow equalization components to ensure that the heat transfer medium enters the fluid heat exchange tubes of each membrane wall heat exchange panel evenly.
9. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The clamping loading member provides all or part of the interface clamping load through the weight of the stack, and / or supplements the interface clamping load through an external pre-tightening mechanism.
10. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The external preload mechanism is a disc spring assembly, a compression spring, a spring washer, a leaf spring, a hydraulic loading component, or a combination of the above components.
11. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heat transfer medium is a liquid working fluid, which is water, heat transfer oil, ethylene glycol, carbon dioxide, or a mixture of the above working fluids.
12. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The heat transfer medium is a gaseous working fluid, which may be air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, industrial flue gas, industrial exhaust gas, or a mixture of the above working fluids.
13. The solid-medium thermal storage system according to claim 7, characterized in that, The fluid heat exchange tubes in the two adjacent solid sensible heat storage modules are connected in series and then connected to the inlet manifold box and the outlet manifold box respectively.
14. A method for achieving heat storage and release using a solid-medium thermal storage system as described in any one of claims 7 to 13, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: During the heat charging stage, the high-temperature heat transfer medium is distributed through the inlet manifold and then enters the fluid heat exchange tubes of each membrane wall heat exchange panel in series or parallel. Heat is transferred from the heat transfer medium through the membrane wall heat exchange panel, the compliant interface layer, and the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer to the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer. The prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer receives heat transferred from the two prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layers simultaneously from opposite sides, achieving double-sided heat charging. During the heat release stage, heat is transferred from the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer through the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, the compliant interface layer, and the membrane wall heat exchange panel to the heat transfer medium along the reverse path. Throughout the heat charging and heat release process, the interface compression load between the compliant interface layer and adjacent components is maintained by the compression loading component.
15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, During the heating phase, the temperature rise response speed of the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer is faster than that of the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer.
16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, During the heat charging and heat release stages, the thermal contact between the membrane wall heat exchange panel with different thermal expansion coefficients, the prefabricated high thermal conductivity solid layer, and the prefabricated high heat capacity solid core layer is maintained by pressing and loading components.
17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that, During the heat charging or heat release phase, the heat transfer medium is in an enhanced convective heat transfer state within the fluid heat exchange tube.