heat exchanger

Abstract

This application relates to a heat exchanger, comprising: a U-shaped shell having a first shell portion and a second shell portion, and an intermediate curved shell portion, one of the first shell portion and the second shell portion having an air inlet and the other having an air outlet, forming an air flow channel inside the shell; one or more U-shaped tubes arranged inside the shell, each tube having a first tube portion and a second tube portion, and an intermediate curved tube portion, one of the first tube portion and the second tube portion having a heat storage medium inlet and the other having a heat storage medium outlet, forming a heat storage medium flow channel inside the tube, the heat storage medium flow channel being adjacent to the air flow channel, allowing compressed air to exchange heat with the heat storage medium; and fins extending outward from the outer surface of the tube and extending longitudinally. The heat exchanger of this application combines a U-shaped shell with finned U-shaped tubes to improve heat exchange efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to a heat exchanger, and more particularly to a heat exchanger for a compressed air energy storage system. Background Technology

[0002] Compressed air energy storage technology plays an important role in power systems, including peak shaving and valley filling, primary frequency regulation, improving grid stability, improving power quality, increasing grid utilization, and increasing the utilization rate of renewable energy. It is considered the second most suitable technology for large-scale power energy storage after pumped hydro storage and is currently being vigorously developed worldwide.

[0003] Heat exchangers are crucial components in compressed air energy storage systems. They transfer the heat generated by compressed air to the stored medium. To maximize system power generation efficiency, extremely high requirements are placed on heat exchanger efficiency and pressure drop.

[0004] Currently, commonly used heat exchanger structures in engineering include bare tube hairpin type, finned tube type, and aluminum plate-fin type. Among them, aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers are mainly used in medium and low temperature systems, with temperatures typically not exceeding 150℃. Compressed air energy storage systems using medium-temperature pressurized water thermal storage typically operate at temperatures around 200℃. However, for high-temperature heat transfer oil systems or molten salt thermal storage methods, where system temperatures are even higher, the use of aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers is significantly limited. For bare tube hairpin heat exchanger structures, to meet air pressure drop requirements, air can only flow through the tubes, while the liquid thermal storage medium flows through the shell. Since the heat transfer coefficient of liquid is higher than that of air, having air flow through the tubes results in a lower overall heat transfer coefficient, making the equipment bulky and large in size. Using finned tube heat exchanger structures, the cold and hot fluid flow directions are counter-current. The efficiency of heat exchangers with counter-current flow arrangements is difficult to achieve very high. To meet the heat transfer efficiency requirements of compressed air energy storage systems, finned tube heat exchangers also require a large heat exchange area.

[0005] Therefore, the commonly used heat exchangers for compressed air energy storage systems have obvious defects, and there is an urgent need to develop a high-efficiency and compact heat exchanger to meet the needs of compressed air energy storage systems. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a high-efficiency, compact heat exchanger that can improve heat exchange efficiency, particularly for use in compressed air energy storage systems. More specifically, this invention provides a longitudinal flow heat exchanger for compressed air energy storage systems.

[0007] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a heat exchanger is provided, the heat exchanger comprising: a U-shaped shell having a first shell portion and a second shell portion that are parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved shell portion connected between the first shell portion and the second shell portion, wherein one of the first shell portion and the second shell portion has an air inlet for receiving compressed air to be heat exchanged, and the other of the first shell portion and the second shell portion has an air outlet for the compressed air after heat exchange to flow out, thereby forming an airflow channel from the air inlet to the air outlet inside the shell; one or more U-shaped tubes disposed inside the shell, the tubes having a first tube portion and a second tube portion that are parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved tube portion connected between the first tube portion and the second tube portion, the first tube portion being located in the first shell portion. Internally, the second tube portion is located inside the second shell portion, and the intermediate curved tube portion is located inside the intermediate curved shell portion. One of the first and second tube portions has a heat storage medium inlet to receive the heat storage medium to be heat-exchanged, and the other has a heat storage medium outlet to allow the heat-exchanged heat storage medium to flow out. This forms a heat storage medium flow channel inside the tube from the heat storage medium inlet to the heat storage medium outlet. The heat storage medium flow channel is adjacent to the air flow channel, allowing compressed air flowing in the air flow channel to exchange heat with the heat storage medium flowing in the heat storage medium flow channel. A plurality of fins are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of a portion of the tube, extending radially outward from the outer surface of the tube, and are located within the air flow channel.

[0008] In this manner, the heat exchanger of this invention is more suitable for heat exchange between a large flow of air and a small flow of heat storage medium. The small flow of heat storage medium flows through the tube side, while the large flow of compressed air flows through the shell side. The air flows longitudinally along the tube axis in the shell side, resulting in a smaller longitudinal pressure drop compared to traditional baffle heat exchangers. Therefore, the heat exchanger of this invention has the advantages of high efficiency and low pressure drop.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the fins include first tube portion fins disposed on the first tube portion and second tube portion fins disposed on the second tube portion, and no fins are disposed on the intermediate curved tube portion.

[0010] In this manner, fins are installed in the first and second tube sections, while the intermediate bend section is unfinished. This design improves heat exchange efficiency and reduces pressure loss when heat is exchanged between a large flow of air and a small flow of heat storage medium. Furthermore, the absence of fins in the intermediate bend section facilitates manufacturing and assembly.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the air inlet is disposed at the first housing portion and includes an air inlet shell-side connector extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first housing portion, wherein no fins are provided in the section of the tube body opposite to the air inlet shell-side connector; and the air outlet is disposed at the second housing portion and includes an air outlet shell-side connector extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the second housing portion, wherein no fins are provided in the section of the tube body opposite to the air outlet shell-side connector.

[0012] In this way, by designing the gas inlet and outlet areas without fins, compressed air can smoothly enter and exit the heat exchanger, reducing flow resistance, effectively reducing pressure loss, and further improving overall efficiency.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the first tube portion fin includes multiple segments of first fins spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the first tube portion, and the first tube portion has a first gap region without fins between every two segments of the first fins; and the second tube portion fin includes multiple segments of second fins spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the second tube portion, and the second tube portion has a second gap region without fins between every two segments of the second fins.

[0014] In this way, the fins of the first tube section and the second tube section are segmented to form a finless gap area. This structure is easy to manufacture and assemble, and the installation of support rings in the gap area can improve the rigidity of the tube.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, there are multiple tubes. Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubes, the multiple tubes are arranged in multiple layers in the vertical direction inside the housing. The first tube portion includes multiple first interval regions, and the second tube portion includes multiple second interval regions. A support ring is provided in the multiple first interval regions and the multiple second interval regions. The support ring includes a circular outer ring and multiple partition rods located inside the outer ring and connected to the outer ring. The area between the multiple partition rods forms multiple receiving spaces in the vertical direction for supporting the multiple tubes arranged in multiple layers.

[0016] In this way, multiple tubes are arranged in layers, combined with the innovative design of the support ring, which significantly enhances the rigidity and structural stability of the heat exchanger, while also facilitating dense installation of the tubes and saving space.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the heat exchanger further includes a heat storage medium inlet assembly and a heat storage medium outlet assembly. The heat storage medium inlet assembly is connected to the end of the second shell portion opposite to the intermediate curved shell portion. The heat storage medium inlet assembly includes: a heat storage medium inlet tube sheet connecting multiple heat storage medium inlets of multiple tube bodies together; a heat storage medium inlet tube box connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube sheet to access the multiple heat storage medium inlets; and a heat storage medium inlet tube side connector connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube. The housing is connected to receive the heat storage medium to be heat exchanged; and the heat storage medium outlet assembly is connected to the end of the first housing portion opposite to the intermediate curved housing portion. The heat storage medium outlet assembly includes: a heat storage medium outlet tube sheet connecting multiple heat storage medium outlets of multiple tubes together; a heat storage medium outlet tube box connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube sheet to lead to the multiple heat storage medium outlets; and a heat storage medium outlet tube side connector connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube box to allow the heat-exchanged heat storage medium to flow out.

[0018] In this way, for multiple tubes, the heat storage medium inlet and outlet components are used to effectively introduce and export the heat storage medium, thereby improving the reliability of the heat exchanger operation.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body, a plurality of tube bodies are arranged in multiple rows in the horizontal direction inside the housing. The number of layers of the plurality of tube bodies in the vertical direction is equal to the number of rows in the horizontal direction, and the plurality of tube bodies form a centrally symmetrical tube bundle structure inside the housing. Viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body, in one of the plurality of first interval regions, the support ring is positioned such that the plurality of separator rods are in the horizontal direction, while in the adjacent first interval region, the support ring is positioned such that the plurality of separator rods are in the vertical direction. And viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body, in one of the plurality of second interval regions, the support ring is positioned such that the plurality of separator rods are in the horizontal direction, while in the adjacent second interval region, the support ring is positioned such that the plurality of separator rods are in the vertical direction.

[0020] In this way, multiple tubes are not only layered vertically but also arranged horizontally, forming a centrally symmetrical layout. This structure evenly distributes the fluid, improving heat exchange uniformity and efficiency, while reducing volume and making the heat exchanger more compact. Furthermore, the staggered horizontal and vertical arrangement of the support rings ensures stable support for the tubes in different directions.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the number of the plurality of tubes is five, one of the five tubes is located in the center, and the other four tubes are distributed at equal angles around the tube located in the center.

[0022] In this way, an optimized tube bundle structure is formed. This layout improves heat exchange efficiency while maintaining good fluid distribution and reducing pressure loss.

[0023] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the plurality of partition rods of the support ring include: a first rod, both ends of which are connected to the outer ring of the support ring, the vertical distance between the center of the first rod and the outer ring being equal to or greater than the length of the fin extending outward along the radial direction; a second rod, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first rod, forming a first-layer receiving space between the second rod and the first rod for accommodating a first layer of the tube body; a third rod, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the second rod, the distance between the third rod and the second rod being equal to or greater than the length of the fin extending outward along the radial direction; a fourth rod, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the third rod, forming a second-layer receiving space between the fourth rod and the third rod for accommodating a second layer of the tube body; a fifth rod, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the fourth rod, the distance between the fifth rod and the fourth rod being equal to or greater than the length of the fin extending outward along the radial direction; and a sixth rod, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the fifth rod, forming a third-layer receiving space between the sixth rod and the fifth rod for accommodating a third layer of the tube body.

[0024] In this way, the design of multiple dividing rods ensures good support for the tube body and enhances the stability of the overall structure.

[0025] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the heat exchanger is made of carbon steel or stainless steel.

[0026] Using carbon steel or stainless steel to manufacture heat exchangers in this way provides excellent corrosion resistance and high strength, making them suitable for long-term stable operation in high-pressure and high-temperature environments, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0027] In summary, the heat exchanger of this utility model can achieve at least the following beneficial technical effects.

[0028] First, using the heat exchanger of this utility model, a small flow rate of heat storage medium flows through the tube side, while a large flow rate of compressed air flows through the shell side. The air flow in the shell side is a longitudinal flow along the axis of the tube body, resulting in a smaller longitudinal pressure drop compared to traditional baffle heat exchangers.

[0029] Secondly, the heat exchanger of this utility model can adopt a pure counter-current design, which has high heat exchange efficiency.

[0030] Third, longitudinal fins are welded to the outside of the tube, with a fin ratio of about 4, which significantly increases the air-side expansion area. The liquid inside the tube, which serves as the heat storage medium, has a relatively high heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, compared with the heat exchangers commonly used in compressed air energy storage systems, the resistance and heat transfer characteristics of the tube side and shell side of this invention are better matched, resulting in a high overall heat transfer coefficient, a large heat transfer area, and efficient and compact equipment.

[0031] Fourth, the longitudinal fins are discontinuous and intermittent. Support rings are used to support the tube body at the fin intervals to increase the rigidity of the tube body.

[0032] Fifth, the hairpin-type U-tube and U-shell are suitable for the operating conditions of compressed air energy storage systems with large temperature differences and high start-stop frequency.

[0033] Therefore, compared with the heat exchangers commonly used in engineering, the heat exchanger of this invention is more suitable for heat exchange between large flow air and small flow heat storage medium, and has the advantages of high efficiency, low pressure drop, compactness and high reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0034] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic front view of the tube body with longitudinal fins of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of the tube body with longitudinal fins of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic front view of a heat exchanger comprising a bundle of tubes with longitudinal fins according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5This is a schematic side view of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing a tube bundle consisting of multiple tubes with longitudinal fins, wherein the tube bundle has a generally square outer contour consisting of five tubes.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic front view of the support ring of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 7 This is a schematic front view of a heat exchanger comprising a bundle of tubes with longitudinal fins according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, compared to... Figure 4 , Figure 7 A support ring has been added.

[0042] Figure 8 This is a schematic side view of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing a tube bundle consisting of multiple tubes with longitudinal fins, compared to... Figure 5 , Figure 8 A support ring has been added.

[0043] The reference numerals in the attached figures are as follows:

[0044] 100. Shell

[0045] 110. First shell section

[0046] 120. Second shell section

[0047] 130. Intermediate curved shell section

[0048] 140. Air Inlet

[0049] 141. Air Inlet Shell Side Connector

[0050] 150. Air outlet

[0051] 151. Air outlet shell-side nozzle

[0052] 160. Airflow channel

[0053] 200. Pipe body

[0054] 210. The first tube body part

[0055] 220. Second pipe body part

[0056] 230. Intermediate curved tube section

[0057] 240. Inlet of heat storage medium

[0058] 250. Heat storage medium outlet

[0059] 260. Heat storage medium flow channel

[0060] 300, fins

[0061] 310. Fins of the first tube body part

[0062] 311. First fin

[0063] 312, First Interval Zone

[0064] 320. Fins of the second tube body part

[0065] 321. Second fin

[0066] 322, Second Interval Zone

[0067] 400. Thermal storage medium inlet components

[0068] 410. Inlet tube sheet for heat storage medium

[0069] 420. Heat storage medium inlet pipe box

[0070] 430. Inlet pipe connection for heat storage medium

[0071] 500. Thermal storage medium outlet assembly

[0072] 510. Heat storage medium outlet tube sheet

[0073] 520. Heat storage medium outlet pipe box

[0074] 530. Outlet pipe connection of thermal storage medium

[0075] 600, support ring

[0076] 610. Outer ring

[0077] 620. Divider bar

[0078] 621, First Shot

[0079] 622, Second Shot

[0080] 623, Third stroke

[0081] 624, Fourth Shot

[0082] 625, Fifth Shot

[0083] 626, Sixth stroke

[0084] 630. Capacity

[0085] 631. First-level storage space

[0086] 632. Second-level storage space

[0087] 633. Third-level storage space

[0088] La, shell side inlet and outlet lengths

[0089] Lb, the longitudinal extension length of a fin;

[0090] Lc is the distance between two adjacent fins. Detailed Implementation

[0091] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application. The nouns and pronouns referring to people in this patent application are not limited to specific genders.

[0092] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, wherein specific embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of example. Regarding the drawings, directional terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” and “outer,” are used with reference to the orientation of the drawings described. Since the components of the embodiments of the present invention can be positioned in many different orientations, the directional terms are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. It should be understood that other embodiments may be used, and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description should not be construed as limiting, and the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

[0093] First, refer to Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the overall structure of a heat exchanger according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The heat exchanger mainly includes: a U-shaped shell 100, one or more U-shaped tubes 200, and fins 300 located on the tubes, as shown in the attached diagram. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the heat exchanger includes multiple U-shaped tubes 200, specifically a tube bundle consisting of five U-shaped tubes 200. All tubes 200 are arranged inside the shell 100. The heat exchanger of this invention is made of carbon steel or stainless steel, which provides excellent corrosion resistance and high strength, making it suitable for long-term stable operation in high-pressure, high-temperature environments and reducing maintenance costs.

[0094] Reference Figure 1The U-shaped housing 100 has a first housing portion 110 and a second housing portion 120 that are parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved housing portion 130 connecting the first housing portion 110 and the second housing portion 120. The first housing portion 110 and the second housing portion 120 are straight housing portions extending in the longitudinal direction. One of the first housing portion 110 and the second housing portion 120 has an air inlet 140 to receive compressed air to be exchanged for heat. Figure 1 In this design, specifically, the first housing portion 110 has an air inlet 140. The other of the first housing portion 110 and the second housing portion 120 has an air outlet 150 to allow compressed air that has undergone heat exchange to flow out. Figure 1 In this design, the second housing portion 120 has an air outlet 150. This creates an airflow channel 160 inside the housing 100, from the air inlet 140 to the air outlet 150.

[0095] Reference Figure 2 The tube body 200 has a first tube body portion 210 and a second tube body portion 220 that are parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved tube body portion 230 connecting the first tube body portion 210 and the second tube body portion 220. The first tube body portion 210 and the second tube body portion 220 are straight tube body portions extending in the longitudinal direction. Figure 1 It can be seen that the first tube portion 210 is located inside the first shell portion 110, the second tube portion 220 is located inside the second shell portion 120, and the intermediate curved tube portion 230 is located inside the intermediate curved shell portion 130. One of the first tube portion 210 and the second tube portion 220 has a heat storage medium inlet 240 to receive the heat storage medium to be exchanged. Figure 2 In this design, specifically, the second pipe section 220 has a heat storage medium inlet 240. The other of the first pipe section 210 and the second pipe section 220 has a heat storage medium outlet 250 to allow the heat storage medium that has undergone heat exchange to flow out. Figure 2 In the proposed design, the first tube section 210 has a heat storage medium outlet 250. This creates a heat storage medium flow channel 260 inside the tube 200, extending from the heat storage medium inlet 240 to the heat storage medium outlet 250. The heat storage medium flow channel 260 is adjacent to the air flow channel 160, allowing the compressed air flowing in the air flow channel 160 to exchange heat with the heat storage medium flowing in the heat storage medium flow channel 260.

[0096] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3It can be seen that multiple fins 300 are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of a portion of the tube body 200, and the fins 300 extend radially outward from the outer surface of the tube body 200. The fins 300 are clearly located within the airflow channel 160. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The fin 300 includes a first tube portion fin 310 disposed on the first tube portion 210 and a second tube portion fin 320 disposed on the second tube portion 220, and no fins are disposed on the intermediate curved tube portion 230.

[0097] Return to reference Figure 1 An air inlet 140 is disposed in the first housing portion 110 and includes an air inlet shell-side connector 141 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the first housing portion 110. The section of the tube body 200 opposite to the air inlet shell-side connector 141 does not have fins. An air outlet 150 is disposed in the second housing portion 120 and includes an air outlet shell-side connector 151 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the second housing portion 120. The section of the tube body 200 opposite to the air outlet shell-side connector 151 does not have fins.

[0098] Reference Figure 2 The first tube portion fin 310 includes multiple first fin segments 311 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the first tube portion 210, specifically four first fin segments 311. The first tube portion 210 has a finless first gap region 312 between every two first fin segments 311, specifically three first gap regions 312. The second tube portion fin 320 includes multiple second fin segments 321 spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the second tube portion 220, specifically four second fin segments 321. The second tube portion 220 has a finless second gap region 322 between every two second fin segments 321, specifically three second gap regions 322. For ease of understanding of the present invention, [further details are omitted]. Figure 2 The following explanations are provided for some of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings, where La represents the shell-side inlet and outlet lengths (in conjunction with...). Figure 1 (For easier understanding), preferably within the range of 0.5 meters to 2 meters, in which there are no fins, Lb represents the longitudinal extension length of a fin segment, preferably within the range of 1 meter to 2 meters, and Lc represents the spacing between two adjacent fin segments, preferably within the range of 0.1 meters to 0.3 meters.

[0099] Reference Figure 4 and Figure 5Preferably, there are multiple tubes 200, specifically five. Viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubes 200, the multiple tubes 200 are arranged in multiple layers inside the shell 100 in the vertical direction. The first layer, i.e., the top layer, includes the uppermost tube; the second layer, i.e., the middle layer, includes the three middle tubes; and the third layer, i.e., the bottom layer, includes the lowermost tube.

[0100] Reference Figure 7 Support rings 600 can be provided in the three first interval regions 312 on the first tube body portion 210 and the three second interval regions 322 on the second tube body portion 220. Of course, support rings 600 can also be provided in the two ends of the fins 310 in the first tube body portion (i.e., Figure 7 Support rings 600 can also be provided on the opposite side of the two first fins 311 at the left and right ends of the first tube body 210. Therefore, a total of five support rings 600 can be provided on the first tube body 210. Similarly, support rings 600 can also be provided on the opposite side of the two second fins 321 at both ends of the second tube body 220. Therefore, a total of five support rings 600 can also be provided on the second tube body 220.

[0101] Reference Figure 6 The support ring 600 includes a circular outer ring 610 and a plurality of partition rods 620 located within and connected to the outer ring 610. The area between the partition rods 620 forms a multi-layer receiving space 630 in the vertical direction for supporting a plurality of tubes 200 arranged in multiple layers. The plurality of partition rods 620 of the support ring 600 includes: a first rod 621, both ends of which are connected to the outer ring 610 of the support ring 600, and the vertical distance between the center of the first rod 621 and the outer ring 610 is equal to or greater than the length of the fins 300 extending outward in the radial direction; a second rod 622, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first rod 621, and the second rod 622 and the first rod 621 form a first-layer receiving space 631 for accommodating a first layer of tubes 200; and a third rod 623, which is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the second rod 622, and the distance between the third rod 623 and the second rod 622 is equal to or greater than the distance between the fins 300 and the second rod 622. 0. The length extending outward in the radial direction; the fourth rod 624, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the third rod 623, forming a second-layer receiving space 632 between the fourth rod 624 and the third rod 623 for accommodating the second-layer tube 200; the fifth rod 625, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the fourth rod 624, the distance between the fifth rod 625 and the fourth rod 624 being equal to or greater than the length extending outward in the radial direction of the fin 300; and the sixth rod 626, arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the fifth rod 625, forming a third-layer receiving space 633 between the sixth rod 626 and the fifth rod 625 for accommodating the third-layer tube 200.

[0102] Return to reference Figure 1 The heat exchanger also includes a heat storage medium inlet assembly 400 and a heat storage medium outlet assembly 500. The heat storage medium inlet assembly 400 is connected to the end of the second shell portion 120 opposite to the intermediate curved shell portion 130. The heat storage medium inlet assembly 400 includes: a heat storage medium inlet tube sheet 410 that connects multiple heat storage medium inlets 240 of multiple tube bodies 200 together; a heat storage medium inlet tube box 420 connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube sheet 410 to provide access to the multiple heat storage medium inlets 240; and a heat storage medium inlet tube side connector 430 connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube box 420 for receiving the heat storage medium to be exchanged. Furthermore, the heat storage medium outlet assembly 500 is connected to the end of the first housing portion 110 that is opposite to the intermediate curved housing portion 130. The heat storage medium outlet assembly 500 includes: a heat storage medium outlet tube sheet 510 that connects multiple heat storage medium outlets 250 of multiple tube bodies 200 together; a heat storage medium outlet tube box 520 that is connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube sheet 510 to provide access to the multiple heat storage medium outlets 250; and a heat storage medium outlet tube side connector 530 that is connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube box 520 to allow the heat storage medium that has undergone heat exchange to flow out.

[0103] Reference Figure 5 Viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body 200, multiple tube bodies 200 are arranged in multiple rows in the horizontal direction inside the shell 100, that is... Figure 5 The leftmost, middle, and rightmost columns. The number of vertical layers and horizontal columns of the multiple tubes 200 are equal, i.e., three layers and three columns, thus forming a centrally symmetrical tube bundle structure within the shell 100. Although Figure 5 Five tubes 200 are shown. One tube 200 is located in the center, and the other four tubes 200 are distributed at equal angles around the central tube 200. It is understood that the number, size and arrangement of the tubes 200 can be appropriately varied, as long as a tube bundle that can be placed inside the housing 100 is formed, preferably a tube bundle structure that is symmetrical about the center.

[0104] Reference Figure 7 and Figure 8Viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body 200, in one of the plurality of first interval zones 312, the support ring 600 is positioned such that the plurality of partition bars 620 are in the horizontal direction, while in the adjacent first interval zone, the support ring 600 is positioned such that the plurality of partition bars 620 are in the vertical direction. Viewed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body 200, in one of the plurality of second interval zones 322, the support ring 600 is positioned such that the plurality of partition bars 620 are in the horizontal direction, while in the adjacent second interval zone, the support ring 600 is positioned such that the plurality of partition bars 620 are in the vertical direction.

[0105] For ease of understanding, please refer to Figure 8 We can see a horizontally arranged support ring 600 and a vertically arranged support ring 600. Clearly, in... Figure 8 The horizontally arranged support rings 600 are closer to the observer. Figure 8 The image clearly shows the horizontal dividing bar 620 of the support ring 600 arranged in a horizontal manner, and also shows the vertical dividing bar 620 of the support ring 600 arranged in a vertical manner.

[0106] In summary, the longitudinal flow heat exchanger of this utility model mainly includes the following key points: First, the longitudinal flow heat exchanger includes a U-shaped shell and a U-shaped tube with fins. A small flow rate of heat storage medium flows through the tube side, while a large flow rate of compressed air flows through the shell side. The heat exchanger is made of carbon steel or stainless steel. Second, the longitudinally extending fins are welded only on the straight sections of the tube; no fins are installed on the curved sections. Third, no fins are welded at the inlet and outlet of the shell side to allow air to fill the inlet and outlet sections of the shell side and then flow longitudinally along the outer circumference of the tube. Fourth, the longitudinal fins are intermittent. At each fin interval, the tube bundle is supported by support rings, significantly improving the rigidity and structural stability of the tube bundle. Fifth, the tube bundle is arranged in a square outline to facilitate the passage of support rings between the tube bundles. Adjacent support rings are arranged alternately in the horizontal and vertical directions to improve the rigidity of the tube bundle. Overall, the structure of this utility model, combining a U-shaped tube and a U-shaped shell with appropriately arranged fins, is suitable for applications with large temperature differences and high circulation.

[0107] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger, characterized by, The heat exchanger includes: A U-shaped housing (100) having a first housing portion (110) and a second housing portion (120) parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved housing portion (130) connecting the first housing portion (110) and the second housing portion (120), wherein one of the first housing portion (110) and the second housing portion (120) has an air inlet (140) to receive compressed air to be heat exchanged, and the other of the first housing portion (110) and the second housing portion (120) has an air outlet (150) to allow the compressed air after heat exchange to flow out, thereby forming an airflow channel (160) inside the housing (100) from the air inlet (140) to the air outlet (150); One or more U-shaped tubes (200) are arranged inside the housing (100). Each tube (200) has a first tube portion (210) and a second tube portion (220) that are parallel to each other, and an intermediate curved tube portion (230) connecting the first tube portion (210) and the second tube portion (220). The first tube portion (210) is located inside the first housing portion (110), the second tube portion (220) is located inside the second housing portion (120), and the intermediate curved tube portion (230) is located inside the intermediate curved housing portion (130). The first tube portion (210) and the second... One of the tube sections (220) has a heat storage medium inlet (240) to receive the heat storage medium to be heat exchanged, and the other of the first tube section (210) and the second tube section (220) has a heat storage medium outlet (250) to allow the heat storage medium after heat exchange to flow out, thereby forming a heat storage medium flow channel (260) inside the tube section (200) from the heat storage medium inlet (240) to the heat storage medium outlet (250), the heat storage medium flow channel (260) being adjacent to the air flow channel (160) such that compressed air flowing in the air flow channel (160) exchanges heat with the heat storage medium flowing in the heat storage medium flow channel (260); and Multiple fins (300) are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of a portion of the tube body (200), the fins (300) extending outward in a radial direction from the outer surface of the tube body (200), and the fins (300) are located within the airflow channel (160).

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1, wherein The fins (300) include first tube portion fins (310) disposed on the first tube portion (210) and second tube portion fins (320) disposed on the second tube portion (220), and no fins are disposed on the intermediate curved tube portion (230).

3. The heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet (140) is located at the first housing portion (110) and includes an air inlet shell-side connector (141) extending in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the first housing portion (110). No fins are provided in the section of the tube body (200) opposite to the air inlet shell-side connector (141). The air outlet (150) is located at the second housing portion (120) and includes an air outlet shell-side connector (151) extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the second housing portion (120), wherein no fins are provided in the section of the tube body (200) opposite to the air outlet shell-side connector (151).

4. The heat exchanger according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first tube portion fin (310) includes multiple segments of first fins (311) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the first tube portion (210), and the first tube portion (210) has a finless first gap region (312) between every two segments of the first fins (311); and The second tube portion fin (320) includes multiple segments of second fins (321) spaced apart along the longitudinal direction of the second tube portion (220), and the second tube portion (220) has a finless second gap region (322) between every two segments of second fins (321).

5. The heat exchanger according to claim 4, characterized in that, There are multiple tubes (200), and viewed from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tubes (200), the multiple tubes (200) are arranged in multiple layers in the vertical direction inside the shell (100). The first tube portion (210) includes a plurality of first interval regions (312), and the second tube portion (220) includes a plurality of second interval regions (322). A support ring (600) is provided in the plurality of first interval regions (312) and the plurality of second interval regions (322). The support ring (600) includes a circular outer ring (610) and a plurality of partition rods (620) located within the outer ring (610) and connected to the outer ring (610). The area between the plurality of partition rods (620) forms a multi-layer receiving space (630) in the vertical direction for supporting the plurality of tubes (200) arranged in multiple layers.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein The heat exchanger also includes a heat storage medium inlet assembly (400) and a heat storage medium outlet assembly (500). The heat storage medium inlet assembly (400) is connected to the end of the second shell portion (120) opposite to the intermediate curved shell portion (130). The heat storage medium inlet assembly (400) includes: a heat storage medium inlet tube sheet (410) that connects multiple heat storage medium inlets (240) of multiple tube bodies (200) together; a heat storage medium inlet tube box (420) connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube sheet (410) to provide access to the multiple heat storage medium inlets (240); and a heat storage medium inlet tube side connector (430) connected to the heat storage medium inlet tube box (420) for receiving the heat storage medium to be exchanged; and The heat storage medium outlet assembly (500) is connected to the end of the first housing portion (110) opposite to the intermediate curved housing portion (130). The heat storage medium outlet assembly (500) includes: a heat storage medium outlet tube sheet (510) that connects a plurality of heat storage medium outlets (250) of a plurality of the tube bodies (200) together; a heat storage medium outlet tube box (520) connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube sheet (510) to provide access to the plurality of heat storage medium outlets (250); and a heat storage medium outlet tube side connector (530) connected to the heat storage medium outlet tube box (520) to allow the heat-exchanged heat storage medium to flow out.

7. The heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that, Viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body (200), the multiple tube bodies (200) are arranged in multiple rows in the horizontal direction inside the shell (100). The number of layers of the multiple tube bodies (200) in the vertical direction is equal to the number of rows in the horizontal direction. The multiple tube bodies (200) form a centrally symmetrical tube bundle structure inside the shell (100). Viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body (200), in one of the plurality of first interval zones (312), the support ring (600) is positioned such that the plurality of partition rods (620) are in a horizontal direction, while in the adjacent first interval zone, the support ring (600) is positioned such that the plurality of partition rods (620) are in a vertical direction; and Viewed in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube body (200), in one of the plurality of second interval zones (322), the support ring (600) is positioned such that the plurality of the separator bars (620) are in a horizontal direction, while in the adjacent second interval zone, the support ring (600) is positioned such that the plurality of the separator bars (620) are in a vertical direction.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 5, wherein The number of the plurality of tubes (200) is five, one of which is located in the center, and the other four are distributed at equal angles around the central tube (200).

9. The heat exchanger of claim 8, wherein, The plurality of partition bars (620) of the support ring (600) include: The first rod (621) has both ends connected to the outer ring (610) of the support ring (600). The vertical distance between the center of the first rod (621) and the outer ring (610) is equal to or greater than the length of the fin (300) extending outward along the radial direction. The second rod (622) is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the first rod (621), and a first-layer receiving space (631) is formed between the second rod (622) and the first rod (621) for accommodating the first layer of the tube body (200); The third rod (623) is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the second rod (622), and the distance between the third rod (623) and the second rod (622) is equal to or greater than the length of the fin (300) extending outward along the radial direction; The fourth rod (624) is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the third rod (623), and a second receiving space (632) is formed between the fourth rod (624) and the third rod (623) for accommodating the second layer of the tube body (200); The fifth rod (625) is arranged parallel to and spaced apart from the fourth rod (624), and the distance between the fifth rod (625) and the fourth rod (624) is equal to or greater than the length of the fin (300) extending outward along the radial direction; and The sixth rod (626) is arranged parallel to and at an interval from the fifth rod (625), and the sixth rod (626) and the fifth rod (625) form a third-layer receiving space (633) for accommodating the third layer of the tube body (200).

10. The heat exchanger according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The heat exchanger is made of carbon steel or stainless steel.

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