A shell-and-tube heat exchanger

Abstract

The utility model relates to heat exchanger technical field discloses the utility model provides a kind of shell-and-tube heat exchanger, it includes shell, and multiple heat exchange pipes, the input hole and output hole that are connected to shell interior are equipped on the shell, the second heat exchange medium is used for carrying in shell interior;Each the heat exchange pipe includes mandrel and multiple heat exchange plates, which are arranged on the mandrel, the heat exchange plate is arranged around the mandrel, each the heat exchange plate is equipped with heat exchange passage, the heat exchange passage extends to the both ends of the heat exchange plate length direction along the extension direction of the mandrel, the both ends of the mandrel and the heat exchange plate are extended to the shell in transverse direction, so that the heat exchange passage forms input and output in the both ends of the shell, the heat exchange passage is used to pass into first heat exchange medium.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of heat exchangers, and in particular to a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. Background Technology

[0002] Shell-and-tube heat exchangers mainly consist of an outer shell and heat exchange tubes running through it. During operation, a first heat exchange medium flows into the heat exchange tubes, while a second heat exchange medium flows into the outer shell cavity. Heat exchange between the two media is achieved through heat transfer between the heat exchange tube walls. However, the current structure has some limitations. For example, after the second medium enters the outer shell, the contact area between it and the heat exchange tubes is limited, which restricts the improvement of overall heat exchange efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to solve at least one of the technical problems mentioned above.

[0004] The solution to the technical problem of this utility model is: A shell-and-tube heat exchanger includes a shell and multiple heat exchange tubes. The shell has an inlet and an outlet port communicating with the interior of the shell. The interior of the shell is used to carry a second heat exchange medium. Each heat exchange tube includes a mandrel and multiple heat exchange plates disposed on the mandrel. The heat exchange plates are arranged around the mandrel. Each heat exchange plate has a heat exchange channel. The heat exchange channel extends along the extension direction of the mandrel to both ends of the heat exchange plate along its length direction. Both ends of the mandrel and the heat exchange plates extend laterally to the shell, such that the heat exchange channel forms an inlet and an outlet at both ends of the shell. The heat exchange channel is used to introduce a first heat exchange medium.

[0005] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the heat exchange plates on each mandrel are arranged in a circular array with the axis of the mandrel as the center.

[0006] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the heat exchange plates on each of the mandrels are arranged in a spiral shape around the axis of the mandrel.

[0007] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a groove is formed between two adjacent heat exchange plates on the mandrel, and in two adjacent heat exchange tubes, the heat exchange plate on one heat exchange tube is inserted into the groove on the other heat exchange tube.

[0008] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the outer shell is configured in a columnar shape, the length of the columnar outer shell extends laterally, and the length of the outer shell and the length of the mandrel are arranged in the same direction.

[0009] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the input hole is located on the bottom surface of one end of the housing, and the output hole is located on the top surface of the other end of the housing.

[0010] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, multiple heat exchange tubes are arranged in a linear array along the horizontal and vertical directions to form a rectangular array of heat exchange tubes.

[0011] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the shell-and-tube heat exchanger also includes baffles. Multiple baffles are provided, and each baffle has multiple first openings. The baffles are arranged inside the shell along the length of the columnar shell, and the baffles are fixedly connected to the shell.

[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, all the baffles are divided into two groups. One group of baffles is located on the inner top surface of the outer shell, and there is a gap between the bottom of the baffles located on the inner top surface of the outer shell and the inner bottom surface of the outer shell. The other group of baffles is located on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell, and there is a gap between the top of the baffles located on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell and the inner top surface of the outer shell. The baffles located on the inner top surface of the outer shell and the baffles located on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell are staggered.

[0013] As a further step of the above technical solution, the shell-and-tube heat exchanger also includes a first conical tube and a second conical tube. The larger diameter end of the first conical tube covers all the outlet ports at one end of the shell, and all the outlet ports are connected to the first conical tube. The larger diameter end of the second conical tube covers all the inlet ports at the other end of the shell, and all the inlet ports are connected to the second conical tube.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: Each heat exchange tube mainly consists of a core shaft and multiple heat exchange plates surrounding the core shaft. Heat exchange channels extending along the core shaft are provided within the heat exchange plates for introducing the first heat exchange medium. Compared to traditional smooth tubes, the multiple heat exchange plates distributed around the core shaft significantly increase the contact area with the second heat exchange medium inside the shell. The first medium flows through the channels within the heat exchange plates, while the second medium makes full contact with the outer surface of the heat exchange plates within the shell cavity, achieving heat transfer through the heat exchange plate walls. The polyhedral structure of the heat exchange plates creates turbulence during the flow of the second medium, reducing the boundary layer thickness and improving the convective heat transfer coefficient. Furthermore, compared to the cylindrical outer surface of a single tube in a traditional shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the design of the heat exchange plates in this invention effectively increases the unit heat exchange area and improves the overall heat exchange rate. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional isometric view of a shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to one embodiment of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 3 This is the utility model Figure 2 Enlarged view of point A in the image.

[0018] Figure 4 This is an isometric view of a heat exchange tube according to one embodiment of this utility model.

[0019] The reference numerals in the attached drawings are: 1-shell, 11-inlet port, 12-outlet port, 2-heat exchange tube, 21-core tube, 22-heat exchange plate, 221-outlet port, 3-baffle plate, 41-first cone tube, 42-second cone tube. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments have been briefly explained above. Obviously, the described drawings are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Those skilled in the art can obtain other design schemes and drawings based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] The following will clearly and completely describe the concept, specific structure, and technical effects of this utility model in conjunction with embodiments and accompanying drawings, so as to fully understand the purpose, features, and effects of this utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. Other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this utility model without creative effort are all within the scope of protection of this utility model. Furthermore, all connection relationships mentioned herein do not simply refer to direct connection of components, but rather to the ability to form a better connection structure by adding or reducing connecting accessories according to specific implementation conditions. The various technical features in this invention can be combined interactively without contradicting each other.

[0022] A shell-and-tube heat exchanger mainly consists of an outer shell 1 and heat exchange tubes 2 running through it. During operation, a first heat exchange medium flows into the heat exchange tubes 2, while a second heat exchange medium flows into the cavity of the outer shell 1. Heat exchange between the two media is achieved through heat transfer along the walls of the heat exchange tubes 2. However, the current structure has some limitations. For example, the contact area between the second medium and the heat exchange tubes 2 after entering the outer shell 1 is limited, which restricts the improvement of overall heat exchange efficiency.

[0023] Therefore, this utility model provides a shell-and-tube heat exchanger, which includes a shell 1 and multiple heat exchange tubes 2. The shell 1 is provided with an inlet hole 11 and an outlet hole 12 communicating with the interior of the shell 1. The interior of the shell 1 is used to carry a second heat exchange medium. Each heat exchange tube 2 includes a mandrel and multiple heat exchange plates 22 disposed on the mandrel. The heat exchange plates 22 are arranged around the mandrel. Each heat exchange plate 22 is provided with a heat exchange channel. The heat exchange channel extends along the extension direction of the mandrel to both ends of the length direction of the heat exchange plate 22. Both ends of the mandrel and the heat exchange plates 22 extend laterally to the shell 1, so that the heat exchange channel forms an inlet and an outlet 221 at both ends of the shell 1. The heat exchange channel is used to introduce the first heat exchange medium.

[0024] As described above, each heat exchange tube 2 mainly consists of a mandrel and multiple heat exchange plates 22 surrounding the mandrel. Heat exchange channels extending along the mandrel are provided within the heat exchange plates 22 for introducing the first heat exchange medium. Compared to traditional smooth tubes, the multiple heat exchange plates 22 distributed around the mandrel significantly increase the contact area with the second heat exchange medium inside the outer shell 1. The first medium flows through the channels within the heat exchange plates 22, while the second medium makes full contact with the outer surface of the heat exchange plates 22 within the cavity of the outer shell 1, achieving heat transfer through the walls of the heat exchange plates 22.

[0025] The polyhedral structure of the heat exchange plate 22 causes turbulence in the flow of the second medium, reducing the boundary layer thickness and improving the convective heat transfer coefficient. In addition, compared with the cylindrical outer surface of a single tube in a traditional shell-and-tube heat exchanger, the design of the heat exchange plate 22 of this invention can effectively increase the unit heat exchange area and improve the overall heat exchange rate.

[0026] In one embodiment, the heat exchange plates 22 on each mandrel are arranged in a circumferential array centered on the axis of the mandrel. The circumferential array of heat exchange plates 22 forces the second heat exchange medium to flow through the gaps between adjacent heat exchange plates 22, forming periodically contracting and expanding flow channels, promoting turbulent mixing of the fluid and disrupting boundary layer thermal resistance. Optionally, in this embodiment, four heat exchange plates 22 are provided.

[0027] In one embodiment, the heat exchange plates 22 on each of the mandrels are arranged in a helical shape around the axis of the mandrel. The helical heat exchange plates 22 force the second heat exchange medium inside the outer shell 1 to flow along the helical trajectory, prolonging its residence time in the heat exchanger. At the same time, the continuous change of the helical angle (in this embodiment, a constant pitch is used) guides the fluid to form a helical flow pattern. The fluid generates a secondary flow due to centrifugal force in the helical channel formed by adjacent heat exchange plates 22, continuously scouring the surface of the heat exchange plates 22, breaking the laminar boundary layer, and enhancing convective heat transfer. The helical structure of the heat exchange plates 22 ensures that the heat exchange plates 22 uniformly cover the entire length of the mandrel, avoiding concentrated or sparse heat exchange areas in local regions, and ensuring a more balanced axial temperature field distribution.

[0028] In one embodiment, a groove is formed between two adjacent heat exchange plates 22 on the mandrel. In two adjacent heat exchange tubes 2, the heat exchange plate 22 on one heat exchange tube 2 is inserted into the groove on the other heat exchange tube 2. With the groove formed between the heat exchange plates 22 of the two heat exchange tubes 2 and the heat exchange plates 22 of adjacent heat exchange tubes 2 interlocked, the second heat exchange medium is forced to circulate around the gaps between the staggered heat exchange plates 22, generating eddies, disrupting the boundary layer, and promoting more uniform temperature.

[0029] In one embodiment, the outer shell 1 is cylindrical, with its length extending laterally. The length of the outer shell 1 is aligned with the length of the mandrel. By aligning the cylindrical outer shell 1 with the mandrel, for example, aligning the length of the outer shell 1 with the extension direction of the mandrel, a horizontal, long-channel heat exchange structure is constructed. The cylindrical outer shell 1 is typically cylindrical or rectangular, ensuring a smooth and continuous inner wall surface. After the second heat exchange medium enters through the inlet 11, its axial flow along the mandrel is less restricted by boundaries, reducing the vortex dead zones generated at the inner corners of non-cylindrical outer shells 1.

[0030] In one embodiment, the inlet 11 is located on the bottom surface of one end of the housing 1, and the outlet 12 is located on the top surface of the other end of the housing 1. After the second heat exchange medium enters from the bottom surface of one end of the housing 1, it needs to flow axially to the other end and turn upward at the end to be output from the top surface, which can prolong the heat exchange time. If the second medium is a gas-liquid mixture containing bubbles, bottom inlet can use gravity to make the liquid preferentially fill the bottom of the flow channel, and the bubbles float to the top, reducing the "gas film barrier" of bubbles on the surface of the heat exchange plate 22. Top outlet facilitates the discharge of residual gas in the system and avoids local heat exchange failure caused by gas blockage.

[0031] In one embodiment, multiple heat exchange tubes 2 are arranged in a linear array along the horizontal and vertical directions to form a rectangular array of heat exchange tubes 2. This structure is simple and easy to install. In another embodiment, nine heat exchange tubes 2 can be arranged in a 3x3 matrix; furthermore, three more heat exchange tubes 2 can be arranged on each of the four sides of the 3x3 matrix heat exchange tubes 2, i.e., a 5x5 matrix heat exchanger, excluding the shape of the heat exchange tubes 2 at the four corners.

[0032] In one embodiment, the shell-and-tube heat exchanger further includes baffles 3, of which multiple baffles 3 are provided, each having multiple first openings. The baffles 3 are arranged along the length of the cylindrical outer shell 1 within the shell 1 and are fixedly connected to the shell 1. The baffles 3 are arranged at equal intervals along the length of the shell 1, dividing the axial flow channel within the cylindrical shell 1 into multiple "Z-shaped" sub-channels. When the second heat exchange medium passes through the first openings of the baffles 3 or the gap between the baffles 3 and the inner wall of the shell 1, it is forced to change direction multiple times, with the flow velocity direction changing from axial to radial and then back to axial, forming strong lateral scouring and eddies, significantly increasing the turbulence intensity.

[0033] In one embodiment, all the baffles 3 are divided into two groups. One group of baffles 3 is disposed on the inner top surface of the outer shell 1, with a gap between the bottom of the baffles 3 on the inner top surface of the outer shell 1 and the inner bottom surface of the outer shell 1. The other group of baffles 3 is disposed on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell 1, with a gap between the top of the baffles 3 on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell 1 and the inner top surface of the outer shell 1. The baffles 3 on the inner top surface of the outer shell 1 and the baffles 3 on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell 1 are staggered. This staggered design allows the fluid to alternate between bottom-to-top and top-to-bottom flow directions when it laterally scours the heat exchange tube 2, avoiding localized wear of the heat exchange tube 2 caused by unidirectional scouring.

[0034] In one embodiment, the shell-and-tube heat exchanger further includes a first tapered tube 41 and a second tapered tube 42. The larger diameter end of the first tapered tube 41 covers all the outlet ports 221 at one end of the outer shell 1, and all the outlet ports 221 are connected to the first tapered tube 41. The larger diameter end of the second tapered tube 42 covers all the inlet ports at the other end of the outer shell 1, and all the inlet ports are connected to the second tapered tube 42. The second tapered tube 42 serves as the inlet. As the second heat exchange medium passes through the second tapered tube 42, the diameter of the second tapered tube gradually increases, which can reduce the flow velocity of the second heat exchange medium to a certain extent, so that the second heat exchange medium is distributed more evenly in each heat exchange channel. Furthermore, the diameter of the first tapered tube gradually decreases along the flow direction of the second heat exchange medium to increase the flow velocity of the fluid at the outlet of the second tapered tube.

[0035] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described. Those skilled in the art can make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without departing from the spirit of the present invention. All such equivalent modifications or substitutions are included within the scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A shell-and-tube heat exchanger, comprising a shell (1), characterized in that, The shell-and-tube heat exchanger also includes multiple heat exchange tubes (2). The outer shell (1) is provided with an inlet hole (11) and an outlet hole (12) that connect to the inside of the outer shell (1). The inside of the outer shell (1) is used to carry the second heat exchange medium. Each heat exchange tube (2) includes a mandrel and multiple heat exchange plates (22) disposed on the mandrel. The heat exchange plates (22) are arranged around the mandrel. Each heat exchange plate (22) is provided with a heat exchange channel. The heat exchange channel extends along the extension direction of the mandrel to both ends of the length direction of the heat exchange plate (22). Both ends of the mandrel and the heat exchange plate (22) extend laterally to the outer shell (1), so that the heat exchange channel forms an inlet and an outlet (221) at both ends of the outer shell (1). The heat exchange channel is used to introduce the first heat exchange medium.

2. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange plates (22) on each mandrel are arranged in a circular array with the axis of the mandrel as the center.

3. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat exchange plates (22) on each of the mandrels are arranged in a spiral shape around the axis of the mandrel.

4. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, A groove is formed between two adjacent heat exchange plates (22) on the mandrel. In two adjacent heat exchange tubes (2), the heat exchange plate (22) on one heat exchange tube (2) is inserted into the groove on the other heat exchange tube (2).

5. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer shell (1) is columnar, and the length of the columnar outer shell (1) extends laterally. The length of the outer shell (1) and the length of the mandrel are in the same direction.

6. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that, The input hole (11) is located on the bottom surface of one end of the outer shell (1), and the output hole (12) is located on the top surface of the other end of the outer shell (1).

7. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple heat exchange tubes (2) are arranged in a linear array along the horizontal and vertical directions to form a rectangular array of heat exchange tubes (2).

8. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 5, characterized in that, The shell-and-tube heat exchanger also includes baffles (3), which are provided in multiple pieces. Each baffle (3) has multiple first openings. The baffles (3) are arranged inside the shell (1) along the length of the columnar shell (1). The baffles (3) are fixedly connected to the shell (1).

9. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 8, characterized in that, All the baffles (3) are divided into two groups. One group of baffles (3) is located on the inner top surface of the outer shell (1). There is a gap between the bottom of the baffles (3) located on the inner top surface of the outer shell (1) and the inner bottom surface of the outer shell (1). The other group of baffles (3) is located on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell (1). There is a gap between the top of the baffles (3) located on the inner bottom surface of the outer shell (1) and the inner top surface of the outer shell (1). The baffles (3) located on the inner top surface of the outer shell (1) and the baffles (3) located on the inner ground surface of the outer shell (1) are staggered.

10. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shell-and-tube heat exchanger also includes a first conical tube (41) and a second conical tube (42). The larger diameter end of the first conical tube (41) covers all the outlets (221) at one end of the outer shell (1), and all the outlets (221) are connected to the first conical tube (41). The larger diameter end of the second conical tube (42) covers all the inlets at the other end of the outer shell (1), and all the inlets are connected to the second conical tube (42).

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