Gas cooler

Abstract

This gas cooler is provided with: a body part that is provided with an inflow port and an outflow port; a partition part that is disposed in the space inside of the body part; a cooling unit that is disposed in a cooling space inside of the body part and that uses a cooling medium to cool gas flowing in via the inflow port; a separation part 30 that is disposed in a separation space inside of the body part 11 and that, before the gas flows out from the separation space via the outflow port, collects and separates, from the gas passing through the cooling space, the moisture or condensed liquid content of the gas; and a gas guide part that guides the gas such that the gas is caused to meander inside of the cooling space. The cooling unit is provided with a tube through which the cooling medium flows.

Description

Gas cooler

[0001] The present invention relates to a gas cooler for cooling gas.

[0002] In recent years, considering the environment, hydrogen is considered to be used as fuel for power generation, automobiles, etc., and the demand for hydrogen is increasing. As shown in FIG. 11, the gas cooler disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a core part 81 to which a cooling medium is supplied, a housing 82 that houses the core part 81, an inlet part 83 that is arranged in the housing 82 and supplies compressed gas to the core part 81, and an outlet part 84 that is arranged in the housing 82 and discharges the compressed gas that has passed through the core part 81. Inside the housing 82, an inlet-side flow path 85, an outlet-side flow path 86, and a communication path 87 are provided. The inlet-side flow path 85 mutually communicates the inlet part 83 and the core part 81. The outlet-side flow path 86 is partitioned from the inlet-side flow path 85 and the core part 81, and the outlet part 84 is arranged therein. The communication path 87 sends the compressed gas that has passed through the core part 81 to the outlet-side flow path 86. On the inner surface of the housing 82 that constitutes the outlet-side flow path 86, a protruding part 89 for drain cut-off is formed.

[0003] By the way, in the gas cooler disclosed in Patent Document 1, the compressed gas is cooled by blowing the compressed gas from the inlet part 83 toward the core part 81. Therefore, if measures such as thickening the core part 81 are not taken, the cooling may be insufficient.

[0004] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012 - 590

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a gas cooler with a high cooling effect.

[0006] A gas cooler according to one aspect of the present invention is a gas cooler used for cooling a predetermined gas, comprising: a main body portion that is tubular in shape and extends in one direction and has an inlet and an outlet; a partition portion disposed in the space within the main body portion; a cooling portion disposed in the space on one side of the partition portion within the main body portion and cooling the gas that flows into the space on one side through the inlet with a cooling medium; a separation portion disposed in the space on the other side of the partition portion within the main body portion and collecting and separating condensed liquid or water from the gas that has passed through the space on one side before the gas flows out of the space on the other side through the outlet; and a gas guide portion that guides the gas in a meandering manner in the space on one side, wherein the cooling portion comprises a tube that extends in the one direction and through which the cooling medium flows.

[0007] This figure shows the internal configuration of the gas cooler according to the first embodiment, viewed from above. This figure shows the internal configuration of the gas cooler viewed from the side. This figure shows the internal configuration of the gas cooler viewed along the longitudinal direction of the main body. This figure illustrates a control device for controlling the liquid level of a gas cooler according to a modified example of the first embodiment. This figure shows the internal configuration of the gas cooler according to the second embodiment, viewed from above. This figure shows the internal configuration of the gas cooler viewed from the side. This is a cross-sectional view of the gas cooler along the line VII-VII in Figure 6. This is a cross-sectional view of the gas cooler along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 6. This is a cross-sectional view of the gas cooler along the line IX-IX in Figure 6. This is a cross-sectional view of the gas cooler along the line X-X in Figure 6. This figure shows a conventional gas cooler.

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0009] (First Embodiment) The gas cooler 10 according to this embodiment is a cooler used to cool a predetermined gas. When the gas cooler 10 is used to cool a gas discharged from a compressor (not shown), the predetermined gas is the gas discharged from the compressor. Here, the predetermined gas includes a gas containing water or a heavy hydrocarbon. The heavy hydrocarbon includes hydrocarbon gases that may condense at the compressor outlet by cooling with room temperature cooling water. This type of hydrocarbon gas may include, for example, propane gas. That is, the hydrocarbon gas may include a gas that liquefies at room temperature. Furthermore, the hydrocarbon gas may be a gas containing water or a gas that does not contain water.

[0010] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the gas cooler 10 comprises a tubular main body 11 extending in one direction, an inlet pipe 12 connected to the main body 11, and an outlet pipe 13 connected to the main body 11. Hereinafter, the direction in which the main body 11 extends (the left-right direction in Figure 1) will be referred to as the longitudinal direction.

[0011] The main body 11 has an opening at one end 11a in the longitudinal direction, while the other end 11b in the longitudinal direction is closed. A tube sheet 24, which will be described later, is attached to this opening at the end 11a. As a result, the internal space of the main body 11 is a closed space.

[0012] The inlet pipe 12 is connected to one end 11a of the main body 11, where an opening is formed, or to the vicinity thereof. The outlet pipe 13 is connected to the other end 11b of the main body 11 in the longitudinal direction, or to the vicinity thereof.

[0013] The main body 11 is provided with an inlet 11c, and the inlet pipe 12 introduces the gas to be cooled into the internal space of the main body 11 through this inlet 11c. The inlet 11c is formed at the center of the main body 11 in the height direction. As shown in Figure 3, the inlet pipe 12 is connected to the side of the main body 11. Therefore, the gas cooler 10 can be positioned below the compressor. Note that the inlet 11c is not limited to the center in the height direction, but may be formed at a lower position.

[0014] The main body 11 is provided with an outlet 11d, and the outlet pipe 13 allows the gas cooled in the internal space of the main body 11 to flow out of the main body 11 through this outlet 11d. The outlet 11d is located at the upper end (or top) of the main body 11.

[0015] A partition 16 is located inside the main body 11. The internal space of the main body 11 is divided by the partition 16 into a cooling space CS and a separation space RS. In other words, the internal space of the main body 11 contains a cooling space CS, which is the space on one side of the partition 16, and a separation space RS, which is the space on the other side of the partition 16.

[0016] The partition portion 16 is formed to extend upward from the bottom of the main body portion 11. The upper end 16a of the partition portion 16 leaves a gap (communication gap 17) between it and the upper part of the main body portion 11. Therefore, the cooling space CS and the separation space RS are not completely separated, but are connected to each other through the communication gap 17, which narrows the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space of the main body portion 11, allowing gas to pass through.

[0017] The cooling space CS is a space located on one side of the partition 16, and the separation space RS is a space located on the other side of the partition 16. That is, the partition 16 is formed in the shape of a plate perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the cooling space CS and the separation space RS are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction with the partition 16 in between. The inlet 11c opens to the cooling space CS, and the outlet 11d opens to the separation space RS. The inlet 11c is positioned near one end 11a that opens in the main body 11 so as far away from the separation space RS as possible in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, in the longitudinal direction, the inlet 11c is positioned closer to one end 11a than to the other end 11b where the separation space RS is located. In other words, the inlet 11c is located near the outlet chamber 19 and inlet chamber 20 of the cooling medium, which will be described later.

[0018] A cooling unit 22 is located in the cooling space CS. The cooling unit 22 is equipped with multiple tubes 22a through which a cooling medium flows. The gas in the cooling space CS is cooled as the cooling medium flows through the tubes 22a.

[0019] Each tube 22a extends horizontally along its longitudinal direction and is curved in a U-shape in the middle. Therefore, both ends of each tube 22a are located at one end of the main body 11 in the longitudinal direction. The example shown in Figures 1 and 2 shows a configuration in which each tube 22a is curved in a U-shape in a vertical plane, and multiple tubes 22a are arranged horizontally and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, each tube 22a may be curved in a U-shape in a horizontal plane, and multiple tubes 22a may be arranged vertically.

[0020] Each of the multiple tubes 22a is connected at both ends to the tube sheet 24. In other words, the multiple tubes 22a are held by the tube sheet 24. The tube sheet 24 is positioned to close one end 11a that is open in the main body 11.

[0021] One end of each tube 22a opens to an outlet chamber 19 adjacent to the main body 11 via a tube sheet 24, and the other end of each tube 22a opens to an inlet chamber 20 adjacent to the main body 11 via a tube sheet 24. The outlet chamber 19 has an outlet 19a that allows the cooling medium to be discharged from the outlet chamber 19 to the outside. The inlet chamber 20 has an inlet 20a that allows the cooling medium to be introduced into the inlet chamber 20. Therefore, the cooling medium introduced into the inlet chamber 20 from the outside flows into each tube 22a, and the cooling medium that has flowed through each tube 22a is discharged to the outside through the outlet chamber 19.

[0022] The set of a tube sheet 24 (i.e., a tube sheet connecting the tubes 22a together) and multiple tubes 22a is referred to as a tube nest 26. The tube nest 26, consisting of multiple tubes 22a and a tube sheet 24, is separable from the main body 11. That is, the tube sheet 24 is attached to one end 11a of the main body 11 in the longitudinal direction by a fastener. Therefore, the tube sheet 24 can be removed from the main body 11 by removing the fastener. Also, since multiple tubes 22a are supported by the tube sheet 24, the tube nest 26, consisting of tubes 22a and a tube sheet 24, can be removed from the main body 11 as a whole.

[0023] The cooling space CS is provided with a gas guide section 28 that guides the gas to meander in the longitudinal direction. The gas guide section 28 includes a plurality of guide plates. The plurality of guide plates are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, and adjacent guide plates 28a and 28b are positioned alternately. That is, the plurality of guide plates include a first guide plate 28a and a second guide plate 28b. A tie rod (not shown) passes through the first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b, with the distance between them maintained at a constant interval by a spacer (not shown). The first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b are fixed to the tube sheet 24 by fixing the tie rod to the tube sheet 24. The first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b may be fixed to the tube sheet 24 by other methods. The first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b are configured to be in contact with (or facing with a very small gap between) the main body 11, but are not fixed to the main body 11. In the gas cooler 10, the tube nest 26 and the multiple guide plates 28a, 28b are separable from the main body 11. The first guide plate 28a forms a first flow port at the left end of the cooling space CS when viewed longitudinally from one end 11a where the opening is formed. The second guide plate 28b forms a second flow port at the right end of the cooling space CS. The first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b are arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction such that the positions of the flow ports are staggered. Therefore, the gas flows through the cooling space CS, meandering from left to right, alternately passing through the first and second flow ports. The cross-sectional area of ​​this gas flow (cross-sectional area of ​​the gas flow path) is narrower than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 11. Therefore, by providing the gas guide section 28, the gas flow velocity is increased. This increases the heat transfer coefficient, thereby enhancing the cooling effect of the gas by the cooling section 22.

[0024] Gas that has passed through the cooling space CS flows into the separation space RS through the communication gap 17. The separation space RS is equipped with a separation unit 30 that collects and separates condensed liquid or water from the incoming gas. The separation unit 30 has a cylindrical holding part 30a that extends downward from the upper part of the main body 11, and a demister 30b held by the holding part 30a. The holding part 30a extends below the upper end 16a of the partition part 16 at a position longitudinally away from the partition part 16, and is open downward. The demister 30b is made of a mesh-like material and is positioned inside the holding part 30a. An outlet 11d is opened at the upper end of the space inside the holding part 30a.

[0025] In other words, the holding portion 30a is configured to allow the gas that has flowed from the cooling space CS into the separation space RS through the communication gap 17 between the upper end 16a of the partition portion 16 and the main body portion 11 to flow downward along the outer circumference of the holding portion 30a. The separation portion 30 is configured to reverse the gas that has flowed downward upward and then allow it to pass through the demister 30b.

[0026] As the gas flows upward inside the holding section 30a, any moisture or condensed gas associated with the gas is collected by the demister 30b. Therefore, even though the upper part of the main body 11 forming the separation space RS is at the same height as the upper part of the main body 11 forming the cooling space CS, an upward flow of gas is generated in the separation section 30, allowing for efficient separation of moisture or condensed gas. Furthermore, the height dimension of the gas cooler 10 itself can be kept from increasing. Moreover, any large droplets of moisture or condensed gas associated with the gas collide with the partition section 16 and accumulate in the cooling space CS without entering the separation space RS. In other words, these can be roughly removed before the moisture or condensed gas is collected by the demister 30b in the separation space RS. Additionally, the partition section 16 prevents water or condensed liquid accumulated in the cooling space CS from entering the separation space RS.

[0027] Furthermore, in the gas cooler disclosed in Patent Document 1, unless the space forming the communication passage and the outlet side flow path (the space into which the compressed gas flows after passing through the core) is made sufficiently wide, it is not possible to promote the settling of droplets by gravity. Therefore, it is difficult to separate water or condensate from the compressed gas. As a result, there is a risk that compressed gas accompanied by water or condensate will be discharged from the gas cooler.

[0028] As shown in Figure 2, the bottom of the main body 11 is provided with a drain outlet 31 for discharging water or condensate accumulated in the cooling space CS, and a drain outlet 32 ​​for discharging water or condensate accumulated in the separation space RS.

[0029] In the gas cooler 10 configured as described above, the gas to be cooled flows into the cooling space CS through the inlet pipe 12, and the cooling medium flows into multiple tubes 22a through the inlet chamber 20. Within the cooling space CS, the gas flows in a meandering manner along the gas guide section 28, and is cooled by the multiple tubes 22a during this process. Because the gas flow path is narrowed by the gas guide section 28, the gas flow velocity is increased compared to a configuration without the gas guide section 28. Therefore, the cooling effect of the gas is enhanced. As the gas is cooled, some of the water contained in the gas or the condensed liquid of the gas accumulates at the bottom of the cooling space CS. Some of the water or condensed liquid is carried along with the gas and flows together with it.

[0030] The gas cooled by the cooling unit 22 passes through the communication gap 17 between the upper end 16a of the partition unit 16 and the upper part of the main body unit 11 and flows into the separation space RS. This gas flows downward along the outer circumference of the holding unit 30a and reverses direction upward below the lower end of the holding unit 30a. This gas flows through the inner space of the holding unit 30a and passes through the demister 30b. If the gas is accompanied by moisture or condensed liquid, at least a portion of this moisture or condensed liquid is captured by the demister 30b and accumulated at the bottom of the separation space RS. By ensuring that the space below the demister 30b is wider than the size of the communication gap 17, the gas flow velocity increased in the cooling space CS is reduced. Therefore, droplet collection by the demister 30b is more reliable. The gas from which moisture or condensed liquid has been separated by the demister 30b is discharged to the outside of the main body unit 11 through the outlet 11d. This gas is sent to the gas consumers.

[0031] As described above, in this embodiment, the gas flow path in the cooling space CS is narrowed by the gas guide section 28, which increases the gas flow velocity and thereby increases the heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, the cooling effect of the cooling section 22 can be enhanced.

[0032] Furthermore, since the cooling unit 22 and the separation unit 30 are located within a common main body 11, there is no need to install the gas cooler 10 at a high position. Therefore, the gas cooler 10, which is normally installed at a high position, can be installed at a lower position. Also, when it is necessary to install the compressor higher than the gas cooler 10, the installation height of the compressor can be lowered, which is advantageous from the standpoint of vibration prevention. In addition, since the cooling unit 22 and the separation unit 30 are located in adjacent spaces separated by a partition 16, there is no need to provide connecting piping between the cooling unit 22 and the separation unit 30.

[0033] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the partition portion 16 is provided to rise from the bottom of the main body portion 11, it is possible to prevent water or condensed liquid accumulated in the separation space RS within the main body portion 11 from entering the cooling space CS.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when performing maintenance on the gas cooler 10, the components constituting the cooling medium outlet chamber 19 and inlet chamber 20 can be removed, and the tube 22a, first guide plate 28a, and second guide plate 28b, along with the tube sheet 24, can be pulled out longitudinally from the main body 11. This makes it easy to clean and inspect these components.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the inlet 11c is located at or below the central position in the height direction of the main body 11. That is, the position of the inlet 11c of the gas cooler 10 is kept low. As a result, it is possible to keep the height position of equipment upstream of the gas cooler 10 (such as a compressor) low. This makes it possible to relax the constraints on the height position of such equipment, even when it is necessary to position such equipment in a way that prevents moisture from accumulating in it.

[0036] In this embodiment, the amount of water or condensate accumulating in the cooling space CS is not controlled, but as shown in Figure 4, a control unit 34 for controlling the liquid level may be provided. The control unit 34 includes a detector 34a capable of detecting when the liquid level of the water or condensate is within a predetermined height range, and a drain control unit 34b that controls the opening and closing mechanism 31a of the drain discharge unit 31 based on the detection result from the detector 34a. When the detector 34a detects that the liquid level has risen above a preset upper limit, the drain control unit 34b controls the opening and closing mechanism 31a of the drain discharge unit 31 to discharge the water or condensate accumulated in the cooling space CS to the outside of the main body 11 through the drain discharge unit 31. Furthermore, when the detector 34a detects that the liquid level has fallen below a preset lower limit, the drain control unit 34b controls the opening and closing mechanism 31a of the drain discharge unit 31 to stop the discharge of water or condensate by the drain discharge unit 31. The upper limit of the liquid level is the height at which the lowest tube 22a is not submerged in water or condensate. The lower limit of the liquid level is the height at which a liquid layer is formed within the cooling space CS so that the gas in the cooling space CS is not discharged outside the main body 11 through the drain outlet 31.

[0037] In this modified example, a liquid layer of water or condensate is maintained in the cooling space CS, preventing the gas that would normally be discharged from the outlet 11d from being discharged through the drain outlet 31. Furthermore, since the tube 22a (cooling section 22) is not immersed in the liquid layer of water or condensate, the cooling capacity of the gas by the tube 22a can be ensured.

[0038] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the partition portion 16 is made up of a member extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 11. In contrast, in the second embodiment, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the partition portion 16 is made up of a member extending in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 11. Here, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0039] The partition 16 extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body 11, dividing the inner space of the main body 11 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the cooling space CS and the separation space RS are adjacent to each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, with the partition 16 in between. For this reason, both the cooling space CS and the separation space RS have a shape that extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body 11. Consequently, the cooling section 22 and the separation section 30 are adjacent to each other with the partition 16 in between, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0040] In this case, the inlet 11c for introducing the gas into the cooling space CS does not need to be located near the outlet chamber 19 and inlet chamber 20 of the cooling medium. As shown in Figure 5, the gas inlet 11c is located at the longitudinal end of the main body 11 opposite to the end 11a where the outlet chamber 19 and inlet chamber 20 are adjacent. On the other hand, the outlet 11d is located in the middle of the main body 11 in the longitudinal direction.

[0041] The partition 16 is positioned relative to the multiple tubes 22a at a location offset in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (for example, offset to the right of the tubes 22a when viewed from the inlet 11c side). One end of the partition 16 in the longitudinal direction is connected to a guide plate positioned near the inlet 11c. This guide plate on the inlet 11c side functions as a guide partition plate 28c that demarcates the end face on the inlet 11c side in the separation space RS. In other words, the guide partition plate 28c among the multiple guide plates (gas guide section 28) also functions as a partition 16. As shown in Figure 7, the partition 16 does not exist at the position of line VII-VII in Figure 6. At this position in the longitudinal direction, the entire inside of the main body 11 is the cooling space CS. In the example shown in Figures 5 and 6, the side wall of the main body 11 located on the opposite side of the inlet 11c is composed of a tube sheet 24 positioned to close the open end 11a in the main body 11. Furthermore, this side wall does not need to be configured as a tube sheet 24.

[0042] As shown in Figures 8 to 10, when viewed from the inlet 11c side in the longitudinal direction of the main body 11, the cooling space CS is located to the left of the partition 16, and the separation space RS is located to the right of the partition 16 when viewed from the inlet 11c side.

[0043] The partition 16 has a wall portion 36 that rises vertically and a protruding portion 37 that extends horizontally from the lower end of the wall portion 36. The partition 16 divides the inner space of the main body portion 11 into a cooling space CS and a separation space RS. The cooling space CS includes a space located on one side of the wall portion 36 (opposite to the direction of protrusion of the protruding portion 37) and a space located below the protruding portion 37. The separation space RS is located on the other side of the wall portion 36 (the side from which the protruding portion 37 extends) and is located above the protruding portion 37.

[0044] The upper end of the wall portion 36 does not contact the inner surface of the main body portion 11, and a gap 39 is formed between the upper end 16a of the wall portion 36 and the inner surface of the main body portion 11. The outer end of the protruding portion 37 does not contact the inner surface of the main body portion 11, and a gap 40 is also formed between the outer end of the protruding portion 37 and the inner surface of the main body portion 11. It is preferable that the gaps 39 and 40 be as narrow as possible.

[0045] The wall portion 36 and the protruding portion 37 have a shape that extends long in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 11. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wall portion 36 is in contact with the tube sheet 24 (or the side wall of the main body portion 11 on the side opposite to the inlet 11c in the longitudinal direction). More specifically, among the wall portion 36, the end portion on the side opposite to the inlet 11c in the longitudinal direction is welded and fixed to the tube sheet 24. On the other hand, the protruding portion 37 has a gap (communication gap 17) with the tube sheet 24 (or the side wall of the main body portion 11 on the side opposite to the inlet 11c in the longitudinal direction). Therefore, as also shown in FIG. 10, at the position of the X-X line in FIG. 6, a communication gap 17 is formed between the protruding portion 37 and the tube sheet 24 (or the side wall of the main body portion 11 in the longitudinal direction). This communication gap 17 is a gap through which gas passes between the cooling space CS and the separation space RS. Therefore, in the vicinity of the tube sheet 24 in the internal space of the main body portion 11, gas flows upward through the communication gap 17 from the portion below the protruding portion of the cooling space CS and then flows into the separation space RS.

[0046] The plurality of guide plates include a first guide plate 28a and a second guide plate 28b. When the main body portion 11 is viewed from the inlet 11c side, the first guide plate 28a is connected to the wall portion 36 of the partition portion 16 and forms a first flow port between the first guide plate 28a and the left wall of the main body portion 11. The first guide plate 28a is welded and fixed to the wall portion 36. The first guide plate 28a is not fixed to the main body portion 11.

[0047] The second guide plate 28b forms a second flow port between it and the wall portion 36 of the partition portion 16. A tie rod (not shown) penetrates the second guide plate 28b. By fixing the tie rod to the tube sheet 24, the second guide plate 28b is fixed to the tube sheet 24. Note that the first guide plate 28a may also be fixed to the tube sheet 24 by the tie rod together with the second guide plate 28b. The second guide plate 28b is configured to contact (or face with a very small gap) the left wall of the main body portion 11, but is not fixed to the main body portion 11. In the gas cooler 10, the tube nest 26, the plurality of guide plates 28a and 28b, and the partition portion 16 are separable from the main body portion 11.

[0048] The gas flows in the cooling space CS while meandering left and right and alternately passing through the first flow port and the second flow port. That is, the wall portion 36 of the partition portion 16 extends in the longitudinal direction between the tube 22a (cooling portion 22) and the main demister 42 (separation portion 30) described later, and functions as a combined portion that cooperates with the gas guide portion 28 to meander the gas.

[0049] The outlet 11d is disposed at the intermediate portion of the main body portion 11 in the longitudinal direction in the separation space RS. That is, while the communication gap 17 is disposed at a position adjacent to one end portion 11a in the longitudinal direction within the main body portion 11, the outlet 11d is disposed at a position shifted in the longitudinal direction with respect to the communication gap 17. Therefore, the gas flowing upward through the communication gap 17 and flowing into the separation space RS flows in the longitudinal direction.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the separation portion 30 includes a main demister 42 and sub-demitters 43, 44, and 45. The main demister 42 is made of a mesh-like member and is formed in a shape that vertically partitions the separation space RS. Further, the main demister 42 is located above the overhanging portion 37 and below the outlet 11d in the separation space RS. That is, the main demister 42 is provided between the communication gap 17 and the outlet 11d in the gas flow direction. Therefore, the gas flowing into the separation space RS will surely pass through the main demister 42.

[0051] Sub-demisters 43, 44, and 45 are provided to close the gaps 39, 40, and 47 between the partition portion 16 and the main body portion 11. The sub-demisters include a first sub-demister 43, a second sub-demister 44, and a third sub-demister 45. The first to third sub-demisters 43 to 45 are all made of mesh-like material.

[0052] The first sub-demister 43 is positioned to extend along the upper end of the wall portion 36 of the partition portion 16 in the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 11, so as to close the gap 39 between the upper end of the wall portion 36 of the partition portion 16 and the main body portion 11. This allows moisture or condensed liquid accompanying the gas flowing from the cooling space CS to the separation space RS through the gap 39 between the upper end of the wall portion 36 and the main body portion 11 to be collected. Note that "closing the gap 39" here is not limited to completely closing the gap 39 so that gas cannot pass through parts other than the first sub-demister 43, but may also include cases where a small amount of gas passes through parts other than the first sub-demister 43.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, the second sub-demister 44 is positioned along the outer circumference of the guide partition plate 28c so as to close the gap 47 between the guide partition plate 28c and the inner circumferential surface of the main body 11. The outer circumference of the guide partition plate 28c is curved to follow the inner circumferential surface of the main body 11. For this reason, the second sub-demister 44 is formed in an arc shape that extends along the inner circumferential surface of the main body 11. By providing the second sub-demister 44, moisture or condensed liquid accompanying the gas flowing from the cooling space CS to the separation space RS through the gap 47 between the guide partition plate 28c and the main body 11 is collected. Note that "closing the gap 47" here is not limited to completely closing the gap 47 so that gas cannot pass through parts other than the second sub-demister 44, but may also include cases where a small amount of gas passes through parts other than the second sub-demister 44.

[0054] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the third sub-demister 45 is positioned along the lower surface of the protruding portion 37 of the partition portion 16 so as to close the gap 40 between the outer end of the protruding portion 37 of the partition portion 16 and the main body portion 11. This allows moisture or condensed liquid accompanying the gas flowing from the cooling space CS to the separation space RS through the gap 40 between the outer end of the protruding portion 37 and the main body portion 11 to be collected. Note that "closing the gap 40" here is not limited to completely closing the gap 40 so that gas cannot pass through parts other than the third sub-demister 45, but may also include cases where a small amount of gas passes through parts other than the third sub-demister 45.

[0055] Therefore, in this embodiment, the gas that flows into the main body 11 through the inlet 11c located at the end of the main body 11 in the direction of extension (longitudinal direction) flows toward the communication gap 17 between the partition 16 and the side wall of the main body 11. This communication gap 17 is located on the opposite side of the main body 11 from the inlet 11c in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, a length of gas flow along the cooling section 22 can be secured, thereby further enhancing the cooling effect of the gas.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, moisture or condensed liquid that flows from the communication gap 17 between the side wall located on the opposite side of the inlet 11c in the main body 11 and the partition 16 toward the outlet 11d can be collected by the main demister 42. In addition, moisture or condensed liquid that passes through the gaps 39, 40, 47 between the partition 16 and the main body 11 can be collected by the sub-demisters 43, 44, 45. Therefore, moisture or condensed liquid can be separated more reliably.

[0057] In this embodiment, when performing maintenance on the gas cooler 10, the components constituting the cooling medium outlet chamber 19 and inlet chamber 20 can be removed, and the tube 22a, partition 16, first guide plate 28a, and second guide plate 28b can be pulled out longitudinally from the main body 11 along with the tube sheet 24. This makes it easy to clean and inspect these components.

[0058] The other configurations, functions, and effects will not be described here, but the description of the first embodiment can be applied to the second embodiment.

[0059] (Other Embodiments) It should be noted that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and improvements are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b of the gas guide section 28 are alternately arranged with a left-right offset, and the gas flows in a meandering manner from left to right within the cooling space CS. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the gas may flow in a meandering manner from up to down within the cooling space CS. In this case, the first guide plate 28a and the second guide plate 28b are alternately arranged with a vertical offset.

[0060] The specific embodiments described above mainly include inventions having the following configurations.

[0061] (1) The gas cooler according to the above embodiment is a gas cooler used to cool a predetermined gas, and comprises a main body that is tubular in shape and extends in one direction and has an inlet and an outlet, a partition portion disposed in the space within the main body, a cooling portion disposed in the space on one side of the partition portion within the main body and cooling the gas that flows into the space on one side through the inlet with a cooling medium, a separation portion disposed in the space on the other side of the partition portion within the main body and collecting and separating condensed liquid or water from the gas that has passed through the space on one side before the gas flows out of the space on the other side through the outlet, and a gas guide portion that guides the gas in a meandering manner in the space on one side, wherein the cooling portion comprises a tube that extends in the one direction and through which the cooling medium flows.

[0062] In the aforementioned gas cooler, the gas flow path can be narrowed by the gas guide section within the space on one side, thereby increasing the gas flow velocity and, consequently, the heat transfer coefficient. Therefore, the cooling effect of the cooling section can be enhanced.

[0063] Furthermore, since the cooling and separation sections are located within a common main body, there is no need to install the gas cooler at a high position. Therefore, the gas cooler, which is normally installed at a high position, can be installed at a lower position. Also, when the compressor needs to be installed higher than the gas cooler, the compressor's installation height can be lowered, which is advantageous from the standpoint of vibration prevention. In addition, since the cooling and separation sections are located in adjacent spaces separated by a partition, there is no need to provide connecting piping between the cooling and separation sections.

[0064] (2) In the gas cooler, the cooling section may be provided on one side of the partition in one direction, and the separation section may be provided on the other side. In this case, the partition may have a shape that extends upward from the bottom of the main body, and the upper end of the partition may have a gap between it and the upper part of the main body.

[0065] In this embodiment, the partition prevents the condensed gas or water accumulated in the space where the separation unit is located within the main body from entering the space where the cooling unit is located.

[0066] (3) The separation portion may have a cylindrical holding portion extending downward from the upper part of the main body portion, and a demister held by the holding portion. In this case, the holding portion may extend below the upper end of the partition portion.

[0067] In this embodiment, the gas flowing downwards can be reversed upwards in the separation section before passing through the demister. Therefore, water or condensed liquid components of the gas can be efficiently separated.

[0068] (4) In the gas cooler, the cooling section and the separation section may be adjacent to each other with the partition section in between in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. The inlet may also be located at the end of the main body in the one direction. In this case, the partition section extends in the one direction between the cooling section and the separation section and has a dual-purpose section that cooperates with the gas guide section to cause the gas to meander, and the end of the partition section opposite to the inlet may have a gap between it and the side wall of the main body located on the opposite side of the inlet in the one direction.

[0069] In this embodiment, gas flowing into the main body through an inlet located at the end of the main body in the direction of extension (one direction) flows toward the gap between the partition and the side wall of the main body. This gap is located on the opposite side of the inlet in the aforementioned one direction. Therefore, a sufficient length of gas flow along the cooling section can be ensured, thereby further enhancing the cooling effect of the gas.

[0070] (5) The separation section may include a main demister provided between the gap and the outlet, and a sub-demister arranged to close the gap between the partition and the main body.

[0071] In this embodiment, moisture flowing from the gap between the side wall on the opposite side of the inlet in the main body and the partition towards the outlet can be collected by the main demister. Furthermore, condensed liquid or moisture that passes through the gap between the partition and the main body can be collected by the sub-demister. Therefore, condensed liquid or moisture can be separated more reliably.

[0072] (6) The separation section may have a wall section that rises vertically and a protruding section that extends horizontally from the lower end of the wall section to the side opposite to the cooling section. In this case, the space on the one side where the cooling section is located may include the portion located below the protruding section.

[0073] In this embodiment, in a configuration in which the partition extends in one direction between the cooling section and the separation section, the gas cooled by the cooling section can be made to flow upward when it moves toward the separation section.

[0074] (7) The gas cooler may further include a tube sheet for holding the tubes. In this case, the tube nest consisting of the tubes and the tube sheet may be separable from the main body together with the gas guide. In this embodiment, cleaning the inside of the main body becomes easier.

[0075] (8) The gas cooler may be provided with a tube sheet for holding the tubes. In this case, the tube nest consisting of the tubes and the tube sheet may be separable from the main body together with the gas guide and the partition. In this embodiment, cleaning the inside of the main body becomes easier.

[0076] (9) The gas cooler may further include a drain discharge unit located at the bottom of the main body and capable of discharging the condensed liquid or water of the gas that accumulates in the space on one side of the main body, and a control unit that controls the drain discharge unit so as to ensure a liquid layer of the condensed liquid or water of the gas below the cooling unit in the space on one side.

[0077] In this embodiment, a liquid layer of condensate or water is maintained in the space on one side where the cooling unit is located, thus preventing the gas that would normally be discharged from the outlet from being discharged through the drain outlet. Furthermore, since the cooling unit is not immersed in the liquid layer of condensate or water, the cooling capacity of the cooling unit for the gas can be ensured.

[0078] (10) The inlet may be located at the center of the main body or below the center in the height direction.

[0079] In this embodiment, by keeping the position of the gas cooler inlet low, it is possible to keep the height of equipment upstream of the gas cooler (such as a compressor) low. This makes it possible to relax the height constraints on such equipment, even when it is necessary to position the equipment in a way that prevents moisture from accumulating.

[0080] As explained above, it is possible to obtain a gas cooler with high cooling efficiency.

[0081] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-175140, filed with the Japan Patent Office on 4 October 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A gas cooler used for cooling a predetermined gas, comprising: a main body that is tubular in shape and extends in one direction and has an inlet and an outlet; a partition disposed in the space within the main body; a cooling unit disposed in the space on one side of the partition within the main body and cooling the gas that flows into the space on one side through the inlet with a cooling medium; a separation unit disposed in the space on the other side of the partition within the main body and collecting and separating condensate or water from the gas that has passed through the space on one side before the gas flows out of the space on the other side through the outlet; and a gas guide unit that guides the gas in a meandering manner in the space on one side, wherein the cooling unit comprises a tube that extends in the one direction and through which the cooling medium flows.

2. The gas cooler according to claim 1, wherein in one direction, the cooling section is provided on one side of the partition, and the separation section is provided on the other side, the partition has a shape that extends upward from the bottom of the main body, and the upper end of the partition has a gap between it and the upper part of the main body.

3. The gas cooler according to claim 2, wherein the separation portion comprises a cylindrical holding portion extending downward from the upper part of the main body portion, and a demister held by the holding portion, and the holding portion extends below the upper end of the partition portion.

4. The gas cooler according to claim 1, wherein the cooling section and the separation section are adjacent to each other with the partition section in between in a direction perpendicular to the aforementioned one direction, the inlet is located at the end of the main body in the aforementioned one direction, the partition section extends in the aforementioned one direction between the cooling section and the separation section and has a dual-purpose section that cooperates with the gas guide section to cause the gas to meander, and the end of the partition section opposite to the inlet leaves a gap between it and the side wall of the main body located opposite to the inlet in the aforementioned one direction.

5. The gas cooler according to claim 4, wherein the separation portion comprises a main demister provided between the gap and the outlet, and a sub-demister arranged to close the gap between the partition portion and the main body portion.

6. The gas cooler according to claim 4, wherein the separation portion has a wall portion that rises vertically and a protruding portion that extends horizontally from the lower end of the wall portion to the side opposite to the cooling portion, and the space on the one side in which the cooling portion is located includes a portion located below the protruding portion.

7. The gas cooler according to claim 2, further comprising a tube sheet for holding the tube, wherein the tube nest, comprising the tube and the tube sheet, is separable from the main body together with the gas guide portion.

8. The gas cooler according to claim 4 or 5, comprising a tube sheet for holding the tube, wherein the tube nest, consisting of the tube and the tube sheet, is separable from the main body together with the gas guide portion and the partition portion.

9. The gas cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: a drain discharge unit disposed at the bottom of the main body and capable of discharging the condensed liquid or water of the gas that accumulates in the space on one side of the main body; and a control unit that controls the drain discharge unit so as to ensure a liquid layer of the condensed liquid or water of the gas below the cooling unit in the space on one side.

10. The gas cooler according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inlet is located at the central position or below the central position in the height direction of the main body.

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