Circular Shell Heat Exchanger Stress Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Heat exchangers with rectangular section shells experience pressure and thermal fatigue, particularly in high-pressure and high-temperature applications, leading to undesirable stress concentrations in corner regions, which can necessitate repair or replacement.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger with a circular section tubular shell and a core that includes axially extending passages with offset openings, thermally conductive plates, and optional flow blocking elements and baffles to create a tortuous flow path, enhancing heat transfer while reducing stress concentrations through radial alignment of openings and the use of pressure relief valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a rectangular section shell is used in heat exchangers, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but stress concentrations occur in corner regions leading to pressure and thermal fatigue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by changing the shell cross-section from rectangular to circular. This curvature eliminates the corner regions that cause stress concentrations in rectangular designs, thereby improving reliability under pressure and thermal cycling while maintaining manufacturability through standard cylindrical fabrication processes
2Reliability
If a circular section tubular shell is used, then stress concentrations are reduced and thermal/pressure fatigue is minimized, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circular shell provides inherent stress distribution advantages that improve reliability, while the patent manages the resulting complexity through standardized internal component arrangements and modular plate assemblies that fit within the cylindrical geometry
3Productivity
If flow blocking elements and baffles are added to create tortuous flow paths, then heat transfer efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses baffles as intermediary elements that create tortuous flow paths between the shell and core. These baffles enhance heat transfer by forcing fluids to follow longer, more complex paths and improving thermal contact, while their simple geometric forms keep the overall device complexity manageable
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger is divided into multiple segments with alternating flow directions through the baffles and plate arrangements. This segmentation creates the tortuous flow path needed for enhanced heat transfer while organizing the complexity into manageable, repeating units
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The circular shell design reduces stress concentrations, minimizing thermal and pressure fatigue, leading to a longer product life and allowing the use of less expensive materials like aluminum, while the enhanced flow path and baffles improve heat transfer efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of thermally conductive plates is mounted between the shell and the core to form a plurality of adjacent first and second flow passages
Implementation Method 2
A heat exchanger with a circular section tubular shell and a core that includes axially extending passages with offset openings, thermally conductive plates, and optional flow blocking elements and baffles to create a tortuous flow path, enhancing heat transfer while reducing stress concentrations through radial alignment of openings and the use of pressure relief valves
Data Source
AI summary
A plate fin heat exchanger comprises a circular section tubular shell. The shell comprises a plurality of first shell openings arranged along a length of the shell and a plurality of second shell openings arranged along a length of the shell. A first fluid plenum is provided on the shell in fluid communication with the first shell openings. A second fluid plenum is provided on the shell in fluid communication with the second shell openings. The heat exchanger further comprises a core extending axially within the tubular shell. The core comprises an axially extending first core passage and a second axially extending core passage isolated from the first core passage.