HEAT EXCHANGER MANIFOLD IMPROVEMENTS FOR TRANSIENT START-UP

摘要

A heat exchanger configured to condition a flow of fluid therein. The heat exchanger includes a first manifold, a second manifold, and a conditioning assembly having a plurality of tubular elements extending between the first manifold and the second manifold. The first manifold includes a first end having an inlet formed therein and a second end formed opposite the first end, wherein a generally tapered portion of the second end of the first manifold and a fluid drain feature formed in the generally tapered portion of the first manifold are configured to minimize an amount of the first fluid remaining in at least one of the first manifold and the tubular elements after operation of the heat exchanger.

主权项

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a conditioning assembly including a plurality of tubular elements configured to receive a flow of a fluid therein, each of the tubular elements having an inlet opening and an outlet opening formed therein; and a manifold coupled to the conditioning assembly, the manifold including a first end having an inlet formed therein and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the manifold is formed by at least one wall, and wherein a generally tapered portion of the manifold and a fluid drain feature located in the generally tapered portion of the manifold are configured to minimize an amount of the fluid remaining in at least one of the manifold and the tubular elements after operation of the heat exchanger, and wherein at least one of a volume of the generally tapered portion of the manifold and a distance between an inner surface of a wall opposite the inlet openings of the tubular elements and a plane generally defined by the inlet openings of the tubular elements generally decreases along the generally tapered portion of the manifold as a distance from the inlet increases.