HEAT EXCHANGER AND DISTILLATION COLUMN ARRANGEMENT

摘要

A shell and tube heat exchanger and distillation column arrangement for an air separation plant utilizing such heat exchanger in which tubes for passage of a liquid that is used in condensing a vapor are located within a cylindrical shell. The tubes are arranged in an inner array of tubes and an outer array of tubes surrounding the inner array of tubes and having more tubes than the inner array. The inner array of tubes present a larger average area, between tubes, for flow of the vapor in an outward, radial direction than tubes of the outer array to lessen pressure drop while allowing for more tubes to be located within the shell to increase the surface area available for heat exchange between the liquid and the vapor.

主权项

1. A shell and tube heat exchanger comprising:
two opposed tube sheets; a cylindrical shell connecting the two opposed tube sheets; a central vapor inlet, centrally positioned with respect to a central axis of the shell, to introduce a vapor into the shell; a central liquid outlet, centrally positioned with respect to the central axis of the shell, for discharging condensate produced by condensing the vapor; tubes connecting the two opposed tube sheets for indirectly exchanging heat between a liquid flowing within the tubes and the vapor, thereby, condensing the vapor and producing the condensate within the cylindrical shell and, at least in part, inducing a flow of the vapor in an outward, radial direction toward the shell as a result of the condensation of the vapor; the tubes arranged in an inner array of the tubes spaced apart from one another and surrounding the central vapor inlet and the central liquid outlet and an outer array of the tubes surrounding the inner array of the tubes and having a greater number of tubes than the inner array of the tubes; and the inner array of the tubes and the outer array of the tubes spaced apart from one another to present areas between the tubes, the areas of the inner array of the tubes having an average of the areas greater than that of the areas of the tubes of the outer array of the tubes situated directly adjacent the inner array of the tubes to lower pressure drop of the flow of the vapor in the outward, radial direction.