METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING ADVERSE EFFECTS OF THERMAL EXPANSION IN A HEAT EXCHANGE REACTOR

摘要

A heat exchange reactor (10) including a housing (20), a plurality of tubes (50) mounted in the housing (20) and configured to carry a first fluid, and a baffle (60) having a plurality of holes (62, 64) receiving the tubes (50). The baffle (60) is configured to guide a second fluid provided within the housing to flow in a direction generally perpendicular to the tubes (50). The reactor (10) includes various configurations for minimizing adverse effects of thermal expansion of the baffle (60) and the tubes (50). The reactor (10) is configured to minimize mechanical interference between the baffle (60) and the tubes (50) in both an operational state and a non-operational state, for example, by shaping the holes (62, 64) in the baffle (60) to take into account thermal expansion. The reactor (10) also includes a thermal insulator (90) along a length of the tubes (50) at a large temperature gradient zone within the reactor (10). The reactor (10) further includes a heat transfer fin (80) in contact with only one of the tubes (50).