Capillary fluted tube mass and heat transfer devices and methods of use

摘要

A capillary twisted fluted tube is formed with an interior helical capillary flute and associated interior helical crest and a complementary exterior helical crest and flute, respectively. Liquid rises in the interior capillary flute and is expelled at or near the top of the tube in fine droplets that promote mass transfer efficiencies as a result of improved vapor-equilibrium. A capillary fluted tube placed in a helical groove of a heat insulating material to expose only one side of the tube to hot combustion products promotes increased capillary rise on one side of the tube with increased expulsion and spatter of liquid from the capillary channel. Exterior tube heat transfer is enhanced by enclosing the tube in a second tube or forming the tube into a winding and enclosing the winding in a cylinder. Contact of the exterior tube crests with the enclosing tube or cylinder improves heat transfer efficiencies as a result of confined flow of heat transfer fluid within the enclosing tube or cylinder. The capillary tube can have multiple sections with separate enclosing tubes and cylinders to take advantage of different heat transfer fluids or direct process-to-process heat exchange for each section.