Heat exchanger tube support

摘要

In a counterflow non-contact heat exchanger, tube bundles carry fluid back and forth across a hot gas path. As the fluid in the tubes flows vertically downward the temperature of the fluid rises. As the gas rises in the heat exchanger it loses heat due to the heat exchange process. This means that the temperature profile of a tube bundle will show a greater thermal expansion in the lower tubes. The present invention seeks to provide an efficient and improved support arrangement for heat exchanger tubes to accommodate this phenomenon by supplying a pivotally mounted tube support plate which will rotate and translate slightly from a substantially vertical plane to accommodate thermal expansion. Further, if there are multiple tube bundles, additional tube support plate sections will allow a tube support plate to articulate in sections to accommodate thermal movement.