TUBULAR CONDENSERS HAVING TUBES WITH EXTERNAL ENHANCEMENTS
First Claim
1. A method of exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, the method comprising condensing the first fluid on external surfaces of a tube bundle for a condenser comprising tubes, wherein at least a portion of the tubes, in an axially extending section, have internal surfaces having a coating comprising a porous metallic matrix bonded thereon, and have external surfaces comprising circumferentially extending fins, and passing the second fluid through the tubes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improvements in tubes, which increase the heat exchange capacity of tubular heat exchangers using the tubes, are described. These improvements involve the use of one or more external surface enhancements, optionally combined with an internal enhancement and/or differing tube geometries. These improvements apply, for example, to internal condensers, including those in which the tube bundles are oriented vertically, in vapor-liquid contacting apparatuses such as distillation columns.
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Citations
9 Claims
- 1. A method of exchanging heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, the method comprising condensing the first fluid on external surfaces of a tube bundle for a condenser comprising tubes, wherein at least a portion of the tubes, in an axially extending section, have internal surfaces having a coating comprising a porous metallic matrix bonded thereon, and have external surfaces comprising circumferentially extending fins, and passing the second fluid through the tubes.
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6. A method of purifying a lower boiling component from an impure mixture by distillation, the method comprising:
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(a) contacting a vapor enriched in the lower boiling component on the external surfaces of a plurality of condenser tubes of an apparatus for vapor-liquid contacting, comprising a vertically oriented column having disposed therein the plurality of condenser tubes extending substantially vertically over a section of the column length, wherein at least a portion of the condenser tubes have external surfaces comprising one or more surface enhancements, and (b) passing a cooling fluid through the condenser tubes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification