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Core-in-shell heat exchangers for multistage compressors

  • US 5,651,270 A
  • Filed: 07/17/1996
  • Issued: 07/29/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for cooling a normally gaseous feed stream, comprising:

  • (a) a multistage compressor having at least a high-stage section and a low-stage section;

    (b) heat exchange means for condensing refrigerant gas compressed in said multistage compressor to produce a liquid refrigerant;

    (c) an elongated high-stage heat exchange shell associated with said high-stage section of said multistage compressor, said high-stage heat exchange shell having a volume sufficient for handling vapor-compression refrigeration service for said high-stage compressor section, and additionally having a surge volume;

    (d) at least one high-stage plate-fin-core disposed in said high-stage shell, said core being operable over a range of liquid levels in said high-stage shell;

    (e) a baffle plate transversely disposed in said high-stage shell so as to facilitate maintenance of a minimum liquid level for said plate fin core;

    (f) means for flashing said liquid refrigerant into said high-stage shell and producing a first mixture of gas and liquid in which said feed gas stream passes in indirect heat exchange through said high-stage plate-fin-core;

    (g) means for separating said first mixture of gas and liquid and providing said gas to an inlet of said high-stage compressor section, and holding sufficient liquid in said high-stage shell to provide at least a minimum functional liquid level for said high-stage core;

    (h) an elongated low-stage heat exchange shell associated with said low-stage section of said multistage compressor, said low-stage heat exchange shell containing at least one low-stage plate-fin-core, said low-stage shell having a volume sufficient for handling vapor-compression refrigeration service for said low-stage compressor section;

    (i) means for flashing said liquid refrigerant withdrawn from said surge volume into said low-stage shell to produce a second mixture of gas and liquid in which said feed gas stream passes in indirect heat exchange through said low-stage plate-fin-core;

    (j) means for separating said second mixture of gas and liquid in said low-stage shell and providing said gas to an inlet of said low-stage compressor section and holding sufficient liquid in said low-stage shell to provide at least a minimum functional liquid level for said low-stage core; and

    (k) wherein said surge volume in said high-stage shell is a volume equal to a level fluctuation in said low-stage shell of about four inches to about eight inches.

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