Tubular condensers having tubes with external enhancements

• US 8,684,337 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: UOP Llc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Daly, Phillip F., Lankton, Steven P., Tucker, Raymond E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUSHEY, CHARLES S
• Application Number:
  US13/469,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222447A1
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 261/155, 261/156, 261/DIG.10, 202/161, 202/185.1, 202/185.4, 202/187, 202/190, 165/113, 165/114, 165/133, 165/181, 165/182, 165/183, 165/184
• US Class Current: 261/156
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0009 Horizontal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0012 Vertical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0063 Reflux condensation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/009 Collecting, removing and/or treatment of the condensate
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0093 Removing and treatment of non condensable gases
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/02 by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream F25J3/08 takes precedence ; purification of hydrocarbons in general C07C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 15/00 Heat-exchange apparatus with the intermediate heat-transfer medium in closed tubes passing into or through the conduit walls ; Heat-exchange apparatus employing intermediate heat-transfer medium or bodies F28D17/00, F28D19/00, F28D20/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/06 the conduits having a single U-bend F28D7/10 takes precedenceF28D7/0016 and F28D7/0033 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/14 and extending longitudinally F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/24 and extending transversely F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/34 and extending obliquely F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/42 the means being both outside and inside the tubular element
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/422 with outside means integral with the tubular element and inside means integral with the tubular element F28F1/424 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/426 the outside portions and the inside portions forming parts of complementary shape, e.g. concave and convex
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/187 especially adapted for evaporator surfaces or condenser surfaces, e.g. with nucleation sites
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 2009/226 Transversal partitions
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 9/22 Arrangements for directing heat-exchange media into successive compartments, e.g. arrangements of guide plates

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.

Claims

1. A method of purifying a lower boiling component from an impure mixture by distillation, the method comprising:

(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,

wherein the surface enhancements comprise circumferentially extending fins; and

wherein at least a portion of the circumferentially extending fins have outer edges that include a plurality of notches aligned axially with respect to adjacent circumferentially extending fins so that they are superimposed when viewed axially to improve condensate drainage and wherein the notches are bent at their respective corners outside of the plane of the circumferentially extending fins.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the circumferentially extending fins have a height from about 0.76 mm (0.03 inches) to about 3.8 mm (0.15 inches).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the condenser tubes have internal surfaces having an internal enhancement in a region of the tubes that extends over the section of the column length.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the internal enhancement is a coating comprising a porous metallic matrix.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the internal enhancement includes one or more spiral ridges.

6. A method of purifying a lower boiling component from an impure mixture by distillation, the method comprising:

(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,

wherein the surface enhancements comprise shaped recessions and at least a portion of the shaped recessions are aligned axially or are aligned in one or more axially extending rows, and

wherein the shaped recessions comprise both smaller, discreet shaped recessions and larger, axially extended shaped recessions.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the condenser tubes have internal surfaces having an internal enhancement in a region of the tubes that extends over the section of the column length.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the internal enhancement is a coating comprising a porous metallic matrix.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the internal enhancement includes one or more spiral ridges.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein each individual shaped recession has an area of between about 0.1 mm² and about 4 mm².

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the shaped recessions are in the form of elongate troughs having a triangular cross-sectional shape.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the shaped recessions are in the form of elongate troughs having a curved cross-sectional shape.