US2135432A - Vapor condenser - Google Patents

Description

NGV. 1, i938, E R, ERQDTON 2,135,432

VAPOR CONDENSER Original Filed March 31, 1934 l 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ffgyfl' iff-97.2.'.

Minh INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 1, 1938. E R, BRODTON 2,135,432

VAPOR 'CQNDENSER Original Filed March 3l, 1934 -3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JVENTOR. Edward Bz''dalz I ATToRNEY.

Nov. 1, 1938.. E. R. BRODTON l' VAPOR CONDENSER s sheets-sheet s Original Filed March 5l, 1934 Patented Nov. 1, 1938 PATENT OFFICE VAPOR C ONDENSER Edward R. Brodton, Collingswood, N. J.

Application March 31,

1934, Serial No'. 7183504 Renewed September. 15, 193!)` 3 Claims.

The object primarily to be achieved by my invention is the provision of a novel and highly eilicient condenser of the honeycomb type to condense vapor produced by boiling or ebullition, or

the application of lheat to the liquid, which will be of high efiiciency, and which will be strikingly much more eicient from the standpoint of heat transfer than the most efcient honeycomb condenser heretofore in use. The structural and functional characteristics of a condenser embodying 'my invention by which this important object is achievedy are, of course, set forth hereinafter in the detailed description-of the embodiments ofvmy invention shown in the drawings and therefrom other advantages of my invention will be seen.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or is included within the terms or scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a honeycomb type condenser embodying my invention, with parts broken away to simplifyI and otherwise. better illustrate my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective of a portion of such condenser with wall-parts shown broken away;

Fig. 4 is a detail view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, with the parts shown on a larger scale;

Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, detail views in perspective of portions of the core;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in perspective showing portions of the core-forming elements separated from each other;

Fig. '7a is a detail section to show the rough core-plate surfaces;

Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively,v detail views in elevation of portions of opposite vertical side plates used in the make-up'of the core;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line III-I 0 of Fig. 1, on a larger scale;

Fig. 11 is a detail view in perspective of the upper or head portion of a condenser that is. a different embodiment of my invention; and

Figs. 12 to 15 are, respectively, end, side, crosssection and perspective views of different means than is shown in other of the figures for effecting a whirling motion of the cooling fluid used in such a condenser.

The embodiments of my invention shown in the drawings are suited especially for condensing vapors of a chemical liquid having characteristics of that of my Patent No. 1,575,967. In dealing with chemical compounds and their vapors es- (ci. asv- 245i pecially when associated with heat it is imperative that the design, structure and materialsof the apparatus shall besuch as will not subject the uid or the apparatus to .injurious catalytic action.

Describing in detail the embodiment of my invention shown in. Figs. 1 to 9, within a shell I0, open from iront toback for the free horizontalwise flow of air as a cooling medium, kI place the condenser structure proper which includes a hollow head II, to the top of which the vapor inlet pipe I2, is secured, the core, and the base, chamberedl to provide thev condensate collector well or hot well I3. The core reaches vertically from the underside of the head II to the top of the well I3, the core having numerous external surfaces to and over which progressively downward the vapor to be condensed and the condensate pass and having numerous internal passages that extend at an Yincline downward from their open ends at the back of the shell I0, to their open ends at the front of the'shell sothat there may be free ow of the cooling medium intoy their lower ends. from the iront of the shell through such passages in an upwardly inclined direction and outward therefrom at their back open ends and through the back opening in the shell I0. The well I3 may be supported from the bottom of the shell. I0. by a bracket I4, with upwardly extending arms that straddle the'r well. A-n outlet from the well for the distillate is provided which as shown may be a pipe leading from the bottom or low point of the well.

The cooling medium used in the condenser shown in the drawings, is air, but, of course, I donot restrict myself to use of or adaptationV of the construction for any particular cooling medium. And the condenser shownin the drawings and about to be described in detail is one designed for condensing the vaporsof chemical compounds which vaporize at low temperatures, but, of course, I do not restrict the scope of my invention to a condenser for dealing with the vapors of any particular vaporizable material; and it is to be understood that I regard my invention as extending in whole or in part to application to any heat transfer appliance to or in connectio-nwith which it is available.

The core which has a honeycomb formation, the cells of which in cross-section are hexagonal and whose external walls provide the outside surfaces over which the vapor and resulting condensate flow downwards and which enclose the internal passages for the iiow of the cooling medium, is situated between and supported by bottom edgescof the head Il, andthe top edges" i from top to bottom ofthe core so that the vapor' Vstarting from the top will pass downward in the sheet metal, itwill be seen'that ahighly efficientV two spaced apart parallel vertical side walls each in the form of a plate l5.l The side walls at topr and bottom aresecured by lapped joints to the of therwell lI3. Such lapped joints Yare formed by similar but opposite return ange-forming bends IB, on the adjacent edges of theY parts and a barY |1,'of substantially C-form in cross-Y section; with flanges to interlock with those of said parts. f .Y

The core may be considered as formed of numerous similar units each including a verticalj,v

ticular is thus subjected to a lateral flow yfrom series of spaced apart hexagonal cells'whose cen- .,ters are in vertical alinement and in alinement with a central vertical web, adjacent unitsrbeing' arranged so that the cells of one unit project thereby `provide a zig-Zagor circuitous passage form'of aV thin film or-sheet and Vin contact with Athe cooling or heat-receiving surfaces formed by the zig-zag walls and these walls lbeing of thin heattransfer arrangement is provided or created, bothas tostructure and as'to-ilowrof fluid` torbe deprivedof heat. And it will be seen that the paths of flow Vthus provided varemultipleV or very .numerous Aand -these Vmultiple paths are relativelyshort andv wideso thatV aV considerable volume'ofiluid is'handled Vand yet the structure f isgmost compact.' l

Asbest showny FigsA to y'7, eachrunit'is composed of three plateefo'rm members,fa jmetal flat or substantially` flat Avertical plate |8,-andctwo opposite'lor reversed but'fotherwiseI similar members I9Y and 20, oflsheet'metalfor a thin metal i plate eachffrom top .tonbottom being o'fV zig'f/zag form due tothefactrthatV each includesihalf ,y

hexagons 2l, that are spaced apartand joined' Y by vertical substantially:` central flat members 22,

that lie in contactwith opposite sidesof the'rnetal Fig.' 5 shows assembled the Yopposite Aplates |79 Vand zo and the middle plate lsand united rigid- Y ly by spot welding atthe points marked X. i

nThe zig-zag orrcircuitousY vaporjchannels provided between'adjacent units are closed at front and back by an outwardlyV offset vrib 23, on each of the membersV I9 and 20 and extending from top .Y to bottomV thereof, Y which Vvcontacts withY the! corresponding and adjacent rib'; and the contacting,

surfaces are joined securely as by spot welding.

VThe spaces between fthey offsets V23,'at top' and bottomjare closed liquid-tightb'y interposed filling blocks 24, which' also are VspotY welded. V

To assure and maintain uniform spacing of adjacentvapor passage forming walls of adjacent units, spacing devices are .provided These may be cruciform or X'shape bosses 25, struck' up f from the plates at suitable intervals apart and situated so thatY the boss 25, on one member will 'touch'or bear against the similar boss on the adjacent member. Besidesrsaid spacerbossesVother bosses Vnot so high and in the form of'spaced apartribs 26, arerprovided which are laterally inclined to give direction-tothe fluid -flow o ver them. They also increase theV cooling surface area with which the Yfluid has conta'ctfto promote heat transfer. Andi' as indicated' incFig. '7 and Fig; 7a., the surfaces mayfberoughened by sharppointedror, fairly sharp-pointed or tapered small lower ends of the cells for it willV be remembered A that the cell walls themselves incline from back to front so that there is a downwardly inclined direction to the narrow channels between adjacent units. The uid and the condensate in parrear to front, as well as a downward flow simulrtaneously.` Thus heat transfer is augmented by the agitation'and rubbing effect of the flowing iiuid as it passes over the Zig-zag ribbed and inclined surfaces.v And to secure a similar action on the cooling medium flow through thefc'ells, there are surfaces within the cells which agitate the cooling medium by changing 'its direction and causing la whirling iiow thereof.` This may be accomplished by providingat intervals inthe portion of the central plate 18, within the cells, slots or holes 21 and oppositely horizontally 01T- set grooves 28, which result in the circutous ow of` uid from one side of thei'plate" I8, to the opposite side as the fluid cooling medium passesf throu'ghthe cells Yfrom end to end. The fluidengagingsurfaces of the grooves or deflectors- `28 of `vanropposite pair-are inclined and the pairs of adjacent grooves are 'inclined with reference to one anothern'sucha way as to cause ya portion of. the cooling fluid to whirl `in a `helical courseas itpasses :through the upward sloping hexagonal cell with roughened surfaces. 1 By this 'K motion all portions ofthe cooling Vfluidi are brought into rubbing contact with the rough-l ened outer surfaces ofthe narrow space passagesV through Vwhich flows the yfluidv yfrom which the heat is to be absorbed.

The'plate I8v not 4only servers the purpose just c explained, but it is a strengthening web Vfor the.

unit "where it crosses the'cells Vdiametrically, and..

it serves as a Vheat radiating n or element where' it lies in'contact with'the adjacent parts I9 that l Ygoto make up with it a unitrwhich, of course,

receive heat from thevilowingrvapor and coni densate and transfer it to the intervening web. il Y As well shown'in Figs.V 5 to l0, each unit member I9 and 20 at one edge'has at one endV of each of the half hexagon-forming walls tab-form .lugs 29, which as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and l0, arejbentover yand lapped against the'vadjacen't wall of the hexagon of the unit adjoining, andV thus a simple and yet strong'andfrigid connection is made between the units that go toV makeup .l

the complete core.` Y Y y Besides the lap joint connection between vthe side walls l5V and the bottom edge of theY head Il,

and backY Walls ofthe head and the core at the top. This attachment includes front and back the tabs as lugs 29 as Yshown in Fig. 3. lower edge of the plate 3U is saw-tooth 'or zig-Zag in rform so as to clear the ends of the Yinternal passages to avoid obstruction of cooling medium iiowtherethrough. Also, certain of the tab-lugs Y 29, such as lug 29a, shown in Figs. 3, 6'and 7 on 75 alternate units engage 'over the edge of and whereby the core`is attached to the head atvthose points, there is an attachment between the fr ont against the plates 30 in a direction opposite to that of the lugs 3l, thus locking the plates 30 in position. The C-strips which provide the lap joint connection at all four sides of the head are, of course, slipped endwise into place and the last-inserted strip overlaps at the ends the other lap joint so as to cover the joint thereat and the structure at all external joints is made leak-proof by final soldering.

Before assembling the core and head and hot well for the connection hereinbefore described, the edges of the core at front and back and top and bottom are dipped in silver solder for sweating both to effectually seal all joints against leakage and to contribute to the connection of said parts.

It is desirable quickly and thoroughly to .distribute the Vapor entering the head so that the wide extent of the core surfaces from front to back and side to side may be Yutilized by the delivery of the vapor thereto at the outset. To achieve this result, I place in the space within the head above the core, a series of perforated barriers 32, preferably of wire mesh, the strips or sheets of wire mesh being placed successively further and further from the inlet to the head Il, some arching in a concavo-convex form from the underside of the head across the inlet and others being attached to and extending from the front side of the head across to or near the center thereof, these others being in the widened space in the head at the front due to the downward inclination of the core top. Besides the obviously satisfactory wide distribution of the vapor for delivery to the top of the core, said barriers being preferably made of metal of high thermal conductivity, take heat from the incoming vapor and conduct it to the head walls.

If desired as shown in Fig. 11, the inlet may be in the form of a pipe or tube with a laterally extended flattened portion |20, that opens into the side of the head H0.

As shown in Figs. 12 to 15, there may be used tubes 33, of hexagonal cross-section placed side by side and spaced apart to provide the zig-zag channel or passage between them by abutting or contacting enlargements 34, at their ends, and to secure the circuitous flow therethrough of the cooling medium, there may be placed within the tubes twisted strips 35, such as of the form shown best in Fig. 15, these strips having at their ends bent lugs 36, diametrically opposite and secured to the diametrically opposite inner walls of the tubes.

As shown in Fig. 2, a support connection may be used between the side walls I5 of the core and the wall of shell l0, consisting of several bolt and lug connections 31.

Metals used in the construction of my condenser are such that their surfaces will not be subject to corrosion or disintegration by the action of air or moisture or any catalytic action when the liquid from which the vapor is generated is of such chemical nature or composition as to result in any such action. It has been found that metals suitable for the purpose are an alloy known to the trade as Ampco metal, certain aluminum bronzes, Monel metal, and Stainless steel.

The eciency and other advantages of a condenser embodying my invention may be readily shown by comparison thereof with what may be considered the most efficient honeycomb type of condenser now on the market. Assume such a condenser with a core twenty and three-quarter inches wide by six inches `deep by seventeen inches high that represents about one anda quarter l cubic feet and giving a frontal area of 2.44 sq. ft. Such a condenser has sq. ft. of air contact surface and 119 sq. ft. of vapor contact surface and a heat transfer constant, for example of 5) B. t. u./min. per sq. ft. of surface per degree diiference in temperature.

The honey-comb type of condenser shown in the drawings and described hereinbefore and having the like core dimensions and frontal area, includes 78 sections, 156 plates and 78 cooling medium whirl producing sheets and 1950 air tubes and. giving 162.5 sq. ft. of air contact surface when the latter is not embossed or 211 sq. ft. when embossed; and 134 sq. ft. of vapor contact surface without embossing and 200 sq. ft. with surfaces embossed.

With the same heat transfer constant, my condenser within the same space will transfer about 67% more heat under the same conditions. And upon the basis of experimentally available data on the heat transfer due to the surfaces my condenser affords; the elfective drainage of the condensate; the advantage from the thin vapor film flow over the cooling surfaces; the increase of speed in action; and the great agitation of the cooling medium in its p-assage through the core tubes, it is believed that there is a transfer constant several times as great as given in the foregoing comparison.

As will be apparent, the core construction besides performing with high efliciency its function of bringing the vapor into contact with the cooling or heat extracting surfaces and causing the flow of the air or cooling medium to utilize it to very great advantage, gives the maximum of strength and rigidity with minimum amount of metal and is a structure of easy assembly and union or connection of parts.

To prevent loss of heat from the condensate received by the hot well, the latter may be thermally insulated. The condensate from the hot well is, of course, available for re-use in the boiler or vapor generator for conversion again into vapor.

What I claim is:

1. Heat transfer apparatus comprising a core that includes a plurality of parallel tubes ,open from end to end and extending in an inclining downward direction from rear to front of the core, the lower or front ends of the tube being the inlet ends: of a cooling medium for passage therethrough in an upwardly inclined direction, the exteriors of adjacent tubes being spaced apart fro-m the top of the core downward to pro-vide channels for the passage in contact with the tube exteriors of a fluid from which heat is to be removed, means to introduce such fluid to such channels at the top of the core, said channels being closed at opposite sides, and ribs in said channels inclined downwardly toward the lower end of the tubes whereby the fluid therein is` subjected toa lateral now from the rear of the core to the front thereof while flowing downwardly in said channels.

2. In a heat transfer apparatus, a core of the honey-comb type comprising a plurality of units each including two oppositely zig-zagged wall plates having alternate zig-zag portions contacting, thus providing a plurality of cells, the units being arranged so that the cells of one unit project into the spaces between adjacent cells of adjacent units, the zig-Zag edges of the plat-es of each unit being outwardly offset from the body of theirrespective plates to' form relatively narrow I rpassages between the plates of vadjacent units `from top to bottom of the core, and tab-lugs on angular portions of the zig-zag. edges of one of said plates of each unit bent over the edge and lapped against the adjacent Wall of the adjoining unit, whereby the adjacent oiset portions of the plates are secured together to close the sides of said passages and whereby the units are secured together. f

3. A heat transfer apparatusask set forth in claim 2, further characterized by having plates closing the sides of the core, a chambered head plates at the endportions of the core having tablugs thereon bent over the edges of and lapping T against the walls of'oertain of said cells, certain of said tab-lugs on the plates of said units similarly engaging adjacent edges of said front and back plates; the adjacent edges of the side plates,

front and back plates,Y the head and base being 1D secured togethen EDWARD R. BRODTON.

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