Foster Wheeler Corporation

James H Nickerson

Anthony Ruhe

Robert R Steel

A heat exchanger having a number of heat exchange tubes and an improved tube support. The support comprises a plurality of strips which are identical and joined together so that the support engages each tube.

Heat exchanger tube supports

A heat exchange vessel has a plurality of tubes disposed therein. A tube sheet section in the vessel has a plurality of ports formed therein for receiving one end of each of said tubes, and at least one channel is formed in said first tube sheet section for communicating with said ports. An additional tube sheet section disposed in said vessel has a plurality of ports formed therein for receiving the other ends of said tubes and at least one channel formed in said additional tube sheet section is provided for communicating with said latter ports. Means is provided for introducing a heat exchange fluid to the channel associated with one of said tube sheet sections for passing through its respective ports through said tubes. Likewise means is provided for collecting the fluid from the channel associated with the other tube sheet section for passing the fluid externally of the vessel.

Slab header

U-tubes in a heat exchanger are arranged so that at intervals about the periphery of the tube bundle lanes are formed in the layout for more evenly distributing the flow of downcomer fluid through the entire bundle. Ducts are also provided for distributing downcomer fluid into upper portions of the bundle, the ducts providing a one-way communication between the downcomer area and the central portion of the bundle providing both circulation of fluids and preventing backflow of steam formed in the heat exchanger into the downcomer area. A torus header has outlet nozzles communicating with the lower portion of the heat exchanger which header introduces makeup water to the exchanger which is directed through the nozzles at the top surface of the tube sheet for reducing sludge buildup thereon.

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St. Catharines, Canada

James H Nickerson