The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 16, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 01, 1991
Swaminathan Sunder, Allentown, PA (US);
Douglas L Bennett, Allentown, PA (US);
Donn M Herron, Fogelsville, PA (US);
Keith A Ludwig, Emmaus, PA (US);
Edwin C Rogusky, Catasauqua, PA (US);
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to a boiling process in a downflow heat exchanger and the heat exchanger itself with liquid distribution enhancing features which improve performance and allow safe and efficient operation. Performance enhancing features include a partially flooded hardway distribution region with a liquid volume fraction greater than about 0.25 and preferably greater than 0.5, adjusting the heat transfer surface area to maintain a liquid film Reynolds number above 20 and, preferably, above 50 yet less than 1000, preferably less than 300, for at least 75% of the reboiler surface, and, optionally, intermediate feeding of liquid at various intervals along the length of the heat exchanger to obtain more uniform values of liquid film Reynolds numbers and intermediate redistribution.