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:
Apr. 05, 2005
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2002
Amar S. Wanni, Falls Church, VA (US);
Marciano M. Calanog, Gainesville, VA (US);
Amar S. Wanni, Falls Church, VA (US);
Marciano M. Calanog, Gainesville, VA (US);
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present invention comprises a novel tube support system for a heat exchanger that serves to replace the baffles present in typical shell-and-tube heat exchangers. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger of the present invention employs helically coiled wires to form a support structure for the tubes contained within the heat exchanger shell. The elimination of baffles and the use of the coil support structure according to the present invention permits axial fluid flow for the shell side fluid and significantly minimizes fouling problems and tube damage resulting from flow-induced tube vibration.