Double Stack V Heat Exchanger

The present invention relates to air-cooled coil-type heat exchangers.

Air-cooled heat exchangers remove heat from a working fluid by transferring that heat to the air. Air-cooled heat exchangers typically consist of tubes connected to fins. The working fluid is sent through the inside of the tubes and the heat is conducted to the outside of the tubes and the fins. Air passing over the fins and tubes removes this heat; one or more fans are generally used to move the air. The working fluid can be a liquid, a gas, a condensing refrigerant, or any other fluid that needs to have heat removed. The tubes are typically constructed of copper, aluminum, or stainless steel but other metals and non-metals have been used. Fins are typically made from copper or aluminum but other thermally conductive materials have been used.

For heat to be removed from the working fluid, the temperature of the working fluid must be greater than the temperature of the air entering the cooler. The greater the temperature difference between the air entering the cooler and the working fluid the less is air volume needed to remove the heat; hence the less fan horsepower is needed to move the air.

According to the invention, there is presented a modular V-shaped heat exchange assembly in which a first, lower module contains two heat exchangers arranged in a V-shape, and a second upper module containing two additional heat exchangers is stacked on top of the first, lower module, and where the two heat exchangers in the upper module continue and extend the V-shape that is formed by the bottom two heat exchangers. The V shape results in more equal air flow through the heat exchanger. Finally, a fan module is placed atop the upper heat exchange module. According to various embodiments, the modules are factory pre-assembled, sized and configured for ease of shipping and assembly. The present invention provides substantially higher fluid flow rates and greater heat exchange capacity compared to prior art V-shaped air-cooled heat exchangers using the same footprint, especially taking into account the required spacing between devices to allow for sufficient air flow. Multiple double V-stacked cells according to the invention may also be arranged in a line or rectangular array under one common fan with all air coming from the bottom. The invention may be used as a cooler for fluid cooling or as a condenser for refrigerant condensing. Optional adiabatic pads or adiabatic pre-cooling spray nozzles may be provided to pre-cool the air entering the system.

Accordingly, there is provided according to the invention, a modular V-shaped heat exchange apparatus featuring 1) a factory assembled and transportable bottom heat exchange module having a bottom module frame and two bottom module heat exchange panels arranged and supported in said bottom module frame in a V-shape, 2) a factory assembled and transportable top heat exchange module having a top module frame and two top module heat exchange panels arranged and supported in said top module frame so that said two top module heat exchange panels continue and extend the V-shape formed by said two bottom module heat exchange panels, said top heat exchange module positioned on and supported by said bottom heat exchange module; and 3) a factory assembled and transportable fan module having a fan module frame and at least one fan, said fan module positioned on top of and supported by said top heat exchange module, said at least one fan positioned and configured to draw air through said two bottom module heat exchange panels and said two top module heat exchangers.

According to further features or embodiments of the invention, each of said two bottom module heat exchange panels and said two top module heat exchange panels have an inlet header and an outlet header, said inlet header configured and located to receive hot process fluid and to distribute it to a corresponding heat exchange panel and said outlet header configured and located to receive cooled process fluid from said heat exchange panel.

According to one embodiment of the invention each of said two bottom module heat exchange panels and said two top module heat exchange panels contain the same process fluid.

According to other embodiments of the invention, at least one of said bottom module heat exchange panels and said top module heat exchange panels contains a first process fluid, and at least one other of the heat exchange panels contains a second process fluid different from said first process fluid.

According to further embodiments of the invention, at least one of the bottom module heat exchange panels and top module heat exchange panels contains a first process fluid, at least one of the other heat exchange panels contains no process fluid.

According to further embodiments of the invention, the modular V-shaped heat exchange apparatus may be fitted with adiabatic panels and/or spray nozzles configured to spray water into an air flow entering said bottom and top heat exchange modules.

According to another embodiment of the invention, each of said top module heat exchange panels share a common plane with an adjacent one of said bottom module heat exchange panels.

According to yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided 1) a plurality of a factory assembled and transportable bottom heat exchange modules, each having a bottom module frame and two bottom module heat exchange panels arranged and supported in said bottom module frame in a V-shape, 2) a plurality of factory assembled and transportable top heat exchange modules each having a top module frame and two top module heat exchange panels arranged and supported in said top module frame so that said two top module heat exchange panels continue and extend the V-shape formed by two of said two bottom module heat exchange panels, each of said plurality of top heat exchange modules positioned on and supported by a respective bottom heat exchange modules, and wherein said bottom and top heat exchange modules are configured to receive ambient air from below; 3) an elevating frame supporting each of said plurality of bottom heat exchange modules; and 4) a fan module comprising a single fan sized and positioned to draw air through a plurality of cells, each cell comprising a top heat exchange module and a bottom heat exchange module.

According to another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for assembling a heat exchange apparatus, comprising the steps of:

There is further provided according to the invention a method for assembling a heat exchange apparatus, comprising:

Features in the attached drawings are numbered with the following reference numerals:

An example of a V-shaped cooler is shown in. A frame supports two heat exchange panels (also “tube bundles” or “coils”), each comprising a plurality of horizontally arranged finned tubes in a V-shaped configuration. At one end of each tube bundle or coil, the tubes are connected at an inlet end to an inlet header and to an outlet header. At an opposite end of each bundle, each horizontal tube is connected to an adjacent horizontal tube via a return bend. A hot process fluid enters the inlet header via an inlet header connection and is then distributed to the tubes from the inlet header. Cooled fluid exits the tubes via an outlet header and returned to the process/system that heated the fluid. The frame supports one or more fans at the top of the cooler and draws ambient air into the unit past the tubes and the fins and out the top of the unit.

The principles of operation of a V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger of the type shown inis shown in. Hot process fluid, shown in red, enters the inlet header via the inlet header connection. From the inlet header, the hot process fluid travels transversely across the heat exchanger, generally parallel to the horizontal. Heat from the process fluid dissipates through the coil tubes' surfaces and out to the fins (not shown). Ambient air is drawn over the coil surface by the fan(s) located at the top of the unit. Heat from the process fluid transfers to the air and discharged to the atmosphere. Cool process fluid, shown in blue, exits the unit through the outlet headers.

An example of a V-shaped cooler with adiabatic pre-cooling pads is shown in. A frame supports two heat exchange coils each comprising a plurality of horizontally arranged finned tubes in a V-shaped configuration. At one end of each tube bundle, the tubes are connected at an inlet end to an inlet header and to an outlet header. At an opposite end of each bundle, each horizontal tube is connected to an adjacent horizontal tube via a return bend. A hot process fluid enters the inlet header via an inlet header connection and is then distributed to the tubes from the inlet header. Cooled fluid exits the tubes via an outlet header and returned to the process/system that heated the fluid. Adiabatic pads are mounted along and spanning both sides of the unit left-to-right and top-to-bottom. A water distribution system drips water onto the top of the pads to saturate them. Water that is not evaporated from the pads is collected at the bottom of the unit and either send to drain or recirculated back to the top of the unit and returned to the pads. The frame supports one or more fans at the top of the cooler and draws ambient air into the unit through the saturated pads, past the tubes and the fins and out the top of the unit.

The principles of operation of a V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger with adiabatic pads for pre-cooling the incoming air is shown in. Hot process fluid, shown in red, enters the inlet header via the inlet header connection. From the inlet header, the hot process fluid travels transversely across the heat exchanger, generally parallel to the horizontal. Heat from the process fluid dissipates through the coil tubes surface and out to the fins (not shown). The adiabatic system involves fully wetting a fibrous pad located in front of the coil. Ambient air is drawn through the adiabatic pre-cooling pad by the fans located on top of the unit. The air is humidified as it passes through the adiabatic pad, decreasing the dry bulb temperature within a few degrees of the wet bulb temperature. This new air temperature is referred to as the depressed dry bulb. This pre-cooled air is then drawn through the tube and fin surface, offering a substantial increase in heat rejection capability. Heat from the process fluid transfers to the air and discharged to the atmosphere. Cool process fluid, shown in blue, exits the unit through the outlet headers. In a recirculating water system, the water used to wet the adiabatic pads and which is not evaporated is collected at the bottom of the unit and recirculated to a water distribution system at the top of the pad. In a once-through water system, the water used to wet the adiabatic pads and which is not evaporated is collected and sent to a drain.

According to an alternate embodiment, instead of using adiabatic pads to pre-cool the incoming air, a V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger may be outfitted with spray nozzles configured to spray a mist of water into the incoming air to humidify the ambient air before it is drawn past the fin and tube surfaces. A basin is situated at the bottom of the heat exchanger to collect and optionally recirculate the pre-cooling water to the spray nozzles via a recirculation pump, return pipes and water distribution pipes that distribute the pre-cooling water to the spray nozzles. According to an alternate once-through water system, the water sprayed into the incoming air and which is not evaporated is collected and sent to a drain.

show an embodiment in which the V-shaped air-cooled heat exchanger is formed from three modules, a bottom heat exchange module, a top heat exchange module, and a fan module. The bottom module() includes a bottom module frame, and two bottom heat exchange coilssupported in the bottom module frame and arranged in a V-shape. The bottom module frame may include a base section, a top sectionand side sectionsextending between the base sectionand the top section. The dimensions (width and length) of the top and bottom sections,of the bottom module frame may be, but are not necessarily, the same. The tops of the two bottom heat exchange coilsdo not converge with the top cornersof the bottom module frame but instead are separated from the side sectionsof the bottom frame module by a distance.

The top module() includes a top module frame, and two top heat exchange coilssupported in the top module frame so that they continue and extend the V-shape formed by the two bottom heat exchange coilswhen the top heat exchange moduleis placed on top of the bottom heat exchange module. The top heat exchange moduleis dimensioned to fit on top of and be supported by the bottom heat exchange module. The top heat exchange coilsare inclined away from one-another from bottom to top. The bottoms of the top heat exchanger coilsare spaced from one-another approximately the same distancethat the tops of the bottom heat exchangersare spaced from one-another. The tops of the top heat exchangerspreferably terminate at opposite top cornersof the top frame module. The top module frame may include a base section, a top sectionand side sectionsextending between the base sectionand the top section. The dimensions (width and length) of the top and bottom sections of the top module frame may be, but are not necessarily, the same as one-another, and may be the same as the dimensions of the top and bottom sections of the bottom module frame. According to a preferred embodiment, the base sectionof the top module frame is configured to mate with and be fixed to the top sectionof the bottom module frame.

Each of the four heat exchange coils (two top coilsand two bottom coils) may include a dedicated inlet header(shaded in red/stippling) and outlet header(shaded in blue/crosshatch) connected by a plurality of tubes with horizontal segments and U-shaped return bends.

According to one embodiment, adjacent top and bottom coils are fluidically isolated from one-another. According to one aspect of this embodiment, the coils may be manufactured with different materials compatible with the process fluid allowing multiple different process fluids to be cooled in a single assembly.

According to another embodiment, the fluid to be cooled in a top heat exchange coilmay pass from the outlet headerof the top heat exchange coilto the inlet header of the adjacent bottom heat exchange coilvia an intermediate header.

A fan module() is dimensioned and configured to rest upon and be supported by the top module.

According to a first optional embodiment of the invention, the double-v stack heat exchanger of the invention may be provided with adiabatic pre-cooling pads, see, e.g.,. According to another optional embodiment of the invention, each of the top and bottom modules may be fitted with adiabatic pre-cooling padsandsee, e.g.,. According to this embodiment, a top module water distribution tubeis located above the top adiabatic pre-cooling padsand drips or sprays water onto the top adiabatic pads. According to a first variation to this embodiment, the water that passes through the top adiabatic padsdrains into the bottom adiabatic padsAccording to a second variation of this embodiment (not shown), the water passing through the top adiabatic padsis collected in top module water collection trays and redistributed to the bottom module adiabatic pads

According to another optional embodiment (), instead of having adiabatic pre-cooling pads, the top and bottom modules may be provided with a pre-cooling spray system including spray nozzleslocated and configured to spray water into the incoming air flow. The spray nozzlesmay be attached to and fed by spray nozzle supply tubeswhich receive fresh water from a fresh water supply or, in the case that unused water collected in a water collection basin, water return tubes.

According to one embodiment, each of the top and bottom modules may have separate and independent water supply, collection and water recirculation (or drain) systems, whether using adiabatic pads or adiabatic pre-cooling spray nozzles. According to an alternate embodiment, there may be an integrated water supply collection and recirculation (or drain system) in which all water supplied to the system is collected at the bottom of the bottom module in a basin or set of trays, and drained, or returned to various water distribution locations in the top and bottom modules via water return tubessupplied by one or two pumpslocated in the bottom module.

shows a large fan modulewhich may be used in place of the moduleofin which two or more smaller fans are used. In the large fan module embodiment, the fan or fans have a diameter that is greater than 60% of the distance that separates the tops of the two top heat exchangers. As with the embodiment of, the large fan moduleis dimensioned and configured to rest upon and be supported by the top heat exchange module.show large fan embodiments corresponding to the otherwise identical embodiments of.

According to another embodiment of the invention, represented in, multiple top and bottom heat exchange modules may be mounted adjacent to one another in a line or in a rectangular matrix on a elevating frame. According to this embodiment, a single very large fan modulemay be positioned on top of a matrix of V-shaped modular heat exchangers to draw air into and through the open space created by the elevating frameand up through the plurality of bottom and top heat exchange modules. In the case of the this embodiment, a single fan draws air through at least two, and preferably three, four, five or six double v-stacked cells. The bottom elevated air sections may be equipped with adiabatic pre-cooling pads and/or sprays to pre-cool the entering air.

According to another embodiment of the invention, represented in, one or more intermediate heat exchange modulesmay be placed between the top and bottom heat exchange modules,to result in triple, quadruple, or more V-stacked air-cooled heat exchangers. According to this embodiment, each intermediate heat exchange moduleincludes intermediate heat exchange coilssupported in an intermediate module frame. The triple, quadruple or more V-shaped stacked modular air-cooled heat exchanger according to the invention may have a single very large fan module, or a fan module with two or more fans. Additionally, the triple, quadruple or more V-shaped stacked modular air-cooled heat exchanger according to the invention, may be optionally fitted with adiabatic pads or adiabatic spray systems as described above.

According to another embodiment of the invention, one or more of the heat exchange modules in a V-shaped stacked modular air-cooled heat exchanger of the invention may include a second set of coils nested proximate the first set of coils, separated by a space. According to this embodiment, a bottom, top or intermediate module (or combination thereof) has a set of low temperature process fluid coils, and a second set of high temperature process fluid coils. The low temperature process fluid coilsare preferably located on the air intake side of the module and the high temperature process fluid coilsare located on a plenum side of the module. According to this embodiment, ambient air drawn into the module, for example at 80° F., first passes through the low temperature process fluid coils, cooling the low temperature process fluid, for example from 100° F. to 90° F., warming the air to 88° F. The warmed air then passes through a spacebetween the coils and then passes through the high temperature process fluid coils, cooling the hot process fluid, for example, from 130° F. to 115° F., further heating the ambient air which leaves the module now heated to, for example 110° F. It is noted that the air and process fluid temperatures mentioned above are merely for exemplary purposes. The high temperature process fluid and the low temperature process fluid may be different fluids entirely, generated by different process. Alternatively, the low temperature process fluid may be the same fluid as the high temperature process fluid, in which the process fluid first flows through a high temperature process fluid coil, and subsequently through a low temperature process fluid coil.

It is specifically contemplated that every feature embodiment disclosed herein may be used together with every other feature and embodiment disclosed herein.

The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the concept of a modular double-V-stacked cooler or condenser are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Any variations from the specific embodiments described herein but which otherwise constitute modular double-V-stacked cooler or condenser should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention set forth in the following claims.