The present embodiments relate to heat exchangers.
Certain types of heat exchangers are unacceptable for use in liquids, such as liquid nitrogen (N2), due to their inefficiency for vaporizing the liquids. Known heat exchangers used with liquid nitrogen are frequently constructed and arranged as separate, remote structures associated with a plant or facility and at which the boil off is permitted to occur. Construction and maintenance of such heat exchangers is both expensive and time consuming, and does not lend itself well to heat exchange within liquid cylinders.
For a more complete understanding of the present embodiments, reference may be had to the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawing figures, of which:
Referring to
As shown in
The liquid nitrogen 14 is delivered to the cylinder 12 to a depth sufficient to cover the cartridge embodiment 10 so that it is just beneath a surface 15 of the liquid nitrogen 14. The interior chamber 20 provides head space 21 as shown for the boil off of N2 gas which may be exhausted through the vent port 22.
Referring also to
An exterior surface 28 of the cartridge embodiment 10 is formed with a plurality of fins 30, ridges or splines. The fins 30 may each be formed separately and then attached to the exterior surface 28 of the cartridge embodiment 10 or alternatively, the exterior surface 28 may be constructed and formed with a plurality of the fins 30 such that same is formed as a single integral unit.
As shown in
By way of example only and not to be limiting, a length “L” of the cartridge embodiment 10 can be 6-12 inches (approximately 152-305 millimetres (“mm”)). Further dimensions of the cartridge embodiment 10 include, in the instance where the cartridge embodiment 10 has a length of 6.25 inches (approximately 159 mm); D1 represents an internal diameter of 0.5 inches (approximately 12.7 mm); an external diameter D2 represents a distance from an external most surface of a fin 30 to an external most surface of a fin at an opposed side of the external surface 28 of the cartridge embodiment 10, for example 0.875 inches (approximately 22.2 mm); D3 represents a radius of a trough 32 which occurs between adjacent fins 30 and is 0.63 inches (approximately 16 mm); D4 represents a distance 0.38 inches (approximately 9.6 mm); while a width or thickness D5 of each one of the fins is 0.05 inches (approximately 1.3 mm).
The internal diameter D1 is sized and shaped to receive the electric heater 24 therein. The cartridge embodiment 10 can be slid onto the electric heater 24 and then press-fit or crimped onto the heater so that it retains its position on the heater 24 when the entire assembly—the heater 24 and cartridge embodiment 10—are disposed, such as by being submerged, into the liquid 14.
As shown in the
The cartridge embodiment 10 may be immediately retrofittable to existing electric heaters, such as the electric heater 24 discussed herein. Alternatively, the cartridge embodiment 10 and the electric heater 24, with the wiring assembly 26 can be formed as a single assembly for use as discussed above.
It will be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to be included within the present embodiments as described and claimed herein. It should be understood that the embodiments described above are not only in the alternative, but may be combined.