This invention relates to an apparatus for loading and unloading heat exchanger tube bundles. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved trailer for loading and unloading a heat exchanger tube bundle.
Heat exchanger tube bundles are used for the transfer of heat from a fluid medium passing through a series of conduits. One of the fluids passes through a series of conduits, or tubes, while the other passes on the outside of the tubes. During this process, carbonaceous and calcareous deposits form on the interior of the individual tubes and debris and other dirt will collect on the surface of the individual tubes. Therefore, in order to maintain efficient operation of the facility it is necessary to periodically remove the tube bundles and clean them.
Before the tube bundles can be cleaned it is necessary to extract the tube bundle from an outer shell of the heat exchanger. Due to the large size of heat exchanger tube bundles, it is frequently necessary to transport the tube bundle a short distance within a given location, such as a refinery, to a designated cleaning site. In the prior art technique to transport the bundle it must first be lifted from the extractor with a large crane sue to its weight and bulk size and then placed on a trailer for transport to a cleaning site. Crane costs are high and add to the cost of maintaining heat exchangers. Additionally, crane availability may be an issue and may cause delays in getting the bundles transported to a cleaning site.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved trailer which is capable of being loaded without the need of a crane to handle the bundle.
Briefly, the invention relates to a trailer for loading and unloading a heat exchanger tube bundle having a base frame. The base frame includes substantially parallel longitudinal members. A wheel-supporting assembly is in contact with the base frame proximate the rear end of the trailer and is configured to provide a low profile for ease of loading and unloading a tube bundle. An elongated seal pan assembly is positioned adjacent to the longitudinal members to capture debris falling off the tube bundle during transport. At least two slideable support member is adapted to be slid along the top of substantially the entire length of the longitudinal members to ease the loading and unloading of the tube bundle. Connectors proximate the rear end of the longitudinal members may be included to permit the trailer to be connected to an extractor, thereby permitting the extractor to move the bundle relative to the trailer for placement of the bundle onto, or removal from, the trailer.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which also form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.
In order to fully understand the drawings used in the detailed description of the present invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided:
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Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/454,233, filed Aug. 7, 2014 and entitled “TRAILER FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING HEAT EXCHANGER TUBE BUNDLES,” issued Sep. 19, 2017 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,764,676 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference it its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20170355296 A1 | Dec 2017 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14454233 | Aug 2014 | US |
Child | 15688723 | US |