Heat exchanger with inner sensor grid and restraints for sensor wires and heat exchange tubes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655737-B2
Application number	US-202016942986-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2020
Priority date	Jul 30, 2020
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

A heat exchanger includes a sensor grid with sensor leads extending through tube restraints for heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger. The tube restraint includes a body having a plurality of tube openings defined therein with each tube opening receiving one heat exchange tube of the set of heat exchange tubes therethrough. The body also includes a sensor lead opening defined therein to receive a sensor lead therethrough. Each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening. The sensor grid is installed during manufacture rather than in the field, allowing the sensor grid to be on outermost and inner sets of heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat exchanger, comprising:
a plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes positioned adjacent each other, wherein the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes includes a first set of heat exchange tubes and a second set of heat exchange tubes, each set of heat exchange tubes is fluidly coupled to at least one end of a respective header, and an end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes includes a baffle extending therefrom;
a sensor grid positioned amongst the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes, the sensor grid including a plurality of sensors, each sensor including a sensor lead extending therefrom;
a conduit extending through the baffle, the conduit including a plurality of sensor leads of the sensor grid extending therethrough; and
a tube restraint for positioning at least one of the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes relative to an enclosure, the tube restraint including a tube opening for each of the heat exchange tubes of a respective set of heat exchange tubes and a sensor lead opening,
wherein at least one sensor lead of the sensor grid extends through the sensor lead opening.

2. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the first set of heat exchange tubes is a first outermost set of heat exchange tubes, the second set of heat exchange tubes is a second outermost set of heat exchange tubes, and the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes further includes at least one inner set of heat exchange tubes between the first outermost set of heat exchange tubes and the second outermost set of heat exchange tubes, and wherein the sensor grid includes at least one sensor coupled to at least one heat exchange tube in the at least one inner set of heat exchange tubes.

3. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein an end of the header of the second set of heat exchange tubes adjacent the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes extends to the same length as the baffle extending from the end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes.

4. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the conduit includes a first length extending along the end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes and a second length extending along a length of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes.

5. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the first length is fixedly coupled to the end of the header.

6. The heat exchanger of claim 4 , wherein the first length is at a substantially perpendicular angle to the second length.

7. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the conduit includes a pair of longitudinally extending portions coupled together.

8. The heat exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the tube restraint comprises a body in which the tube opening for each of the heat exchange tubes of the respective set of heat exchange tubes is defined, the sensor lead opening is also defined in the body, and each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening.

9. A combined cycle power plant (CCPP), comprising:
a gas turbine system;
a steam turbine system; and
a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) coupled to the gas turbine system to create steam for the steam turbine system using an exhaust of the gas turbine system, wherein the HRSG includes:
an enclosure configured to direct the exhaust therethrough;
a plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes positioned adjacent each other in the enclosure, the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes including a first set of heat exchange tubes and a second set of heat exchange tubes, each set of heat exchange tubes being fluidly coupled to at least one end of a respective header, and an end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes including a baffle extending therefrom;
a sensor grid positioned amongst the plurality of set of heat exchange tubes, the sensor grid including a plurality of sensors, each sensor including a sensor lead extending therefrom;
a conduit extending through the baffle, the conduit including a plurality of sensor leads of the sensor grid extending therethrough; and
a tube restraint for positioning at least one of the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes relative to the enclosure, the tube restraint including a tube opening for each of the heat exchange tubes of a respective set of heat exchange tubes and a sensor lead opening;
wherein at least one sensor lead of the sensor grid extends through the sensor lead opening.

10. The CCPP of claim 9 , wherein the first set of heat exchange tubes is a first outermost set of heat exchange tubes, the second set of heat exchange tubes is a second outermost set of heat exchange tubes, and the plurality of sets of heat exchange tubes further includes at least one inner set of heat exchange tubes between the first outermost set of heat exchange tubes and the second outermost set of heat exchange tubes, and wherein the sensor grid includes at least one sensor coupled to at least one heat exchange tube in the at least one inner set of heat exchange tubes.

11. The CCPP of claim 9 , wherein an end of the header of the second set of heat exchange tubes adjacent the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes extends to the same length as the baffle extending from the end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes.

12. The CCPP of claim 9 , wherein the conduit includes a first length extending along the end of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes and a second length extending along a length of the header of the first set of heat exchange tubes.

13. The CCPP of claim 12 , wherein the first length is fixedly coupled to the end of the header.

14. The CCPP of claim 12 , wherein the first length is at a substantially perpendicular angle to the second length.

15. The CCPP of claim 9 , wherein the conduit includes a pair of longitudinally extending portions coupled together.

16. The CCPP of claim 9 , wherein the tube restraint comprises:
a body;
the tube opening for each of the heat exchange tubes being defined in the body and configured to receive one heat exchange tube of the set of heat exchange tubes therethrough; and
the sensor lead opening being defined in the body and configured to receive a respective sensor lead therethrough,
wherein each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Bairley Donald William
• Herman Scott William
• Moore Robert William
• Jin Kwangsuk
• Gallagher Patrick Neil

Classifications

• F28F9/0243

  Header boxes having a circular cross-section · CPC title

• F28F27/00

  Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) · CPC title

• F28F9/0131

  formed by plates (F28F9/0138 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01K23/10 Primary

  with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle (F01K17/025 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F28D21/001

  for thermal power plants or industrial processes · CPC title