High efficiency direct contact heat exchanger

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9383093-B2
Application number	US-201313793891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2013
Priority date	Jun 25, 2012
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

A direct contact heat exchanger assembly is provided. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly includes an evaporator jacket and an inner member. The inner member is received within the evaporator jacket. A sleeve passage is formed between the evaporator jacket and the inner member. The sleeve passage is configured and arranged to pass a flow of liquid. The inner member has an inner exhaust chamber that is configured to pass hot gas. The inner member further has a plurality of exhaust passages that allow some of the hot gas passing through the inner exhaust chamber to enter the flow of liquid in the sleeve passage.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A direct contact heat exchanger assembly comprising:
an evaporator jacket; and an inner member received within the evaporator jacket, a sleeve passage defined between the evaporator jacket and the inner member, the sleeve passage configured and arranged to pass a flow of water therethrough, the inner member defining an inner exhaust chamber configured to pass hot gas from a combustor therethrough, the inner member further having a plurality of exhaust passages extending from the inner exhaust chamber through a sidewall of the inner member to the sleeve passage to enable at least a portion of the hot gas passing through the inner exhaust chamber to enter the flow of water in the sleeve passage; wherein the evaporator jacket is elongated and generally cylindrical in shape, and the inner member comprises;
a generally cylindrical turning vane received within the evaporator jacket, the turning vane having an inner surface defining at least part of the inner exhaust chamber, the turning vane configured to pass hot fluid from the combustor through the inner exhaust chamber, an outer surface of the turning vane and an inner surface of the evaporator jacket are spaced to form, at least in part, the sleeve passage, the sleeve passage exhibiting an annular shape and extending around the outer surface of the turning vane, the turning vane having a plurality of elongated raised directional turning fins extending out from the outer surface of the turning vane within the sleeve passage, the turning fins positioned to direct a flow of water in the sleeve passage into a swirling path around the turning vane; and
a generally cylindrical stator received within the evaporator jacket, the stator longitudinally coupled to the turning vane, the stator having an inner surface configured and arranged to form at least another part of the inner exhaust chamber, the stator having an outer surface, the outer surface of the stator and the inner surface of the evaporator jacket spaced to form at least another part of the sleeve passage, the stator having a plurality of elongated raised directional maintaining fins extending out from the outer surface of the stator within the sleeve passage to maintain the swirling path of the flow of water directed by the turning fins of the turning vane, the plurality of exhaust passages extending from an interior of the stator between the inner exhaust chamber and the sleeve passage.

2. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein each turning fin includes a curved side surface configured and oriented to direct the flow of fluid in the swirling path in the sleeve passage.

3. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the directional maintaining fins further includes a length defined between a first leading end and a second trailing end, the first leading end being rounded, the second trailing end of the at least one directional maintaining fin having an opening from one of the exhaust passages to the sleeve passage.

4. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one exhaust passage of the plurality of exhaust passages extends through a portion of an associated directional maintaining fin on the stator.

5. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cylindrical end portion having a first end coupled longitudinally to the stator, the cylindrical end portion received within the evaporator jacket, the cylindrical end portion having an inner surface forming, another part of the inner exhaust chamber, the cylindrical end portion further having an outer surface, the outer surface of the cylindrical end portion spaced a distance from the evaporator jacket to form, another part of the sleeve passage, the cylindrical end portion further having a second end, the inner surface having a smaller diameter at the second end of the cylindrical end portion than a diameter at the first end of the cylindrical end portion.

6. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 5 , wherein the outer surface of the cylindrical end portion comprises a shoulder, and the direct contact heat exchanger assembly further comprises:
a thermal growth spring having a first end and a second end, the first end of the thermal growth spring contacting the shoulder of the cylindrical end portion; and
a radial support coupled to the evaporator jacket proximate an end thereof, the second end of the thermal growth spring extending longitudinally from the shoulder of the outer surface of the cylindrical end portion to contact a portion of the radial support.

7. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 5 , further comprising:
an orifice end cap coupled to the second end of the end portion, the orifice end cap having a central opening configured to enable combustion products to pass out of the inner exhaust chamber; and
an orifice member received within the end cap, the orifice member having an orifice passage leading from the inner exhaust chamber to the central opening of the end cap.

8. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stator further comprises:
at least a first stator portion and a longitudinally adjacent second stator portion, the first stator portion having a first diameter, the second stator portion having a second, smaller diameter; and
at least one reducer coupling the first stator portion having the first diameter to the second stator portion having the second, smaller diameter.

9. A direct contact heat exchanger assembly, comprising:
an elongated cylindrical evaporator jacket; a cylindrical inner member received within the evaporator jacket, the inner member having an inner surface defining an inner exhaust chamber, the inner member configured and arranged to pass hot gas through the inner exhaust chamber, an outer surface of the inner member and an inner surface of the evaporator jacket spaced to form an annular shaped sleeve passage extending around the outer surface of the inner member, the sleeve passage configured and arranged to pass a flow of water therethrough, the inner member having a plurality of exhaust passages extending from the inner exhaust chamber through a sidewall of the inner member to the sleeve passage, the plurality of exhaust passages allowing some of the hot gas passing in the inner exhaust chamber to mix with the flow of water passing in the sleeve passage to create a gas mix in the sleeve passage; and
a plurality of raised fins extending out from the outer surface of the inner member within the sleeve passage configured and oriented to impart or maintain a swirling path to the flow of water in the sleeve passage; wherein at least some of the plurality of exhaust passages each pass through an associated fin of the plurality of raised fins to the sleeve passage.

10. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of raised fins further comprises:
a plurality of elongated raised directional turning fins extending out from the outer surface of the inner member within the sleeve passage, the turning fins positioned to direct the flow of water in the sleeve passage into the swirling path around the inner member; and
a plurality of elongated raised directional maintaining fins longitudinally spaced from the plurality of elongated raised directional turning fins and extending out from the outer surface of the inner member within the sleeve passage to maintain the swirling path started by the directional turning fins.

11. The direct contact heat exchanger assembly of claim 10 , wherein each turning fin includes a curved side surface configured and arranged to direct the swirling path in

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Tilmont Daniel
• Alifano Joseph A

Classifications

• E21B43/24

  using heat, e.g. steam injection · CPC title

• E21B36/02 Primary

  using burners · CPC title

• F22B27/02

  built-up from fire tubes · CPC title

• F23R3/343

  Pilot flames, i.e. fuel nozzles or injectors using only a very small proportion of the total fuel to insure continuous combustion (ignition in gas-turbine plants F02C7/264; pilot flame igniters F23Q9/00) · CPC title

• F23D14/02

  Premix gas burners, i.e. in which gaseous fuel is mixed with combustion air upstream of the combustion zone · CPC title