Abstract: A baffle system and heat-exchange apparatus generally comprising a plurality of baffles and a plurality of tubes, wherein the plurality of baffles define at least one permeable support region and at least one barrier region. The at least one permeable support region can permit shell-side fluid to pass through the baffles and flow along the lengths of the tubes generally unimpeded and thereby prevent excessive shell-side pressure drop. The at least one barrier region can create turbulence in the flow of the shell-side fluid surrounding the plurality of tubes and prevent stratification. The combination of the permeable support region and barrier region within the baffle system or heat-exchange apparatus can yield a swirl flow that can reduce excessive shell-side pressure drop, reduce stratification in the flow of the shell-side fluid, and promote the efficiency of heat transfer between tube-side fluid and shell-side fluid.

Abstract: A heat-exchange apparatus comprising a plurality of tubes bundled together, each having segmented twisted segments is disclosed. Each of the plurality of tubes provides a tube body defining an interior passageway for carrying a first fluid and a plurality of segments along its length comprising a straight section and a twisted section that are in fluid communication with each other. Each of the plurality of tubes provides a central longitudinal axis along its length. The tube body along the twisted section exhibits rotation about the central longitudinal axis and the tube body along the straight section exhibits no rotation. An exterior surface of the tube body of a tube can come into contact with an exterior surface of the tube body of another tube along the twisted section, whereas the exterior surfaces of such tubes avoid contact along the straight section.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive transducer assembly for generating a longitudinal elastic guided wave of a selected frequency and mode and for guiding the wave into an open end of a heat exchanger tube for testing the tube. The transducer assembly comprises a current-carrying coil of wire, a magnetostrictive material wrapped around the coil of wire, a mechanism for pressing the magnetostrictive material against an inner surface of the tube, and one or more biasing magnets placed in the vicinity of the current-carrying coil of wire and the magnetostrictive material.

Abstract: A tube bundle is provided for a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The tube bundle includes a plurality of elongated tubes, each of which has an intermediate portion that has a cross section in the form of a flattened circle with at least one axis of symmetry. The ends of the tubes may have a circular cross section, with the diameter of one of the circular ends being less than the other end and also less than the length of a shorter axis of symmetry of the intermediate portion of the tube. This tube construction allows the tube bundle to be assembled by inserting the smaller-diameter end of the tube through the aligned openings in the spaced-apart baffles in the tube bundle. The non-circular cross section of the intermediate portion of the tubes increases the tube-side and shell-side heat transfer coefficients.

Abstract: A tube bundle is provided for a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The tube bundle includes a plurality of elongated tubes, each of which has an intermediate portion that has a cross section in the form of a flattened circle with at least one axis of symmetry. The tubes are arranged in concentric circles with the axis of symmetry extending tangentially to the circle to facilitate rotational flow of a shell-side fluid.