Abstract: An apparatus, thermal storage system and method for heat exchange using a tube-type heat exchanger. A rod or rods are propelled to moves over the inner surface of the tube. The moving rod is in contact with a first process liquid which is adjacent the inner surface as a falling film or by flooding the interior of the tube. The flooded mode is particularly useful where the tube is non-vertical or the heat exchanger is used to make an ice slurry for HVAC systems serving high-rise buildings. Multiple such rod and tube assemblies are operated simultaneously using a drive plate powered to execute an orbital motion in a plane generally orthogonal to the rods. In one form the plate is coupled via a crank to equiangularly space spaced rods in each tube. This form of orbital drive allows the use of a device to develop an auxiliary radial force, such as spring mounts extending between a central, rotating shaft mounted in each tube and the rod or rods for that tube.

Abstract: An apparatus, thermal storage system and method for heat exchange using a tube-type heat exchanger. A rod (24) or rods (24, 24') are propelled to move over the inner surface (7) of the tube (1). The moving rod (24) is in contact with a first process liquid which is adjacent the inner surface (7) as a falling film or by flooding the interior of the tube (1). The flooded mode is particularly useful where the tube (24) is non-vertical or the heat exchanger is used to make an ice slurry for HVAC systems serving high-rise buildings. Multiple such rod (24) and tube (1) assemblies are operated simultaneously using a drive plate (22) powered to execute an orbital motion in a plane generally orthogonal to the rods (24, 24'). In one form the plate (22) is coupled via a crank (40) to equiangularly spaced rods (24, 24') in each tube (1).