Abstract: Tube-bundle heat exchangers are commonly used to quench reacting fluids to drop the temperature of the reacting fluid below a specific temperature which cuts off undesirable chemical reactions in a minimal time as practical. A common commercial application is production of olefins. Shell and tube type and bundles of tube in tube exchanges are used in this application, the method is applicable to both. Significant variations in reacting fluid mass flow rates in the tubes of the tube-bundle can cause sub-optimal performance of the process. By placement of precise partial obstruction to flow of the reacting fluids at the tube exits to an outlet plenum chamber, these flow variations can be controlled. By adding remotely readable temperature measurement, and making the obstructions adjustable, the operator of the production facility can minimize production losses due to the variations in flow between tubes in the tube-bundle.

Abstract: A shell and tube heat exchanger (which can be a boiler) which includes a plenum chamber defined by at least one of the tube-sheets and a diaphragm plate. In this plenum chamber a system of outer and inner annuli around each of the tubes created by a system of baffle tubes that surround each fluid tube and a holes in the thick tube-sheet of the exchanger. This arrangement allows the high pressure cooling fluid in the shell to keep the high temperature low pressure fluid tube inlet, and the associated tube-sheet cool under very high hot fluid flow rates at lower cost, smaller footprint and with lower pressure loss of the low pressure hot fluid than previous art.

Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus (which can be a boiler) includes a plurality of tanks assembled together. Each of the tanks is a separate structural member that provides opposed parallel surfaces. The surfaces carry a plurality of parallel longitudinally extending U-shaped grooves that are correspondingly placed. When the grooves are aligned, they form a first plurality of channels for holding a first fluid system. A load-carrying portion of each plate-like tank extends between the opposed surfaces. A second plurality of fluid conveying channels carries a second fluid system through the load carrying portion of the tank. Fluid inlets and outlets are provided for each fluid system. The design of the present invention provides an improved plate-like tank structure that allows the separate fluid systems to be maintained at substantial pressure differentials such as, for example, between about 1,000-3,200 p.s.i.