Patents by Inventor Christiane Kerber

Christiane Kerber has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20170038149
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for the indirect exchange of heat between a first fluid and a second fluid, the heat exchanger having a casing surrounding a casing chamber that accommodates the first fluid. A core tube may extend within the casing. A tube bundle is arranged in the casing chamber and has multiple tubes to accommodate the second fluid. The tubes are helically wound around a longitudinal axis of the chamber or around the core tube in a coil region extending from a lower coil end to an upper coil end. At least one tube is coiled only in a section of the coil region. Outside of the section of the coil region the at least one tube extends as a straight tube to the lower coil end, the upper coil end, or to both the lower coil end and the upper coil end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Jürgen Spreeman, Konrad Braun, Niels Treuchtlinger, Manfred Steinbauer, Christiane Kerber
  • Patent number: 9562718
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a tube side stream in a main heat exchanger is described. The process comprises the steps of: a) providing a first mass flow to the warm end of a first subset of individual tubes, b) providing a second mass flow to the warm end of a second subset of individual tubes, c) evaporating a refrigerant stream on the shell side; d) measuring an exit temperature of the first mass flow; e) measuring an exit temperature of the second mass flow; and, f) comparing the exit temperature of the first mass flow measured in step d) to the exit temperature of the second mass flow measured in step e), the process characterized in that at least one of the first and second mass flows is adjusted to equalize the exit temperature of the first mass flow with the exit temperature of the second mass flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Derek William Hodges, Christiane Kerber, Manfred Steinbauer, Markus Hammerdinger
  • Patent number: 9273913
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) having a tube bundle (10) with a large number of tubes wound around a central pipe (100), a shell (20) enclosing the tube bundle (10) and defining a shell space (200) surrounding the tube bundle (10), and a liquid distributor (30) having distributor arms (300) for distributing a liquid (F) into the shell space (200) and onto the tube bundle (10), and drain pipes (340) for supplying the distributor arms with liquid (F). The distributor arms (300) are connected in a flow-guiding manner to a ring channel (400) positioned along the periphery of the shell (20). For degassing liquid (F), central pipe (100) is connected in a flow-guiding manner to the distributor arms (300).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred Steinbauer, Christiane Kerber, Jurgen Spreemann, Luis Matamoros
  • Publication number: 20150285561
    Abstract: A helically coiled heat exchanger with a plurality of inlets each connected to at least one assigned tube defining a heating surface of the heat exchanger and having at least one changeover means to switch the inlet between a first operating state and a second operating state. In the first operating state, a stream of a first medium and, in the second operating state, a stream of a second medium is introduced via the inlet into the assigned tube. In the first operating state more heating surface is available to the stream of the first medium and correspondingly less heating surface is available to the stream of the second medium. In the second operating state more heating surface is available to the stream of the second medium and correspondingly less heating surface is available to the stream of the first medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Manfred Steinbauer, Christiane Kerber, Markus Hammerdinger, Jürgen Spreemann
  • Publication number: 20150000873
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger system comprising a jacket extending along a longitudinal axis and surrounding a jacket space. A pipe bundle is arranged in the jacket space wherein pipes are wound helically around a central pipe. At least one pre-distributor container is arranged in the jacket space for accommodating and degassing a liquid-gas mixture and designed to coat a distributing means with liquid degassed in the at least one pre-distributor container. The distributing means is designed to deliver the liquid to the pipe bundle. At the top the jacket has an inlet which is aligned with the longitudinal axis and in fluid connection with the central pipe. The central pipe has at least one lateral opening so that the liquid-gas mixture can be fed via the inlet, the central pipe, and the at least one lateral opening into the at least one pre-distributor container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred STEINBAUER, Helmut REITHMEIER, Christiane KERBER, Markus HAMMERDINGER, Jurgen SPREEMANN
  • Publication number: 20130111947
    Abstract: A process for liquefying a tube side stream in a main heat exchanger is described. The process comprises the steps of: a) providing a first mass flow to the warm end of a first subset of individual tubes, b) providing a second mass flow to the warm end of a second subset of individual tubes, c) evaporating a refrigerant stream on the shell side; d) measuring an exit temperature of the first mass flow; e) measuring an exit temperature of the second mass flow; and, f) comparing the exit temperature of the first mass flow measured in step d) to the exit temperature of the second mass flow measured in step e), the process characterized in that at least one of the first and second mass flows is adjusted to equalise the exit temperature of the first mass flow with the exit temperature of the second mass flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Derek William Hodges, Christiane Kerber, Manfred Steinbauer, Markus Hammerdinger
  • Publication number: 20130068431
    Abstract: A process for cooling a tube side stream in a main heat exchanger is described. The process comprises: a) supplying a first mass flow of a tube side stream to a first zone of individual tubes in the tube bundle; b) supplying a second mass flow of the tube side stream to a second zone of individual tubes in the tube bundle, the second zone being offset from the first zone; c) supplying a refrigerant stream on the shell side for cooling the first and second mass flows; d) removing the evaporated refrigerant stream from the warm end of the main heat exchanger; and, e) adjusting the first mass flow of the tube side stream relative to the second mass flow of the tube side stream to maximise the temperature of the removed evaporated refrigerant stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Siew-Mung Patricia Ho, Derek William Hodges, Christiane Kerber, Manfred Steinbauer, Markus Hammerdinger
  • Publication number: 20120261089
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) for indirect heat exchange comprising a tube bundle (10), formed from a plurality of tubes helically coiled around a core tube (100), for receiving a first medium, a shell (20). which encloses the tube bundle (10) and defines a shell space (200) surrounding the tube bundle (10), for receiving a second medium, and a liquid distributor (40) for distributing in the shell space (200) a stream (S), conveyed in the shell space (200), of the second medium in the form of a liquid (F). According to the invention a control means (33) for controlling distribution in the shell space (200) of an additional, further stream (S?) of liquid (F), and/or for controlling distribution of stream (S) of liquid (F) in the shell space (200).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred STEINBAUER, Christiane KERBER, Markus HAMMERDINGER, Rainer FLUGGEN
  • Publication number: 20120261103
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger (1) having a tube bundle (10) with a large number of tubes wound around a central pipe (100), a shell (20) enclosing the tube bundle (10) and defining a shell space (200) surrounding the tube bundle (10), and a liquid distributor (30) having distributor arms (300) for distributing a liquid (F) into the shell space (200) and onto the tube bundle (10), and drain pipes (340) for supplying the distributor arms with liquid (F). The distributor arms (300) are connected in a flow-guiding manner to a ring channel (400) positioned along the periphery of the shell (20). For degassing liquid (F), central pipe (100) is connected in a flow-guiding manner to the distributor arms (300).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred STEINBAUER, Christiane KERBER, Jurgen SPREEMANN, Luis MATAMOROS
  • Publication number: 20120261088
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shell and tube heat exchanger (1) having a helical tube bundle (10) within a shell (20), that defines a shell space (200) surrounding the tube bundle (10). The tubes are helically coiled about a core pipe (100) in such a manner that there is formed at least one first section (11) and at least one second section (12), separate from the first section, that surrounds the first section (11). The two sections (11, 12) have in each case at least one associated inlet (E, E?) such that the two sections (11, 12) are able to be charged separately with the first medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred STEINBAUER, Christiane KERBER, Markus HAMMERDINGER, Rainer FLÜGGEN
  • Publication number: 20120247147
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heat exchanger system (1) for heat exchange between at least a first medium (M), in particular in the form of a hydrocarbon-rich phase, and a second medium (K), with at least first and second pipe space sections (101, 103; 103, 105) for accommodating the first medium (M), and with a first pipe space section connecting means (102; 104), via which the two pipe space sections (101, 103; 103, 105) are connected to one another in a flow-guiding manner. The first pipe space section (101; 103) is surrounded by a first shell space (201, 203), and the second pipe space section (103; 105) is surrounded by a second shell space (203, 205) for accommodating the second medium (K). The first shell space (201; 203) is defined by a first shell (301; 303) and the second shell space (203; 205) is defined by a second shell (303; 305).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Christiane KERBER, Jurgen SPREEMANN, Norbert REITER, Markus HAMMERDINGER, Manfred STEINBAUER
  • Patent number: 8087454
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rolled heat exchanger with several pipes that are wound around a central pipe, with a casing that delimits an external space around the pipes and with a liquid distributor for distributing liquid in the external space. According to the invention, the liquid distributor is designed as a pipe manifold that has a main channel (21) and several distributing arms (22) that are flow-connected to the main channel (21).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christiane Kerber, Helmut Kreis, Anton Moll, Manfred Steinbauer
  • Publication number: 20080271880
    Abstract: A coiled heat exchanger having a plurality of tubes which are wound around a core tube is disclosed. The heat exchanger having a casing which delimits an outer space around the tubes, where the tubes of a first tube group have a first inner diameter and a first outer diameter and the tubes of a second tube group have a second inner diameter and a second outer diameter. The second inner diameter is different from the first inner diameter and/or the second outer diameter is different from the first outer diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2006
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Manfred Steinbauer, Manfred Schoenberger, Christiane Kerber, Markus Hammerdinger
  • Publication number: 20080115918
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rolled heat exchanger comprising several pipes wound around a central pipe, a casing delimiting the external space around the pipes and a liquid distributor for distributing liquid in the external space. According to the invention, the liquid distributor is embodied in the form of a pipe manifold comprising a main channel (21) and several distributing arms (22) which are fluidically connected thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Inventors: Christiane Kerber, Helmut Kreis, Anton Moll, Manfred Steinbauer