Abstract: A heat exchanger for transfer of heat from a first fluid to a second fluid, including: a housing defining an interior space, a plurality of tubes spaced apart from each other and extending in a first direction in the interior space in the housing, a first inlet for flow of the first fluid into the tubes, a second inlet for flow of the second fluid into the interior space about the external surfaces of the tubes, the second fluid flowing in a direction generally transverse of the first direction, and an impingement plate assembly situated in the interior space between the second inlet and the plurality of tubes, the impingement plate assembly including: (a) a top plate facing the second inlet, and (b) a bottom plate spaced from and generally parallel to and underlying the top plate with an aperture extending through said bottom plate from top to bottom thereof.

Abstract: Impingement plates for shell and tube heat exchangers are positioned between the inlet openings and the tubes with the surfaces of the impingement plates being normal to the flow path of the liquid entering the shell from the inlet openings and having a plurality of openings through which a portion of the liquid passes before contacting the tubes. The openings can be formed as elongated parallel slots that are positioned parallel to the tubes and function to enhance the fluid flow, especially in the area that is immediately downstream from the impingement plates, thereby reducing fluid stagnation, fouling and tube erosion and prolonging the useful life and time in service between maintenance shut downs.

Abstract: A heat exchanger for transfer of heat from a first fluid to a second fluid, including: a housing defining an interior space, a plurality of tubes spaced apart from each other, fixed in the housing, and extending in a first direction within the interior space, a first inlet for receiving the first fluid into and through the tubes, and first outlet for discharging the first fluid out of the tubes, a second inlet for receiving the second fluid into the interior space in an inlet flow direction generally transverse of the first direction, and a second outlet for discharging the second fluid out of the interior space, and an impingement plate assembly situated in the interior space of the housing between the second inlet means and the plurality of tubes, with a fouling area defined as the area in the interior space that includes portions of the tubes directly beneath said impingement plate assembly, the impingement plate assembly including: (a) a top plate facing the second inlet, where the top plate lies in a pla

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant alloy metal tube sheet used to construct a shell and tube heat exchanger (50) for cooling fluids with sea water passing through corrosion-resistant alloy tubes (25) contained in a horizontal carbon steel outer shell (1) that are supported and sealed at each end by passing them through holes (27, 30) in a carbon steel tube sheet (28, 31) and axially aligned holes (36, 37) in alloy tube sheets (34, 35) that cover and protect the adjacent interior carbon steel tube sheets from sea water corrosion. The walls of the holes (27, 30, 36, 37) have at least one annular groove (45, 46) and the ends of each tube are radially expanded to form circumferential ridges (40, 41) on the outside of each tube at a mating location with each of said annular grooves (45, 46) where they are forcibly driven into the grooves to form a circumferential joint having good mechanical strength and water tightness, thereby eliminating the need for welding the external joint between the alloy tube sheets and alloy tubes.

Abstract: A corrosion-resistant alloy metal tube sheet used to construct a shell and tube heat exchanger (50) for cooling fluids with sea water passing through corrosion-resistant alloy tubes (25) contained in a horizontal carbon steel outer shell (1) that are supported and sealed at each end by passing them through holes (27, 30) in a carbon steel tube sheet (28, 31) and axially aligned holes (36, 37) in alloy tube sheets (34, 35) that cover and protect the adjacent interior carbon steel tube sheets from sea water corrosion. The walls of the holes (27, 30, 36, 37) have at least one annular groove (45, 46) and the ends of each tube are radially expanded to form circumferential ridges (40, 41) on the outside of each tube at a mating location with each of said annular grooves (45, 46) where they are forcibly driven into the grooves to form a circumferential joint having good mechanical strength and water tightness, thereby eliminating the need for welding the external joint between the alloy tube sheets and alloy tubes.