Heat Exchanger Device and System Technologies

Abstract

A disclosed heat exchanger device for a heat exchanging fluid comprises a continuous conduit arranged in an Nth pass plurality of descending rows and columns interconnected at at least one transitional point(s). The transitional point(s) are arranged in a pattern of parallel U-tubes which in any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction wherein an end view of the first transitional points resembles a herringbone pattern. A heat exchanger system disclosed comprises a continuous conduit or a plurality of fluid channeling conduits arranged in a lattice of rows and columns, wherein an outside cross section of the conduit is polygonal, especially square but having an inner circumference, a.k.a. Square Pipe™. An outside shell for the conduit is adapted to contain and to channel a fluid therein. A plurality of heat deflectors and flow channeling baffles are arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the priority date of earlier filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/989,689, titled ‘Heat Transfer Technologies’ filed May 7, 2014 by Keith A. Langenbeck, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The exchange of heat, adding or removing from one source to another, is a crucial function in modern society. Steam generation for powering turbines that produce electrical power is a prime example. The effectiveness of convection heat transfer is dependent on numerous variables, among them being heat transfer surface area(s), mass flow rate of the fluid(s), differential temperature and flow state of the fluid(s) in the heat transfer exchange.

Among the inventions this disclosure depicts are novel improvements to the heat exchangers on mobile systems, known as ‘hot oilers,’ used in the production and distribution of crude oil. These truck or trailer mounted systems are used to heat and circulate the crude oil and produced water, which come up commingled from the ground, at tank batteries used for initial storage in the oil fields. Some crude oil, such as found in the Permian Basin of Texas, has a small fraction of naturally occurring paraffin or wax in its chemical makeup. This paraffin normally stays melted when underground but can solidify when collected above ground in the tank batteries. Periodically, hot oilers are employed to heat and circulate the stored fluids, melting the accumulated paraffin and restoring gravity flow of the fluids out of the storage tanks.

Crude oil can contain varying amounts of hydrogen sulfide in its composition. Sweet crude has relatively small amounts of sulfur and sour crude has greater amounts of sulfur. Hydrogen sulfide is not only highly toxic and explosive but also corrosive to common steel alloys.

The existing design heat exchangers, aka coils, found in hot oilers are prone to leaking, difficult to repair when a pipe or fitting fails and relatively inefficient in heat transfer. The welded together pipes and fittings that comprise a hot oiler coil are contained and positioned by steel grid work of flat or round bar welded onto the exterior midpoint of the 180-degree elbow fittings. This structural grid or lattice of welded steel rigidly links all the pipes and fittings into a common unit. In addition to making repairs very difficult, this exterior steel grid resists thermal expansion and contraction of the steel pipes as they are heated and cooled. The steel pipes farther away from the heat source will be cooler and expand less than those closer to the heat source, which further exacerbates mechanical stresses on the piping network and structural grid work.

Therefore a market need for a better and more efficient and economically serviceable heat exchanger has existed but has gone unmet by the presently available designs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A disclosed heat exchanger device for a heat exchanging fluid comprises a continuous conduit arranged in an Nth pass plurality of descending rows and columns interconnected at least at a first transitional point(s). The transitional point(s) is/are arranged in a pattern of parallel U-tubes which in any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction wherein an end view of the U-tubes at the first transitional point resembles a herringbone pattern.

A heat exchanger system is also disclosed comprising a continuous conduit or a plurality of fluid channeling conduits arranged in a lattice of rows and columns, wherein an outside orthogonal cross section of the conduit is polygonal, especially square, aka Square Pipe™ and an inside cross section is circular. An outside shell for the conduit is adapted to contain and to channel the fluid circulating therein. A plurality of heat deflectors and flow channeling baffles are arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

Other aspects and advantages of embodiments of the disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrated by way of example of the principles of the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts the heat exchanger device arrangement and heat exchanging fluid flow there through in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts the heat exchanger device arrangement and fluid flow there across in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a first end or first elevation view of the heat exchanger device and system for hot oilers in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts a second end or second elevational view of the heat exchanger device and system for hot oilers in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 depicts various views of a common 180-degree pipe elbow in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 depicts a plan or overhead view of the heat exchanger device and system with some items removed for clarity in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 depicts a cross sectional view, A-A of the heat exchanger device and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 depicts a side view of the heat exchanger device and system illustrating holes, slots and penetrations used in locating and suspending components in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates that the spacing between the pipes is the same spacing as the 180-degree U elbows that would be maintained regardless of angular orientation in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates an external shape for pipe that is square and not round in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 depicts a cross sectional view, A-A and various Square Pipe™ members being utilized in the heat exchanger device and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 depicts a side view to illustrate the holes, slots and penetrations for locating and suspending components of the heat exchanger device and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 depicts the end or elevational view of the heat exchanger device and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 depicts a cross sectional view of a shell and tube heat exchanger predominantly utilizing Square Pipe™ in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Throughout the description, similar or same reference numbers may be used to identify similar or same elements in the several embodiments and drawings. Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.

Throughout the present disclosure and continuances and/or divisional disclosures thereof, the term ‘conduit’ refers to piping or tubing of conventional and non-conventional geometries including circular, square and even hexagonal shapes, channels of rectangular and angular geometries, etc. but usually closed conduit for channeling a heat exchanging fluid such as crude oil, hydrocarbons, water and propylene glycol and other heat transfer solutions. Also, the term ‘orthogonal cross section,’ refers to a cross section through a diameter of the conduits. The term ‘nominal’ refers to an average or a median or a benchmark number or measurement that may differ by ten percent or by a multiple sigma variation or by design according to manufacturing and economic considerations. Other terms herein may take their common denotation meaning found in trade journals, thesis, other scholarly papers and other industry accepted technical references. The term ‘square pipe’ refers to pipe which has an outside square surface area or a cross section orthogonal to its length that is square and an inside circumference and is also known as ‘Square Pipe™’ throughout the disclosure.

The heat exchanger bundle described herein as a device and system is used separately or configured together in liquid-to-liquid crude oil processing with various components and may also be used in liquid-to-gas processing. Common pipe passes through tube plates and are welded together with elbows. The round holes in the disclosed tube plates or baffles could easily be cut as square holes for the Square Pipe™ and even hexagonal and other geometries. The ends of the Square Pipe™ could be turned down to match with the exterior, circular profile of common elbows of various 45, 90 and 180 degree elbows. Therefore, the additional external surface area of the Square Pipe™ described herein would increase the heat transfer, but still allow uniform flow across the external surface and be readily welded to common 45, 90 and 180 degree elbow fittings.

The Hot Oiler Coil is a gas-to-liquid application that resides within the burner box just aft of the truck cab. Underneath the coil are a series of propane burners. The combustion gases rise up; counter flowing through the pipe array and exiting the exhaust chimney at the top of the burner box. Application of the Square Pipe™ would increase heat transfer surface, increase beneficial turbulence/mixing of the gases as they rise upward and reduce/eliminate short circuiting of the combustion gases (unobstructed path up and out of the unit without contacting a pipe surface) as they rise up through the coil.

The Square Pipe™ can be readily employed in these common applications with little to no impediment to manufacturing and significantly increased heat transfer due to the greater external surface area.

Among the unique features provided by the new design heat exchanger device and system for hot oiler use are easy replacement of failed pipes and fittings, increased heat transfer from the combustion gases to the fluids flowing through the pipes, reduced mechanical stress and related failure and allowing the pipe network to free float, expanding and contracting as it is heated and cooled.

FIG. 1 depicts the heat exchanger device arrangement and heat exchanging fluid flow there through in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The disclosed heat exchanger device comprises a continuous fluid channeling conduit arranged in an Nth pass plurality of descending rows and columns interconnected at least at one transitional point(s). The transitional point(s) are arranged in a pattern of parallel U-tubes which in any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction. This disclosed arrangement of conduit, tube, pipe, etc is engineered to maximize a fluid flow of a heating or cooling fluid there around and therefore maximize a heat transfer from the heat exchange fluid(s) therein to the heating or cooling fluid.

Specifically, an embodiment of the heat exchanger device may comprise 7 descending rows wherein each descending row comprises a nominal 12 passes of fluid across a length of the device with 6 U-tubes each at 2 transitional end points. However, other Nth passes of N/2 U-tubes at each transitional point may also be designed, manufactured, sold and used. An embodiment of the heat exchanger device may further comprise a first fluid for heat exchange and a second fluid for cooling or heating the heat exchange fluid, wherein the first fluid may comprise a liquid and the second fluid may comprise a heated gas. Solid line U-tubes are those at a first transition end point and broken line U-tubes are those at a second transition end point. The arrows within the U-tubes indicate heat exchanging fluid flow. The cross indicates heat exchanging fluid flow into the plane of the figure and the dot indicates heat exchanging fluid flow out from the plane of the figure.

FIG. 2 depicts the heat exchanger device arrangement and heat exchange fluid flow there across in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Solid line U-tubes are those at a first transition end point and broken line U-tubes are those at a second transition end point. The arrows within the U-tubes indicate heat exchanging fluid flow but have been removed for simplicity. The cross indicates heat exchanging fluid flow into the plane of the figure and the dot indicates heat exchanging fluid flow out from the plane of the figure. The block arrows and flexible lines extending therefrom and there between indicate the flow of heated fluid or gas across and between the conduits from a source at the bottom to a chimney egress at a top thereof.

A fluid flow in the conduit may start at a top end of the conduit to a bottom egress end moving solely under the influence of gravity. On the other hand, a fluid flow in the conduit may start at a top end of the conduit to a bottom egress end moving under the influence of a mechanized pressure difference from the top end of the conduit to the bottom egress end thereof.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the descending rows descend from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device only at the first and the second transitional points or at the U-tubes. In the alternative, the descending rows may descend from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device along a length of the fluid channeling conduit. The U-tubes may be welded onto the conduits/pipes or may be formed as an integrated component thereof depending on economical and design considerations for any certain device and system disclosed.

FIG. 3 depicts a first end or first elevational view of the new design heat exchanger device and system, Item 100, for hot oilers in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Item 102 is the bottom of the heat exchanger and closest to the source of heat, commonly an array of nozzles that burn propane or butane. The heat generally flows from Item 102 up to Item 104, the top of the new design heat exchanger. Item 130 is the near end plate, which in conjunction with the far end plate and identical interior plate(s), is used to physically locate various components in the new design heat exchanger. Item 142, Item 144 and Item 146 are various deflector means used to channel or redirect hot gases to and around the piping network. Item 315 depicts the end view of common 180-degree elbow or U-tube that may be welded to the ends of two pipes. It is oriented at 45 degrees but may also be oriented at a nominal 30 degrees in either sloping direction. Item 350 is the center-to-center spacing between the two pipes that are connected by 180-degree elbow.

An embodiment of the heat exchanger device and system may further comprising at least one supporting baffle disposed at least at one orthogonal location to the conduits in the system, the baffle(s) defining a plurality of circular openings for the conduits to pass there through and channel the heating fluid/gas there around the conduits. FIG. 3 may therefore also illustrate openings in such square baffle(s) for the conduits and the heat or fluid deflectors.

FIG. 4 depicts a second or opposite end or second opposite elevational view of the heat exchanger device and system for hot oilers in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a supporting baffle at both a first and a second transitional points and at least one optional supporting midpoint baffle disposed somewhere there between. The pattern of parallel U-tubes for which any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction is a mirror image arrangement for a second transitional point inapposite to a first transitional point. An end view of one of the U-tubes at a first and a second transitional points resembles a herringbone pattern where rows of parallel lines in any two adjacent rows slope in opposite directions.

An embodiment of the heat exchanger device further comprises an outside shell for the conduit shaped as a burner box with an exhaust chimney at a top thereof and a heating port beneath. A system of cooling or heating fluid channeling fins are adapted to extend parallel to the descending rows, wherein an orthogonal cross section of the system of fluid channeling fins from a top to a bottom thereof resembles a honey comb structure in part. The heat exchanger device further comprises sidewall heat deflectors extending upward at an angle to the sidewall of a shell surrounding the heat exchanger device.

FIG. 5 depicts various views of a common 180-degree U-pipe elbow in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Item 310 is an end view of Item 300 in a horizontal orientation. Item 305 is top view of Item 310. Dimension 350 is a center to center nominal measurement for the U-pipe which may also determine a spacing between the conduits as further described herein.

FIG. 6 depicts a plan or overhead view of the heat exchanger device, Item 100, and system with Items 142, Items 144, Items 146 and Items 300 removed for clarity in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Items 200 are the various courses of pipe found within the heat exchanger, Item 100. In this depiction Item 137 would be the near end plate seen in FIG. 1. Item 135 would an interior plate and Item 133 would be the far end plate. Whether an end plate or interior plate, all of the Items 130 would essentially be the same with hole patterns for receiving and locating the various other components in the new design heat exchanger. The end plate Item 133, interior plate Item 135 and end plate Item 137 may comprise baffles for the cooling or heating fluid circulated around the conduits in order to exchange heat therewith.

FIG. 7 depicts a cross sectional view, A-A, of the heat exchanger device and system including Items 142, Items 144, Items 146 and various pipe members, Item 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Items 142 are larger flat plate deflectors that redirect the rising hot gases from the sidewalls or perimeter and outside edges of the device and system back into the pipe network and prevent gases from flowing unobstructed along the outside edges of the heat exchanger. Items 144 are angle type deflectors at the top of the heat exchanger to redirect the gases around the upper row of pipes and create a chimney effect for the exiting hot gases. Items 146 are smaller, interior flat plate deflectors that redirect the rising hot gases back into the pipe network and prevent gases from flowing unobstructed within the interior of the heat exchanger. Item 500 represents the dimension that the hot gases could move through unobstructed by using standard 180-degree elbows, Item 300, arranged in the depicted 45 degree configuration. The location and angular orientation of Items 146 intentionally block the open pathways for rising hot gases to bypass and not impinge on the exterior surfaces of the pipe network.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, the upper left hand pipe, Item 201, in the heat exchanger, may be the point of entry for the heat exchanging fluid(s) into the piping network. The heat exchanging fluids may comprise various liquids and gasses and a combination thereof also including suspended particulate and solution adapted or engineered to exchange heat. The fluids may enter on the side nearest to end plate Item 133 and flow toward end plate Item 137. At which point the fluids may move through the first elbow, Item 300, and flow into Item 202, the second pipe in the network, and move back towards Item 133. The back and forth pattern of flow continues until the fluids exit the bottom right hand pipe, Item 284, on the same side on which they entered, nearest to Item 133.

FIG. 8 depicts a side view of the heat exchanger device and system including Item 136, of Items 130 and illustrates the holes, slots and penetrations used in locating and suspending components in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. These holes, slots and penetrations would be slightly larger than the items that are slid within for ease of assembly and removal for repair. Not any of the components suspended by the Items 130 would be welded to the Items 130. The pipes, elbows and deflector means would be nominally free floating for expansion and contraction during heating and cooling. Removable collars or sleeves could be added around the pipes after the end plates, Items 130, and before the 180-degree elbows, Items 300. Similar retaining means for Items 142, 144 and 146 could be employed to allow for thermal expansion and contraction.

FIG. 9 illustrates that the spacing, Item 350, between the pipes, Item 200, is the same spacing as the 180-degree U pipes/elbows that would be maintained regardless of angular orientation in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As an example, NPT (National Pipe Thread taper) 2″ nominal pipe has an OD (outside diameter) of approximately 2.38″. Small radius 180-degree elbows for 2″ NPT nominal pipes have a center-to-center dimension of approximately 4″. Given the half pitch offset configuration from row to row and 45-degree arrangement of the elbows, Item 300, the size of the interior unobstructed pathway, Item 500, or under lap of the pipes' exterior surfaces is approximately 0.45 inches.

FIG. 10 illustrates an external shape for pipe, Item 400 that is square and not round in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The dimension for each side of the square would be the same as the OD of the pipe, Item 200. The ID (inside diameter) of the ‘square pipe’, a.k.a (also known as) Square Pipe™ Item 400, would be circular and the same as the ID of the round pipe, Item 200. The center-to-center dimension for Item 400 would be same as the 180-degree elbows, Item 300, and would be maintained regardless of angular orientation. Given the half pitch offset configuration from row to row and 45-degree arrangement of the elbows, Item 300, there would be no interior unobstructed pathway in the heat exchanger, Item 100, that uses the disclosed Square Pipe, Item 400. By using Square Pipe™ with a nominal 2.38″ exterior side dimension, there would be an overlap of the pipes' exterior surfaces, Item 600 of approximately 0.53 inches. This overlap eliminates the need for Item 146 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 5.

Utilizing Item 400 Square Pipe™ would also increase the heat transfer from the rising hot gases to the internal fluids due to an increase in external surface area. By using Square Pipe™, Item 400, in lieu of round pipe, Item 200, the external surface area increases by the ratio of 4 times the diameter over Pi times the diameter, or approximately 27%.

FIG. 11 depicts a cross sectional view, A-A, of Items 142, Items 144 and various Square Pipe Members™, Item 400, being utilized in the heat exchanger device and system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Items 142 are larger flat plate deflectors that redirect the rising hot gases back into the pipe network and prevent gases from flowing unobstructed along the outside edges of the heat exchanger. Items 144 are angle type deflectors at the top of the heat exchanger to redirect the gases around the upper row of Square Pipe™ and create a chimney effect for the exiting hot gases.

A heat exchanger system also comprises a continuous fluid channeling conduit arranged in a lattice of rows and columns, wherein an outside cross section of the conduit is polygonal. The system also comprises an outside shell for the conduit adapted to contain and to channel a heat exchange fluid therein and a plurality of heat deflectors arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

As seen in FIG. 11, Items 401, 402, 403 and etcetera are analogous to the round pipe, Items 200, found in FIG. 5. They similarly depict the flow of fluids into the upper left hand pipe, Item 401, into the heat exchanger and exiting the bottom right hand pipe, Item 484, on the same side on which they entered.

FIG. 12 depicts a side view, Item 138, of Items 130 to illustrate the holes, slots and penetrations for locating and suspending components of the heat exchanger device and system, Item 100, that utilizes Square Pipe™, Item 400 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. These holes, slots and penetrations would be slightly larger than the items that are slid within for ease of assembly and removal for repair. Not any of the components suspended by the Items 130 would be welded to the Items 130. The pipes, elbows and deflector means would be nominally free floating for expansion and contraction during heating and cooling. Removable collars for the pipe, Square Pipe™, could be added around the pipes after the end plates and before the 180-degree elbows. Similar retaining means for Items 142 and Items 144 could be employed to allow for thermal expansion and contraction.

FIG. 13 depicts the end or elevation view of the heat exchanger device and system utilizing Square Pipe™, Item 400, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. Item 102 is the bottom of the heat exchanger and closest to the source of heat, commonly an array of nozzles that burn propane or butane. The heat generally flows from Item 102 up to Item 104, the top of the new design heat exchanger. Item 142 and Item 144 are various deflector means used to channel or redirect hot gases to and around the piping network. Item 315 depicts the end view of common 180-degree elbow that would be welded to the ends of two square pipes, aka Square Pipe™, Item 400, and is oriented at 45 degrees.

Another embodiment of the heat exchanger device and system further comprising at least one supporting baffle disposed at least at one orthogonal location to the conduits in the system, the baffle(s) defining a plurality of polygonal openings, especially square openings for the conduits to pass there through and channel the heating fluid/gas there around the conduits. Therefore, FIG. 13 may also illustrate the openings in such a baffle for the conduits and the deflectors to pass there through.

FIG. 14 depicts a cross sectional view of a conventional shell and tube heat exchanger, Item 1000, that predominantly utilizes Square Pipe™, Item 400, and fewer round pipe, Item 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The fluids flowing within the shell, Item 1100, around the pipes, Item 200 and Item 400, and within the pipes move nominally parallel to the centerline of the shell, Item 1100, and the centerlines of pipes, Item 400 and Item 200. All other conditions remaining the same, using Square Pipe™, Item 400, wherever possible within the shell and tube heat exchanger in lieu of round pipe, Item 200, could significantly increase the overall heat transfer efficiency of Item 1000. The replacement of conventional round pipe with Square Pipe™ mounted on edge as a diamond shape of analogous size would generally result in increased heat transfer between the fluids. A Square Pipe™ mounted on edge as a diamond may comprise corners at 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees.

An embodiment of the heat exchanger system includes an outside shell for the conduit shaped as a segment of pipe. The heat exchanger device may include a conduit at an Nth row and Nth column in the lattice comprising a nominal single pass defining a space around the conduit for a heat exchange fluid circulate there around. The heat exchanger device may also comprise an inside cross section of the conduit that is circular in order to maximize a heat transfer from the conduit into a heating or cooling fluid flowing around the conduit.

Another embodiment of the heat exchanger device may comprise corner-perimeter conduits that have both an outside circular cross section and an inside circular cross section. Other conduits in the pipe shell may have a square outside cross section, especially those within the interior of the pipe further away from the walls thereof.

The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein an outside cross section of the conduit is square and an inside cross section of the conduit is circular in order to maximize heat transfer from the conduit into a fluid flowing around the conduit.

On the other hand, a heat exchanger system also comprises a plurality of fluid channeling conduits arranged in a lattice′ of rows and columns, wherein an outside cross section of the conduit is polygonal and especially square. The system also comprises an outside shell for the conduit adapted to contain and to channel a fluid therein; and a plurality of heat deflectors arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

The present disclosure therefore fills the long felt need for a better and more efficient and economically serviceable heat exchanger that has gone unmet by the prior art devices, system and designs. Longitudinal finned tube is known but not used in shell and tube heat exchangers. The fluid on the outside of the pipe/tube (Shell Side) has to maintain intimate, constant flowing contact with the external surface of the tube. In counter flow shell and tube heat exchangers the long, multiple fins would obscure the counter flowing liquids from maintaining constant flow contact with the pipe surface. Longitudinal finned tubes are typically soldered or brazed on to the pipe. They are commonly used in axial flow applications with gas or liquid in the tube and gas outside of the tube. However, tubes with radial fins, annular heat sinks, pose an insurmountable problem given that the tubes are inserted through the passage holes of the numerous baffle plates.

The unique features and novel inventions within this disclosure have various applications and are not limited in scope to the uses described herein. Although the components herein are shown and described in a particular order, the order thereof may be altered so that certain advantages or characteristics may be optimized. In another embodiment, instructions or sub-operations of distinct steps may be implemented in an intermittent and/or alternating manner.

Notwithstanding specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated. The scope of the invention is to be defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A heat exchanger device, comprising a continuous fluid channeling conduit arranged in an Nth pass plurality of descending rows and columns interconnected at least at one transitional point(s), the transitional point(s) arranged in a pattern of parallel U-tubes which in any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction.

2. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a first fluid for heat exchange and a second fluid for heating or cooling the heat exchange fluid, the first fluid comprising a liquid and the second fluid comprising a heated gas.

3. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a supporting baffle at both a first and a second transitional points and at least one optional supporting midpoint baffle, the baffles defining a plurality of openings for the conduits to pass there through.

4. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein the pattern of parallel U-tubes for which any two adjacent rows slope in the same direction is a mirror image arrangement for a second transitional point in regards to a first transitional point.

5. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein an end view of the U-tubes for first or second transitional points resembles a herringbone pattern.

6. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising an outside shell for the conduit shaped as a burner box including an exhaust chimney at a top thereof.

7. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a system of heat exchange fluid channeling fins extending parallel to the descending rows, wherein an orthogonal cross section of the system of fluid channeling fins from a top to a bottom thereof resembles a honey comb structure.

8. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising sidewall heat deflectors extending upward at an angle to a sidewall of an outside shell for the heat exchanger device.

9. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a fluid flow in the conduit starting at a top end of the conduit to a bottom egress end, the fluid flow moving solely under the influence of gravity.

10. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, further comprising a fluid flow in the conduit starting at a top end of the conduit to a bottom egress end, the fluid flow moving under the influence of a mechanized pressure difference from the top end of the conduit to the bottom egress end thereof.

11. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein the descending rows descend from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device only at the first and the second transitional points.

12. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein the descending rows descend from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device along a length of the fluid channeling conduit.

13. The heat exchanger device of claim 1, wherein an outside orthogonal cross section of the conduit is square and mounted on edge as a diamond and an inside cross section of the conduit is circular in order to maximize a heat transfer from the conduit into a fluid flowing around the conduit.

14. A heat exchanger system, comprising:

a continuous fluid channeling conduit arranged in a lattice of rows and columns, wherein an outside orthogonal cross section of the conduit is polygonal and mounted on edge in the system;

an outside shell for the conduit adapted to contain and to channel a heat transfer fluid therein; and

a plurality of heat deflectors arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

15. A heat exchanger system, comprising:

a plurality of fluid channeling conduits arranged in a lattice of rows and columns, wherein an outside orthogonal cross section of the conduit is polygonal and mounted on edge in the system;

an outside shell for the conduit adapted to contain and to channel a heat transfer fluid therein; and

a plurality of heat deflectors arranged adjacent the conduits in a free-floating relationship to the conduits.

16. The heat exchanger system of claim 15, wherein the outside shell for the conduit is shaped as a larger segment of pipe in reference to the conduit.

17. The heat exchanger system of claim 15, wherein a conduit at an Nth row and Nth column in the lattice comprises a nominal single pass defining a space around the conduit for a heat transfer fluid to circulate there around.

18. The heat exchanger system of claim 15, wherein an inside orthogonal cross section of the conduit is circular in order to maximize a heat transfer from the conduit into a heat transfer fluid flowing around the polygonal geometry of the conduit mounted on edge in the system.

19. The heat exchanger system of claim 15, wherein corner-perimeter conduits have both an outside orthogonal circular cross section and an inside circular cross section and other conduits have one of a square, hexagonal and otherwise polygonal outside orthogonal cross section.

20. The heat exchanger device of claim 15, further comprising at least one supporting baffle disposed at at least one orthogonal location to the conduits in the system, the baffle(s) defining a plurality of polygonal openings, especially square openings for the conduits to pass there through and channel the heat transfer fluid/gas there around the conduits.