Patent ID: 6070655
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: B01D,D21C,F28D,Y10S

Abstract:
A heat exchanger, comprisinga duct,substantially parallel tubes arranged in said duct to define gaps therebetween,first means for directing an air flow that delivers heat through said tubes,second means for directing an air flow that receives heat through the gaps over an external surface of said tubes, said tubes including members projecting into the gaps to increase the external surface area of said tubes over which the air flow that receives heat passes,each of said tubes including an inner wall, an inlet at a top region of said tube and an outlet at a bottom region of said tube below said inlet such that in each of said tubes, the air flow that delivers heat flows from said inlet to said outlet and condensate forms on said inner wall of said tube and flows toward said outlet, the air flow that delivers heat comprising air that is moist, saturated, or near its saturation curve,collecting means arranged in said duct below said outlets of said tubes for collecting the condensate flowing along said inner walls of said tubes upon exiting from said tubes at said outlets,spray means for spraying an aqueous medium in an atomized phase into the air flow that delivers heat before the air flow that delivers heat enters into said inlets of said tubes, andheating means for heating the aqueous medium, said heating means being structured and arranged to be operative if the temperature and the moisture of the air flow that delivers heat differs substantially from values that are near its saturation curve.