Abstract:
An improved trailer for loading and unloading a heat exchanger tube bundle is disclosed. The trailer provides for the transport of tube bundles and includes seal pans which capture debris and other materials falling from the tube bundle during transport. The present invention also provides for the periodic placement of slideable supports under a bundle as it is pushed onto a trailer.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/454,233, filed Aug. 7, 2014 and entitled “TRAILER FOR LOADING AND UNLOADING HEAT EXCHANGER TUBE BUNDLES,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference it its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatus for loading and unloading heat exchanger tube bundles. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved trailer for loading and unloading a heat exchanger tube bundle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Heat exchanger tube bundles are used for the transfer of heat from a fluid medium passing through a series of conduits. One of the fluids passes through a series of conduits, or tubes, while the other passes on the outside of the tubes. During this process, carbonaceous and calcareous deposits form on the interior of the individual tubes and debris and other dirt will collect on the surface of the individual tubes. Therefore, in order to maintain efficient operation of the facility it is necessary to periodically remove the tube bundles and clean them. 
         [0004]    Before the tube bundles can be cleaned it is necessary to extract the tube bundle from an outer shell of the heat exchanger. Due to the large size of heat exchanger tube bundles, it is frequently necessary to transport the tube bundle a short distance within a given location, such as a refinery, to a designated cleaning site. In the prior art technique to transport the bundle it must first be lifted from the extractor with a large crane sue to its weight and bulk size and then placed on a trailer for transport to a cleaning site. Crane costs are high and add to the cost of maintaining heat exchangers. Additionally, crane availability may be an issue and may cause delays in getting the bundles transported to a cleaning site. 
         [0005]    Therefore, the need exists for an improved trailer which is capable of being loaded without the need of a crane to handle the bundle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Briefly, the invention relates to a trailer for loading and unloading a heat exchanger tube bundle having a base frame. The base frame includes substantially parallel longitudinal members. A wheel-supporting assembly is in contact with the base frame proximate the rear end of the trailer and is configured to provide a low profile for ease of loading and unloading a tube bundle. An elongated seal pan assembly is positioned adjacent to the longitudinal members to capture debris falling off the tube bundle during transport. At least two slideable support member is adapted to be slid along the top of substantially the entire length of the longitudinal members to ease the loading and unloading of the tube bundle. Connectors proximate the rear end of the longitudinal members may be included to permit the trailer to be connected to an extractor, thereby permitting the extractor to move the bundle relative to the trailer for placement of the bundle onto, or removal from, the trailer. 
         [0007]    The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which also form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    In order to fully understand the drawings used in the detailed description of the present invention, a brief description of each drawing is provided: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention with a tube bundle; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the base frame of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5  without the wheel assembly; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 8A and 8B  are perspective views of a portion of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIGS. 9A-9E  are operational views of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective views of the present invention are shown comprising a trailer  10 , adapted to transport a tube bundle  12 . Tube bundle  12  is supported along its length by one or more slideable bundle supports  16  which are moveable in the directions of arrows  60 . 
         [0019]    Referring also to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , trailer  10  comprises a base  18  having longitudinal members  20  which extend along the longitudinal axis  21  of trailer  10 . Interspersed between the longitudinal members  20  are transverse spacer beams  23  and outrigger members  24 . A wheel assembly  26  is mounted toward the rear end of trailer  10  and provides mobile support while the trailer is being towed. The trailer may include a front jack  62  which is used when the trailer is in a stationary position. A front end eye-connector  64  is positioned at the front to engage a hook or other male-type connector so that the trailer may be towed. 
         [0020]    Referring also now to  FIGS. 5-6 , a top view of trailer  10  is shown having horizontal outrigger plates  28  which are attached along one side to the top flange  20 A. An outer vertical plate  30  is attached to the outer edge of each plate  28  thereby creating an outer seal pan  32  which may capture debris and other materials falling from the tube bundle during transport. Referring still to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , an interior horizontal plate  34  is positioned between longitudinal members  20 . It is connected to the web  20 B of each longitudinal member  20 . Thus, plate  34  in combination with the web portion  20 B of each longitudinal member serves to create an interior seal pan to capture debris and other materials falling from the tube bundle during transport. 
         [0021]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , slideable supports  16  are shown positioned between and along the length of the longitudinal members  20 . This permits supports  16  to more evenly carry the distributed load of the bundle and when loading or unloading a bundle to slide freely along the longitudinal axis  21  as discussed in more detail below. 
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cross section view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5  showing the wheel assembly  26  attached to longitudinal members  20 . Using conventional techniques well known to those skilled in the art, the wheel assembly  26  includes an axle  34  which may be clamped by brackets  36  to a subassembly  38 . Subassembly  38  comprises a transverse beam member  40  which is shown bolted to the bottom flange  20 C of longitudinal members  20 . The overall height of the wheel assembly is minimized using the smallest size wheels/tires and transverse beam  40  possible. Since the trailer is preferably used on a restricted site, such as a refinery, the trailer may not have to meet minimum DOT and/or state requirements for use on a public road or highway. Thus, a lower profile for the trailer is achievable, which is preferable in the operation of the invention since some outer shells housing heat exchangers are at ground level. 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , slideable support  16  is shown in a perspective view. Each slideable support is fabricated of a series of plates as shown including side plates  68  extending slightly above inclined plates  66 . The support may also include a handle  42  on either end which enables the operator to raise or lower, and reposition, the slideable support as necessary. Each side plate  68  also includes an indented portion  44  which sits between the two longitudinal members  20  and a flat portion  46  which serves to sit or rest on top of flange  20 A of each longitudinal member  20 . It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that such a support may easy slide in the directions of arrows  60  ( FIG. 3 ) in the operation of the present invention. If necessary a lubricant may be used on the top of flanges  20 A so that the supports  16  are more easily slideable along longitudinal members  20  particularly when a bundle is being loaded or off-loaded from the trailer as described herein. 
         [0024]    Referring back to  FIG. 4 , the trailer also includes connectors  48  attached to the rear end  50  of the trailer that enable an extractor to affix itself to rear end  50  so that the trailer does not move relative to the extractor as the bundle is moved relative to the trailer during loading or unloading. Such may be necessary as the load required to get a bundle to start moving out of the shell or following a resting period on the trailer can be significant. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9A through 9E , in the operation of the present invention, a traditional extractor  70 , well known to those skilled in the art, is maneuvering a bundle  12  which was previously extracted from a shell (not shown). The extractor positions itself at the rear end of trailer  10  and connects via connectors  48 . In this manner, trailer  10  and extractor  70  act as a single body relative to bundle  12 . Once connected, the bundle  12  which is supported on a moveable carriage assembly (not shown but well known to those skilled in the art) within extractor  70  advances the bundle forward onto trailer  10 . As the bundle advances onto trailer  10 , an operator  80  places a first slideable support  16 A beneath the front end of the bundle  12 . As the bundle advances forward as shown in  FIGS. 9C-9E , the operator  80  continues to periodically introduce another slideable support  16 B-E under the bundle  12  to support it as it advances forward onto trailer  10 . After the bundle if fully loaded onto the trailer, come-alongs or straps may be attached over the bundle and connected to side connectors  56 . For the removal of a bundle  12  from a trailer  10 , the process described above is simply reversed. That is, an extractor  70  would connect to the trailer  10  and engage bundle  12 . The extractor would then pull bundle  12  off trailer  10  onto a carriage assembly within the extractor  70 . As the tube bundle advanced back onto the extractor, an operator  80  would remove each slideable support  16 A-E from under bundle  12  as it advanced onto the extractor. 
         [0026]    Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.