GB668091A - Method of transferring heat to a fluid and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0668091/III/1> <PICT:0668091/III/2> A fluid is heated by causing it to flow throuh a tube or a number of substantially parallel tubes situated between two walls and causing a beam of radiation emitted by a source of radiant heat at one of the walls to impinge on the other wall but not on the tube or tubes, the source being such that substantially no combustion occurs in the space between the walls, so that the tube or tubes is or are heated by radiant heat falling upon it or them after re-radiation from said other wall or both walls. The fluid may be one undergoing a catalytic or non-catalytic reaction, e.g. ethylene dichloride being converted to vinyl chloride. In Fig. 3 a plurality of vertical tubes 17 are arranged between a circular inner wall 12 and a polygonal outer wall. Each inner face of the polygonal wall has a vertical row of 6 radiant burners 19 (see Group XI) each giving a conical beam of radiant energy as shown. Fluid flows to the tubes 17 from tubes 16 in a preheating section within the inner wall. The tubes 16 are heated predominantly by combustion gases from the burners 19 entering the bottom of the preheating section and from an auxiliary burner (not shown) at the bottom of the heating section but also by combustion gases from burners 19 passing over the top of wall 12. In Fig. 6 a plurality of horizontal tubes 46 and 47 are located in two vertical tiers between walls 40 and 41. Each wall has horizontal rows of radiant burners 48 emitting beams of energy as shown.