Shape optimized headers and methods of manufacture thereof
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein is a shape optimized header comprising a shell that is operative for collecting a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell; and tubes; wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell. Disclosed herein is a method comprising fixedly attaching tubes to a shell; wherein the shell is operative for collecting a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell; and wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell.
1. A shape optimized header comprising:
a shell that is operative for collecting a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell; and
tubes; wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell;
wherein a change in the internal diameter or a change in the wall thickness of the shell is proportional to a change in local pressure experienced in the shell and determined by the equation (1a):
Δ
d
2
Δ
d
1
=
Δ
t
2
Δ
t
1
=
Δ
p
2
Δ
p
1
,
(
1
a
)
where Δd 2 is the change in the internal diameter of a second section of the shell, Δd 1 is the change in the internal diameter of a first section of the shell, Δt t is the change in the wall thickness of a second section of the shell, Δt 1 is the change in the wall thickness of a first section of the shell, where Δp 2 is the change in pressure experienced in the second section of the shell and Δp 1 is the change in pressure encountered in the first section of the shell.
2. The shape optimized header of claim 1 , where the shape optimized header further comprises an outlet that is used for discharging fluids collected in the header.
3. The shape optimized header of claim 1 , wherein the shape optimized header comprises a plurality of outlets that are operative to discharge fluids collected in the header.
4. The shape optimized header of claim 1 , where the wall thickness of a section of the shell that contacts the tubes is increased.
5. The shaped optimized header of claim 1 , where the shell has a shape of a conical section.
6. A shape optimized header comprising:
a shell that is operative for collecting a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell; and
tubes; wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell;
wherein a change in the internal diameter or a change in the wall thickness of the shell is proportional to a change in fluid flow rate experienced in the shell and determined by the equation (2a):
Δ
d
2
Δ
d
1
=
Δ
t
2
Δ
t
1
=
Δ
f
2
Δ
f
1
,
(
2
a
)
where Δd 2 is the change in the internal diameter of a second section of the shell, Δd 1 is the change in the internal diameter of a first section of the shell, Δt 2 is the change in the wall thickness of a second section of the shell, Δt 1 is the wall thickness of a first section of the shell, where Δf 2 is the change in the fluid flow rate experienced in the second section of the shell and Δf 1 is the change in the fluid flow rate encountered in the first section of the shell.
7. The shape optimized header of claim 6 , where the shape optimized header further comprises an outlet that is used for discharging fluids collected in the header.
8. The shape optimized header of claim 6 , wherein the shape optimized header comprises a plurality of outlets that are operative to discharge fluids collected in the header.
9. The shape optimized header of claim 6 , where the wall thickness of a section of the shell that contacts the tubes is increased.
10. The shaped optimized header of claim 6 , where the shell has a shape of a conical section.
11. A shape optimized header comprising:
a shell that is operative for collecting a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell; and
tubes; wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell;
wherein a change in the internal diameter or a change in the wall thickness of the shell is proportional to a change in the stress experienced in the shell and determined by the equation (5):
σ
1
σ
2
=
p
1
*
d
1
*
t
2
p
2
*
d
2
*
t
1
,
(
5
)
where d 2 is an internal diameter of a second section of the shell, d 1 is an internal diameter of a first section of the shell, t 2 is the wall thickness of a second section of the shell, t 1 is the wall thickness of a first section of the shell, where p 2 is the pressure experienced in the second section of the shell and p 1 is pressure encountered in the first section of the shell and where σ 2 and σ 1 are the stresses encountered in the second section of the shell and in the first section of the shell respectively.
12. The shape optimized header of claim 11 , where the shape optimized header further comprises an outlet that is used for discharge fluids collected in the header.
13. The shape optimized header of claim 11 , wherein the shape optimized header comprises a plurality of outlets that are operative to discharge fluids collected in the header.
14. The shape optimized header of claim 11 , where the wall thickness of a section of the shell that contacts the tubes is increased.
15. The shaped optimized header of claim 11 , where the shell has a shape of a conical section.
16. A method comprising:
discharging a fluid from a shape optimized header comprising:
a shell that is operative for collectin a fluid; wherein an internal diameter and/or a wall thickness of the shell vary with a change in pressure and/or a change in a fluid flow rate in the shell;
tubes; wherein the tubes are in communication with the shell and are operative to transfer fluid into the shell;
wherein a change in the internal diameter or a change in the wall thickness of the shell is proportional to a change in local pressure experienced in the shell and determined by the equation (1a):
Δ
d
2
Δ
d
1
=
Δ
t
2
Δ
t
1
=
Δ
p
2
Δ
p
1
,
(
1
a
)
where Δd 2 is the change in the internal diameter of a second section of the shell, Δd 1 is the change in the internal diameter of a first section of the shell, Δt 2 is the change in the wall thickness of a second section of the shell, Δt 1 is the change in the wall thickness of a first section of the shell, where Δp 2 is the change in pressure experienced in the second section of the shell and Δp 1 is the change in pressure encountered in the first section of the shell.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising discharging fluid from the shell via an outlet.
18. The method of claim 16 further comprising discharging fluid from the shell via a plurality of outlets.