Low solidity coalescing tube bundle elbow
A coalescing tube bundle elbow for a water collector includes an inlet end, an outlet end, and a body section fluidly connecting the inlet and outlet ends. The inlet end can receive a fluid flow in an at least partially gaseous state in an incoming direction. The outlet end can discharge the fluid flow in an at least partially liquid state in an outgoing direction. The body section can condense at least a portion of the fluid flow from a gaseous state into a liquid state. The body section includes channels which are defined by channel walls and which extend along the body section from the inlet end to the outlet end, and has a curved profile such that the outgoing direction of the fluid flow is not parallel to the incoming direction of the fluid flow.
1 . A coalescing tube bundle (CTB) elbow for a water collector and oriented about a principal curve, the CTB elbow comprising:
an inlet end for receiving a fluid flow in an at least partially gaseous state in an incoming direction, wherein a plane of the inlet end is orthogonal to the principal curve;
an outlet end for discharging the fluid flow in an at least partially liquid state in an outgoing direction, wherein a plane of the outlet end is orthogonal to the principal curve; and
a body section, extending about the principal curve and fluidly connecting the inlet end to the outlet end, for condensing at least a portion of the fluid flow from a gaseous state into a liquid state, comprising a plurality of channels defined by a plurality of channel walls and extending along at least a portion of the body section from the inlet end and towards the outlet end, and having a curved profile such that the outgoing direction of the fluid flow is not parallel to the incoming direction of the fluid flow, and wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of channel walls extends from the inlet end to a recess, the recess extending from the outlet end and partially into the body section; and
a second subset of the plurality of channel walls extends from the inlet end to the outlet end.
2 . The CTB elbow of claim 1 , wherein each channel shares at least one channel wall with at least one other channel such that each channel directly abuts the at least one other channel, and the cross section of each channel in a perpendicular direction to the fluid flow through each channel is a polygon having at least three corners.
3 . The CTB elbow of claim 2 , wherein each of the channels has a hexagonal cross section.
4 . The CTB elbow of claim 3 , wherein a diameter of each channel from a midpoint of a channel wall to a midpoint of another channel wall across the channel is approximately 0.25 inches.
5 . The CTB elbow of claim 2 , wherein each of the channels has a rectangular cross section.
6 . The CTB elbow of claim 5 , wherein a length of each channel wall is approximately 0.25 inches.
7 . The CTB elbow of claim 1 , wherein each of the channels has a circular cross section.
8 . The CTB elbow of claim 7 , wherein each of the channels has a diameter of approximately 0.25 inches.
9 . The CTB elbow of claim 1 , wherein the CTB elbow turns 90 degrees between the inlet end and the outlet end.
10 . The CTB elbow of claim 1 , wherein the CTB elbow is additively manufactured and the channels are extruded along at least the portion of the body section.
11 . A method of manufacturing the CTB elbow of claim 1 , the method comprising:
additively manufacturing the inlet end;
additively manufacturing the body section, wherein additively manufacturing the body section comprises building the plurality of channel walls along a centerline of the CTB elbow; and
additively manufacturing the outlet end.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein building the plurality of channels walls comprises building the plurality of channel walls in a build direction which is not parallel to the plurality of channel walls.
13 . A mid-pressure water collector comprising:
a CTB elbow oriented about a principal curve and comprising:
an inlet end for receiving a fluid flow in an at least partially gaseous state in an incoming direction, wherein a plane of the inlet end is orthogonal to the principal curve;
an outlet end for discharging the fluid flow in an at least partially liquid state in an outgoing direction, wherein a plane of the outlet end is orthogonal to the principal curve; and
a body section, extending about the principal curve and fluidly connecting the inlet end to the outlet end, for condensing at least a portion of the fluid flow from a gaseous state into a liquid state, comprising a plurality of channels defined by a plurality of channel walls and extending along at least a portion of the body section from the inlet end and towards the outlet end, and having a curved profile such that the outgoing direction of the fluid flow is not parallel to the incoming direction of the fluid flow , and wherein:
a first subset of the plurality of channel walls extends from the inlet end to a recess, the recess extending from the outlet end and partially into the body section; and
a second subset of the plurality of channel walls extends from the inlet end to the outlet end;
a swirl vane section downstream of the CTB elbow, fluidly connected to the outlet end of the CTB elbow, and comprising:
a swirl vane assembly comprising a swirl vane center body extending at least partially into the outlet end, wherein at least a portion of the swirl vane center body is received in the recess; and
an inlet duct surrounding the swirl vane assembly; and
a water collection section downstream of the swirl vane section, fluidly connected to the swirl vane section, and comprising:
a water collection can; and
an ejector.
14 . The mid-pressure water collector of claim 13 , wherein a profile of the recess substantially conforms to a profile of the portion of the swirl vane center body that extends into the outlet end of the CTB elbow.