Heat exchange – Regenerator – Movable heat storage mass with enclosure
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-13
2001-07-10
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Regenerator
Movable heat storage mass with enclosure
C165S010000, C165S004000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257318
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to rotary regenerative heat exchangers. More particularly, the present invention relates to heat exchange baskets, which contain heat absorbent material, for rotary regenerative heat exchangers.
A rotary heat exchanger is employed to transfer heat from one hot gas stream, such as a flue gas stream, to another cold gas stream, such as combustion air. The rotor contains a mass of heat absorbent material which is first positioned in a passageway for the hot gas stream where heat is absorbed by the heat absorbent material. As the rotor turns, the heated absorbent material enters the passageway for the cold gas stream where the heat is transferred from the absorbent material to the cold gas stream.
In a typical rotary heat exchanger, such as a rotary regenerative air preheater, the cylindrical rotor is disposed on a vertical central rotor post and divided into a plurality of sector-shaped compartments by a plurality of radial partitions or diaphragms extending from the rotor post to the outer peripheral shell of the rotor. These sector-shaped compartments are loaded with heat exchange baskets which contain the mass of heat absorbent material commonly comprised of stacked plate-like elements.
In many conventional horizontal rotary heat exchangers having full sector heat exchange baskets, the baskets are attached to the rotor by a formed flange. The formed flange is bent to an included angle of less than 90° and has one end portion mounted to the side of the basket and another end portion which is bolted to a shell bar. The flange is subjected to high bending stresses and to fatigue loading as the rotor rotates and is therefore subject to failure later in life. The nature of the formed flange design does not allow for the optimization of frontal area for heat transfer surface. Installation of shell bars for mounting the full sector heat exchange baskets, along with the associated gussets and filler pieces to reduce bypass flow, is very time consuming either in the manufacture of a new rotor, or the modification of an existing rotor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form is a heat transfer element basket assembly for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger which has a plurality of diaphragm plates which divide the rotor into a plurality of sector-shaped compartments. The basket assembly includes heat absorbent material is disposed within a basket framework. The basket framework includes oppositely disposed first and second side shells and means for holding the side shells in a spaced relationship. The inboard end portions of first and second substantially planar flange plates are mounted to the outboard end portions of the first and second side shells, respectively. The outboard end portions of the first and second flange plates are mounted to an adjacent diaphragm plate to install the basket assembly in the rotor.
The diaphragm plates are at a selected angle to each other to form a plurality of substantially identical compartments. The first and second side shells of the basket assemblies define an angle therebetween. The angle defined by the first and second side shells is substantially equal to the angle of the diaphragm plates.
The inboard end portion of the first and second flange plates are welded to the outboard end portions of the first and second side shells, respectively. The outboard end portions of the first and second flange plates may be mounted to a diaphragm plate in three ways. The outboard end portion of each flange plate and the outboard end portion of each diaphragm plate may each have at least one opening, such that each flange plate is mounted to the adjacent diaphragm plate by at least one bolt and nut. The outboard end portion of each flange plate may mounted to the adjacent diaphragm plate by a weld. One of the flange plates of each basket assembly may be mounted to a diaphragm plate by a nut and bolt while the other flange plate is mounted to a diaphragm plate by a weld.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved heat transfer element basket assembly for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger.
It is also an object of the invention to provide methods of mounting the inventive heat transfer element basket assembly within the rotor of a rotary regenerative heat exchanger which provide flexibility of installation and removal.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the drawings and specification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3799241 (1974-03-01), Schluter et al.
patent: 3891029 (1975-06-01), Mahoney
patent: 3915220 (1975-10-01), Gibson
patent: 4418742 (1983-12-01), Conde et al.
patent: 4960166 (1990-10-01), Hirt
patent: 5915340 (1999-06-01), Cronin et al.
patent: 6155334 (2000-12-01), Steele
Boussa Vong
Fierle Kurt M.
ABB Alstom Power N.V.
Alix Yale & Ristas, LLP
Lazarus Ira S.
McKinnon Terrell
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