GB2031140A - Heat exchanger with vibrating means therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

In heat exchange apparatus in which wiping elements on a rotor pass closely adjacent to a surface forming part of a volume containing said rotor and a fluid (e.g. a viscous liquid) or a material (e.g. a powder) to be heated or cooled in said volume by said surface, means are provided for imparting vibrations to the wiping elements, to the rotor and/or to said surface. The wiping elements may comprise blades 74 mounted on a rotor shaft 54, or may comprise the roughened outer surface of a cylindrical drum rotor. The wiped surface is preferably the inner surface of a cylindrical shell 38 and the heating or cooling thereof is by an encircling chamber 35 (for a heating or cooling fluid) or by an encircling tube coil or an electric heating element. The vibratory force may be induced or imposed by using the natural frequency of the construction or by an electromagnetic device, fluid drives, mechanical means or combinations of these. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Wiped film heat exchanger using vibrating wiping elements Wiped film heat exchangers are well known in the art and provide an efficient means of conditioning a product by heating and/or cooling the product. For example, in US Patent No 3 346 034 issued on October 10, 1967 to DONOVAN there is shown a thin film processing apparatus using a jacketed chamber and a bladed rotor turning in this chamber. This apparatus performs satisfactorily for many items but to improve the evaporating effects of apparatus such as that of Patent No 3 346 034 there has been an expansion or change of the chamber flow characteristics as depicted in a multi-staged evaporator as shown in US Patent no 3 521 691 issued on July 28, 1970 to DONOVAN.In these and like patents directed to similar devices, the relationships of the rotor to the inner shell of the housing is fixedly maintained in that the rotor is rotatably retained axially within the housing and the rotational force on the rotor is constant.

Vibration means particularly for loosening scale and accumulated powders in hoppers are known, but in these examples and others known the imposed vibrations are not designed to provide relatively small incremental movements between the edges of the blades of a rotor and the internal surface of an inner shell of a heat exchanger. In the present invention vibratory motion is provided between the wiping elements which is either the rotor blade edges, a drum-type rotor, or the shell inner surface. The vibratory motion may be either an axial or a rotational vibration occurring because of operational characteristics or a superimposed motion impressed on the rotor or housing. As an example, the processing fluid entering the internal area of this type of heat exchanger with a distribution wheel which is bladed would impose a force of intermittent nature on the rotor.A belt drive might have an uneven stiffness along its length due to the joint. This would create an uneven driving force to the rotor.

For a number of reasons certain types of vibration will improve the heat transfer phenomenon and particularly in the case of applications for "thin film" heat transfer equipment such as that shown in No. 3,346,034.

The term "thin film" as used above includes, but is not limited to, other description terms such as "agitated film", "wiped film", "scraped film", etc. Typically this "wiped film" equipment is used to process the more difficult materials such as those which have heat sensitivity, high fouling and/or viscosity characteristics. Vibratory action as shown in this invention may be used to substantially lower the temperature or in some cases with heat sensitive materials to reduce the contact time of the film moved along the inner shell.

This action results in less heat degradation and thus permits the processing of some heat sensitive materials which otherwise cannot be reasonably processed.

Improved heat transfer as provided by the vibratory action of this invention is also used to reduce fouling, thus particularly making possible the processing of materials that are not presently capable of being processed.

It has been found that the efficiency of heat transfer equipment can often by improved by utilizing some mechanical means to impose additional kinetic energy on the fluids. This is particularly applicable to some fluids which might be heat sensitive or unstable or very viscous. The vibratory force or action may also be used to assist the transport of the material along the heat exchanger. It is also to be noted that should the material be solids such as powder, additional agitation will enhance the heat transfer. The agitation of the material being treated adjacent to the heat transfer surface is what is desired and disclosed in the apparatus of this invention. Wiped film heat exchangers do not necessarily have the blade in contact with the heat transfer surface.The input from a vibrating blade, it has been found, improves the heat transfer and in many applications adds mixing and turbulation to the product in the heat exchanger. The transfer effect improvement also applies even on scraped surfaces. The frequency and amplitude of this vibration to impart agitation to this film depends upon the particular characteristics of the material, such characteristics including viscosity and the type of equipment being used.

The uniqueness of this invention encourages the designer of the equipment to have the oscillations either torsional, axial, or combinations thereof, which vibrations occur at some frequency, usually resonant, or a harmonic thereof of the system or parts thereof.

It is expected that due to reactions of the material to flow, mechanical actions and the like, random vibrations will possibly occur.

The operation of the equipment at a selected speed and imposition of a selected forced frequency where used to match the resonance point or harmonic thereof of the system or part thereof has a distinct advantage in minimizing energy requirements and subsequently entails less equipment. Alternatively, it may be desirable to impose a force of predetermined frequ#ency to obtain forced oscillations in some part of the elastic system.

For example, a variance in stiffness of a belt used in a drive might be utilized to achieve a desired frequency of vibrations. Other means of unbalance or system construction may be provided.

The prior art examples and the configurations of the several embodiments, to be herei nafter described, are generally shown as horizontally disposed, however, this is not necessarily their operating position as in many of these embodiments the rotor and housing may also be vertically disposed for effective and advantageous operations.

Summary of the Invention A summary of the wiped film heat exchanger of this invention may be expressed at least in part with reference to its objects.

It is an object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency or contact of the material being treated with an exchanger housing is improved or reduced by the vibrating of at least one of the components providing the cooperative wiping action of the heat exchanger apparatus.

It is further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by vibrating the rotor of the exchanger apparatus with a vibrating power means at a selected frequency to induce axial vibrating movement to the rotor.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by inducing oscillatory torsional vibration to the blade portions of the rotor, with said portions sectionally constructed, attached and arranged on a rotor shaft so that the shaft and/or blades will have differing stiffness.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by vibrating the rotor by means of an electromagnetic device to cause axial and angular vibrations of the rotor, either separately or combined.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose rotor is drum-like and has a roughened outer surface and whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by vibrating one of the wiping surfaces.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide, and it does provide, a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by vibrating the shell of the apparatus to cause angular vibration of the shell.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide, and it does provide; a wiped film heat exchanger whose heat exchange efficiency is improved by vibrating the shell of the apparatus by a vibrating power means so as to oscillate the shell axially along the rotor.

The heat exchanger of this invention contemplates that a vibratory action will be induced on a portion of the apparatus so that relative vibrations will be achieved between the rotor blades and the inner shell (i.e. relative wiping elements) of the exchanger. This vibration action is shown as being achieved in several ways among which is the rotor supported by resilient means and vibrated axially by either mechanical means or fluid actuation or by an electromagnetic device. This electromagnetic device may be arranged to cause vibrations either or both angular and axial.

Mechanical and electromagnetic device vibrational inducing means are shown in detail in which the shell is supported so as to be vibrated either axially or angularly. Angular vibration means is also represented and is produced in the rotor by arranging the rotor blades in a sectional arrangement. These blades may be dissimilar and/or may be attached to a shaft having dissimilar stiffness and size characteristics.

These blades may have slots or holes therein to change the stiffness characteristics of the blades. The blades may also be made with a pitch or helix and be continuous or discontinuous as the material treatment requires.

In additiona to the above summary the following disclosure is detailed to insure adequacy and aid in understanding of the invention. For this reason there has been chosen a specific embodiment of the wiped film heat exchanger having means for establishing a vibrating relationship between wiping elements as adopted for use in processing difficult materials and showing means for both axial and angular vibration of either the rotor or the shell.The specific embodiments shown have been chosen for the purpose of illustration and description as shown in the accompa- nying drawings wherein: Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a vibratory heat exchanger in which the blade rotor member is vibrated axially or longitudinally along the heat exchange jacket portion of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in particular the spring support for the rotor assembly; Figure 3 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of another embodiment of a vibratory heat exchanger and showing a rotor having sectionally constructed blades in which the torsional vibration is achieved by a differential of stiffness in the rotor shaft construction; ; Figure 4 is a side view, partly fragmentary, showing an alternate construction of a rotor whose blades are sectionally constructed; Figure 5 is a side view, partly fragmentary, showing yet another rotor having sectionalized rotor blades; Figure 6 is a side view, partly fragmentary, of yet another rotor construction in which the blades are sectional; Figure 7 is a side view, partly fragmentary, of yet another rotor with the blade construction of a sectional design; Figure 8 is a side view, partly in section, showing yet another embodiment of a vibratory heat exchanger in which the rotor is stable in its steady rotation while the heat exchange shell is vibrated angularly; Figure 9 is a sectional view of the vibratory heat exchanger assembly of Fig. 8, this view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8 looking in the direction of the arrows;; Figure 10 is a side view, partly in section, of yet another embodiment of a vibratory heat exchanger in which the rotor is turned steadily but is oscillated longitudinally in relation to the heat exchange shell, the rotor oscillation being shown as generated by an electromagnetic device; Figure 11 is an end view of the vibratory heat exchange of Fig. 10 taken on the line 11-11 in Fig. 10 looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 12 is a side view, partly in section and partly fragmentary, of yet another vibratory heat exchanger in which the shell is oscillated axially but not rotationally; Figure 13 is a sectional view taken on line 13-13 in Fig. 12 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing in particular one means of constructing the material flinger;; Figure 14A is a face or front view of a mechanical spring device looking toward the rotor and at the end of the rotor shaft on which this spring device is mounted, this mechanical spring device provides a natural frequency vibratory motion to the rotor to induce a mechanical vibration to the rotational motion of the rotor; Figure 14B is a section view of the mechanical spring device of Fig. 1 4A taken on the line 14B-14B thereof looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 15 is a diagrammatic view of a basic element analogy in which a motor and the rotor shaft are connected as by belting in which the elasticity (spring rate) of the belting system is utilized to provide the oscillatory vibratory motion;; Figure 1 6A is a face or front view of an electromagnetic device looking toward the rotor and at the end of the rotor shaft on which this electromagnetic device is mounted, this electromagnetic device provides a pulsed force or imposed frequency which is imposed on the rotor shaft; Figure 16B is a sectional view of the electromagnetic device of Fig. 1 6A, this view taken on the line 1 6B-1 6B thereof and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 17 is a side view of a representative vibratory heat exchanger with the rotor driven at its left end and with the right end of the rotor shaft having a splined end on which is mounted the spring-actuated vibrating device of Fig. 14A, this device being depicted as being in section and with this sectional fragmentary view portion taken on the line 17-17 of Fig. 1 4A and looking in the direction of the arrows;; Figure 18 is a fragmentary side view of a right end portion of the heat exchanger such as that of Fig. 17 but with the splined end of the rotor shaft having mounting thereon the electromagnetic vibratory device of Figs. 1 6A and 1 6B and with this electromotive vibrating device being depicted as being in section and this sectioned fragmentary view portion taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 16A and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 19 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view showing a plain blade of a rotor in operational position to an inner shell of the vibratory heat exchanger; Figure 20 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary view of a rotor blade additionally having a tapered wedge attached to it to provide accelerated travel of the material being processed along the surface of the inner shell of the vibratory heat exchanger;; Figure 21 is a side view, partly fragmentary, of a vibratory heat exchanger showing some of the details of an exemplified electromagnetic device for providing a vibrating arrangement; Figure 22 is a partly sectional side view of a rotor and attached electromagnetic device of the vibratory apparatus of Fig. 21; Figure 23 is an enlarged side view showing the electromagnetic device of Fig. 21; Figure 24 is an end view taken on the line 24-24 in Fig. 23 and showing a preferred means for adjusting the vibrating amplitude of the electromagnetic device; Figure 25 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary face view portion of the electromagnetic device as assembled in Fig. 24 and showing in particular the adjusting means for the ring mounting thereof; Figure 26 is a fragmentary sectional side view showing the slip ring and brush assembly for the electromagnetic device of Fig. 23;; Figure 27 is a side view, partly in section, of a vibratory heat exchanger in which the rotor is axially reciprocated by means of an auxiliary mechanical device; Figure 28 is a side view, partly in section, of yet another vibratory heat exchanger in which the shell of the exchanger is cycled longitudinally by mechanical means; Figure 29 represents a fragmentary edge view of a rotor blade showing in particular a typical tapered wedge attached to the leading surface thereof and adapted to either accelerate or decelerate the advance of the processed material along the heat exchanger shell depending upon operating parameters such as material flow rate, and Figure 30 is a sectional view showing the construction of a heat exchanger having an alternate rotor means in which the rotor has a roughened transport surface.

In the following description and in the claims various details are identified by specific names for convenience. These names, however, are intended to be generic in their application. Corresponding reference characters refer to like members throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The drawings accompanying this specification disclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanation of the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understood that mechanical details may be modified in various respects without departure from the concept and principles of the invention and that the invention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

Vibratory Heat Exchanger of Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is exemplified a vibratory heat transfer apparatus in which a rotor is axially movable in bearings carried by the outer chamber of the exchanger. As depicted, the heat transfer apparatus is carried by a base 30 on which is mounted a pair of support stanchions 32 and 33 which are adapted to support and to retain a heat exchanger chamber 35 in a relatively fixed condition. Suitable provision by means well known in the art such as freedom along one line of sliding motion for the foot of at least one stanchion is made to permit unstressed changes in chamber dimensions due to changes in temperature, a consideration applying to several illustrated embodiments of the present invention.Chamber 35 includes an outer jacket shell 36 which is spaced from an inner shell portion 38 and in a fixed relationship by means of end rings 40 and 41 to which the shells are welded. That chamber is made to operate at a determined pressure so as to provide a heat exchange chamber for steam or other fluid thermal medium which, of course, contemplates liquid or gaseous material which may be at less than normal temperature, that is, a refrigerant or cooling agent. To provide for the flow of the heat exchange liquid or gas or vapor there is formed in this outer jacket shell an inlet or conductor 43 which is shown at the upper left of the jacket shell and a discharge conductor 45 which is shown at the lower right of this jacket. This discharge conductor or outlet is provided so as to accommodate any condensate of a steam or like medium which may be fed into and through this chamber.

Inner shell 38 extends from an end member 47 which forms the left end of the product chamber to a right end ring member 48 which is provided so as to accommodate bolting or like fastening to an end plate 49.

An unjacketedrdischarge portion 50 has a flanged end 51 which is attached to end ring 41 by bolts. In this and other embodiments to follow, a gasket is normally installed between joining members such as between ring 40 and member 47, ring 41 and flange 51 and also ring 48 and plate 49. In the left end member 47 there is centrally mounted a bearing 52 adapted to rotatably support a shaft 54 which carries the rotor drive means and other members of this vibratory heat transfer apparatus. In the same bore in end member 47 and essentially as part of bearing 52 there may and should be sealing means for retaining treated materials within the chamber and also preventing air leakage into the chamber.

A bearing and seal 56 which is similar to bearing and seal 52 is centrally mounted in the end plate 49 and permits the rotor to be freely and steadily rotated while being axially reciprocated in those bearings.

To avoid excessive and undesirable wear of the bearings and seals 52 and 56 by the weight of the rotor as it is moved longitudinally in them there is provided a pair of supports for the rotor. Those supports include bearing journals carried by a leaf spring support. As seen, at the left of the apparatus there is a leaf spring 60 whose lower end is mounted in and is retained by a T-member 61 which is attached to the base 30 so as to provide a fixed support and mounting for this leaf spring. The upper end of the spring 60 is attached to a T-member bracket or base 62 which carries and retains a bearing member 63a which may an antifriction bearing adapted to retain and support the shaft 54.In a a like manner, the right end of the rotor shaft is supported by a leaf spring 60 carried by Tmembers 61 and 62 and by a bearing 63b permitting rotational movement of the rotor while this end is supported. As shown, on each side of bearing 63a are collars 64a and 646 which are secured to shaft 54 by set screws or the like to limit the axial movement of the shaft in bearing 63a. In a like manner on each side of bearing 63bare collars 64c and 64dwhich are also secured to shaft 54 by set screws and the like to limit the axial movement of the shaft in bearings 63b. This leaf spring support means for the rotor permits the rotor to be easily moved axially. This negates to a great extent the damping effect which would be created by a sliding restraint of the rotor shaft 54 in bearing and seal assemblies 52 and 56 when and where the weight of the rotor is supported by these bearings.

The shaft 54 is turned by power means such as a sheave 65 which may be a double grooved sheave adapted to accommodate a pair of V-belts 66 driven by a motor and pulley not shown. The right end of shaft 54 is depicted as having mounted thereon a solenoid or other impulse mechanism 70 which is carried by a support 72 attached to base 30.

This solenoid 70 is adapted to provide a determined vibratory input to the shaft 54 to cause a selected amplitude of axially reciprocal movement of the shaft at a desired frequency which may be the natural frequency or some harmonic of the system. It is to be noted that instead of the axial movement of the rotor being dependent upon the leaf springs 60 a similar result can be obtained by using a coil spring which may be installed so as to be carried on shaft 54 and disposed between collar 64dand support 72. This coil spring, if and where used, tends to move the rotor leftwardly while impulse mechanism 70 may be adapted to pulse the shaft 54 and rotor rightwardly.

Inside the inner shell 38 at the encased heat exchange portion there is attached to shaft 54 a plurality of rotor blades 74 which may be any number but as exemplified are four in number. These blades extend approximately the full length of the jacket portion implementing the heat transfer as provided by the fluid within chamber 35. Rotor blades 74 are of like size and configuration and as the rotor is turned pass within a short distance of the inner surface of the shell 38. These blades, in order to assist the movement of the material from left to right, are shown as having small wedges 76 which are tapered in their configuration and, as shown, are attached to the edge of the blades so as to assist in moving the material being treated along the surface of the inner shell 38.

In this particular embodiment, the material for processing or treating is fed in through conductor 78 as indicated by the arrow. That conductor is located at the bottom left of the shell. After entering the interior of the shell 38 the material is urged against the shell by the blades 74 and after being moved rightwardly along the chamber is discharged as a concentrated or otherwise treated material out of the discharge spout 80 as indicated by the arrow. That discharge spout is located just right of the right end of the heat exchange portion. Any vapor or other accumulated steam or the like is discharged out an exhaust port 82 which is shown at the top of the right-hand end of the vibratory heat exchanger. To assist in guiding the concentrate to and through the discharge spout 80 there is provided a flinger 84 which is carried on and fixed to the shaft 54.The flinger may also act as an entrainment separator and may be perforated or may be solid in construction and may be cupped as shown in Fig. 1. It is also to be noted that wedges like 76, but pointed in the opposite direction, may instead be provided. These opposite direction wedges could be employed to cause a slowing of the material movement from port 78 toward and to port 80.

As seen in Fig. 2, the spring member 60 may be riveted to the bottom support Tmember and also to the top supporting Tbracket 62 which provides the support or base for the bearing 63.

Operation of the Apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 In the exemplified thin film heat exchange apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 the rotor blades 74 are caused to pass next to the inside of inner shell 38. The clearance between the edge of these rotor blades 74 and the shell is a matter of selection but the term "thin film" as used with respect to material being treated or evaporated is intended to cover other terms for heat transfer such as "agitated film", "wiped film", "scraped film" and the like.

Vibratory action is provided by solenoid 70 to assist in or enhance the heat transfer in films or solids produced from liquid solutions and/ or suspensions. The vibratory action is usually at and most desirably is at a resonant frequency or some harmonic thereof.

In this embodiment the shaft 54 and the blades 74 are turned steadily by a motor means, not shown, whose power is transmitted by V-belts to sheave or pulley. The blades 74 are vibrated by oscillatory movement of the shaft. While the jacketed shell section is rigidly mounted to a frame, the rotor shaft 54 is mounted on a pair of spring structures comprising leaf springs 60 which support shaft bearings 63 and permit the shaft to oscillate along the axis of the shell or jacket.

The amplitude of this vibration is normally quite small and the forcing action may be created by one of many different means which are conventional. Any angular displacement of the bearings as a result of deflection of their leaf spring supports is accommodated by the normal clearance between the bearings and the journals of the rotor. Of course appropriately designed self-aligning bearings may be used. In addition to the electromagnetic means 70, as depicted, there may instead be hydraulic, pneumatic or strictly mechanical means. The force means is fixedly supported on rigid pedestal 72 and imparts motion along the shaft axis.

As shown, the feed product enters at the left end of the jacketed vessel through conductor 78 and out discharge 80. The evaporative action takes place during this travel and the resulting vapor is removed through discharge spout or conductor 82. The steam or other heat exchange medium which, of course, contemplates also a cooling or freezing medium enters the jacket at upper left through inlet conductor 43 and exits through discharge conductor 45. This flow of the heat exchange medium and the treated product are defined as cocurrent but either the vapor or product connections can be moved to other selected positions such as to the opposite ends to provide countercurrent flow. The connection sizes are not necessarily shown in relative scale and the type of flinger 84 may be altered as desired.For example, the flinger 34 may be provided with a rightwardly ex tending annular ring extending from the outer edge to nearly the end member 49.

Vibratory Heat Exchanger of Fig. 3 Referring next to Fig. 3 there is shown an alternate vibratory heat exchange apparatus in which the vibratory motion is induced as an oscillatory torsional vibration of the blades of the rotor. This motion is induced by an unbalance of forces resulting from the rotation of the rotor shaft of the exchange apparatus and the resistance of the material being treated.

Referring now in particular to the vibratory heat exchanger shown in Fig. 3, upon a base 90 there is mounted and attached a support bracket 92 which is disposed to carry the left end of a rotor which includes a solid shaft portion 93. That solid shaft extends through a bearing portion 94 of the bracket 92 and carries a sheave 95 driven by V-belts 96 connected to a motor and drive sheave not shown. As seen in the sectional view, the jacketed heat exchange portion includes an outer shell 98 which terminates with a header ring 99 adapted to be bolted to an end member 100 and seal. That end member has mounted therein a seal and bearing assembly 102 which is disposed to rotatably retain and support the shaft 93 of the rotor while retaining the product in the chamber. An inner shell member 104, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, extends the length of the vibratory heat exchanger apparatus.Steam or other heating or cooling medium is fed into the jacket portion of the heat exchanger through an inlet member 106 located at the upper left of the jacket.

The feed material to be processed is fed into the bottom of the inner shell surface of the shell. This conductor 108 is shown at the left lower portion of the exchanger section.

In this particular embodiment it is to be noted that instead of each of the rotor blades being a continuous member on the shaft they are made in smaller separate sections. As depicted, the left section comprises four rotor blades 110 each welded to a large shaft section 1 12. Adjacent and to the right of the left rotor blade section is another blade section with its blades offset from those of the first so as not to impinge or hit the blades 110. These blades identified as 114 are also four in number and are welded to a smaller shaft section 116. That shaft section at its right end is reduced to a section 11 8 upon which are fastened rotor blades 120 offset angularly from blades 114 so that in their torsional vibratory action the two sets of blades do not impinge upon or strike one another.The overlapping of the blades insures that the scraping or wiping of the inner shell is effective for the entire area and that in this manner all material is continuously treated.

Rotor of Fig. 4 Referring now to Fig. 4, it is to be noted that a rotor substantially similar to that provided in the assembly of Fig. 3 has its blades contoured with a much greater overhang and is assembled so as to have a much greater passageway between blade sections. The blade sets or groupings have blades 122, 123 and 124 each shaped so as to have just its outer portion with a full extent of length and its inner portion attached to the shaft at a reduced extent. This contour and different shaft stiffness usually cause a different torsional vibration to be induced at the several rotor sections as the shaft is rotated at a determined speed.

It is to be noted that the difference in contour and shaft rigidity from one blade set to the next does not necessarily cause a different torsional oscillation since the material viscosity may change in such a way from the area of one set of blades to the next set to offset the changes in shaft rigidity and/or blade size or construction. The material being treated is one of the factors to be considered as well as the variations in shaft rigidity and blade construction in providing the desired amplitude and frequency of vibration of the blades. It is also important to remember that the operating of the exchanger at some resonance with a selected harmonic is more desirable than at other speeds.

If desired, blades 122, 123 and 124 may be provided with through slots or holes 126 which are of a determined number and are placed, shaped and sized so as to provide the desired stiffness to each of the blades. By forming holes 126 in these blades the stiffness and resulting vibrational action of the blades are made to conform and achieve a desired action. The openings in the blades may vary in size, contour and quantity in each blade.

Rotor of Fig. 5 Referring next to Fig. 5, an alternate arrangement to the rotor of Fig. 4 comprises a rotor in which rotor blades or sets of blades 128 and 129 are of individually greater extent than blades 122, 123 and 124. Each blade 128 and 129 is reduced at its inner edge from its outer edge length. The shaft sections 130 and 131 are of the same diameter at each blade attachment but between the blade sets or groupings the shaft is necked down or reduced in diameter at 132 to permit torsional displacement to be developed between blade sets 128 and 129. When the blades 128 and 129 are alike in size and weight and shaft sections 130 and 131 are also alike, torsional vibration may be achieved with the development of different consistencies of the material processed. As with the blade arrangements of Figs. 3 and 4, the blades 128 and 129 are angularly offset sufficiently to prevent striking or impingement of any blade of one set upon an adjacent blade of the other set.

Although desirable, it is recognized that precisely controlled or developed torsional vibration may be extremely difficult to predict because of the various damping factors, or variation in forces applied, and other factors.

In some cases the vibration may be augmented or controlled by imposing enough oscillating force or varying the rotational speeds to find the ideal range for forced oscillation. These oscillations may be at resonance of the natural frequency or a harmonic thereof.

Rotor of Fig. 6 Referring next to Fig. 6, is is to be noted that a different type of blade structure is provided on the rotor depicted. On a shaft 136 four similar blades 137 are fastened as a set to a relatively large section or portion 138 on the shaft. Each end of these blades is contoured substantially alike and each blade has a slight undercut or length reduction at its shank portion where it is attached to shaft portion 138. Shaft 136 is reduced at section 140 to a much smaller diameter, and then is expanded to a larger diameter section 142 similar to but less than portion 138. On section 142 four similar blades 143 are mounted. Each of the blades 143 is notched significantly at its left end to provide a reduced length at its engagement with the shaft while on the right-hand side of the blades the ends are reduced only slightly.This unbalanced design causes a different vibration to be induced into the group of blades 137. As with the set of blades shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, blades 137 are angularly offset from blades 143 so as to avoid hitting or impingement during torsional vibration.

If desired, the blades 137 and 143 may be stiffened by means of ribs 144. These ribs, when provided, are attached to and extend from blade to blade or as an alternate only from the back side of a blade to the shaft. The degree of stiffness achieved is largely dependent on the design and size of the rib 144.

Rotor of Fig. 7 Referring next to Fig. 7 there is shown a rotor which is a modification of the rotor of Fig. 6 above. In this rotor a shaft 145 carries two sets of rotor blades 1 46 a and 146b arranged in reverse or mirror image of each other and offset angularly from each other to an extent sufficient that with the torsional vibration they do not engage each other. Each set of blades is carried by larger shaft portions 147 a and 147b with an intermediate shaft portion 148 between them reduced in diameter to permit the blade sections to vibrate torsionally during their rotational operation.

As depicted, blade 1 46 b is shorter in length than the blade 146a and accordingly shaft 1 47 b is made shorter to accommodate the corresponding blade attaching portion. In Figs. 3 through 7, the various shaft sections can oscillate at different frequencies. The blades because of the contour and attachment usually oscillate at different frequencies particularly where influenced by changes in viscosity and other factors such as liquid film thickness, etc. The shaft speed may be selected to enhance the oscillation of a certain section or sections where desired.

Also depicted in this Fig. 7 are longitudinal slots 149 which may be selectively formed in the blades 146. These slots, like the holes 126 in Fig. 4 may be formed in one or more blades to cause a desired vibration to be achieved. The slots 149, being longitudinal in configuration, tend to permit the blade outer portions to vibrate to a greater extent than blades absent such slots. In certain cases the blades and/or slots may be shaped in unequal configurations so as to maintain similar frequencies and amplitudes where changes in viscosity, etc. are to be accommodated.

The blade stiffness, attachment, shaft stiffness, contour, rotor rotation, viscosity or resistance to movement of the material being treated all are factors in establishing the magnitude and frequency of vibrations.

Operation of the Exchanger of Figs. 3-7 In the exchanger apparatus depicted in Fig.

3 and the alternate rotors of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the vane sections are made much less than the length of the jacketed section. The successive sets of blades or vanes are offset angularly enough that there is no possibility of overlapping ends of the blades beating on each other in the course of vibrating. The rotor shaft has varying stiffness, and with the blades engaging and accommodating fluid of changing properties as the feed material flows along the shell the desired torsional or additional vibration occurs along the fluid path.

Additionally this segmental rotor permits the oscillations to be applied in sections of the wiped film surface as selected by providing very stiff or non-resonant rotor sections, if that be desired in view of the properties of the fluid being processed. The holes, ribs, slots or configuration changes as they affect blade stiffness are illustrated to show the several ways the rotor may be made so as to accommodate and achieve the desired amplitudes and frequencies in the vibration or vibrations in the rotor blades and hence agitation of process material at or near the blade edges.

Vibratory Heat Exchanger of Figs. 8 and 9 Referring next to Figs. 8 and 9, there is shown an exchanger assembly in which the shell is vibrated angularly. This assembly is carried on a base 150 to which pedestals 1 52 and 153 are attached so as to support a rotor shaft 154 which also carries the shell of the exchanger. Shaft 154 is turned by means of a sheave 156 which may be a V-belt sheave driven by a pair of belts 157 driven in turn by a motor and sheave not shown. The housing or shell of the vibratory heat exchanger includes end members 159 and 160 in which sleeve bearings 161 a and 161 are mounted.

Those bearings permit the end members and the shell structure between them to be supported by the shaft 154 as the shaft is rotated. Collars 1 63 retain the end members 159 and 160 in the desired position along the shaft so that there is no longitudinal movement of the shell along the shaft. Sealing means are usually employed to prevent unwanted flow of the treated material along the shaft into the bearings 161 a and 161 b.

The heat exchange section includes an outer shell 165 and an inner shell 167. Those shells have a determined radial clearance between them, and are retained in sealed condition by welding to end rings 169 and 170.

Those rings are bolted respectively to end members 159 and end member 172. End member 172 has welded thereto a shell portion 174 which is welded to an end ring 176 which is positioned and bolted to end member 160 so as to retain shell 174 in a desired assembled condition on the shaft 154. Four rotor blades 178 are welded to shaft 154 and have wedge portions 179 attached to their outer edges at intervals. Those wedges may be seen representatively in greater detail in Fig. 29 and as shown are used for retarding the flow of material in film form along the length of the inner surface of cylindrical shell 167. In many instances the wedges are not needed, hence are not provided.

Into and out of the heat exchange jacket portion of the assembly, that is, the annular region between shells 165 and 167, there is provided an inlet 181 and an outlet 182 for the fluid such as steam or a refrigerant intended to heat or cool the material to be processed by the illustrated apparatus.

The material to be processed itself is fed into the heat exchange section within shell 167 by means of an inlet conductor 184 positioned on the lower left-hand side of the heat exchange section. A concentrate or residual liquid outlet from the shell is seen as conductor 186 extends downwardly from the lower right-hand side at a position immediately past the retaining ring portion of end member 172. The positions of inlet connections or fittings 181 and 184 and outlet connections 182 and 186 show that flow of the processing and processed fluids through the apparatus is intended to be parallel or cocurrent. An outlet 188 for processed fluid vapors is connected from inner shell extension 174. A flinger 190 is carried on shaft 154 and is disposed to urge or guide the concentrates being discharged at outlet fitting 186.

The whole shell assembly of this heat exchanger is vibrated angularly by means of a solenoid or other vibratory or oscillatory device 192 carried on base 150 by bracket 194. That vibratory device causes a connected leg 196 which is attached to and extends from the outer shell 165 to be moved so that that outer shell and all shell and end section members attached thereof are oscillated back and forth around shaft 154.

Embodiment of Figs. 10 and 11 Referring next to the wiped film heat exchanger shown in Figs. 10 and 11 there is depicted an exchange apparatus in which a rotor turns steadily and while turning is oscillated longitudinally to provide the selected vibratory motion to the blades of the rotor. As seen in particular in Figs. 10 and 11, a base 200 has mounted thereon pedestals 202 and 203 which are disposed to support frames 205 and 206 which, by welding, are attached to and retain end member 208 and 209. A rotor shaft 210 carries on its left end a twogrooved driven sheave 212 which is rotated at a constant selected speed by a pair of Vbelts 214 driven by drive sheave and motor means not shown. End rings 216 and 217 are attached to end members 200 and 209 by bolts or like retaining means not shown.

In this sectional view, the chamber portion is formed with an outer jacket heat exchange portion which has a right end ring member 219 to which an inner shell 221 and outer shell 222 are closed and fastened as by welding. The other end of this chamber is closed by a sealing weld of the shells to end ring 217. The single shell portion of the chamber in which is accumulated the product is disposed to the immediate right of the jacketed chamber portion and includes an end ring 224 which is attached to ring 219 by bolts or screws. The single shell member 226 is attached by welding to rings 224 and 216.

As in the prior embodiments above-described, steam or other heating or cooling medium is fed into this jacketed portion of the heat exchanger through an inlet conductor 228 which, as shown, is at the upper left end of the jacket and welded in an opening formed in shell 222. Also extending through and welded in place in said shell is a discharge outlet 229 which is provided at the lower right of the jacket and accommodates fluid, condensate or gas which is used as the heat exchange medium and is fed to and through this jacket. These inlet and outlet conductors for the feeding of the heat exchange means into and through the jacket may be placed at other than the positions shown.

The rotor shaft 210 has a portion of its length rotatably carried in a bearing and seal assembly 230 which is centrally mounted in end member 209. This bearing 230 may be any bearing such as a sleeve-type bearing of conventional construction and in conjunction with the bearing there is a seal of conventional construction disposed to permit steady shaft rotation while retaining the product in the chamber. The shaft 210 extends a short distance into and supports the left end of a hollow shaft 231 which provides shaft support for, or indeed constitutes, the rotor. A pin 232 is disposed to connect shaft 210 and hollow shaft 231 so that as shaft 210 is rotated the shaft 231 is rotated also. Shaft 210 is axially retained by collars or other means associated with an outboard bearing means provided in support 206 to fixedly limit axial movement of shaft 210.

Pin 232 is a tight retaining fit in either shaft 210 or shaft 231 and in the shaft not having a tight fit there is a short slot in axial alignment with the shaft so that the pin and slot act in the manner of a spline connection.

A hollow shaft 233 is carried in a combined bearing and seal assembly 234 mounted in end member 208. A solid shaft 235 is carried in hollow shaft 231 and from near the right end of shaft 210 extends to and through hollow shaft 233 to vibration means to be hereinafter more fully described. To prevent unwanted flow of processed material and/or vapor from passing along the space or clearnance between hollow shaft 233 and solid shaft 235 there is provided a seal 235awhich is mounted in an appropriate groove formed in hollow shaft 233. This seal 235a may be an O-ring or any suitable commercial unit which is merely a matter of selection. The location of this seal is a matter of preference and the depicted arrangement is a matter of exemplification.

Collars 236 and 237 are fixed to hollow shaft 233 and are spaced so as to engage the opposite ends of the bearing and seal assembly 234 so as to retain the hollow shaft 233 in a fixed axial condition in the end member 208. A pin 238 fixes shaft 235 in and with hollow shaft 231 so that as shaft 231 is rotated the shaft 235 is also rotated.

Fixed to, in any suitable way, and rotated with hollow shaft 233 is a flinger 239 which, as shown, is partially cupshaped. A key 240 slidably connecting solid shaft 235 with hollow shaft 233 assures a positive drive of the hollow shaft and the flinger while an integral collar on the left end of shaft 233 provides a fixed stop or shoulder for the seating and retention of a compression spring 241 whose other end engages a washer or collar 242 carried by and slidable on the solid rotor shaft portion 235. A rotor assembly 244 has rotor blades 246 equally and longitudinally arranged and welded to and on hollow shaft member 231. This hollow shaft and attached blades, as an assembly, is axially movable for a small amount in line with shaft 233 while the rotor is rotated with the turning of rotor shaft 210.The blades of the rotor are of a like length and are disposed to be moved near to the jacketed chamber portion. Spring 241 engages collar 242 to urge rotor 244 leftwardly against a fixed shoulder or stop which is provided by a pin 247 which secures a hub 248 of a feed distributor wheel 249 which is thus fixed to and rotated with the shaft 210. This feed or distributing wheel as it rotates is disposed to move the feed product circumferentially to the inner surface of the jacketed chamber portion.

A feed inlet conductor 250 passes through the exchanger jacket and into the left end of the inner shell 221. This conductor is welded in place so as to isolate and guide the material being treated to and in way of the distributor wheel 249. As shown, the rotor blades 246 which are substantially the same length as the jacketed portion have tapered wedges 252 attached to their outer edges. These wedges, as depicted, provide an increase in the axial flow of the treated or conditioned material along the inner surface of the shell.

This flow, in this embodiment as shown, is from left to right. A discharge conductor 254 is fastened to and through the bottom portion of single shell section 226 and is positioned so as to be immediately to the left of the outer edge of flinger 239. The product is discharged through this conductor while the product chamber is also provided with a vapor exhaust conductor 256 which is attached to and extends through the shell member 226 at its upper extent. This exhaust is disposed to conduct from the collection chamber any and all vapor produced by the processing of the feed product as it is moved along the heat exchange chamber portion.

The right end of hollow shaft 233 is reduced at its outer diameter so as to receive and retain a housing 258 by means of short pins 259 extending into shaft 233 but not into shaft 235. This insures that housing 258 is rotated with the rotation of the hollow shaft 233. To the flanged end of housing 258 is fastened an end member 260 carrying a portion of an electromagnetic device. The mating or inner portion of the electromagnetic device is carried by the shaft 235 which is cycled axially at a determined frequency and amplitude by the magnetic action or vibration of the device. The axial force for providing the desired vibration may be produced or transmitted by devices other than shown to apply a cyclical force against spring 241.

Operation of the Apparatus of Figs. 10 and 11 In the wiped film heat exchanger of this embodiment the type of oscillation is adjusted by the stiffness of the spring 241. Essentially the stiffness of the spring 241 and the imposed vibrating force from the electromagnetic device or the like are selected to obtain axial oscillations preferably at the natural frequency or some harmonic thereof of the turn ing rotor. The frequency and magnitude of these oscillations of the rotor assembly are adjusted to suit the rotor mass, feed material characteristics and the like to provide improved processing of the material. The power source for forcing the frequency is shown as an electrically powered electromagnetic device 260-262 but other devices may be used instead so as to produce an axial force which produces a resultant axial vibration of the bladed rotor section 244.The vapor separator tubular section of the heat exchanger is this embodiment, together with the jacketed section, is shown as fixedly supported by frames 205 and 206 and the attached pedestals 202 and 203 mounted to and on base 200. The axial movement of the rotor 244 is transmitted by movement of shaft 235 in and through the supporting hollow shaft 233.

Vibratory Exchange of Figs. 12 and 13 Referring next to the wiped film heat exchanger as shown in Figs. 12 and 1 3, there is depicted a vibratory heat exchanger in which the shell or housing is mounted and supported by spring members flexible in one direction only and enabling and disposed to permit a longitudinal movement of the shell to be made along the axis of the rotor. In operation an oscillation or vibration of the shell axially but not rotationally is provided to achieve an axially vibrated wiped film relationship between the outer edges of the rotor blades and the inner surface of the heat exchange shell. The apparatus of Figs. 12 and 13 is carried on a base 270 on which are mounted braced stanchions 272 and 273 providing a rigid support for bearings 274 and 275 mounted and retained in aligned bores formed in the upper portion of each stanchion.These bearings carrying rotor shaft 277 and the rotor which is maintained in a fixed axial condition by means of collars 280, 281, 282 and 283 fixed to shaft 277 and disposed on opposite sides of bearings 274 and 275. These collars position shaft 277 during the steady rotation of the rotor. Although collars 280, 281, 282 and 283 are fixed to the shaft, provision is made for expan- sion and contraction of the shaft because of the changes in temperature in the heat exchange zone. Such provision may be any one of many conventionally known devices, the selection of the device being designed to accommodate the particular expansion requirement.

Upon the left end of rotor shaft 277 is carried and secured a V-belt sheave or pulley 288 having two grooves. This sheave is driven by a pair of V-belts 290 which are driven by a drive pulley and a motor means, not shown. The rotor shaft 277 has fastened to it and carries upon it, as by welding, four equally spaced rotor blades 292 each depicted as having tapered wedges 293 attached at their outer edges for assistance in regulating the movement of the flow of incoming material to be treated from left to right along substantially all the heat exchange inner surface of the shell somewhat in the manner above-described in connection with the description of Fig. 8.Wedges 293 and blades 292, however, are oriented similarly to the wedges provided on the rotor of Fig. 1 and identified as wedges 76, and thus act to accelerate the material flow while the axial vibration instead of being induced on said steadily turning rotor is induced on the shell in a manner hereinafter described. Although shown in this and other Figs., wedges are not always necessary as plain blades without wedges are preferable under certain conditions depending on the properties of the incoming material to be treated. Alternatively, the blades themselves may be helical or partly helical rather than simply straight or flat.

The heat exchange shell of this embodiment, like the shell of Fig. 1 includes end members 47 and 50 having sleeve bearing and seal assemblies 52 and 56 centrally mounted therein and used in the manner of Fig. 1, above-described. A heat exchanger shell 295 is disposed to be moved axially back and forth along the shaft 277 by means of a vibratory mechanism 297 such as a solenoid, said vibration inducing mechanism being carried by a bracket 298 carried by and secured to the base 270. An arm 300 is attached as by welding to the outer shell 302 of the heat exchanger portion of the chamber.

This outer shell is attached to end ring members 304 and 305 by welding. An inner shell 307 is also welded in a spaced and sealed condition to the same end members 304 and 305 to provide a heat exchange chamber which is substantially the same length as rotor blades 292. End member 309 is welded to a single shell member 310 to form the left mounting surface of the right-hand product receiving continuation portion of the inner shell of the exchanger apparatus. This product receiving shell portion 310 is welded at its right end to an end member 312 which is similar to that seen in the construction of Fig.

1 1 and is disposed for bolting to end member 50.

The weight of the shell 295 and the feed material processed therein is supported on a spring means so that bearing and seal assemblies 52 and 56 are not excessively worn by the weight of the chamber and the axial vibrational movement therealong. These bearings and seal assemblies 52 and 56 primarily locate and maintain shaft 277 and the rotor centrally positioned in inner shell 307. The use of springs or like supports which permit easy reciprocation with minimum damping of the vibrations of the housing are best suited in a vibratory heat exchanger of this design.

Accordingly, a vertical leaf spring support 314 is carried by a T-bracket attached to and supported by base 270. The upper end of this spring 314 is attached to an angle bracket 318 secured to the outer shell portion 302 as by welding. This leaf spring permits the shell 295 to be moved axially back and forth along the rotor shaft while the chamber and contents are supported by this leaf spring.

Another vertical leaf spring support 320 is attached to and is carried by a T-bracket which is supported by and is attached to base 270. The upper end of this leaf spring 320 is secured to an angle bracket 324 which is attached to the produce shell member 310 as by welding. This assembled leaf spring is adapted to support the right end of the shell and its product load so that in combination with the left end supported by spring 314 the shell may be vibrated by mechanism 297.

These springs are selected to permit the desired axial oscillation as well as acting as a part of the restoring force to bring the shell to its normal attitude while at all times resisting angular motion of the shell.

In a manner similar to that seen in Fig. 1, the heat exchange or jacketed portion of the shell is provided with a welded-in-place inlet conductor 326 adapted to feed the heating or cooling medium into the jacketed portion of the shell. An outlet conductor 328 also welded-in-place is provided at the lower right end of the jacket portion and is disposed to discharge the heating or cooling medium or any condensate thereof from the jacket chamber. As illustrated, the flow of heat exchange fluid, gas, steam or the like is from left to right but the inlet and outlet conductors to the jacket portion may be located and welded into the outer shell 302 at other locations so as to provide a flow conductor path different from that illustrated. An inlet conductor 330 is provided so as to feed the material to be processed into the inner portion of the chamber.This inlet conductor is disposed at the lower left of the chamber and is welded in place so as to provide a flow inlet for the material while passing through the heat exchange chamber.

The concentrate resulting from the vibratory heat exchange treatment is discharged from the interior of the chamber at the lower right end of the chamber just after the termination of the rotor blades 292. A flinger 334 is positioned and attached to the rotor shaft and as particularly seen in Fig. 13 has a multiplicity of perforations 336 permitting vapor passage through and past the flinger. The outer rim porton of the flinger acts as a stop and guide by which the product or concentrate is directed to and is caused to flow out of the discharge outlet 332.

A vapor discharge conductor or outlet 338 is provided at the upper portion of the single shell chamber portion 310 and is welded thereto to enable the discharge of any resulting vapor which is developed during the processing of the feed material. Although leaf springs are shown, other springs means such as coil springs, biased spring arms, guide rods and the like may be used to permit axial vibration of the shell.

Operation of the Heat Exchanger Apparatus of Figs. 12 and 13 Referring now to the operation of the exemplified apparatus, the heating or cooling medium is fed into the exchanger chamber jacket by and through inlet conductor 326 and after flowing rightwardly is discharged through the outlet conductor 328 in the same manner as in those described in the prior embodiments.

The material to be processed is fed into the inner chamber through conductor inlet 330 and as it is moved left to right by the rotor blades 292 along the inner shell 307 is processed. The efficiency of the heat exchange is increased as the material is brought in way of the rotating blades 292 and the wedges 293 thereon to cause the material to be urged against the inner surface of the shell 307 and during the wiping action is vibrated as it is advanced from left to right and to and out the discharge outlet 332. Shell 295 is supported by means of leaf spring 314 and 320 so that the shell is vibrated axially along the rotor shaft 277 with a determined small amplitude and selected frequency.

Rotor shaft 277 is rotatably supported in fixed axial condition in bearings 274 and 275 and associated collars. The fixing of the rotor shaft, of course, is subject to accommodation of expansion and contraction. This rotor shaft may also support, to a small degree, the shell 295 on bearing and seal assemblies 52 and 56. However, to prevent any unwanted and undue wear of the bearings and seal assemblies 52 and 56 and damping of the vibratory action the leaf spring supports 314 and 320 are disposed to support the major portion of the weight of the shell and all material carried therein in both the exchange and inner chamber portions. These leaf springs as above noted, resist any angular motion of the shell.

The axial vibration or induced motion of the shell 295 is provided by the vibratory power member 297 or similar device which pushes and pulls the attached arm 300 so that the shell 295 is vibrated axially back and forth at a determined frequency and amplitude along the shaft of the rotor. The vapor arising from the heat exchange operation passes through and by the flinger 334 and is discharged from the outlet 338 while the outer rim portion of the flinger 334 acts as a stop and guide for the flow of the concentrate or product from product conductor outlet 332.

Rotary Vibratory Mechanism Employing the Spring Device of Figs. 14A and 14B Referring now to Figs. 14A and 14B, there is shown a mechanical spring device whereby a natural system vibration frequency or some harmonic thereof may be matched to the angular speed of the rotor on and with which the device is associated. As shown, 350 refers to an outer ring member which is supported by and is a local member carried on the outer ends of spoke or arm members 351. The two spokes are depicted as being welded to or otherwise are integral extensions of a hub 352. The rotational drive of the mechanism is applied to the hub 352 through an internal spline 353 which mates with a like spline on a shaft 354 driven by motor means, not shown.Arms 351 carry at their outer ends like bearings 355 which support and locate ring 350 while permitting relative angular motion between the outer ring 350 and the hub 352 and spline connected shaft 354.

Four like compression-type springs 356 are positioned and carried by cooperative means provided in spokes 351 and carried in ring 350. Cavities 357 are formed in opposite faces of spokes 351 and are sized to receive and retain one end of spring 356 while the other end of each of the springs is carried in a cup 358 formed in cup member 359. Each cup member has a threaded hole axially positioned and formed therethrough by which it is mounted on the threaded end of a stud 360.

The support or unthreaded end of each stud 360 is mounted in a hole in ring 350 and is retained therein by a pin 361. A jam nut 362 is carried on the threaded portion of each stud 360 and is used to lock and adjusted cup member 359 on stud 360. Each spring 356 is compressed to provide the desired tension by rotating cup member 359 on stud 360.

Jam nut 362 locks the adjusted cup member 359 in rotated position on stud 360. Side plates 363 and 364 secured to arms 351 retain bearings 355 and the outer ring 350 axially to hub 352. Set screws 365 carried in threaded holes in hub 352 are tightened to retain this mechanism assembly at the desired axial position on the splined end of shaft 354.

in use, it is contemplated that both the rotor shaft 354 on which is mounted hub 352 and the supported outer ring member 350 will have angular vibrations as well as steady rotation and they will vibrate with respect to each other. This vibration may be considered as a mechanical angular oscillation. The vibration could be and probably will be in resonance with a harmonic of rather than the fundamental frequency of a system. By adjusting the spring loadings, there may be accomplished a matching of the natural torsional frequency of the system or some harmonic thereof to the rotor speed for achievement of a condition of resonance.

The angular oscillations could also be repeatedly initiafed by imposed forces such as impingement of a fluid stream on the distributor wheel or by random impulses due to the rotor blade action. This could be a forced oscillation or a random oscillation of intermittent or continuously repetitive type.

Mathematical or Mechanical Function of the Apparatus of Fig. 15 Referring now to Fig. 15, it is to be noted that this is a schematic representation of a function of a motor power source system whereby the rotor and motor shaft are connected by a belting means which for the purpose of description is identified as 370.

This belt or belting runs over pulleys 371 and 372 in which pulley 371 is considered the drive pulley and pulley 372 the driven pulley.

As thus operated it is anticipated that the lower extent or slack side of the belt 370a is a belt being returned to the unstretched condition from the extended condition. This is represented by the closeness of the coils of a depicted spring 374 whereby the tension side of the belt is indicated as 370bwith the belt stretched as indicated by the expansion of coils of a spring 375. Where the pulley 371 is driven by a motor and pulley 372 drives the rotor, it is anticipated that as the belt tends to come into a dynamic equilibrium conditioning of lengthening and shortening certain vibrations are produced which are similar to those produced as by a spring loaded device such as shown in Figs. 14A and 14B In the construction of belts, variances in the belt section due to joints, overlaps, densities, etc. initiate vibrations.In addition to the naturally occurring vibrations found in a belt drive such as a V-belt, other factors than the belt alone cause vibrations. These factors may be belt stiffness, masses, unbalance of components or speed, either in combination or alone. The belt system of Fig. 15 where and when the drive input system is used may be used along or may augment or complement other angular vibratory means. When used alone the belt could be selected to match the natural system frequencies or harmonics and thus serve to initiate and maintain angular oscillation in the rotor system.

Electromagnetically Actuated Device of Figs.

16A and 16B Referring now to Figs. 16A and 1 68, it is to be noted that instead of a mechanical coupling providing a vibration system achieved through varying the torsional stiffness, as seen in Figs. 14A and 14B, it is contemplated that an electromagnetic device will be used to impose a forced vibration on a system. In this embodiment a ring member 380 is contemplated as being bearing supported by arms 381 integral with or welded to hub portion 382. This hub has a spline 383 formed therethrough and mates with and is mounted on shaft 354. Arms 381 carry bearings 385 at their outer ends.The bearings are retained by side plates 363 and 364 which are like the same identified side plates in the embodiment of Fig. 148. These bearings locate the ring 380 with respect to hub 382 but allow relative angular motion. This ring 380 is supported so as to provide torsional flexibility between the hub and ring. This will permit oscillation of the ring relative to the shaft on which the system is mounted.

Mounted on a support pad member 386 provided on each arm 381 is a field coil assembly 387 forming a part of the electromagnetic device. Pads 386 are made sufficiently wider than support arm 381 to permit cap screws 388 to pass through holes in the pad member and into threaded holes in the coils bases. Field coil assemblies 387 are secured to pad members 386 by cap screws 388. The armature portion 389 of each electromagnetic device is attached by cap screws 390 to a beam member 391 attached to and extending inwardly of ring member 380.

Shims 392 are used to adjustably position the armatures at the desired proximity of field coil 387.

Leaf springs 393 are provided in this system so as to adjustably establish a restorative force as the magnetic attraction is released.

Springs 393 have one end seated on a projec- tion 394 which, as depicted, is a portion of arm 381. A boss 395 carried by ring 380 and extending inwardly therefrom has a threaded hole therein. The end of spring 393, which rests on the boss, has a slotted hole therein and by means of washer 396 and cap screw 397 is adjustably secured to the boss 395. A similar arrangement using like washers 396 and cap screws 397 secures the other end of spring 393 to projection 394.

Two such leaf spring assemblies are provided and adjusted and radially are at one hundredeighty degrees from each other. The leaf springs 393 usually have a plurality of leaves (layers) and their widths and stiffness permit the selection of the desired stiffness of the springs.

Two field coil assemblies 387 are provided and in use alternating current is fed to these coils to impose an alternating impulse of given frequency which provides the force for winding and unwinding of the shaft on which this device is mounted. The gap between the field coils and the armature is adjusted so that the imposed vibration amplitude may be increased or decreased to provide the desired amplitude and frequency. The vibrator action supplied by the electromagnetic device of Figs. 16A and 16B, although angular as is the action provided in the apparatus of Figs.

14A and 14B, is different in that the apparatus of Figs. 16A and 16B is a means of applying a repetitive force to a system which is not the case in the system depicted in Figs.

14A and 14B. The apparatus of Figs. 14A and 14B is to provide readily adjustable elasticity through coil springs and provides no means for a repetitive imposed force. The application of the systems of Figs. 14A and 14B; Figs. 16A and 16B to a vibratory heat exchanger is seen in Figs. 17 and 18.

Vibratory Heat Exchanger of Fig. 17 Referring next to Fig. 17 and the vibratory system of the device of Figs. 14A and 1 48 employed to provide oscillatory vibrations to the rotor therein, there is depicted a heat exchanger having a jacketed chamber 400 carried by and on supports 401 secured to a base 402. Inlet 403 at the upper left provides the jacket feed of the heating material and inlet 404 feeds the material to be treated to the inner chamber. A jacket outlet 405 carries the condensate of the heating material from the jacket while outlet 406 provides the discharge conductor of the product from the chamber. Vapor produced as a result of the treated material is discharged through outlet 407.

In the manner similar to that of Figs. 1, 3 and 8, rotor shaft 354 is rotated by driven Vbelts 408 carried in grooves in sheave 409 which is secured to the left end of shaft 354.

The right end of this rotor shaft is formed with a spline so as to receive and drive the splined hub 352 of the system of Figs. 14A and 14B To secure and retain this system to the shaft, set screws 365 are shown provided as in Fig.

14B. The means of axially retaining the system is merely a matter of selection. The adjustment of the system of Figs. 14A and 14B is described above in the use and adjustment of this system.

Vibratory Heat Exchanger of Fig. 18 Referring next to the fragmentary drawing shown as Fig. 18, it is contemplated that the unit of Fig. 17 is the exchanger assembly except that the electromagnetic vibratory inducing system of Figs. 16A and 16B is mounted on the right splined end of shaft 354 rather than the mechanical system of Figs. 14A and 14B shown mounted on the exchanger of Fig. 17. As depicted in Fig. 18, the system of Figs. 16A and 16B has hub 382 mounted on the splined end of shaft 354 and this hub is retained in axial position on this shaft by set screws 411 and 412. Between the upper portion of rim 380 and hub 382 is seen armature 389. Between hub 382 and the lower portion of rim 380 is seen the field coil 387 carried on pads 386 by screws 388. This pad is supported by and secured to arm 381.Means for conducting current from a source to the field coils 387 is shown as a slip ring assembly with a ring assembly 414 and a support for the brush contacts as 415.

As an alternate to this exemplification any commercial electrical transfer system may be used.

In its mounted condition the springs 393 are selected as to the desired tension by the number of leaves and width to provide the desired resistance to the magnetic attraction created when the field coils 387 are energized. These springs bring the field coils 387 and armature 389 to a desired position when the coils 387 are de-energized. The oscillatory movement of the shaft 354 in relation to the flywheel effect of ring 380 provides the oscillatory vibrations which are adjusted to satisfy the particular conditions under which the exchanger is operated.

Rotor and Chamber Construction of Fig. 19 Referring next to Fig. 19, there is shown in an enlarged scale a fragmentary outer portion of a rotor member or blade 41 6 which has its outer edge 41 7 curved or shaped so as to provide a complementary arc to the inside curved surface 418 of a shell 419. The space or gap between the outer surface of blade 41 6 and the inner surface of shell 41 9 is selected to provide the desired clearance to accommodate the particular material being processed.It is to be noted that in many heat exchanger systems the distance between edge 41 7 and surface 41 8 is generally only a few thousandths of an inch, such as five to ten thousandths of an inch, although greater distances such as one-eighth of an inch may be required with high viscosity materials. This rotor blade and shell construction is typical of the several embodiments shown.

Alternate Construction of Rotor and Inner Shell of Fig. 20 Referring next to Fig. 20, there is shown an embodiment in which a rotor blade 420 has a shoe or wedge 421 inserted into its end or edge. This wedge 421 is preferably tapered in the manner of wedge 179, as seen in Fig. 29, with the taper disposed to assist or slow the longitudinal flow of treated material along the inner surface of a shell. This wedge member 421 may be inserted into the edge of the blade 420 so as to provide a complementary curved outer surface 422 which is curved to provide a determined space between the outer curved surface of the wedge 421 which usually coincides with the edge of the blade 420 and the inner surface 423 of shell 424. These tapered wedges are particularly useful where a minimum residence time is needed or desired in the heat exchange portion of the chamber.

This condition often occurs when the treating process is or includes evaporation, making it very desirable for the tapered wedges to urge and accelerate the flow of the material being processed along the inner surface of the shell.

Rotor and Shell Construction of Figs. 21 and 22 Referring next to the embodiment as depicted in Figs221 and 22, there is exemplified a rotor and jacket construction which employs an electromagnetic device to vibrate the rotor angularly or torsionally. This electromagnetic device uses alternating current as does the electromagnetic device depicted in Figs. 10 and as does the device shown in Figs. 23 and 24, to be hereinafter described.

In this embodiment the several components forming the chamber and electromagnetic device support are shown in greater detail to illustrate a preferred construction arrangement. Rotor shaft 430, as seen in Fig. 22, is threaded at 431 to accommodate a nut 432 which retains on a splined portion of the shaft 430 an end plate 434 upon which is mounted certain of the field portions of the electromagnetic device. The portion of rotor shaft 430 to the left of end plate 434 is reduced at 435 for a substantial length until it reaches the blade portion of the rotor as indicated by blades 436. As this point, the shaft 430 terminates with an enlarged portion 437 which is a tight fit in and is fixed at a determined distance in from the right end of a tubular shaft portion 438. This tubular rotor shaft portion 438 extends to the left end of the blades 436.The blades of the depicted rotor have a cutout at their left ends while their right ends are made straight.

This embodiment has a rotor whose blades 436 are four in number and are welded to the tubular shaft 438 to form the material treatment section. A short stub shaft portion 440 has a large right end which is fitted and fastened into the left end of the tubular shaft portion 438. The extending portion of this stub shaft is shown as a reduced section which extends outwardly and leftwardly and has its outboard end carried in a bearing in a bracket portion 442 which is attached to the left end member 444 of the shell assembly.

Centrally mounted in this end member 444 is a bearing and seal assembly 446 which rotatably supports the inner portion of the shaft 440. In the manner above-described pertaining to the prior embodiments, the outer jacket portion of shell 448 is carried by and is welded to end rings 450 and 451 which also retain and are welded to inner shell 453. This welded or jacketed chamber provides the heat exchange portion of the apparatus and has a determined spaced condition for the flow of a fluid or gas, said jacket extending the full length of the rotor blades.

End member 455 is welded to the left end of a single shell portion 457 forming the product receiving chamber. The right end of single shell portion 457 is welded to end member 458 to which is bolted and which carries a support frame 460. Frame 460, which includes end member 461, has central bores in which are carried bearing 462 and seal 464. Bearing 462 carries the shaft 430 while seal 464 also acts as a bearing to carry the tubular portion 438. Blades 436, like previously described blades, are indicated as having tapered wedge member 466 attached to their outer edges. As depicted, these edges accelerate the flow of the material rightwardly along the shell. A flinger 468 is mounted on the tubular shaft 438 and turns with the shaft.To the right of this flinger and mounted outboard of seal 464 on the tubular shaft is the armature portion of the electromagnetic device located immediately on a plate member 470 fastened to the right end of tube 438.

The field portion is attached to and carried by end plate 434. A distributing wheel 472 is carried at the left end of the rotor blades and, as illustrated, is carried on and is secured to the stub shaft portion 440.

As shown, the present embodiment of Fig.

21 is arranged to provide a counterflow actuation whereby the heating or cooling medium is fed into the heat exchange jacket portion through a conductor inlet 474 which enters and is welded to and at the upper right of the outer shell 448.

The heat exchange medium after passing through the tubular shell is discharged at the lower left end of the jacket and through outlet conductor 476 which enters and is welded to the outer shell 443. The material to be processed is fed into the inner shell through inlet 478 which passes through shell wall 448 and is depicted and disposed at the left upper end of the jacket. The processed material after passing along the inner surface of shell 453 is discharged from the lower right of the chamber through outlet 480 which passes through and is welded to the single jacketed product receiving portion of the shell 457. A vapor conductor 482 is also provided in the single shell portion 457 and is welded to and through this shell just to the right of and above the flinger 468.Pedestals 484 and 486 are attached to the shell portion 448 as by welding so as to support the shell in a fixed condition upon a base, not shown.

In this embodiment of Figs. 21 and 22 all of the components shown are not necessarily needed for some materials. This is particularly true in the instance of distributing wheel 472, tapering wedges 466 and/or flinger 468.

Variations of these items or elimination of some of these may be made to obtain the desired vibration oscillations and/or flow of the material in the jacketed chamber.

Operation of the Apparatus of Figs. 21 and 22 In operation, the heating or cooling material enters the heat exchange chamber between shell walls 448 and 453 through conductor inelt 474 and counterflows to the product being treated, exits to the left through conductor outlet 476. The product which may be a fluid or other material for treatment is fed into the inner heat exchange chamber portion through conductor inlet 478 and drops onto distributing wheel 472 from which it is distributed to the inner surface of shell 453.

From the distributing wheel the material is caused to flow to and in way of and upon blades 436 of the turning rotor. By means of these blades and the tapered wedges 446 disposed on the outer edges of the rotor blades the material is moved at a selected speed rightwardly until it passes from the heat exchange section to the single shell section and arriving at the flinger 468 is discharged as a concentrate or treated material through and from outlet conductor 480. Any vapor produced through evaportion in this process is discharged out of conductor 482.

The action of the electromagnetic device is discussed hereinafter in detail as pertains to the enlarged drawings of Figs. 23 and 24 and its adjustable mounting. However, the torsional effect achieved through the winding and unwinding of the hollow shaft 438 and the solid shaft 430 within it assists in the torsional vibration achieved. Normally the hollow shaft 438 is much stiffer than solid shaft 430 particularly the reduced portion 435 which is machined or otherwise is formed to provide the "wind-up" portion. Although some torsional motion is achieved in shaft portion 438 it is usually relatively small compared to that of shaft portion 435. The prime mover of the shaft 430 is shown as a V-belt pulley 488 having two grooves and driven by a pair of V-belts 490 driven at a constant speed by a motor and a V-belt sheave or pulley, not shown.

It is to be noted that the inner faces of the electromagnetic device have the armature and field units mounted on two separate plates with the electromagnetic components arranged so that their inner faces are at an angle. The force component thus developed lies in a tangential direction from each armature and field assembly. A number of these armatures and field assemblies, when actuated, cause the AC power to attract and release the armature with respect to the coil.

This is in effect the equivalent of a windup of the proper size shaft which therewith develops an oscillatory action of the shaft at the reduced shaft portion. As contemplated, this rotor has a "dither" or vibratory motion developed in a circular direction which motion is imposed and released by the AC power source as it is applied. This oscillatory action when imposed upon a relatively stiff tubular section of the main shaft enhances by vibration the evaporation of the very thin film which is moved by the rotor along inner shell surface 453 whereat the energy of the vibrating electromagnetic device is transmitted through the rotor blades and the wedges on the rotor blades.

Electromagnetic Device of Figs. 23-26 Referring now to Fig. 23 there is depicted an enlarged view of an electromagnetic device such as that shown in the embodiment of Figs. 21 and 22. As depicted, the armature unit is mounted and carried on plate 470 and has four armatures 412 which are arranged at ninety degree intervals. Each armature is pref erably disposed at substantially a forty-five degree angle to the axis of the rotor shaft 430. There are four equally spaced fields carried on and by plate member 434 and as depicted these fields are arranged at substantially forty-five degrees to the axis of the rotor.

The plate member 434 is carried on shaft 430 and is tightened into and retained in its mounted position by means of a nut 432 shown in phantom outline.

As seen in detail in Figs. 23 and 24, a fixed plate member 496 is welded to the tubular shaft 438. This plate has its rightward face shouldered for the journaled and rotatable mounting thereon of the support plate 470.

As particularly shown in Fig. 24, plate 496 is formed with four arcuate slots 498 having a like extent or arc. Through each of these arcuate slots passes a retaining cap screw 500 which enters a tapped hole formed in plate 470. With these four cap screws 500 loosened, plate 496 may be grasped and rotated and with the cap screws tightened the plate 470 is retained and clamped in a determined position against the fixed plate member 496. Welded to the armature plate 470 are two tongue members 502 which extend leftwardly as seen in Fig. 23. These tongue members are each disposed into the space between a pair of ears or stops 504 extending from and fastened to the plate 496. This arrangement is shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 25.

As seen in Figs. 23, 24 and 25 the tongue member 502 extending from plate 470 extends to and in between the spaced ears 504.

Mounted in threaded holes formed in each of the ears 504 are adjusting screws 506 which are locked in position by means of jams nuts 508 carried on the threaded shank of these screws. Screws 506 enter and are retained in the tapped holes formed in members 504 so as to extend inwardly into retaining engagement with the tongue members 502. Four field members 510 are carried on plate 434 and are arranged to operate with armature members or plates 512. It is at least initially necessary and desirable to adjust the gap.

between the field portions 510 and the armature members or plates 512 carried on plate 470. This adjustment is accomplished by causing the four cap screws 500 to be loosened sufficiently to allow the plate 470 to be moved with a rotary motion on a shoulder on plate 496. The jam nuts 508 are loosened and the screws 506 are rotated in or out to move and adjust members 502 either clockwise or counterclockwise as desired to bring the armature plate portion 512 into a desired spaced proximity with the cooperating fields 510.After the desired spacing has been completed the nuts 508 are tightened to retain the adjusted screws 506 after which screws 500 are tightened so as to draw and retain plate 470 tightly against the fixed plate 496 to hold the armature plate in the desired oriented condition whereat the electromag netic device will actuate to provide the desired vibrational response.

As seen in Fig. 26, bracket 515 (as carried by support 460 in Fig. 21) carries a pair of spring-biased contacts 517 and 518 which engage a pair of concentrically spaced sliprings carried in a retainer 520 mounted to plate 434. These contacts carry and conduct current to said rings which are connected to the fields 510 carried by the plate 434. As slip-ring conducting designs and constructions are well known and conventional, further description is not believed essential.

Vibrating Apparatus of Fig. 27 Referring next to Fig. 27 there is shown a heat exchanger apparatus in which the rotor is axially cycled within a fixed shell. In this embodiment and on a base 550 are mounted supports or stanchions 552 and 553 welded or attached to end members or supports which are fastened as by welding to end plates 555 and 556. Carried by these end plates is the assembled shell which includes the jacketed section of the heat exchanger.

This jacketed section includes an outer shell 560 and an inner shell 562 which are fastened to end rings 564 and 565 by welding to form the spaced apart and pressure tight jacket portion. A single shell section or portion next to the jacketed portion is disposed to receive the product and includes end rings 567 and 568 which are welded to the single shell 569. As assembled, the end ring 564 is bolted to end plate 556 while end ring 565 is bolted to end ring 567. The other end ring of the single shell portion 569 is bolted to end plate 555. In this bolted condition the assembled shell is retained in a fixed condition on a base 550 by means of stanchions 552 and 553.

Rotor shaft 571 is carried on its left end in a sleeve-type bearing and seal assembly 572 centrally mounted in plate 556. Bearing 573 is mounted at the top of pedestal or stanchion 552 while a like outboard bearing, not shown is carried at the top of pedestal 553. A bearing and seal assembly 574 is centrally located in end plate 555. Bearing 573 and seal 574 rotatably retain a hollow shaft portion 575 through which the right end portion of the rotor shaft 571 extends and is carried.

A seal 576 is carried in a groove formed in the internal diameter of shaft 575. This seal is adapted to prevent product and/or vapor from passing through the space between hollow shaft 575 and solid shaft 571. The left end of shaft 571 is carried in the outboard bearing at the top of 553 and in seal and bearing assembly 572. A key 577 carried in shaft 571 and hollow shaft 575 is disposed to retain the nested shafts in fixed angular attitude while permitting axial movement of shaft 571 within hollow shaft 575. Collars 578 and 579 are carried on and are secured to tubular shaft 575 so as to engage the ends of bearing and seal member 574 and to retain this tubular shaft in a fixed axial position in the bearing and seal assembly 574 and bearing 573.Sheave or pulley 581 has two V-grooves and is fastened to the right end portion of hollow shaft 575 which terminates just to the right of the sheave. This sheave is rotated by means of V-belts 583 which are driven by a driver sheave and a motor, not shown.

The rotor in this embodiment includes a tubular core 585 to which, as shown, are welded four equally spaced blades 587.

These blades are substantially the same length as the jacketed shell and, as depicted, have tapered wedges 588 attached to their edges for the purpose and in the manner as described in other above-described apparatus. A compression spring 590 is disposed between the hub of flinger 592 fixed on shaft 575 and a washer 594 is slidably carried on shaft 571 and at the right end of the tubular core 585 of the rotor. The hollow shaft 585 which carries the rotor blades 587 is slidably fixed to shaft 571. When the hollow shaft 585 is keyed to the shaft 571, a distributing wheel 596 provides a left stop and washer 594 is then fixed to a shaft 571 to provide the right stop.Immediately to the left of the end of the rotor and secured to and carried by the shaft 571 is depicted this distributing wheel 596 for use in distributing influent material to be processed in the manner as above-described in prior embodiments. Heated or cooling fluid, steam and the like is fed into the heat exchange jacket portion through a conductor inlet 600 welded in place in outer shell 560 and after passing through the jacket is discharged through conductor outlet 602 also welded to and extending through the outer shell 560 as in the prior embodiments, abovedescribed. The inlet 600 is shown as disposed at the upper left and the outlet at the lower right of the jacketed heat exchange shell section.

The feed material which is to be processed is fed into the inner shell through the bottom of the jacketed portion and to the left thereof through an inlet conductor 606 which is welded to outer and inner shells 560 and 562 so as to be sealed from the jacketed portion.

The processed material is discharged through outlet 603 in the conventional manner. This outlet extends through and is welded to the bottom portion of single shell 569. The vapor produced by the treatment of the material is discharged through a vapor outlet conductor 610 welded to and through the upper portion of the single shell 569. The rotor is vibrated axially along the shaft 71 by means of a motion means imposed by a mechanical device coupled to a shaft member 614 which is pivotally attached to a collar 61 6 rotatably retained on the end of the shaft 571 by means of a bolt 620. This bolt is rotatable in and extends through bearing 622 and into a threaded hole in the end of shaft 571.

Operation of the Apparatus of Fig. 27 The heat exchange and process equipment shown in this embodiment is similar to other embodiments above-described in which the rotor is vibrated axially, however, in this particular embodiment as in the case of the embodiment of Fig. 10, previously described, the spring 590 used herewith is matched to the mass of the moving components and to the friction of the sliding members and other factors such as viscosity of the material being processed. Those oscillations which are imposed are preferably at a frequency resonant with the system frequency or at some harmonic thereof in order to make the required mechanical energy input to coupled shaft 614 as little as practical.

Apparatus of Fig. 28 Referring next to Fig. 28 there is shown a vibratory heat exchange apparatus much like the prior described embodiments except that in this arrangement the shell section is oscillated mechanically while the rotor section is retained in a fixed relationship on a support.

In the exemplified arrangement a base 650 has mounted thereon stanchions 652 and 654 which are secured to this base.

At their upper end these stanchions retain bearings by which is rotatably retained and supported a rotor shaft 656 to which four rotor blades 660 are welded in an equally spaced angular arrangement. Tapered wedges 662 are depicted as secured to the edges of the rotor blades to regulate the flow of material along the shell as in previous embodiments.

End members 668 and 670 have like sleeve bearings and seal assemblies 672 centrally mounted therein. Bearings and associated sealing means other than plain sleeve bearings may be provided as long as axial movement of the rotating shaft may be achieved.

These bearings and seal assemblies are disposed to align the shell while permitting the shell assembly 673 to be moved or oscillated along the shaft 656. End rings 674 and 676 are welded to and carry outer shell 678 and inner shell 680 to provide a welded assembly in a manner to make this heat exchange shell portion pressure tight. This heat exchange section is bolted to the product accumulation and discharge section in which end ring members 684 and 686 are welded to a single shell member 690 of determined length. This shell assembly is supported by a pair of similar spring support members 694 retained by angles or clips 696 supported by and secured to the base 650. As shown in this embodiment, the upper ends of springs 694 are attached to clips 698 which are welded to the outer shell 678.As arranged, both the jacketed shell portion and the single shell portion are supported by these spring supports 694 so that the shell can be moved back and forth along the rotor shaft for a determined amplitude while being supported by the support springs 694. As in prior embodiments depicting a leaf spring support of the jacketed shell, the springs permit axial movement while preventing angular motion and reduce damping effect of the movement in the bearings. Those springs tend to bring the jacket back to its normal attitude.

The heat exchange medium which may be steam, fluid or a cold fluid is fed through a conductor inlet 700 into the jacketed portion of the exchange apparatus. This conductor is a tubular member welded into an aperture formed in the upper left outer shell 678. The condensate or heat exchange fluid is discharged from a conductor outlet 702 also extending through and welded to the lower right of the outer shell. The feed material for processing is fed through an inlet conductor 706 welded to and through the lower right of shell 678 and extending through the inner shell into the lower left of the jacketed exchange portion and after passing from left to right through this heat exchange portion is discharged through product outlet conductor 708 which is positioned immediately to the left of and below flinger 710.Vapor, if developed, is discharged through a vapor outlet 712 welded into the upper part of the single chamber portion and shell 690 and used in a manner generally associated with above like type of apparatus. The rotor is steadily turned by rotation of a V-belt sheave or pulley 714 having two grooves and driven by a pair of Vbelts 71 6 which are driven by means of mechanical apparatus or motors and sheaves, not shown.

In this embodiment vibratory action of the entire shell is an axial oscillation mechanically provided by means of a motor 720 and which carries on its output shaft 721 a grooved cam 725 whose inner surface 722 and outer surface 723 define a track in which is carried a roller 724 carried in a bracket 726 mounted on and carried on the end of reciprocating shaft 730. This shaft 730 is supported and carried in a bearing 732 mounted in a bearing bore in stanchion 654. The other end of the reciprocating shaft 730 is pivotally retained and carried in a bracket 736 welded to shell 678. Support for the left end of shaft 730 is connected to rod end 738 by a pin 740.

Although shown as a grooved cam system the rod 730 may be moved by an open cam and roller with the springs 694 disposed to bring the shell to a normal central position. Of course, the motor may be a gear motor or some other power source such as a reciprocating cylinder.

Use and Operating of Exchanger of Fig. 28 The heat exchange medium is fed into the jacketed shell through inlet conductor 700 and after flowing rightwardly and downwardly is discharged from the jacket through conductor outlet 702 in the conventional manner.

This discharge may be a condensate, hot or cold fluid or the like. The feed material which is to be processed is fed to the inner shell through conductor inlet 706 and by the bladed rotor is wiped against and along the inner surface of heat exchange shell portion 680. The resulting product is discharged at the right end of the chamber through conductor outlet 708. In the same manner as described in previous embodiments the rotor blades 660 engage and distribute circumferentially the material being treated in the chamber with wedges 662 and the blades acting to retard left-to-right movement of the material. The vapor from the process treatment of the product is discharged through conductor outlet 712 in a manner similar to that previously described in connection with the other embodiments.The rotor shaft 656 and attached blades 660 are turned at a fixed rate and are fixed in their axial condition by means of collars 750 secured to the shaft 656 and positioned on each side of side bearing 752 which is fixedly mounted in support 654. To vibrate the shell at the desired amplitude and frequency the motor 720 is started and the grooved cam 725 is rotated at a selected speed and with a fixed amount of throw. The rotation of the cam and its track 722 and 723 displaces the cam follower 724 a determined amount to cause the shaft 730 to be cycled back and forth. The spring members 694 in addition to supporting the shell and material for treatment or processing therein also urge the shell to a central condition wherefrom it is displaced by cam 725. As the shaft 730 is cycled back and forth the bracket 736 is also cycled causing the attached shell to be moved back and forth an amount equal to the total cycling movement of the shaft.

The supporting springs 694 permit the shell to move a small amount of distance back and forth along shaft 656 without applying a wearing load support on the bearing and seal assemblies 672.

Wedge Control of Fig. 29 Referring next to the fragmentary showing of Fig. 29, the rotor blade 178 is shown with attached tapered wedge 179. The particular material and desired flow through the chamber determines the spacing and number of wedges on the blades. The taper may be utilized to accelerate the flow or when reversed to slow the flow. A plain wedge, i.e., a more-or-less square or rectangular wedge may also be used to decelerate the flow.

Heat Exchanger of Fig. 30 Referring next and finally to a cross-sectional view of a heat exchanger as depicted in Fig. 30, there is diagrammatically shown an alternate construction for a rotor which may be used instead of those shown in the prior embodiments. In this embodiment a jacket portion 800 conventionally includes an outer shell 802 and an inner shell 804. End member 806 maintains these shell members in a spaced relationship. Centrally and rotatably carried within jacket portion 800 and spaced a determined short distance from the inner surface of shell 804 is a rotor in close proximity to the inner shell 804.

This rotor is carried on and by a shaft 810 which provides the spine or trunk support for this rotor. This shaft is rotatably supported in end members 811. A cylindrical member 812 has a wall of selected thickness and is attached and supported by ribs or spokes 814 which are attached to shaft 810 and cylindrical member 812 to support and retain this member 812 in a fixed relationship to shaft 810. The outer surface of this cylindrical member 812 is roughened to provide a calculated attraction or resistance to the flow of the material to be treated. The roughened surface may be randomly roughened like sandpaper or may be machine roughened in a determined pattern such as by grooving, thread forming, knurling or the like. The degree and type of roughness is merely a matter of selection to accommodate the product being treated.

The rotor member 812 may have holes through it, if desired. It is also contemplated that in addition to the rotor shown, the rotor could be of a construction similar to that of a screw conveyor, a ribbon conveyor or any of the many variations of like rotating members such as those used in food and chemical mixing apparatus. Any or all of such constructions contemplate that the vibration means will use one or more means such as those shown above. The amplitude and frequency of vibration is made to accommodate the material being treated.

In the embodiment of Fig. 28 and also in the prior described embodiments of Figs. 1 and 12, the support of the shell and/or shaft which is axially oscillated is shown as by leaf spring supports. Generally, the flat-type leaf spring, as indicated by spring 694, is used so that a minimum load is imposed on the driving force. These flat springs provide rigidity in the angular direction by a simple and inexpensive mechanism. With a grooved cam there is no additional member needed for returning or moving the shell to center. Should a cam other than a grooved cam be used then a spring is needed to keep the follower against the cam. Additional or alternate spring means could provide resonance and minimum energy input into the system.Alternate spring supports contemplate coil springs, resilient support blocks and, of course, suspending the member by straps and the like from overhead supports.

It is also contemplated that these shells may instead by carried on other longitudinal guide means and supports such as by ball bushings and precision shaft. V-ways, dovetail guides and the like may also be used, if desired, as it is only necessary that the shell be supported and axially aligned during the oscillatory motion of the shell unit. Reciprocating worktables are well known in machine tools such as grinder, shaper, drilling machines and the like and such table supporting means may be used as a basic concept to supply a support for the oscillatory movement of the shell assemblies. In any case, the amplitude of vibration is relatively small.

The inlets and outlets into and from the heat exchange jacket and the material inlets and outlets into the inner shell are merely a matter of selection which is usually a function of the characteristics of the material being processed and the heat exchange material being employed and the particular positionings shown in the above embodiments are only by way of example.

In this connection, it is to be noted that the tapered wedges added to the edge portions of the rotor blades are provided to assist in the control of the material treatment. For example, wedges for both accelerating and slowing the flow of material may be provided on the same rotor if necessary to custom tailor the vibratory action to a particular material. In addition, the jacket chambers may be made of a plural construction if different heat or cooling zones are desired or required. The particular product and the particular equipment used therewith are a matter of design and the best mode of vibrating at a determined amplitude and frequency.

It is also to be noted that the heat exchange chamber need not have a jacket portion to effect the desired heat exchange. For example, the shell may have mounted thereon heating coils such as electrical resistance heaters which may be attached to the exterior of the shell or inlaid in the inner surface. Radiant heating, refrigerant coils, chemical heating and many other known heat or cooling systems do not require a jacket to temperature condition the shell. Since the temperature conditioning of the shells used in the heat exchanger systems above exemplified is con ventional the jacketed exchangers depicted are not limited thereto but are an illustration of one of the best means of construction known to those skilled in the art.

Method The above apparatus also suggests method steps for treating the material being processed. This method of vibrating the associated wiping elements of a wiped film heat exchanger in which at least one of these elements are vibrated at a desired frequency and amplitude, includes the steps of: rotating a rotor at a selected speed within the walls of a chamber, said rotor having a multiplicity of blades generally, radially and axially arranged thereon and with the rotation of said rotor the blades are passed within a close proximity to the interior wall of the chamber; feeding into the chamber and near one end of the rotor the material to be treated in said exchanger apparatus; discharging from the chamber and near the other end of the rotor the material processed in the chamber, and including relative vibratory motion between the chamber and rotor blades as the rotor is rotated so as to enhance heat transfer, material handling flow and like desirable characteristics to the material being processed.

Further steps include heating the walls of the chamber by passing a heating or cooling medium through a jacket surrounding the chamber. The method steps further include inducing the vibratory motion to the chamber element while the rotor is turned steadily in a fixed axial support means. The method steps also include inducing the vibrating motion to the rotor to cause axial oscillations of the steadily turning rotor. The method steps suggest also the simultaneous induced vibratory motion which is axial and rotary as well as inducing vibrations which are rotary and are imposed on the rotor or chamber.

Terms such as "left", "right", "up", "down", "bottom", "top", "front", "back", "in", "out", "clockwise", ' "counter- clockwise" and the like are applicable to the embodiments shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. These terms are merely for the purposes of description and do not necessarily apply to the position in which the wiped film vibratory heat exchangers may be constructed or used.

While particular embodiments showing the several ways that relative vibratory motion between rotor blades and the shell may be produced have been shown and described it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and protection is sought to the broadest extent the prior art allows.

Claims (43)

1. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus in which at least one of the associated wiping elements is vibrated at a desired frequency and amplitude, said exchanger apparatus including: (1) a chamber providing an interior wall; (2) a rotor rotatably carried within said chamber and having a multiplicity of blades generally, radially and axially arranged thereon and extending to a close proximity with the interior wall of the chamber when and while rotated within said chamber; (3) means for rotating said rotor at a selected speed; (4) at least one inlet formed in said chamber and providing means for introduction near one end of the rotor of a material to be treated in said exchanger apparatus; (5) at least one outlet formed in the chamber and near the other end of said rotor and providing a discharge means for removing the processed material from the chamber, and (6) means for inducing relative vibratory motion between the chamber and the rotor blades as the rotor is rotated so as to enhance heat transfer, material handling flow and like desirable characteristics.

2. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 1 in which the chamber has a closed jacket portion affixed thereto with an outlet and inlet provided in the jacket so that a heat exchange fluid at a determined temperature may be fed to and through the jacket.

3. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 2 in which the jacketed portion of the chamber is at least equal to the length of the blades on said rotor.

4. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 1 in which the weight of the rotor is supported by spring means permitting axial vibration in a fixedly supported chamber with minimum damping action on the axial motion of the rotor.

5. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 4 in which the axial vibration is induced by electromagnetic means.

6. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 4 in which the axial vibration is induced by mechanical fluid devices and like reciprocation means.

7. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 1 in which the rotor is supported by bearings adapted to permit axial vibration of the rotor assembly in the chamber which is fixedly supported.

8. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 7 in which the axial vibration is induced by electromagnetic means.

9. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the rotor is rotatably mounted in fixed supports and the housing is supported on resilient means permitting axial movement of the housing in relation to the rotor.

1 0. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 9 in which the resilient means is leaf springs disposed to restrict angular rotation of the housing.

11. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 9 in which the axial movement imparted to the housing is induced by electromagnetic means.

12. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 9 in which the axial movement imparted to the housing is induced by mechani cal fluid and like reciprocation means.

13. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the rotor is carried on and by a shaft rotatably mounted in fixed supports and the housing is provided with bearing and seal means by which the housing is supported on said shaft permitting rotary vibratory movement of the housing in relation to said rotor.

14. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 13 in which the rotary vibratory movement of the chamber is induced by electromagnetic means.

15. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the chamber is fixedly supported and the rotor has its shaft rotatably and axially supported in bearing and seal means in said chamber, said rotor having each of its lengthwise blade extents made as discontinuous separate sections attached to the shaft and with the blade sections and shaft constructed so as to provide an unbalance of stiffness resulting in a vibratory motion of the blade sections as the rotor is driven at a speed sufficient to move a feed material around and along the interior surface of the chamber.

16. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the vibratory motion is accomplished by forming the rotor shaft with differing shaft stiffness for separate blade extent sections.

17. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the shaft sections are reduced in size between attached blade sections.

18. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the vibratory motion is accomplished by forming the rotor shaft with differing shaft stiffness and with shaft connecting portions between blade retaining sections being reduced in size.

19. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the shaft is made in progressively reduced sections with blades of similar configuration being attached to each section, said blades being mounted so that their ends lie in a staggered angularly offset pattern sufficient to prevent infringement of the blades of one set with the blades of an adjacent set.

20. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the blades have selectively sized and positioned apertures therethrough, said apertures disposed to provide desirable vibration characteristics.

21. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 15 in which the blades are provided with stiffening ribs.

22. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 wherein the chamber is fixedly supported and the rotor is rotatably carried therein, said rotor having its shaft axially movable in said bearings and in which there is provided an electromagnetic device carried on the end of the rotor shaft to be vibrated to vibrate the rotor and blades to provide simultaneously both axial and rotational vibratory motion to the blades of the rotor.

23. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 22 in which the rotor is spring biased in its axial movement against which the electromagnetic device is actuated.

24. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the rotor has longitudinally disposed blades and additionally carries a feed distributing wheel adjacent one end of the rotor blades in way of the feed inlet, said wheel at least contributing to the distribution of the product along the inner surface of the heat exchanger shell.

25. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the rotor additionally carries a flinger adjacent the discharge end of the rotor blades, said flinger functioning as an entrainment separator for removing solids as well as liquid particles from resulting exhaust gases.

26. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 1 in which the rotor additionally carries a a feed distributing wheel adjacent one end of the rotor blades and in way of the feed inlet with the wheel contributing to the distribution of the product along the inner surface of the exchanger shell and at the other end of the rotor there is provided a flinger which turns with the rotor, said flinger functioning as an entrainment separator for removing solids as well as liquid particles from resulting exhaust gases.

27. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 1 in which the vibratory movement is a rotational motion of the rotor induced by a mechanical spring device carried on the end of the rotor shaft whereby a natural system vibration frequency which may include harmonics thereof as well as other harmonics is matched to the angular speed of the rotor.

28. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 27 in which the mechanical spring device includes an outer ring member which is coupled to the shaft by at least a pair of springs which are adjustably compressed to provide a selected mechanical oscillation of the rotor imposed on the steady rotation of the rotor.

29. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 1 in which the vibratory movement imposed on the rotational motion is an additional rotational motion of the rotor induced by an electromagnetic means carried on the end of the rotor shaft.

30. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 29 in which the electromagnetic means includes an outer ring member which is coupled to the shaft by at least a pair of springs which are adjusted to provide a determined force to return deflections to the at rest position and in which there is provided a a pair of fields and opposed armatures at a selected spacing and arranged so that when the armatures are energized with an alternat ing current angular oscillation is imposed on the steady rotation of the rotor shaft.

31. A wiped film heat exchanger apparat us in which at least one of the associated wiping elements is vibrated at a desired frequency and amplitude, said exchanger appa ratus including: (1) a chamber providing an interior wall, said wall providing one of the wiping elements; (2) a rotor rotatably carried within said chamber and having an outer surface portion moving through a generally circumferential path which is in close proxim ity with the interior surface of the chamber when and while rotated within said chamber, said outer surface portion providing the other wiping element; (3) means for rotating said rotor at a selected speed, (4) an inlet formed in said chamber and providing means for introduction near one end of the rotor of a material to be treated in said exchanger apparatus; (5) an outlet formed in the chamber and near the other end of said rotor and providing a a discharge means for removing the processed material from the chamber, and (6) means for inducing relative vibratory motion between the chamber and the rotor as the rotor is rotated so as to enhance heat transfer, material handling flow and like desirable characteristics.

32. A wiped film heat exchanger apparatus as in Claim 31 in which the chamber has a closed jacket portion affixed thereto with an outlet and inlet provided in the jacket so that a heat exchange fluid at a determined temperature may be fed to and through the jacket.

33. A wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 31 in which the outer surface of the rotor is a part of a drum-like member with said outer surface being roughened at a determined configuration.

34. The method of vibrating the associated wiping elements of a wiped film heat exchanger in which at least one of these elements is vibrated at a desired frequency and amplitude, said method including the steps of: (1) rotating a rotor at a selected speed within the walls of a chamber, said rotor having a multiplicity of blades generally, radially and axially arranged thereon and with the rotation of said rotor the blades are passed within a close proximity to the interior wall of the chamber; (2) feeding into the chamber and near one end of the rotor material to be treated in said exchanger apparatus; (3) discharging from the chamber and near the other end of the rotor the material processed in the chamber, and (4) inducing relative vibratory motion between the chamber and rotor blades as the rotor is rotated so as to enhance heat transfer, material handling flow and like desirable characteristics to the material being processed.

35. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes the step of forming a jacket around the walls of the chamber and passing an exchange fluid through said jacket to maintain the walls of the chamber at a desired temperature.

36. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes vibrating the rotor axially while the chamber is retained in a fixed condition.

37. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes rotationally vibrating the rotor while the chamber is retained in a fixed condition.

38. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes inducing a combined rotary and axial vibratory action to the rotor while the chamber is retained in a fixed condition.

39. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes vibrating the chamber axially while the rotor is retained axially while steadily rotating.

40. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes rotationally vibrating the chamber while the rotor is fixedly supported while steadily rotating.

41. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes a combined rotary and axial vibration of the chamber while the rotor is retained axially while steadily rotating.

42. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 which includes arranging the blades on the rotor so as to have an overlapping relationship and constructing the blades to have different stiffness resulting in rotary vibrations of differing frequencies.

43. The method of vibrating the associated elements of a wiped film heat exchanger as in Claim 33 in which the vibratory motion is due to naturally occurring forces such as random and unbalanced forces.