GB789945A - Improvements in or relating to rotary regenerative heat exchangers - Google Patents

Abstract

789,945. Thermal regenerators. SVENSKA ROTOR MASKINER AKTIEBOLAG. March 22, 1956 [March 29, 1955], No. 8943/56. Class 64(1) [Also in Group XXXIV] A rotary regenerative heat exchanger comprises a casing 12, Fig. 1, having passages 34, 36 therethrough for hot and cold gases, respectively, aligned inlet and outlet ducts 24, 30 and 22, 32 connected to the ends of the passages, a structural framework supporting the exchanger and irncluding a hub portion 56, and a bearing 60 for rotatably supporting the rotor 70 with respect to the hub portion. The casing 12 includes end plates 14, 16 having sectorshaped openings in alignment with the inlet and outlet ducts, the plate 16 being supported by L-beams 38, 40, 42, 44, Fig. 7, while the plate 14 is strengthened by beams 62,.64, Fig. 2. A central part 50 of the plate 16 supports the hub 56 which is closed at its upper end by a disc 58 to support the lower raceway 84 of the bearing 60, the upper raceway 92 being connected to the rotor 70 by a thin annular extension 98 which permits rotor distortion without imposing high stresses on the bearing. The raceway 92 is driven by a motor 112 through toothed gearing 108, 110 enclosed in a heat-insulating jacket 122 which carries a lubricant for the gearing. A similar jacket 120 surrounds the bearing 60 which may be ungreased and additionally protected by a flow of cool compressed air or other gas admitted through apertures 132, 134 to the space within the bearing and allowed to discharge into the passages for the heat-exchanging fluids through the space between the raceways of the bearing and a clearance space 136. The rotor is divided into sector-shaped compartments 78 provided with supporting bars 80 for heat exchanging plate elements 82 and has heat-insulating coverings 128, 130. Similar coverings 124, 126 are provided for the ducts at the "hot" end of the regenerator. Modified constructions are described in which a labyrinth seal is provided between the inner periphery of the rotor and one of the end plates of the casing, the rotor is belt driven and the bearing is located at the lower end or adjacent the middle of the rotor. In Fig. 8, the rotor is driven by a peripheral pin rack 238 and suspended from two T-beams 210, 212 which form part of the structural framework and support a hub comprising detachably connected portions 218, 220. The portion 220 has a radial flange 222 with raceways on both faces to form a double bearing assembly with flanges 228, 234 secured to the inner shell 72 of the rotor. Alternatively, the flanges 228, 234 may be attached to the hub and the flange 222 to the rotor. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 733,728.