US1584222A - Air heater - Google Patents

Description

Patented May ll, i926.

CHARLES J. HANiHAN, F BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGHOR TO THE BiBCOGK 'WILCCX GOMPANY, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY, A CORTEORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AIR HEATER.

Application filed August 9, 1922. Serial No. 580,720.

My present invention relates to heat-transfer devices particularly such as are used for Fig. 3 is an enlar ement of a portion of llig.

1, and Fig. 4C is a ragrnent showing a modification. 1

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several views.

In the illustrative embodiment, the hot gases pass through an inlet into a iiue 11 and outthrough an :outlet 12. The flue 11 may be provided with baiiieslii, 13 to cause the gases to pass back and forth through the flue 11.

In the illustrative form, the flue 11 has a top wall 14- and a, bottom Wall 15 connected,

with the side walls thereof, the top Wall and the bottom well being provided with holes in alinement and extending through the walls. p I

Each pair of oppositely disposed holes is connected by a tube 16 which passesthrough the hole-in the top wall 14 and rests on the bottom wall 15 concentric with the hole therein. In order to aid in the location of the lower end of the tubes 16 in proper relation to the respective openings in the lower wall 15, I preferably-provide a conical cavity 17 around each of the holes in the wall 15. Preferably, the upper ends of the tubes 16 project beyond the top wall 15 in the manner shown. The tubes 16 may be a sutlicient- 1y tight fitin the holes in the wall 14- to provide a gas seal, but preferably I provide.

some sealing means which can be readily removed. in the illustrative form, this sealing means may be a ring 18 of asbestos packing or the like and if preferred, this ring may be held in place by a packing weight 19, as

shown in Fig. i, the flue wall surrounding the tube preferably being providedwith a conical cavity in which the packing islocateo. as illustrated. The weight of the tubes 16 .will usually be suficient to seal the end thereof with the lower wall 15. H: desired, however, a similar sealing means can be provided around the lower ends ofthe tubes 16.

In the illustrative embodiment, the upper ends of the tubes 16 communicate directly as with the air and the lower Wall 15 is provided witha duct 20 surrounding the lower ends of all of the tubes 16 and the openings communicating with these tubes through the lower wall 15.

In practice, the hot gases pass into the inlet 10 and flow back and forth across the exterior of-the tubes 16 and out of the outlet 1%. At the same time, air is drawn'downward through the tubes 16 by 'asuction deas coated with dust which materially interferes'lo with the eiiicicncy of the device. By the ar-- rangement shown, these tubes may be readily bleaned by drawing them out throughthe holes inthe upper wall let. At 16 a tube is shown partly lifted, and it will be noted that the exterior wall of the tube is, in effect, scraped by the edge of the hole in the top wall 14, which in itself will'u'sually remove the accumulated soot and .dust which will fall to the bottom wall 15mm from thence 8O out through the openings therein. If desired,the tube 16 may be entirely withdrawn 9 for cleaning purposes. On the other hand, f the tube can be-quickly returned to place, 9

because, particularly when the-sealing aran rangement illustrated is used, the asbestos ring may be placed around the tube as it passes through the top-wall 1+1 and, by reason of the conical cavity on the upper surface of that wall, this packing ring will be drawn'fl down sufficiently tightly. into the conical space to seal the exterior of the tube against gas leakage from or, into thefiue 11, and when the bottom of the tube reaches the lower wall 15, theweight ofthe tube will W also give, a sufiicient sealing against "the upper surface of this bottom wall. T In order to increase the scraping portion otthe upper wall, I preferablymalrethe portion sure rounding each tube n the form of a cone,

Q masses the air tu es, it is obvious that any. other desired shape may be used. Similarly, while I prefer to utilize the weight of the tubes as a means for sealing themat the bottom, which, of course, necessitates that these tubes shall be substantially vertical, it will 'be'obvious that the tubes may be horizontal,

in which case, some sealing arrangement not dependent on the weight of the tube must be used, such as the packing ring illustrated for the top of the tube.

In any case, however, by my invention the tubes are made so to be quickly and readily removed, and to this end, they are only loosely connected to the heads or walls through which they pass.

While I have described my device as an air heater, it will be understood that it may be used for the transfer of heat from any gas to any other gas passing through the res ectivepaths.

y causing the tubes to pass through the openings of one wall with a sliding fit, leither with or without the prevention of movement of the tubes through the other v walls in the manner described, the tubes are free to expand individually or collectively through the openings in which they slide. Such an arrangement is particularly useful with an air heater where it is desired to blow from the tubes soot or dust which has collected therein, and where the steam usually used for this operation causes a relative expansion of the tubes thus cleaned. Furthermore, by providing means for sealing the sliding oint and maintained in sealin engagement therewith under both expanded and unex ended conditions 01"" the tube in the desori d manner, the tubes maintain a substantially gas tight fit under. all conditions of operation.

I claim:

1. In an air heater, a gas flue having an inlet and an outlet and having a plurality of airs of holes in alinement in its top and ttom walls, and tubes extending vertically across the flue, each tube connecting a pair of said holes and extending into the ole in the top wall with a relatively loose fit and being unconnected thereto, with the lower end of the tube abutting against the interior of the bottom wall of the flue and held there by the weight of the tube, the interior face of the top wall of the flue havingessloped projections surrounding the tu v V 2. In an air heater, a chamber provided with end walls each provided with a plurality of openings, a plurality of tubes, the openings in one end wall being large enough to permit said tubes to pass through, v

the openings in the other end wall comprising a comically shaped portion and being insufllcientlv large to permit the tubes to pass entirely through said end wall the end portions of said tubes co-acting with the openings in said walls, each tube passingthrough an openingeinone wall with a sliding fit whereby t tube is free to expand therethrough, and means surrounding the tube for sealing said sliding joint and maintained in sealim en 'a-gement therewith under both ex ended an unexpanded conditions of the tu e.

3. In an air heater, a chamber provided with end walls each provided with a plurality of openings, a plurality of tubes; the openings in one end wall being large enough to permit said tubes to pass through, the openings in the other end wall comprising a conically shaped portion and being insuificientl large to ermit the tubes to pass entirely t rough said end wall, the end portions'of said tubes coacting with the openings in said walls, each tube passing through an openin in one wall with a sliding fit whereby-t e tube is free to expand there through and held against movement through the other wall, and means surrounding the tube for sealing said sliding joint and maintained in sealin engagement therewith under both expan ed and unexpand.ed conditions of the tube. 7

l. In an air heater, a gas flue having an inlet and an outlet and having-a plurality of pairs of holes in alinement in its top and bottom walls, and tubes extending vertically across the flue, each tube connecting a pair of said holes and extending into the hole in the top wallwith arelatively loose fit and being unconnected thereto, the holes in said bottom wall being. surrounded by conical cavities with the greater diameter at the top, the lower ends of said tubes behole, a packing between the tube and the exterior of the wall of theflue, and a packing weight surrounding the tube and resting on said packing to retain the same in position.

'6. In a heat inferchanger, a flue having anfl inlet and. an mltlet and having a plurality ofpairs of holes in aiinementin its opposite Walls, tubes extending across the flue, each tube connecting a pair of said holes and extending into and through at least one. of

said heles with a. relatively loose fit and. bemg unconnected thereto, said tube being adapted to 31% withdrawn through said hole, "the. fine, Wall surrounding the-*tube being form-ed with a camical cafirity a: packing seated, in said conical cavity, "and a papking weight surrouwiing the tube and resting on said packizig m retaig the same in position CHARLES J b HANIMAN.

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