US3007685A

US3007685A - Heat exchangers

Info

Publication number: US3007685A
Application number: US342082A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hryniszak Waldemar
Original assignee: CA Parsons and Co Ltd
Current assignee: CA Parsons and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1953-03-13
Filing date: 1953-03-13
Publication date: 1961-11-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-11-07

Description

Nov. 7, 1961 w. HRYNxszAK HEAT EXCHANGERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1953 \\\\&

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HEAT EXCHANGERS Filed March l5, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. HRYNISZAK HEAT EXCHANGERS Nov. 7, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1953 United States Etaient hire y Blhb Patented Nov. 7, l96l 3,007,685 HEAT EXCHANGERS Waldemar Hryniszak, NeWcastle-upon-Tyne, England, assignor to C. A. Parsons & Company Limited, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England Filed Mar. 13, 1953, Ser. No. 342,062 3 Claims. (Cl. 261-S) This invention relates to regenerative heat exchangers.

A form of regenerative heat exchanger used for, say, preheating the air of a gas turbine, and incorporating a rotating heat-exchanging matrix, is known. The movement of such a matrix incorporated in a rotor is effected by using -a high ratio gear -between this rotor and the prime mover. This prime mover can be, tor instance, the turbine of the gas turbine unit or an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic motor.

These `known methods of driving the rotor of a regenerative air preheater have the disadvantage of requiring a high-ratio reduction gear, a prime mover, and all the casings, and accessories necessary for assembling these elements.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement particularly to simplify the driving of the rotor ot a regenerative air preheater.

The Way I have `devised according to this invention for overcoming this diiliculty is by using heat-exchanging gas to drive the rotor. In this case the stator includes a cascade of iixed blading similar to that used in a turbine stage, while the rotor comprises a cascade of moving blades together wit-h the matrix. A regenerator of this type may be conveniently termed a turboregenerator.

Referring to the acompanyin-g diagrammatic drawings:

FIGURE l shows an arrangement illustrating a turboregenerator cascade with moving blades combined with a plate type matrix, in which the matrix is formed by the row of blades or vanes;

FIGURE 2 shows an arrangement illustrating the cascade of a turbo-regenerator with moving blades and in which the matrx is separate from the moving row of blades or vanes;

FIGURE 3 shows a section through a turbo-regenerator of the type shown in FIGURE 2, the top of the drawing representing the gas side and the bottom of the drawing representing the air side;

FIGURE 4 shows a section through a turbo-regenerator of the type in which the matrix is liquid or liquefied.

In carrying the invention into eiect in the form illustrated more particularly with reference to FIGURE 1, a rotor 1 cons-ists of close-pitched thin plates 2 curved like the blades of a moving row in a turbine stage. Stator blades 3 are arranged at the rotor inlet to perform the same function as a nozzle in a turbine stage. In this case the moving row performs two `functions, namely: (a) rotation; and (b) exchange of heat. These two functions may be separated.

This latter method is illustrated in FIGURE 2 in which a matrix 1a is shown embedded `between blade shaped vanes which consist of an inner part 2a and outer part 2b both of the desired blade shape to effect rotation and a middle part 2c. The matrix 1a which may be of wire gauze is embedded between these middle parts 2c and is separate from the blade shaped parts 2a and 2b.

FIGURE 3 as stated shows a detailed section of a turbo-regenerator of the type illustrated in FIGURE 2. A cylindrical rotor 11 consists of an inner casing 12 and an outer casing 13 which are separated by a layer ot air 14 tor heat insulation. The outer casing has projection 15 bearing on conical rollers 16 which in turn rotate on ball bearings 17. The moving vanes of the rotor consist of an. outer part 18, a middle part 19 in which is housed the matrix, and an inner part 2l). Hot gas enters between the vanes at the inner periphery 21 over a cascade of tixed nozzle blades 22 thence to the inner part of moving vanes 2a imparting a rotary motion and then through the matrix and middle part 19 and thence through the outer part of the moving vane i8 imparting further rotary motion before leaving through fixed vanes Z3 ot the stator to hot gas outlet 2d. Cold air enters at inlet 25 flows between tixed stator vanes or nozzles 26 enters the outer part of the moving vanes 18 through the matrix and middle part 19 and then through the inner part of the moving vanes Ztl and thence to fixed vanes or diffusers 2.7, and then to the outlet of the air side Z8. The hot gases give up heat to the matrix which rotates into the air side of the regenerator and thus gives up heat to the cold air owing through it on this side. The matrix is held in a trame 29;

The stator consists of side walls 3l), an inner ring 31 and an outer ring 32. Spaces 33 and 3d containing air for heat insulation are left between the stator and the rotor. Located in the side `walls of the stator are iixed shafts of the bearing 35. The inner and

outer rings

31 and 32 have the fixed vanes 23 and 26 of the stator located in them.

To prevent leakages between the hot gas and cold gas sides a circumferential seal 36 and a longitudinal seal 37 are provided.

The circumferential seals may be of the sliding type any any surplus power lavailable can be employed to irnprove sealing contact at these seals by pressure.

The longitudinal seals consist of asbestos packings 38 held between wedge shaped pressure rings 39 and U- shaped flexible ring 40; Bearing on these rings and notating with the rotor are graphite rings 4l. The air gap 1d is sealed by U-shapcd pieces d2. Springs t3 between the inner and outer casings of the rotor press the inner cas-ing of the rotor against the outer circumferential seal which is the cooler seal, leaving a gap between the inner circumferential seal, which is the hotter seal and the rotor.

A coupling and gear arrangement 44 is provided for a starting motor and governor.

FIGURE 4 as stated shows a turbo-regenerator with fluid matrix. Two such turbo-regenerators `form a complete heat exchange-r, which means to say that one turboregenerator represents one side namely cooling or heating of the heat exchanger.

In a stator 51, heat exchanging gases rotate a drum type rotor. 52. For this purpose, the gas enters the stator through nozzle blades 53 before reaching the intake S4 of the drum. In this drum vanes 55a which are substantially radial, are equally spaced over the circumference. Smaller vanes 55b are arranged in between vanes 55a for facilitating distribution of the gas over the circumference of the drum. The vanes are shaped so that the drum can be rotated by the gas impinging upon them. The gas leaves outlet S6 of the drum and passes between blades 57 which straighten its flow and may increase its velocity if necessary. The drum is mounted on a hollow shaft 56 supported in bearings 59 Vand 6%. Radially directed tubes 61 penetrate an inner conical Wall 62 of the drum and terminate in a nozzle 63. The fluid heat agent enters Ithe hollow shaft at 64, ilows due to the centrifugal forces through the radial tubes 61 and is distributed in the form of tine droplets through the nozzle 63. Because of the centrifugal forces, these droplets travel in a more or less radial direction through the `gas which flows in roughly the opposite direction, so that the exchange of heat can take place between the tluid agent and the gas more or less in connterllow. After having extracted heat from the gas, the droplets are caughtagain due to centrifugal force--on outer conical Wall 65 of the drum, as shown in the drawing by cross hatching. Owing to the slope of the wall and the eect of the centrifugal forces, the Huid agent travels. to outlet 66 of the drum Iand thence through outlet 67 of the stator.

The fluid agent is then brought to the other side of the heat exchanger, which is similar to that shown on the drawing. The agent is again introduced through the opening 64 of the other side of the heat exchanger, and the process is repeated as described above.

Between the two sides of the heat exchanger the uid agent can be subjected to heating, cooling or cleaning. It can also he caused to pass through a pump incorporating a system for governing both the velocity and the amount which passes from one side of the heat exchanger to the other.

I olaim:

1. A regenerative heat exchanger having a heat exchange rotor comprising an annular structure incorporating blading, a matrix housing of tapered annular form, a set of nozzles for supplying a heat exchange liquid forming a uent material, means for circulating a heat exchange fluid through said matrix housing in contact with said heat exchange liquid, and means for removing the liquid at the widest point of the tapered housing.

2. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1 comprising a stator having annular gas inlets `and outlets and inclosing the matrix and matrx housing, a said stator including a discharge passage adjacent to said Widest point ot the tapered matrix housing for taking heat exchange liquid therefrom.

3. A heat exchanger comprising a housing in the form of a tapered drum; a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; a roto-r secured to said shaft, the rotor being in the lform a tapered annular drum; a plurality of radially disposed tubes connecting the inside of the hollow shaft with the inside of the rotor; nozzles attached to the rotor ends of said tubes for the purpose of distributing a heat exchange liquid inside the rotor, said heat exchange liquid `forming fa lluent material being supplied to the inside of the said hollow shaft; annular openings in the axial end yfaces of both housing and rotor Ifor the inlet and outlet of media ywhich is to exchange heat with the said nent material, the inlet openings` in said housing and rotor being at a greater radial distance from the rotor axis than the outlet openings, such that the media entering and leaving by said openings ovvs through the rotor in a direction which has components in the axial and radially inward direction; vanas associated with the said inlet and outlet openings in the housing and formed integrally within the rotor such that the influx and elux of media to and yfrom the rotor imparts to it the desired rotation for the purpose of causing the heat exchange liquid to be distributed in the rotor drum by centrifugal force; and `an annular opening in the outer wall of the rotor drum `at a point which is furthest disposed from the rotor axis for removal of the heat exchange liquid, after its connection due to the said centrifugal -force on the said outer wall of the rotor.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,584,635 Nagel May 11, 1926 1,798,370 Cox Mar. 3l, 1931 2,129,215 Howse et al. Sept. 6, 1938 2,337,956 Yerrick et `al Dec. 28, 1943 2,596,622 Vannerus May 13, 1952 2,683,023 Ulander July 6, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 415,269 Germany lune 18, 1925 456,009 Germany Feb. 14, 1928 511,285 Belgium May 31, 1952 622,899 Great Britain May 9, 1949