BRICK FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS

Abstract: This invention relates to a new type of brick for heat exchangers. The brick (1) consists of a refractory material, having inside vertical channels (2) and outside vertical channels which are separated by straight edges (4), inclined from the vertical by connecting the contour of the top surface (5) with the reduced contour of the bottom surface (6). The realization of the brick is greatly simplified, since the lateral surface consists only of straight edges which ensure full contact of said surface with the gases, thereby resulting in increase of the heat exchange characteristics without modifying other technical characteristics, such as the type and weight of the refractory material or the overall porosity of the heat exchanger.

Description: BRICK FOR HEAT EXCHANGERS Technical Field » This invention relates to a new type of brick for 5 lining heat exchangers. It is particularly useful in blast furnace stoves. Background of the Invention 10 The hexagonal model of heat exchanger brick is well known, with its hexagonal or circular longitudinal inside channels and with a lateral profile selected so that when the bricks are placed next to one another they form other similar longitudinal channels, and by 15 modifying the lower part of the brick in the shape of a step to reduce the outside dimensions, the outside vertical channels can be made to communicate horizontally. Such a brick having a "step" in the lower part of the brick is disclosed in Romanian 20 patent 10744IB. These bricks of the prior art have the following disadvantages: as a result of the presence of the step to reduce the horizontal cross-section in the lower part of the contour of the brick, the vertical lateral 25 faces of the brick are complicated and therefore cause additional problems during molding, handling during fabrication and shipment from the point of view of uniformity and of the integrity of the additional edges created; , 30 because of the position and dimensions of said lateral step, the surface contact of the peripheral vertical faces of the brick with the thermal agent is limited to a reduced percentage of their size. Summary of the invention The new brick claimed by the invention eliminates the above mentioned disadvantages in that, in order to simplify molding, to eliminate non-uniform pressing and subsequent deterioration of the edges, as well as to increase the contact surface between the lateral face of the brick and the thermal agent, it has a different type of vertical lateral profile which is straight and oriented to obtain a more pronounced tapering of the lateral faces, decreasing from the top face toward the bottom face of the brick, so that the lateral contour consists of straight lines unbroken by a step, and when two bricks are placed next to one another, a triangular space is formed between them over their entire height. Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is an overhead view of my new brick. Figure 2 is a sectional view of the new brick. Figure 3 shows an assemblage of the bricks, demonstrating how the horizontal passages in particular are formed. Detailed Description of the Invention Referring first to Figure 1, this overhead view of the generally hexagonal brick shows refractory material 1 having outside edges 4 and defining seven internal vertical channels 2, six channel half-openings 3 and six corner third-openings 7. The view also shows three radial (at 120°) raised portions 8 which divide the brick top into thirds by extending from the center to three corners of the brick. Figure 2 is a center section of the brick showing refractory material 1, internal vertical channels 2, and outside edges 4. Outside edges 4 are tapered inwardly from the top 5 of the brick to the bottom 6. Raised portions 8 are also seen on the top 5. Figure 3 illustrates how the bricks are assembled. It will be seen that the raised portions 8 of any three bricks placed together will form a hexagonal area in which the bottom 6 of a fourth brick fits, forming a triangular space 9 between them which communicates horizontally around the circumference of the brick. Each brick thus can have on it portions of three other bricks and in turn is placed upon portions of three bricks below it. The channel half-openings 3, being centrally located on the hexagonal sides of the brick, come together to form composite vertical channels 10 each of which communicates with other composite vertical channels 10 above and below made from the overlapping bricks. Three of the corner third- openings 7 from three different bricks come together to form a tertiary opening 11 at the juncture of three bricks; these tertiary openings 11 communicate with other tertiary openings 11 above and below and also with the central internal vertical channels 2 — that is the vertical channels 2 which are located in the centers of the bricks will communicate with tertiary openings 11 above and below. In all cases, the triangular spaces 9 communicates around the periphery of the brick, permitting flow of gases horizontally as well as vertically to the various openings on the bottom and top surfaces. The configuration of Figure 3 may be known as, and will be referred to in the claims, as stacked three- on-one or one-on-three. The brick claimed by the invention consists of a refractory material 1, inside vertical channels 2, outside sectional vertical channels 3, outside edges 4 which deviate from the vertical and are obtained by connecting the peripheral sides of top face 5 with the reduced peripheral sides of bottom face 6. Thus it will be seen that the internal vertical channels 2 are desirably evenly spaced, six of them being approximately midway between the center of the brick and the corners, spaced at 60° intervals, and the seventh being centrally located. Likewise the channel half-openings 3 are desirably placed at the center of each side of the hexagonal shape. When placed together as in Figure 3, with or without cementing, the brick may be used as heat exchangers and as linings for blast furnaces and for other similar refractory uses. The brick for heat exchangers has the following advantages: it provides an increased exchange surface by making the entire lateral surface of the brick come in contact with the gases, which improves the technical performance of the heat exchanger; it has the same technical characteristics as the model of the prior art both from the point of view of the weight and the type of refractory material as well as the porosity of the heat exchanger obtained, and it can therefore replace the solution of the prior art without any modification in the size of the operation of the heat exchanger.

Claims: .AMENDED CLAIMS [received by the International Bureau on 29 August 1996 (29.08.96) ; original claims 1 -8 replaced by amended claims 1 -2 ( 1 page) ] 1 . A brick for heat exchangers comprising a central , vertical channel, inner channels, with their axles in a parallel direction to said central channel and outside partial channels, all said channels having a hexagonal cross section and being intended for flowing gases, the brick itself defining also a form of hexagonal prism and having a top face and a bottom face with means for preventing its relative, horizontal motion characterized in that the bottom face (6) and outside edges (4) located between two consecutive outside , partial channels (3) are plane surfaces, the area of the top face (5) is greater than the area of the bottom face (6) and the area of each vertical, hexagonal channel(2) in said bottom face (6) is greater than the area of the same channel in top face (5) resulting in a more intense heat exchange, an insignificant laying down of the material particles on the walls of said channels and an increased turbulent flow of the gas flowing through said channels. 2.A heat exchanger structure comprising bricks as in claim 1 said bricks being located side by side with their channels vertically directed in a first bottom brick course followed by other courses successively overlapped and mutually interlocked with their channels axially aligned characterized in that the entire surface of the bottom face (6) of each brick in a course, overlapped on the other brick course, contacts a plane hexagonal area defined by raised members (b) of three side by side arranged bricks in adjacent lower course, the mentioned raised elements preventing the relative motion of the bricks on all sides, said placed together bricks in a course forming triangular spaces along the height of the brick, these spaces surrounding the entire lateral surface of the bricks and increasing thus the heat transfer surface between the bricks and flowing gas. STATEMENT UNDER ARTICLE 19 In connection with the amended claims 1 and 2 the following remarks should be noted: Claim 1 - the known per se elements of the claims initially filed have been written in the preamble of the amended claim 1 ; - the area of each vertical, hexagonal channel in said bottom face (6) is greater than the area of the same channel in top face (5) said feature resulting in an insignificant laying down the material particles on the inner channels of the brick,this element being a novelty feature disclosed in the amended claim 1. Claim 2 - the elements known per se in prior art have been written in the preamble of the amended claim 2 relative to the heat exchanger structure,the characteristic portion being now clearly and in a greater detail written ; - the claimed "raised elements" should be indicating at "b" on the description and drawings.

Inventors: DORU TATAR, DORU, TATAR
Applicants: DORU TATAR, DORU, TATAR
Application year: 1996
Main classification: F27D1
IPC codes: C03B5, E04F17, F27D1, F28D17, F28D20