Patent GB-685702-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to heat exchangers
IPC: F28D19/04
Filed: 1950-01-06
Abstract: 685,702. Rotary-matrix type regenerators. RICARDO, H. R., and ALCOCK, J. F. Dec. 14, 1950 [Jan. 6, 1950], No. 403/50. Class 64 (i) [Also in Group XXXIV] In a rotary regenerative heat exchanger in which a rotor E, E<SP>1</SP> is subdivided by partitions (not shown) into angularly spaced cells containing heat transfer material E<SP>2</SP>, and is rotatably arranged in a casing provided with inlet and outlet ports B, B<SP>1</SP>, C, C<SP>1</SP> for two fluid streams (e.g. hot gas and cold gas) to flow in opposite wholly or mainly axial directions through the rotor, the casing is provided with a jacket through which a heat transfer fluid is circulated to maintain substantially equal temperatures at least at those parts of the casing structure which carry and determine the position of its mating surfaces i.e. those surfaces adjacent the end surfaces of the rotor, the mating surfaces E<SP>3</SP>, A<SP>6</SP> and E<SP>4</SP>, A<SP>7</SP> of the rotor and casing being of frusto-conical form (regarding a flat surface as a cone of 180 degrees apex angle) with the apices of the cones meeting substantially at an apex point F on the axis of rotation of the rotor and means being provided for locating the rotor axially with respect to the casing so that the effective point of axial location coincides substantially with the apex point. In the form shown the casing jacket comprises chambers A<SP>1</SP>- A<SP>5</SP> through which water is circulated. The rotor is supported by means of pins G<SP>3</SP> on a hub member G, the pins G<SP>3</SP> permitting free radial expansion of the rotor relatively to the hub G. Interspaced discs H resembling a labyrinth packing are provided to transfer heat between the hub G and the adjacent portion of the casing while the shaft and hub assembly G, G<SP>1</SP> is supported on ball and roller bearings the axial position of the rotor being determined by the ball bearing H4 which is so arranged that the nominal axis of rotation of each ball therein passes through the apex point F. It is stated that the position of the bearing H4 is maintained substantially unaffected by relative thermal expansion or contraction of the casing and the rotor. The heat transfer liquid may be circulated continuously through the chambers in the casing and the circuit may also include a radiator located in the duct leading to the cold gas inlet C to transfer heat absorbed by the circulating fluid to the incoming cold gas. The rotor shaft may be carried in a separate housing surrounded by a cooling chamber. The heat exchange material E<SP>2</SP> in the rotor may comprise metallic gauze or the like substantially filling each cell. Alternatively each cell of the matrix may contain a metallic tapered tube element L (Fig. 3) of cellular form and so disposed in the cell that hot gas flowing through the matrix enters the elements at their open ends so that the cell walls are contacted only by cold gas to be heated and by heating gas which has given up its heat to the matrix. The heat transfer elements may be supported by the cell walls alone or (as shown) they may each be arranged in a tubular casing K conforming in shape to a rotor cell. According to the provisional specification the cell walls contacted by the hot gases are provided with thermal insulation and the casing is maintained at a temperature just below the boiling point of the heat transfer fluid which is circulated therethrough by a pump. Specification 613,283 is referred to.