Rotary disc type heat exchanger

A hollow disc heat exchange rotor comprising:

• A. an elongated horizontal axis shaft,
• B. a plurality of axially spaced apart hollow disc heat exchange elements carried on said shaft,
• C. a pair of facing generally parallel closely spaced apart annular plate side walls comprising each heat exchange element and extending generally perpendicular to the rotor axis,
• 1. the inner peripheral edges of the facing disc side walls of adjacent disc heat exchange elements being dished outwardly through about a 90.degree. turn and into abutment with each other, and
• 2. said peripheral edges being secured in sealed relation to a mounting ring surrounding said rotor and spaced outwardly therefrom,
• D. an annular partition disposed between each pair of said side walls and generally parallel thereto, said partition being secured to said shaft and dividing said heat exchange element into chambers,
• 1. the inner peripheral edge of the partition within each disc heat exchange element being dished through about 90.degree. turn concentrically with one of said disc side walls to define an arcuate annular unobstructed passage with that disc side wall, and
• 2. said peripheral edge being secured in sealed relation to said rotor,
• E. substantially unobstructed annular passage means within each of said heat exchange elements adjacent the outer peripheral edge of each partition, said passage connecting adjacent chambers on opposite sides of said partitions,
• F. substantially unobstructed annular passage means adjacent the inner peripheries of each of the endmost chambers of said heat exchange elements for introduction of heat exchange fluid to and discharge from said chambers and further substantially unobstructed axially spaced annular passage means through said mounting rings adjacent the inner peripheries of each adjacent pair of heat exchange elements on the opposite sides of said partitions, and
• G. a plurality of uniformly spaced apart stay-bolt means spaced radially outwardly from the shaft and extending between said side walls and partitions of each disc to maintain the same in fixed rigid spaced apart relation.

A disc heat exchange element for mounting in axially spaced apart relation on a rotor shaft, said disc comprising:

• A. a pair of facing generally parallel spaced apart annular plate side walls,
• 1. the inner peripheral edges of the disc side walls being dished outwardly through about a 90.degree. turn, and
• 2. at least one of said peripheral edges being secured in sealed relation to a mounting ring adapted to surround said rotor shaft spaced outwardly therefrom,
• B. an annular partition disposed between said side walls and generally parallel thereto, said partition dividing said disc into chambers, and the inner peripheral edge of the partition within the disc being dished through about a 90.degree. turn concentrically with the first of the disc side walls to define an annular unobstructed passage with the first disc side wall adjacent the inner periphery thereof in communication with the first of said chambers,
• C. substantially unobstructed annular passage means within said disc adjacent the outer periphery of the partition and connecting adjacent chambers on opposite sides of said partition,
• D. further substantially unobstructed annular passage means adjacent the inner periphery of the other of said side walls on the opposite side of said partition in communication with the other of said chambers, and
• E. a plurality of uniformly spaced apart stay-bolt means spaced radially outwardly from the inner periphery of the side walls and extending between said side walls and partition to maintain the same in fixed rigid spaced apart relation.