# US 4,396,058 A · Heat transfer element assembly

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- Number: US 4,396,058 A
- Document ID: US4396058A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/323,501
- Filed: 1981-11-23
- Granted: 1983-08-02
- Earliest claimed: 1981-11-23
- Assignees: The Air Preheater Company, Inc.
- Inventors: Hermann E. Kurschner; William F. Harder
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4396058A

## CPC

- B23P 15/26: heat exchangers {or the like (making heat exchangers by methods covered by other subclasses B21D53/02)}
- F28D 19/042: {Rotors; Assemblies of heat absorbing masses}
- F28G 1/16: using jets of fluid for removing debris (F28G1/12 takes precedence)
- Y10S 165/009: having a solid heat storage mass for absorbing heat from one fluid and releasing it to another, i.e. regenerator
- B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28G: CLEANING OF INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL SURFACES OF HEAT-EXCHANGE OR HEAT-TRANSFER CONDUITS, e.g. WATER TUBES OR BOILERS (cleaning pipes or tubes in general B08B9/02; devices or arrangements for removing water, minerals, or sludge from boilers while the boiler is in operation, or which remain in position while the boiler is in operation, or are specifically adapted to boilers without any other utility F22B37/48; removal or treatment of combustion products or combustion residues F23J; removing ice from heat-exchange apparatus F28F17/00)
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A rotary regenerative heat exchanger (2) for transferring heat from a hot fluid to a cold fluid by means of an assembly (30) of heat transfer element which is alternately contacted with the hot and cold fluid. The heat transfer element assembly (30) is comprised of a plurality of first and second heat absorbent plates (32,34) stacked alternately in spaced relationship. The spacing between adjacent first and second plates (32,34) are maintained apart by spacers which comprise bilobed folds (38A and 38B) crimped in the first plates (32) and second plates (34), respectively. The pitch of the folds (38B) is opposite to that of the folds (38A) to prevent nesting between adjacent plates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An assembly of heat transfer element for a heat exchanger comprising a plurality of first heat absorbent plates and a plurality of second heat absorbent plates stacked alternately in spaced relationship thereby providing a plurality of passageways between adjacent first and second plates for flowing a heat exchange fluid therebetween; and spacers maintained a predetermined distance between adjacent plates, said spacers comprising bilobed folds in said first and second plates, the folds in said first plates having their first lobe projecting outwardly from said first plate in a first direction and their second lobe projecting outwardly from said first plate in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and the folds in said second plates having their first lobe projecting outwardly from said second plate in the second direction and their second lobe projecting outwardly from said second plate in the first direction, the folds in said second plates thereby having a pitch opposite to the pitch of the folds in said first plate so as to preclude adjacent first and second plates from nesting.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A heat transfer element assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second lobes of the bilobed folds comprise substantially V-shaped grooves having the apex of the V directed outwardly from said plate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

A heat transfer element assembly as recited in claim 1 or 2 wherein said first and second plates are undulated.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

A heat transfer element assembly as recited in claim 1 or 2 wherein said first and second plates are alternatively stacked such that the folds in said first plate lie in alignment with each other and said second plate also lie in alignment with each other but are disposed midway between the aligned folds of said first plate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

A heat transfer element assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein said first and second plates are undulated.