Heat transfer roll and method

In combination in a rotary heat transfer roll having concentric inner and outer differential diameter tubular shells defining an annular passage therebetween, roll heads closing opposite first and second ends of said shells and of said passage, and means at said roll heads for mounting the roll rotatably for running on the perimeter of said outer shell of a travelling web to be temperature conditioned:

• respective partitions extending in sealing relation across the interior of said inner shell adjacently spaced from its first and second ends and defining between the partitions and the respective adjacent roll heads first and second fluid reception chambers;
• first ports extending through the wall of said inner shell and effecting communication between said first chamber and said annular passage;
• second ports extending through the wall of said inner shell and effecting communication between said annular passage and said second chamber;
• means for introducing and distributing temperature conditioning fluid through said first end roll head, in part directly into said first end of said annular passage and in part into said first reception chamber for delivery therefrom through said first ports into said annular passage to join said directly introduced conditioning fluid and then to circulate through said annular passage toward said second end;
• and means for evacuating spent conditioning fluid through said second end roll head, in part directly from said second end of said annular passage and in part through said second ports into and then from said second chamber.

A method of controlling heat transfer in a rotary heat transfer roll having concentric inner and outer differential diameter tubular shells defining an annular passage therebetween, roll heads closing opposite first and second ends of said passage, and means at said roll heads for mounting the roll rotatably for running on the perimeter of said outer shell of a travelling web to be temperature conditioned, and comprising:

• introducing and distributing temperature conditioning fluid through said first end roll head, in part directly into said first end of said annular passage and in part through said inner shell into said annular passage adjacently downstream relative to said first end and thereby joining with said directly introduced conditioning fluid;
• passing the joined conditioning fluid through said annular passage toward said second end;
• and
• evacuating spent conditioning fluid from said second end through said second end roll head, in part directly from said second end of said annular passage and in part through said inner shell adjacently upstream relative to said second end.

In a method of effecting heat transfer with a rotary heat transfer roll having concentric inner and outer differential diameter tubular shells defining an annular passage therebetween, roll heads closing opposite first and second ends of said shells and of said passage, and means at said roll heads for mounting the roll rotatably for running on the perimeter of said outer shell of a travelling web to be temperature conditioned:

• sealingly partitioning the interior of said inner shell adjacently spaced from its first and second ends and thereby providing between the partitions and the respective adjacent roll heads first and second fluid reception chambers;
• providing first ports through the wall of said inner shell and thereby effecting communication between said first chamber and said annular passage;
• providing second ports extending through the wall of said inner shell and thereby effecting communication between said annular passage and said second chamber;
• introducing temperature conditioning fluid through said first end roll head, in part directly into said first end of said annular passage and in part into said first reception chamber;
• delivering the conditioning fluid from said first reception chamber through said first ports into said annular passage and there joining with the directly introduced conditioning fluid;
• circulating the joined conditioning fluid through said annular passage towards said second end;
• and evacuating spent conditioning fluid through said second end roll head, in part directly from said second end of said annular passage and in part through said second ports into and then from said second chamber.