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US 5,871,349 AGranted
Rotary valve thermal oxidizer
AssigneeSmith Engineering
InventorsJeffrey C. Johnson, Thomas J. Truppi, Erwin Hendricks, Theodore R. Wheeler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary valve thermal oxidizer including an interfacial seal disposed between rotating and fixed valve portions to prevent the mixing of treated and untreated gas streams. In a preferred embodiment, the valve sealing device includes a flowable sealing material contained within a receptacle, and contacted by a partition nested within the receptacle. Other sealing devices, as well as purge and/or sealing gases, may be employed to prevent leakage, while avoiding the use of machined parts.
Claims20
A regenerative thermal oxidizer, comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanging segments communicating with the combustion chamber;
- a gas stream distribution assembly including a fixed plenum having an untreated gas stream inlet and a treated gas stream outlet, and a rotating plenum disposed between the fixed plenum and the heat exchanger;
- the rotating plenum permitting the conveyance of the untreated gas stream from the inlet to selective heat exchanger segments, and also permitting the conveyance of the treated gas stream from other selective heat exchanger segments to the outlet;
- and
- a seal disposed at an interface between the fixed and rotating plenums to reduce mixing of the treated and untreated gases, the seal comprising at least one annular receptacle containing a sealing material and a partition nested within the receptacle and engaging the sealing material.
3 more elements
A regenerative thermal oxidizer, comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanger segments communicating with the combustion chamber;
- a gas stream distribution assembly including a fixed plenum in communication with an untreated gas stream inlet and a treated gas stream outlet, and a rotating plenum disposed between the fixed plenum and the heat exchanger;
- the rotating plenum permitting the conveyance of the untreated gas stream from the fixed plenum to selective heat exchanger segments, and also permitting the conveyance of the treated gas stream from other selective heat exchanger segments to the fixed plenum;
- a seal disposed at an interface between the fixed and rotating plenums, the seal including an annular receptacle containing a sealing material, and a partition nested within the receptacle and engaging the sealing material;
- and
- wherein the heat exchanger segments are defined by radial walls, and the rotating plenum includes a gas flow obstruction assembly having a diametric partition, and further comprising radially extending seals depending from the radial walls that are in wiping engagement with the diametric partition.
4 more elements
A regenerative thermal oxidizer, comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanger segments communicating with the combustion chamber;
- a gas stream distribution assembly including a fixed plenum in communication with an untreated gas stream inlet and a treated gas stream outlet, and a rotating plenum disposed between the fixed plenum and the heat exchanger;
- the rotating plenum permitting the conveyance of the untreated gas stream from the fixed plenum to selective heat exchanger segments, and also permitting the conveyance of the treated gas stream from other selective heat exchanger segments to the fixed plenum;
- a seal disposed at an interface between the fixed and rotating plenums, the seal including an annular receptacle containing a flowable sealing material, and a partition nested within the receptacle and engaging the sealing material;
- wherein the heat exchanger segments are defined by radial walls, and the rotating plenum includes a gas flow obstruction assembly having a diametric partition, and further comprising radially extending seals depending from the radial walls that are in wiping engagement with the diametric partition;
- and
- further comprising a purge gas passageway communicating with a portion of the rotating plenum and permitting pressurized purge gas pass through selective heat exchanger segments and to form a separating gas curtain between adjacent treated and untreated gas streams.
5 more elements
A thermal oxidizer, comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanger segments communicating with the combustion chamber;
- a gas stream distribution assembly including a fixed plenum in communication with an untreated gas stream inlet and a treated gas stream outlet, and a rotating plenum disposed between the fixed plenum and the heat exchanger;
- the rotating plenum permitting the conveyance of the untreated gas stream from the fixed plenum to selective heat exchanger segments, and also permitting the conveyance of the treated gas stream from other selective heat exchanger segments to the fixed plenum;
- a seal disposed at an interface between the fixed and rotating plenums, the seal including an annular receptacle containing a flowable sealing material, and a partition nested within the receptacle and engaging the sealing material.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.