US 5,950,707 AGranted

Sealing element for a regenerative heat exchanger

OwnerWayne R. Kozacka, Jackie L. Kaserinventors

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Abstract

Disclosed is an improved sealing element for a regenerative heat exchanging apparatus, such as a Ljungstrom.TM.-type or a Rothemuhle.TM.-type Preheater. The sealing element is mounted to a radial wall to provide a secure seal between the radial wall and an outer housing of the heat exchanging apparatus and prevent leakage between the hot gas conduit and cool air conduit. In a preferred embodiment, the sealing element includes a reinforced mounting strip that is used to mount the sealing element to the radial wall. The sealing element also includes a sealing strip that maintains a sealing contact between the radial wall and outer housing. A set of bellows is positioned on the sealing element to provide the sealing element with flexibility and resiliency so that the sealing element maintains contact with the sealing surface even when the heat exchanging apparatus experiences warping from thermal distortion.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A regenerative air preheater, comprising:

a plurality of radial and axial sector plates positioned so as to define an intake conduit and an exhaust conduit wherein the intake conduit receives cool air so as to provide air to a power plant and wherein the exhaust conduit receives heated gases that are exhausted from the power plant;
a rotor attached to the plurality of radial and axial sector plates so as to rotate with respect thereto about an axis, wherein the rotor includes one or more heat absorbing sections that are alternatively rotated through the exhaust conduit and the intake conduit so that heat is absorbed in the exhaust conduit and is thereby transferred to the cool air in the intake conduit;
and
at least one seal having a substantially straight outer edge the at least one seal being mounted on an outer surface of the rotor so that said substantially straight outer edge makes contact with an inner surface of the plurality of sector plates during rotation of the rotor so as to reduce the leakage of heat energy between the intake conduit and the exhaust conduit wherein the at least one seal is deformable in a first direction that is opposite the direction of relative movement between said at least one seal and said inner surface in response to the straight outer edge of the at one seal making contact with said inner surface and wherein the seal is simultaneously biased in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the straight outer edge of the at least one seal remains in contact with the inner surface over a range of distances between the rotor and the sector plate while said at least one seal rotates past said inner surface of said plurality of sector plates.

1 more element

A regenerative air preheater comprising:

a housing which defines an intake conduit for providing gases to a destination location and an exhaust conduit for exhausting heated gases from the destination location;
a heat exchanging body having a plurality of sections that absorb heat, the heat exchanging body being mounted so as to be positioned within the intake conduit and the exhaust conduit so that air in the intake conduit and exhaust gases in the exhaust conduit are transferred through the heat exchanging body and wherein the housing and the heat exchanging body define an interface, having a surface, separating the intake an the exhaust conduits wherein the heat exchanging body and the housing are further mounted with respect to each other so that sections of the heat exchanging body are cyclically positioned in the intake and exhaust conduits over time so that the sections are alternatively heated by the exhaust conduit and then exposed to the intake conduit to thereby heat the air in the intake conduit;
and
a seal having a substantially straight outer edge the seal being mounted with respect to the housing and the heat exchanging body so that the straight outer edge of the seal extends along the interface so as to inhibit exhaust gases and air from leaking between the intake conduit and the exhaust conduit via the interface, wherein the straight outer edge of the seal periodically contacts the surface of the interface as a result of relative motion between the heat exchanging body and the housing and bends in a direction that is opposite to the direction of relative motion and wherein the seal is biased in the direction of relative motion between the heat exchanging body and the housing so that the straight outer edge of the seal maintains contact between the heat exchanging body and the housing over a range of distances at the interface between the heat exchanging body and the housing during operation of the air preheater.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/002,471Filed 2 Jan 1998 · continuation
Priority: 2 May 1997
Granted: 14 Sep 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F23L 15/02
Heating of air supplied for combustion: arrangements of regenerators
F28D 17/023
Using rigid bodies, e.g. of porous material: sealing means
F28D 19/047
Using rigid bodies, e.g. mounted on a movable carrier: sealing means
Y02E 20/34
Combustion technologies with mitigation potential: indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g.…