Rotary kiln heat exchanger and method of assembling same
AssigneeHarbison-Walker Refractories Company
InventorsJohn Thibault, John J. Stephansky, John N. Snyder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Rotary kiln heal exchangers having precast hub and leg assemblies are disclosed. The hub and leg assemblies include interlocking features which secure the heat exchanger components together. A method of installing such heat exchangers in rotary kilns is also disclosed. Installation is relatively fast and simple, and the heat exchangers are capable of withstanding the harsh operating conditions of rotary kilns for extended periods of time.
Claims31
A rotary kiln comprising:
- a refractory lining in the kiln;
- and
- a heat exchanger assembly in the kiln including a heat exchanger hub comprising recesses, and heat exchanges legs received in the heat exchanger hub recesses wherein the legs are installed adjacent to the refractory lining with at least one course of raised bricks.
A rotary kiln comprising:
- a refractory lining in the kiln;
- and
- a heat exchanger assembly in the kiln including a heat exchanger hub comprising recesses, and heat exchanger legs received in the heat exchanger hub recesses, wherein the legs are installed adjacent to the refractory lining with at least two courses of raised bricks, and the courses of raised bricks have different heights.
A method of installing a heat exchanger in a rotary kiln comprising:
- positioning first and second heat exchanger legs in the kiln at initial positions;
- installing a hub between the first and second legs by moving the first and second legs from their initial positions to installed positions in which the first and second legs are engaged with the hub;
- and
- installing a third heat exchanger leg by engaging the third heat exchanger leg with the hub.
A trefoil structure for a rotary kiln, said kiln having a cylindrical body having a metal shell and a refractory brick lining therewithin, said trefoil structure, comprising:
- a central hub comprised of a plurality of side-by-side, pre-formed refractory hub sections, said hub sections aligned along a central axis that extends through said cylindrical body;
- and
- a plurality of legs extending radially outward from said hub to said metal shell, each of said legs comprised of side-by-side pre-formed leg sections, each of said leg sections being a unitary cast refractory shape that extends between said central hub and supports on said metal shell.
A trefoil structure for a rotary kiln, said kiln having a cylindrical body having a metal shell and a refractory brick lining therewithin, said trefoil structure, comprising:
- a refractory hub oriented along an axis that extends axially through said cylindrical body;
- and
- a plurality of elongated leg sections that extend radially from said hub to said metal shell, each of said leg sections being an elongated cast refractory shape dimensioned to have an innermost end that engages and interlocks with said hub and an outermost end supported by said metal shell of said cylindrical body.
In a rotary kiln having a refractory lining in the kiln, a heat exchanger assembly, comprised of:
- a heat exchanger hub comprising recesses;
- multiple heat exchanger legs, each heat exchanger leg having an inner end received in the recesses of said heat exchanger hub and an outer end installed adjacent said refractory lining, each heat exchanger leg comprised of side-by-side preformed leg sections, each of said leg sections being a unitary cast refractory shape that extends between said heat exchanger hub and said refractory lining, said leg sections being stacked together along the axial length of the kiln, each of said heat exchanger leg sections having an elongated protrusion on one side of the leg section and an elongated recess on an opposite side of the leg section, said protrusion on a heat exchanger leg section dimensioned to fit in mating fashion within a recess on an adjacent heat exchanger leg section to interlock adjacent heat exchanger leg sections and to prevent lateral movement of the adjacent leg sections relative to one another, said protrusion and recess extending along a major portion of the length of said elongated leg section in a direction between said inner end and said outer end of said leg section.
An elongated, pre-cast leg section for use in forming a leg in a heat exchanger in a rotary kiln by stacking a plurality of said leg sections together along the axial length of said kiln, said leg section having an inner end and an outer end and an elongated protrusion on one side thereof and an elongated recess on an opposite side thereof, said protrusion and said recess being dimensioned such that a protrusion on one leg section fits in mating fashion within a recess on an adjacent leg section to interlock said one leg section to said adjacent leg section and to prevent lateral movement of the adjacent leg sections relative to one another when said legs are stacked together along the axis of said kiln, said protrusion and recess extending along a major portion of the length of said elongated leg section in a direction between said inner end and said outer end of said leg section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.