Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivery of particulate fuel eliminates the problem of dense phase flow. The problem stems from the formation of undesirable streams of densely concentrated fuel particles, which streams have a deleterious effect on the combustion. In the distribution method and apparatus of the invention, the particulate fuel is induced to follow a different flow path from that of its transport air, as the fuel and transport air pass through the distribution device. The pattern and density of distribution of particulate fuel in the transport air then becomes controlled by the reentrainment of the fuel into the transport air rather than by flow characteristics of the fuel and transport air entering the nozzle. In the distribution device of the invention, the fuel particles are moved in a direction axially away from the furnace and into a space having a reflector wall against which the fuel particles impinge in a rebounding action.

Abstract: An air heater perimeter seal provides independent positive control of the leak path induced by relative radial and axial movements at the rotor perimeter. A seal member with a relatively wide seal face disposed in a plane perpendicular to the air heater axis allows the seal member to stay within the radial width of the corresponding seat during expansion and contraction of the rotor as it moves from the air side to the discharge gas side and back. In addition, the installation adjustability and the tolerance for radial error of the seal of the present invention makes it possible for out-of-round rotors and warped housings to be properly sealed. An axial slip joint between the seal member and the rotor allows the seal face to remain adjacent to the face of the sector place and to the seat face regardless of rotor droop. The axial slip joint also acts as a labyrinth seal to control leakage of gasses between the housing and rotor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a burner register assembly having an air register assembly for imparting a controlled vortex swirl to secondary combustion air of a furnace in order to entrain the fuel and primary air of the furnace and carry them into the furnace interior. The assembly may comprise a series of arcuate vanes circumferentially spaced about the fuel and primary air nozzle, the vanes being designed to induce both turbulence and a well defined vortex to the secondary air flow. A separate air valve, such as a butterfly valve, is provided upstream of the air register assembly to regulate the volume of secondary air flow. Shadow vanes may also be provided in the vicinity of the air register assembly outlet, and positioned adjacent the furnace walls in order to protect the air register assembly from furnace heat, particularly when the burner associated with the air register assembly is idle and the secondary air flow is lowered.

Abstract: An air register apparatus, method, and arrangement is disclosed in which each air register includes two portions, one of which feeds combustion air to an inner, ignition zone where fuel is first ignited, the other of which feeds combustion air to an outer, supplemental zone where the main combustion takes place. These two register portions provide separate and discrete air streams having measurable characteristics which accurately reflect the characteristics of the overall flow through each register portion and which characteristics govern combustion characteristics in the associated zone. Each air stream passes through an inwardly spiralling scroll passageway having a simple upstream air valve at the entrance to the passageway for controlling the flow of air through the passageway. This upstream air valve is remote from the hostile environment of the furnace or other combustion device.

Abstract: A sealing structure for an air preheater is provided for maintaining a constant clearance between the drum and deformable sector plates. Deflection governing struts or beams extend across the sector plates and bend in a manner which corresponds with the change in shape which the drum undergoes when its temperature changes. The outer ends of the struts are connected to an outer ring engaged with the drum via guides. As the drum deforms so that its ends assume approximately partial spherical curvatures in response to increased temperatures, the struts are likewise deformed. The deformation of the sector plates is controlled by the more rigid struts.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing fuel and air to a furnace. The furnace includes a plurality of burner assemblies, each with its own air valve for controlling the flow of combustion air therethrough. A sensing instrument for each burner assembly senses a condition reflecting the individual performance of that particular, separate burner assembly. A controller is coupled with the sensing instruments and with the air valves of the burner assemblies for controlling each individual air valve in response to the performance reflecting condition sensed by each sensing instrument. This results in individual control of the performance of each burner assembly of the set of burner assemblies feeding fuel and air to the furnace.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for providing fuel and air to a furnace. The furnace includes a plurality of burner assemblies, each with its own air valve for controlling the flow of combustion air therethrough. A sensing instrument for each burner assembly senses a condition reflecting the individual performance of that particular, separate burner assembly. A controller is coupled with the sensing instruments and with the air valves of the burner assemblies for controlling each individual air valve in response to the performance reflecting condition sensed by each sensing instrument. This results in individual control of the performance of each burner assembly of the set of burner assemblies feeding fuel and air to the furnace.

Abstract: An air register apparatus, method, and arrangement is disclosed in which each air register includes two portions, one of which feeds combustion air to an inner, ignition zone where fuel is first ignited, the other of which feeds combustion air to an outer, supplemental zone where the main combustion takes place. These two register portions provide separate and discrete air streams having measurable characteristics which accurately reflect the characteristics of the overall flow through each register portion and which characteristics govern combustion characteristics in the associated zone. Each air stream passes through an inwardly spiralling scroll passageway having a simple upstream air valve at the entrance to the passageway for controlling the flow of air through the passageway. This upstream air valve is remote from the hostile environment of the furnace or other combustion device.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement for an air preheater for a fuel burning device includes both radial and circumferential seals. The radial seals include a set of flexible, foil-like metal sealing strips coupled to semi-rigid radial seal plates. The semi-rigid radial seal plates, in turn, are coupled to diaphragm members which divide a generally cylindrical drum of the air preheater into sectors, each sector containing a set of heat exchanger elements, such as parallel plates or fins. To effect sealing, the foil-like metal radial sealing strips will engage and wipe across sector plates on a housing surrounding the drum. The radial sealing strips are completely unobstructed from cantilevered yielding movement in a trailing direction to the full extent that the flexure characteristics of the radial sealing strips themselves permit. the circumferential sealing strips are also constructed of a flexible, thin, foil-like metal material.

Abstract: A sealing arrangement for an air preheater for a fuel burning device includes both radial and circumferential seals. The radial seals include a set of flexible, foil-like metal sealing strips coupled to semi-rigid radial seal plates. The semi-rigid radial seal plates, in turn, are coupled to diaphragm members which divide a generally cylindrical drum of the air preheater into sectors, each sector containing a set of heat exchanger elements, such as parallel plates or fins. To effect sealing, the foil-like metal radial sealing strips will engage and wipe across sector plates on a housing surrounding the drum. The radial sealing strips are completely unobstructed from cantilevered yielding movement in a trailing direction to the full extent that the flexure characteristics of the radial sealing strips themselves permit. The circumferential sealing strips are also constructed of a flexible, thin, foil-like metal material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a burner register assembly having an air register assembly for imparting a controlled vortex swirl to secondary combustion air of a furnace in order to entrain the fuel and primary air of the furnace and carry them into the furnace interior. The assembly may comprise a series of arcuate vanes circumferentially spaced about the fuel and primary air nozzle, the vanes being designed to induce both turbulence and a well defined vortex to the secondary air flow. A separate air valve, such as a butterfly valve, is provided upstream of the air register assembly to regulate the volume of secondary air flow. Shadow vanes may also be provided in the vicinity of the air register assembly outlet, and positioned adjacent the furnace walls in order to protect the air register assembly from furnace heat, particularly when the burner associated with the air register assembly is idle and the secondary air flow is lowered.

Abstract: A gate valve apparatus suitable for controlling the flow of fluids in a conduit, especially gases in high temperature applications, is disclosed. The apparatus includes a gate member adapted for sliding movement through an aperture in the gate valve assembly. Each opposing side of the aperture has fixedly mounted cooperating flat sealing strips to seal the aperture in both the conduit-open and conduit-closed positions. In certain embodiments a plurality of substantially parallel gate members, each having aperture sealing means, may be used to provide increased sealing effectiveness for highly toxic gaseous mediums.

Abstract: An expansion joint and a fabric which may be used in connection therewith are disclosed. The expansion joint and fabric are particularly suitable for joining conduit sections through which high temperature, highly corrosive gases are conveyed, such as flue gases in a power plant. The fabric material includes a pair of foil-fabric composites in which a metallic foil is bonded to a high temperature resistant material, such as glass cloth. Between the two foil-fabric composites is a fluid impervious barrier preferably comprising an inner metallic foil of alloy material. The foil-fabric composites are stiffer than the high temperature resistant material alone, and this limits the motion and flexibility of the expansion joint to such an extent that the inner foil is not crumpled and damaged during use and handling. At the same time the stiffening is not so great that the ability of the expansion joint to accommodate relative movement between conduit sections is substantially affected.

Abstract: An expansion joint for coupling conduits through which high temperature fluids are conveyed and accommodating severe vibrations and movements imparted to the conduits during the flow of fluids therethrough. The joint includes a pair of opposed frame sections for connection to the adjacent ends of the conduits being coupled. A connector of flexible fluid impervious fabric bridges and seals the space between the frame sections to provide a flexible and fluid-tight joint having both high heat resistance and high corrosion resistance. The ends of the fabric connector have portions, at corners of the connector, in which the fabric is folded back on itself to contribute to forming bloused corners. The bloused corners relieve stresses in the fabric connector to reduce the possibility of rupture.

Abstract: A damper assembly including a plurality of damper blades pivotable about parallel axes. Each blade includes a pair of parallel plates spaced apart by supporting members, the plates providing an open fluid passageway through the blade. When the damper blades are in the closed condition, the passageways form a single enclosed space into which pressurized sealing air may be introduced to render the damper gastight with respect to gases in the main duct. In the open condition the damper blades offer very little flow resistance by allowing conduit gases to flow through the passageways between the plates of the blades.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sealing a flow control apparatus, such as a damper, suitable for controlling the flow of fluids in a conduit, especially high temperature gases in flue ducts. The damper includes a closure member which may be removed entirely from the fluid stream by sliding movement through an aperture. Fixedly mounted, cooperating, flat, resilient strips seal the aperture in both the open and closed positions of the damper. Resilient support strips on both sides of the sealing strips control the resistance to flexure of the sealing strips. To prevent damage to the sealing strips as the closure member is withdrawn from the closed position, the sealing strips are allowed to buckle by moving from a condition of concave bending with respect to the interior of the fluid passageway to a condition of convex bending with respect thereto.

Abstract: A valve assembly comprising a housing constructed of a material which will expand when heated, a plurality of closure elements inside the housing that can be rotated between valve open and valve closed positions, each element being mounted on its own shaft that is journaled in the housing and that has an external end portion extending through the housing with the shafts being parallel to one another and lying in the same plane at equidistant intervals, a plurality of cranks of equal length extending radially from the end portion of each shaft for rotating the shaft, and drive arm means linking the plurality of cranks so that rotation of one of the cranks causes all of the cranks, shafts, and elements to rotate in unison is improved by the drive arm means being temperature-compensating three-link mechanisms connecting each of the cranks and comprising (a) a first floating link pivotally attached at its first end to the non-shaft end of one of the cranks, (b) a second floating link of the same length as the fir

Abstract: A damper assembly including a plurality of damper blades pivotable about parallel axes. Each blade includes a pair of parallel plates spaced apart by supporting members, the plates providing an open fluid passageway through the blade. When the damper blades are in the closed condition, the passageways form a single enclosed space into which pressurized sealing air may be introduced to render the damper gastight with respect to gases in the main duct. In the open condition the damper blades offer very little flow resistance by allowing conduit gases to flow through the passageways between the plates of the blades.