Abstract: Drive means are provided to move the sector plates of rotary regenerative air preheaters into sealing position with the radial seals on the rotor during rotor turndown. A pair of fluid drive cylinders are connected to a pair of drive chains which rotate a drive shaft. One of the pair of drive cylinders may operate in the extend mode while the other operates in the retract mode or both cylinders may operate in the same mode at the same time for increased force in one direction. Eccentric disk devices are attached to the drive shaft and to the sector plates for converting the rotary motion of the shaft to linear motion of the attachment to the sector plates. The eccentric disk devices may contain two eccentric disks so that the distance of travel can be adjusted.

Abstract: A rotary air preheater has a rotor, at least one seal disposed proximate to the rotor, a drive for reciprocally driving a portion of the seal between a first position adjacent the rotor and a second position spaced from the first position, and a control system for activating the drive. The control system includes a boiler load power sensor, means for storing a first stored boiler load having a value between the minimum boiler load and the maximum boiler load, and logic for comparing the sensed boiler load to the first stored boiler load. The logic provides a first activation signal to the drive when the sensed boiler load rises above the first stored boiler load and a second activation signal to the drive when the sensed boiler load falls below the first stored boiler load. The first activation signal activates the drive to drive the portion of the seal to the first position and the second activation signal activates the drive to drive the portion of the seal to the second position.

Abstract: A sector plate static sealing arrangement for a rotary regenerative air preheater employs a single rib attached to and extending along the center line of the sector plate toward the air preheater casing. The rib cooperates with a static seal attached to the casing to provide both the sealing and positioning functions. Braces for the rib provide support and form a sloped surface which reduces ash accumulation.

Abstract: The rotor for a rotary regenerative air preheater is fabricated from upper and lower rotor shell segments and hot-end and cold-end heat exchange baskets having closed outboard ends, the rotor shell segments and heat exchange baskets defining a first gap between the upper rotor shell segment and the hot-end heat exchange basket, a second gap between the hot-end and cold-end or intermediate heat exchange baskets, and a third gap between the cold-end heat exchange baskets and the lower rotor shell segment. A system for sealing the gaps includes first, second and third sealing members, each sealing member having first and second portions. The first sealing member is mounted to the upper rotor shell segment or the hot-end outboard heat exchange basket and engages the other of the upper rotor shell segment or the hot-end outboard heat exchange basket to seal the first gap.

Abstract: A system for removing and replacing heat exchange baskets for radially loaded air preheaters. The system includes a platform having a horizontal upper surface for supporting the heat exchange baskets. The upper surface is substantially alignable with each basket support level such that a single platform may be used to remove or replace all of the heat exchange baskets. A tugger and tugger line are provided for providing the motive force required to move the heat exchange baskets. An engagement apparatus engages and applies the motive force to the heat exchange basket. At least one pulley is used to control the direction of movement of the tugger line and thereby direct the motive force to either push or pull the heat exchange basket.

Abstract: An apparatus for the separation of ash from a flue gas stream has a hopper defining a flow chamber for the flue gas stream. The hopper has an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion defines a horizontal flue gas inlet opening and a vertical flue gas outlet opening. The lower portion defines a hopper collector opposite the inlet opening. A plurality of generally triangular planar block-off plates are oriented horizontally across the flue gas inlet opening and define a plurality of triangular initial flue path openings therebetween. A plurality of triangular flow plates are mounted to the block-off plates adjacent the flow path openings. The flow plates extend vertically downward toward the hopper collector whereby the flow plates define second flow path openings therebetween in fluid connection with the flue gas outlet opening.

Abstract: A rotary regenerative air preheater having a rotor mounted to a central rotor post for rotation within a surrounding housing whereby heat absorbent material carried in the rotor is alternately exposed to a flow of heating gas and a gas to be heated. Upper and lower rotor post headers provide means for mounting diaphragms, which divide the rotor into compartments, to the rotor post. The upper rotor post header includes an interior opening for receiving the rotor and an outer peripheral portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced T-shaped slots. The upper portion of the inboard end of each diaphragm defines a box-shaped lug which is received in one of the slots. Shoulders defined by the lug engage shoulders defined by the slots to prevent radial movement of the diaphragm. The lower rotor post header is mounted to the rotor and includes a radially extending lower portion that defines a shelf.

Abstract: A swing-arm sootblower for a rotary regenerative air preheater is mounted to sweep across the air preheater rotor at a constant speed or angular velocity. A constant speed motor is attached through a speed reducer to a drive sprocket. A chain drive turns driven sprocket which is connected to the rotatable mounting shaft for the sootblower lance or arm. Limit switches are tripped at the ends of the arc of travel of the lance by a trip arm mounted on the drive sprocket to turn the motor off and to close a valve for the sootblowing medium. The speed of the lance can be adjusted in general or at particular points in the art of travel.

Abstract: The rotor for a rotary regenerative air preheater is fabricated from a combination of shop assembled rotor sector modules and field assembled components so as to eliminate the double plate diaphragms of conventional modular rotors. The shop assembled modules comprise one or more sectors and the field assembled components fit between the spaced shop assembled modules spaced around the rotor hub. The support gratings between the diaphragm plates support modular heat exchange baskets which are loaded into the rotor radially from the periphery.

Abstract: A package gas to gas heat exchanger is constructed by joining together a plurality of individual folded plate heat exchanger modules (16) in side by side and optionally end to end relation, without the need for an external housing surrounding the modules. A plurality of baffle plates (38), are prefabricated as part of each module, and joined to each other as the modules are joined, thereby defining a plurality of alternating chambers (46) for the entry or exit of different gases on either side of each folded plate (18). A closure arrangement and method for the longitudinal ends of the folded plates includes closure bars (94, 96) in interference engagement with the folds of the plate (18), and a separator plate (50) which holds the closure bars together and maintains the sealing relationship with the folded plate (18).

Abstract: A rotary regenerative heat exchanger 10 having a rotor 12 mounted to a central rotor post 18 for rotation within a surrounding housing 20 whereby heat absorbent material carried in the rotor is alternately exposed to a flow of heating gas and a gas to be heated. A radial seal assembly 50 including a flexible sealing strip 72 is mounted to the hot end edge of each radially extending partition 16 of the rotor 12 to establish a seal across the gap between the radially extending partitions 16 and the confronting face of the sector plate 24 of the housing 20 as the rotor is rotated. Each radial seal assembly 50 is provided with a back support leaf 64 having an outward portion 68 which provides a backstop to limit the backward bending of the flexible sealing strip 72 so as to preclude stressing of the sealing strip beyond its yield point.

Abstract: Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus in which a rotor of heat absorbent material is alternately exposed to a heating fluid and to a fluid to be heated. The rotor is surrounded by a housing having a sector plate at opposite ends thereof adapted to separate the heating fluid from the fluid to be heated. The apparatus is provided with control means that intermittently drives a sector plate into a sealing relationship with the adjacent edge of the rotor after which a predetermined reference point on the rotor activates a sensor to move the sector plate away from the rotor to permit freedom of movement therebetween.

Abstract: A sealing means that lies intermediate a rotatable trunnion and fixed housing structure of a rotary regenerative heat exchanger device to preclude the flow of leakage fluid therebetween. A cooling jacket is positioned concentrically around the sealing means to simultaneously cool the sealing means and any hot fluid leaking thereto.

Abstract: An arrangement for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger in which sector-shaped compartments containing a mass of heat absorbent material are pivotally connected to a central rotor post that is disposed about a vertical axis. The pivotal arrangement includes an independent spherical bearing which is trapped between confronting cavities that lie intermediate the rotor post and a radially adjacent basket to provide a limited degree of universal movement therebetween.