Patents by Inventor Kent E. Ritter

Kent E. Ritter has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6227150
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Air Preheater, Inc.
    Inventors: Harlan E. Finnemore, Danny K. Hall, Alan G. Marshall, Robert J. Rausa, Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 5740856
    Abstract: The modular heat exchange baskets for a rotary regenerative air preheater which normally have a single stacked array of heat exchange plates, are constructed with heat exchange plate support bars intermediate the top and bottom surface. The basket then has two separate stacked arrays of heat exchange plates which permits the plate material or arrangement in the top of each basket to be different from the plate material or arrangement in the bottom. For side loaded air preheaters with basket support gratings, the arrangement of heat exchange plates can be changed without the need to move the gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: ABB Air Preheater Inc.
    Inventor: Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 5664620
    Abstract: The rotor of a rotary regenerative air preheater is constructed for the loading of the heat exchange basket modules into the sectors of the rotor in a radial direction through the periphery of the rotor. The heat exchange basket modules are arranged in a plurality of axially spaced layers with the lower baskets supporting the baskets located above. To provide the support and to facilitate the loading of the baskets, each basket includes an integral grating structure at the top surface thereof which extends partially above the uppermost surface of the basket frame. This provides a clear sliding surface as well as a support for the baskets in the layer above. The invention eliminates the support gratings which are a part of the rotor structure, except at the bottom of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: ABB Air Preheater Inc.
    Inventor: Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 5097889
    Abstract: A hot spot detection system (78) at one location that is fixed with respect to the rotor (12), and a temperature suppression system (62) at another location that is fixed with respect to the rotor. The suppression system is automatically energized by the hot spot detection system when a threshold temperature is detected. Preferably, the suppression system includes one or more pipes (66) that span the radial dimension of the heating element compartments in the rotor. The detection system can be in the conventional location, on the trailing edge (40) of the air inlet duct (32) of the air preheater. The suppression piping (66) is preferably located in the hot end, or air discharge duct (34), of the air preheater. Depending on the location of the suppression piping with respect to rotor rotation, a timing device (100) is preferably employed to start and stop the flow of suppression water into the rotor, just prior to and after the hot spot passes under the piping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: ABB Air Preheater, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 4306893
    Abstract: A bag filter arrangement having a cleaning system that exhausts a reverse pulse of compressed air through the bags thereof to remove collected dust particles from the surface of the bags. The arrangement is directed to a special cooperation of interlocking elements that positively align the several elements thereof in order that maximum dust removal is effected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 22, 1981
    Assignee: The Air Preheater Company, Inc.
    Inventors: James U. R. Fernando, Gary C. Goetschius, Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 4302228
    Abstract: A bag filter apparatus that exhausts a blast of compressed air into the open ends of a series of filter bags to remove dust particles that have collected on the outer surface thereof. The compressed air is exhausted from nozzle means in a header pipe that is precluded from excessive distortion, while it may be quickly disassembled and accurately re-assembled to achieve optimum performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1981
    Assignee: The Air Preheater Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent E. Ritter
  • Patent number: 4298055
    Abstract: Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus including a cylindrical rotor of heat absorbent material that is alternately exposed to a hot and a cold fluid in order that heat absorbed from the hot fluid may be transferred to the cold fluid passing therethrough. The rotor is surrounded by a housing that includes a sector plate at opposite ends thereof to separate the hot from the cold fluids. As the rotor turns and is being subjected to a wide range of temperatures, it distorts into a dish shaped element. A mechanical toggle arrangement moved by a hydraulic actuator forces the sector plate into a configuration similar to that of the adjacent face of the rotor so as to preclude excessive leakage of fluid therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1981
    Assignee: The Air Preheater Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent E. Ritter