Abstract: Purifier unit comprising a porous body coated with a substance having catalytic action to bring about purification of a medium, primarily a gas passing through the unit. A main field of use is the purification of hot exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. To render the porous purifier unit insensitive to the high temperature of the engine exhaust gases and the great variations of temperature particularly in winter time when starting a motor vehicle, and at the same time resistant to high mechanical stress and shock arising mainly from jolts and vibrations of a motor vehicle in motion, the porous body is comprised of a plurality of thin, at least partly corrugated, layers forming between themselves fine passageways extending from end to end for the medium to be purified and coated with the catalyst. The layers consist of a skeleton obtained from asbestos paper by precipitation of certain inorganic substances and subsequent heating to the fusing or slagging temperature for said substances.

Abstract: A stationary-mass rotary regenerative air preheater uses a single regenerative mass for the separately controllable heating of different streams of air. This is achieved by providing at each axial end face of the mass rotating cowls divided into rotationally symmetrical hoods each of which is sub-divided into sector-shaped compartments which have the same radial extent as the mass. A given compartment of one hood on one end face is angularly of the same extent as the corresponding compartment of the other hood on that end face. The compartments are brought to coaxial connecting ducts at the neck of each cowl. Separation of media flows even under temperature or pressure differences is assured by sealing strips at each of the radially extending walls of each hood; these are automatically operated, and those on internal (sub-dividing) walls may be operatively linked to those on external walls.

Abstract: A process for open-cycle air conditioning which affords economy of external power both with respect to cost and energy consumption by providing a low-temperature heater and a high-temperature heater for regenerating the sensible heat exchanger and desiccant when the apparatus is used for cooling and the enthalpy exchanger when the apparatus is used for heating. The power source for the low-temperature heater can utilize solar energy, waste boiler heat, waste process heat, nuclear reactor heat and the like. The power source for the high-temperature heater can be an open flame burner or other conventional heater.

Abstract: An industrial heating furnace wherein hot exhaust gases from the furnace are heat exchanged in a rotary ceramic heat exchanger with air which is supplied to burners in the furnace for combustion air. The temperature of the gases within the furnace is controlled and the ratio of the flow of gases through the two sides of the rotary heat exchanger is controlled at a predetermined value which is approximately one to maximize efficiency of the furnace operation and to minimize thermal stresses on the ceramic heat exchanger.

Abstract: An air-permeable reactor medium of large surface area and high thermal capacity, coated with a catalyst, is cycled along a closed path across a first duct carrying an air stream laden with oxidizable contaminants and a second duct carrying a stream of fresh air, enabling contaminants in the first air stream to be oxidized to innoucuous byproducts, releasing heat which is transferred to the fresh air in the second duct, the reaction medium moving at a variable speed which is a function of the temperature of one of the air streams; considerable improvement in the efficiency of an industrial oven may therefore be achieved by positioning the reactor medium to exchange heat between an incoming stream of fresh air and a stream of hotter exhaust gas so that the temperature of fresh air delivered elsewhere to the oven may be controlled without having to rely on dampers and mixtures of air volumes with inherent damper malfunctions or mis-metering; also a second burner may be eliminated because of the manner in which t

Abstract: A rotary regenerative heat exchanger including a supply duct for admitting fluid to an area of a face of the matrix of the heat exchanger bounded by a seal, the supply duct having an outlet covered by a ported distribution plate in which ports are so arranged that the fluid is admitted to the matrix face area bounded by the seal in a predetermined distribution pattern. For example, the ports may be arranged to effect either uniform fluid flow or uniform fluid pressure throughout the matrix face area bounded by the seal.

Abstract: A regenerative air preheater is disclosed comprising a heat exchanger including a power operated rotary heat exchanging unit and a surrounding stationary casing having opposite inlets and outlets for combustion air and flue gas defining two axial passageways for combustion air and flue gas, respectively, through the rotary heat exchanging unit, each such passageway being connected with its inlet and outlet in a duct for conveying a flow of combustion air or flue gas, respectively, through the heat exchanger, means being provided to conduct away from the flue gas outlet of the heat exchanger at least a major portion of any air passing from the combustion air passageway to the flue gas passageway during operation of the heat exchanger, and a branch duct being connected to the flue gas duct at a point located after the heat exchanger, as viewed in the direction of flow of flue gas through the flue gas duct, in order to allow flue gas to be drawn off from the flue gas duct for subsequent use as an inert gas.

Abstract: A process and plant is provided for the production of nitric acid from atmospheric air in which the feed air is passed in succession through a number of stages each comprising a high temperature regenerative nitrogen fixation reactor followed by a catalytic oxidation reactor and a nitric oxide absorber, all operating at superatmospheric pressure. Heat is exchanged between the inlet and outlet gas streams of each stage absorber. The compressors are driven by a turbo-expander powered by the exit gas stream in which fuel has been burned upstream of the turbo-expander. The nitrogen fixation reactors each consist of a pressure vessel enclosing a gas-permeable refractory wall surrounding a furnace chamber in which fuel is burned, the interior of the vessel being divided into two sections by an impermeable wall with a gap for flow through in the furnace zone.

Abstract: An installation for the de-dusting of hot gases, in particular the exhaust air of product coolers for cement, lime and dolomite furnaces or similar furnaces, in which the hot gases are conveyed from an exhaust gas chamber, cooled in the presence of fresh air, and then conducted into a web or fabric filter for the de-dusting thereof.

Abstract: A rotary regenerative air preheater has a preliminary heating stage for the cold air, before it reaches the regenerative mass, constituted by recuperative heating surfaces provided within the ducting which brings the cold air to the regenerative mass and which are heated by exhaust gas which has passed through the regenerative mass but has lost least heat to that mass. The surfaces take e.g. the form of tubes passing through the channel and gas is guided into these tubes by a gas-catching wing extending to close to one face of the regenerative mass.An embodiment of each of a rotating-and a stationary-mass preheater are described.

Abstract: A process for open-cycle air conditioning which affords economy of external power both with respect to cost and energy consumption by providing a low-temperature heater and a high-temperature heater for regenerating the sensible heat exchanger and desiccant when the apparatus is used for cooling and the enthalpy exchanger when the apparatus is used for heating. The power source for the low-temperature heater can utilize solar energy, waste boiler heat, waste process heat, nuclear reactor heat and the like. The power source for the high-temperature heater can be an open flame burner or other conventional heater.

Abstract: Gas treatment such as scrubbing or purificatory heating is carried out by treatment means in permanent gaseous communication with one end face of a rotary regenerative heat exchanger. At the other end face conventional inlet and outlet gas collecting arrangements are provided. A plenum chamber beyond or containing the treatment means allows for flow reversal of the gas treated, so that it may repass through the heat exchanger. Since collecting arrangements are provided at only one end face, the concomitant sealing arrangements need only be provided at that end face, and the rest of a support structure for the heat exchange mass (and which may also support at least some of the further treatment means) may be made of materials chosen solely with a view to resisting the physical and/or chemical conditions likely to be encountered.

Abstract: A regenerative air preheater is provided with a rotatable body mounted within a cylindrical casing. The rotatable body is formed by perforated discs mounted upon a shaft, and the casing is subdivided into passages for the air and the gas, respectively, by means of rows of rod members fitted between the discs and extending radially inwards from the casing towards the shaft.

Abstract: A rotary heat exchanger of the type having a ceramic core surrounded and driven by a ring gear is provided with a compressed air or spring arrangement between the periphery of the core and the ring gear to apply a radial compression force to the core at all times during operation of the exchanger to assist in accommodating abrupt accelerations and decelerations in the rotation of the exchanger.

Abstract: A heat exchanger and mounting structure therefor for use in connection with incinerators, for example, the heat exchanger formed of a ceramic wheel with a central core and an annular portion with gas passages extending axially therethrough. The ceramic wheel is mounted at the central core with a mounting means which comprises first and second wedge members in abutting relationship with opposite sides of the core. Means bias the wedge members towards each other so that the core is resiliently held under compression between the two wedge members to eliminate tension stresses on the ceramic wheel due to thermal expansion differences between the ceramic wheel and the mounting structure therefor. The mounting structure includes a first shaft secured to the first wedge member and a second shaft, tubular in shape and concentrically mounted on the first shaft, the second shaft being secured to the second wedge member. The shafts are supported on the cool side of the heat exchanger wheel by a pair of bearings.

Abstract: A heat exchanger and mounting structure therefor for use in connection with incinerators, for example, the heat exchanger formed of a ceramic wheel with a central core and an annular portion with gas passages extending axially therethrough. The ceramic wheel is mounted at the central core with a mounting means which comprises first and second wedge members in abutting relationship with opposite sides of the core. Means bias the wedge members towards each other so that the core is resiliently held substantially under compression between the two wedge members to eliminate tension stresses on the ceramic wheel due to thermal expansion differences between the ceramic wheel and the mounting structure therefor. The mounting structure includes a first shaft secured to the first wedge member and a second shaft, tubular in shape and concentrically mounted on the first shaft, the second shaft being secured to the second wedge member.

Abstract: A room air conditioning apparatus for exchanging heat and/or moisture between fresh atmospheric air entering the room from the outside and consumed air being discharged from the room combines high capacity with relatively small dimensions, low air velocities and small pressure drops so as to minimize generation of disturbing noise. Within a casing, a motor-driven regenerative-type rotor passes through two air stream zones in the first of which is a motor-driven fan for discharge of consumed room air into the outer atmosphere and in the second of which is a motor-driven fan for supply of fresh air to the room from the outer atmosphere. In the rotor, the two air streams exchange heat and/or moisture content so that the supply of fresh air is given a desired, predetermined temperature and a desired moisture content.

Abstract: A fume incinerator having a rotary heat exchanger with a novel seal structure therefor. A rotating rotary heat exchanger wheel is positioned in the mouth of a tubular incinerator having a closed end wall opposite to the rotary heat exchanger. A baffle extends from the heat exchanger wheel to a point spaced from the closed end of the incinerator so that the fume and air mixture, after passing through one side of the heat exchanger wheel, is passed through one side of the incinerator wherein it is heated to a temperature sufficient to oxidize the fumes in the mixture, passes around the end of the baffle to the other side of the incinerator and through the other side of the heat exchanger wheel. The fume and air mixture is preheated from the heat of combustion as it passes through the heat exchanger wheel. The heat exchanger wheel is axially tapered and a seal member surrounding the heat exchanger is likewise tapered in a complementary manner.