Abstract: Arrangement for preparing dry hot compressed air to be supplied to blast furnace, wherein a heat exchanger and a dehydrater assembly comprising a gas permeable regenerative moisture absorbing rotor are arranged in the air passage from blower to hot air furnaces so that the hot compressed air from the blower may be used to heat the dehydrated air and to regenerate the rotor. Air leakage between regenerating and dehydrating zones in the dehydrater is prevented by sealing those clearances where otherwise such leakage would occur by packing elements to form sealed spaces and externally introducing dry pressurized air into each of said spaces.

Abstract: A matrix disc for a rotary regenerator heat exchange apparatus includes a pair of spirally wound sheets, a first sheet having a continuously formed sinusoidal corrugation having a pitch dimension that accomodates thermal expansion in the strip. The first sheet is juxtaposed against a second corrugated sheet having a plurality of axial spaced corrugated segments therein having a pitch to accomodate thermal expansion and wherein each segment is interconnected by a plurality of elements including flat side wall segments having an axial length greater than the pitch dimension of abutting corrugation of the adjacent first strip and including a diagonally directed segment therebetween to space the corrugated segments of the second strip away from the first strip to define a plurality of generally rectangularly configured air form fluid flow paths in the matrix disc.

Abstract: Assembly for dehydrating atmospheric air at the input side of a blower for supplying air to a blast furnace comprising at least one gas permeable rotor containing a regenerative moisture absorbent wherein a hot combustion gas obtained by burning a waste gas from the blast furnace is utilized for regenerating the absorbent and wherein means for regulating the relative humidity of the moist air to be dehydrated, which does not need any external heat source, is provided to avoid deliquescence of the absorbent. The rotor preferably comprises a layer containing the absorbent and a layer of an adsorbent capable of adsorbing impurities contained in the air.

Abstract: A heat-exchanger disk for a regenerative heat-exchanger of a gas turbine which is secured on a rotatable support by the interposition of spring elements, the spring elements are thereby in the form of leaf spring elements series-connected with one another in the shape of a ring and interconnected at their overlapping ends; the leaf spring elements are supported under prestress with outwardly curved arcuate portions at counter surfaces provided in the central aperture of the heat-exchanger disk and with inwardly curved arcuate portions at counter surfaces of the support. This is a division of application Ser. No. 531,795 filed Dec. 11, 1974.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary heat exchanger.Springs 18, or compressed air, housed between the steel rim 2 and the cellular ceramic disk 1, exert a compressive prelateral tightness over about one-third of the surface, for the passing of the cool air of admission. The remainder of the disk is passed through by hot exhaust gases. A gas turbine, in particular for a lorry, wherein the disk 1 is subjected to abrupt accelerations and decelerations.

Abstract: A regenerative-filter-incinerator device, for use in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine of the diesel type, includes a drum-like regenerative-heat exchanger-filter assembly rotatably mounted within a housing that is adapted to be installed directly in the exhaust gas stream discharged from a diesel engine as close to the engine as possible, the regenerative-heat exchanger-filter assembly provides an inner chamber which serves as a reaction chamber for the secondary combustion of exhaust gases including particulates discharged from the engine. The regenerative-heat exchanger-filter assembly includes a plurality of separately rotatable heat exchange-filter elements pervious to radial flow of fluid therethrough and adapted to filter out particulates from the exhaust gases and to carry them into the reaction chamber.

Abstract: A heat-exchanger disk of a regenerative heat-exchanger of a gas turbine, which is secured on a rotatable carrier under interposition of ring-shaped, series-connected leaf spring elements which are connected with each other at their overlapping ends and which are supported with outwardly curved arcuate portions at counter-surfaces in a central opening of the heat-exchanger disk and with inwardly curved arcuate portions at counter-surfaces of the carrier; one retaining disk substantially coaxial to the heat-exchanger disk thereby abuts at each end face of the heat-exchanger disk whereby the two retaining disks hold the leaf spring elements in the carrier within the central opening and are connected with each other by tie-pins which extend through the annular space between the central opening and the carrier.

Abstract: An improved regenerative, high temperature gas, high efficiency heat exchanger has a heat absorbing rotor formed of a plurality of gas flow passages and a housing that includes partition columns for dividing the rotor passages into at least one high temperature and at least one low temperature duct. A two section drive shaft supports the rotor in the housing and pressure plates securely connect the rotor to the drive shaft. The rotor is of a size to provide an annular gas bypass channel between the rotor and the housing, which channel is greater than the hydraulic diameter of the rotor flow passages in order that bypass of gas through the channel provides a continual flushing of contaminants therefrom. To prevent leakage between the high and low temperature ducts through this annular channel, air curtains may be employed at the top and bottom of the partition columns.

Abstract: A compact single shaft gas turbine engine includes a radial compressor and a radial turbine mounted for rotation about a central axis and an axially inline regenerator disposed forward of the turbine. A highly efficient engine configuration minimizes energy loss along an improved gas flow path while permitting the engine to be mounted on a standard 22 inch wide farming tractor frame.

Abstract: An industrial heating furnace wherein heat in exhaust gases is transferred to combustion air for burners in the furnace through a rotary ceramic heat exchanger. In one embodiment, turbulating air pipes are positioned in the furnace and the heated combustion air is supplied to the turbulating air pipes as well. The turbulating air pipes may be juxtaposed to and positioned across an elongated heating chamber. Liquid fuel in atomized form can be injected into the heated combustion air upstream of the burner.

Abstract: A device used when assembling rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus having a rotor disposed about a vertical rotor shaft by which the rotor thereof may be quickly aligned vertically over a subjacent support bearing to preclude mis-alignment during operation.

Abstract: Method of reducing the firing shrinkage of the axial hub opening in a disc-type cellular or honeycomb, ceramic heat exchanger by substantially filling the hub opening with a plug which undergoes substantially the same firing shrinkage as the hub opening. The plug then shrinks with the heat exchanger and keeps the hub opening closed, thereby preventing accelerated heating of the cellular ceramic nearest the hub opening and corresponding local increase in the firing shrinkage due to the accelerated heating. A plug with a bulk density closely approximating that of the ceramic matrix is desirable and a plug fashioned from the same cellular ceramic material as the matrix is particularly convenient and effective.

Abstract: A regenerator for rotary Rankine cycle engines having an annular boiler and an internal coaxial expander for pressure vapor generated in the boiler, comprising at least one annular series of axially extending heat exchange tubes disposed radially inward of the boiler and an array of axially spaced annular fins on each of said tubes which rotate with the engine. A condenser for the exhaust vapor rotates with the engine and means is provided for conducting exhaust vapor to the condenser after passing through the regenerator fins and for returning liquid condensate from the condenser to the regenerator for passage through the tubes thereof in heat exchange relation with the exhaust vapor conveyed between the fins on the tubes.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with a novel heat exchanger which exchanges heat between the compressor delivery air and turbine exhaust gas. The exchanger comprises a stack of rotary discs angled to produce two sets of wedge-shaped flow areas between them; turbine exhaust gases flow through the discs from one set of areas to the other and heat the discs, while the compressor delivery air flows through a segment of the discs in the reverse direction to exhaust the heat.

Abstract: Hydrogen is produced by the combustion of carbon with air to produce a combustion gas effluent containing carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The carbon dioxide is separated and reacted with carbon to produce carbon monoxide. The resulting produced carbon monoxide is then reacted with steam to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen and the resulting produced hydrogen separated. The carbon utilized for the production of hydrogen may be obtained by the thermal decomposition of hydrocarbons to yield carbon and gaseous hydrogen or the carbon utilized in this process may be obtained from a solid carbonaceous fuel, such as coal or coke or the like.

Abstract: A regenerative heat exchanger wherein the rotor-to-shaft connection includes axially spaced annuli fixed about the shaft and rigidly secured to the radial partitions of the rotor.

Abstract: A matrix structure for a rotary regenerator includes a hub and a plurality of matrix elements, each secured at one end to the outer periphery of the hub, and spirally wound in an involute configuration about the hub and fixed together, as by brazing, into a rigid, elastic structure. Each of the matrix elements includes, in series, a corrugated strip of predetermined length, an inner shim strip extending along one side of the corrugated strip for approximately half of the length thereof, the corrugated strip having a return bent portion and a folded back portion which extends along the opposite side of the inner shim strip and, an outer shim strip extending along the opposite side of the fold-back portion from the inner shim strip and around the return bent portion, the portion of the outer shim strip extending around the return bent portion serving as the means by which the matrix element is secured to the hub.

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.

Abstract: A rotary regenerative air heater or heat exchanger in which a series of parallel adjacent plates contained in a plurality of sectorial baskets make up the heat transfer surface. A plurality of bolts permit quick and easy periodic tightening of the heating plates when they become loose within the basket, thereby preventing abrasion and vibratory failure of such plates.

Abstract: A cylindrical viscous damper drive assembly for driving the matrix of a rotary regenerator heat exchange apparatus, the drive assembly including an annular ring-like driven sprocket loosely encircling the annular hub at one end of a drive shaft coupled to the matrix, the sprocket being drivingly coupled to the hub by a pair of axially spaced apart split ring torsion springs, each torsion spring being pinned at one end to an end of the hub and having a radially outward extending lip at its other end that projects into a socket in the sprocket to effect the driving connection between the sprocket and hub, a pair of O-rings being positioned in axially spaced apart relation to each other to effect a sealing engagement between the outer periphery of the hub and the inner periphery of the socket whereby to define therewith a sealed annular chamber which is filled with a viscous fluid that will provide, when relative rotational movement occurs between the sprocket and hub, a dampening force to reduce torque oscillat

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 regenerative heat-exchanger of a gas turbine whose ceramic heat-exchanger disk is coaxially surrounded by a metallic toothed rim under formation of an annular space in which are arranged springs; the springs are constituted by spring packets of cup springs which are guided on both sides in concave recesses in two webs arranged in the circumferential direction on entrainment plates which surround the lateral surfaces of the toothed rim and are non-rotatably connected therewith.

Abstract: A matrix structure for a rotary regenerator includes a pair of spiral wound strips with each turn of one strip disposed between adjacent turns of the other strip with the strips abutting face to face and fixed together, as by brazing, into a rigid, elastic structure, the one strip being formed with corrugations trending generally axially of the matrix and with substantial depth radially of the matrix to separate radially the turns of the other strip and to define fluid flow passages through the corrugations, the corrugations including a repeatable pattern of a first plurality of corrugations having equally curved ridges and hollows of a predetermined amplitude and a second set of corrugations including at least one ridge and one hollow of a reduced amplitude as compared to the amplitude of the first plurality of corrugations.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention there is provided a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the exhaust gases of a turbine engine to the intake air for the engine, the heat exchanger comprising a rotatable cylindrical ceramic body having axially extending passages therethrough for passage of the exhaust gases in one direction on one diametric half of the body and for passage of the intake air in the other direction on the other diametric half of said body, one axial end of the body thereby being at a higher temperature than the other axial end of the body, an annulus of ceramic bordering a cylindrical surface of the body and having a radially extending annular flange bonded to the cylindrical surface of the body at the low temperature axial end thereof, there being an annular gap between the ceramic annulus and the cylindrical surface of the body at the high temperature axial end thereof and an annulus of resilient sealing material in the annular gap.