U.S. patent application number 13/303127 was filed with the patent office on 2012-11-29 for regenerative heat exchanger with a rotor seal with forced guidance.
This patent application is currently assigned to BALCKE-DURR GMBH. Invention is credited to Erich Born.
Application Number | 20120298326 13/303127 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44080266 |
Filed Date | 2012-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120298326 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Born; Erich |
November 29, 2012 |
REGENERATIVE HEAT EXCHANGER WITH A ROTOR SEAL WITH FORCED
GUIDANCE
Abstract
A regenerative heat exchanger, including a heat accumulator
arranged as a rotor, rotatably held around a central rotational
axis, and configured to transmit a heat of at least one gas volume
flow passing through the rotor to another gas volume flow passing
through the rotor, and including a sealing system for the rotor
including at least one seal which is fixed in relation to the
rotor, is pressed against the rotor, and is supported by a
plurality of rollers on the rotatable rotor.
Inventors: |
Born; Erich; (Neunkirchen,
DE) |
Assignee: |
BALCKE-DURR GMBH
Ratingen
DE
|
Family ID: |
44080266 |
Appl. No.: |
13/303127 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28D 19/047
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/9 |
International
Class: |
F23L 15/02 20060101
F23L015/02; F28D 19/00 20060101 F28D019/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 25, 2010 |
EP |
10015001.0 |
Claims
1. A regenerative heat exchanger, comprising a heat accumulator
arranged as a rotor, rotatably held around a central rotational
axis, and configured to transmit a heat of at least one gas volume
flow passing through the rotor to another gas volume flow passing
through the rotor; and a sealing system for the rotor comprising at
least one seal which is fixed in relation to the rotor, is pressed
against the rotor, and is supported by a plurality of rollers on
the rotatable rotor.
2. The regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the rollers are arranged in the seal and/or are fastened to the
seal.
3. The regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein
the rollers roll on at least one corresponding rolling surface on
the rotor or are guided between two corresponding rolling surfaces
which are axially spaced from one another.
4. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 3, wherein at
least one of the rolling surfaces is arranged on an exchangeable
wearing plate.
5. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the
individual rollers are arranged at least in the regions of the
actuating points of the seal.
6. A regenerative heat exchanger according claim 1, wherein the
seal supported by the rollers concerns a circumferential seal
and/or a radial seal.
7. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 6, wherein a
supported circumferential seal is coupled with a radial seal, such
that said radial seal is co-moved in the axial direction during
axial movement of the circumferential seal.
8. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 7, wherein the
coupling between the circumferential seal and the radial seal
occurs by a mechanical actuating mechanism which transmits the
axial movement of the circumferential seal via an actuating bar to
the radial seal.
9. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 8, wherein the
actuating bar is arranged within a rotor housing enclosing the
rotor.
10. A regenerative heat exchanger according to claim 1, further
comprising at least one sealing sleeve arranged between the seal
and the rotor housing.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to foreign European Patent
Application No. EP 10015001.0, filed on Nov. 25, 2010, the
disclosure which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED SUBJECT MATTER
[0002] The disclosed subject matter relates to a regenerative heat
exchanger including a heat accumulator arranged as a rotor,
rotatably held around a central rotational axis, and configured to
transmit a heat of at least one gas volume flow passing through the
rotor to another gas volume flow passing through the rotor.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Regenerative heat exchangers of this kind are used for heat
transmission from at least one gas volume flow to at least one
other gas volume flow. A rotating heat accumulator, which is the
so-called rotor, is heated in an alternating fashion by at least
one gas volume flow and cooled again by at least one other gas
volume flow, with thermal energy being transmitted from the one to
the other gas volume flow. As a result, one of the gas volume flows
can be heated and another gas volume flow can be cooled. The rotor
comprises two face sides, an outside jacket and usually a segmented
portion for accommodating the heat accumulator masses. The rotor is
rotatably held around a central rotational axis, with said
rotational axis preferably be aligned vertically.
[0004] To seal the gas volume flows guided through the regenerative
heat exchanger, a sealing system with core, radial, and/or
circumferential seals is provided. The radial seals are arranged on
the face sides of the rotor and are provided to prevent
short-circuit volume flows between the gas volume flows. The
circumferential seals are arranged on the face edges of the rotor
and are provided to prevent leakage volume flows into the rotor
housing or into the ambient environment. The seals are arranged in
a stationary manner with respect to the rotating rotor. As a result
of a permanent relative movement between the rotor and these seals
and a continuously changing thermal expansion of the rotor and
consequently resulting uneven rotor deformations, high demands are
placed on the sealing system in order to achieve a low amount of
losses (leakages) and thus a high level of efficiency.
[0005] Various sealing systems are known from the state of the art,
which enable a relatively small sealing gap in operation between
the seal and the rotor. Reference is made in this respect for
example to European Patent Application Publication Nos. EP 1 777
478 A1 and EP 2 177 855 A, the disclosures of each of which are
incorporated by reference in their entireties. However,
conventional sealing systems are frequently disproportionately
complex and expensive in practice.
SUMMARY
[0006] It is an object of the disclosed subject matter to provide a
regenerative heat exchanger of the kind mentioned above with a
simple and effective sealing system.
[0007] This object is achieved by a regenerative heat exchanger in
embodiments incorporating the features of claim 1. Other aspects of
embodiments of the disclosed subject matter are recited in the
dependent claims.
[0008] In an embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the
sealing system for the rotor comprises at least one seal which is
fixed in relation to the rotor and which is pressed against the
rotor or a component belonging to the rotor (e.g. by effective
weight, spring cylinders, actuators and the like) and which is
supported by a plurality of rollers on the rotatable rotor or on a
component belonging to the rotor, thereby being provided with
forced guidance predominantly in the axial direction. This means
that the respective seal is quasi subject to forced guidance, which
leads in operation to the consequence that the respective seal
continuously follows the thermally induced rotor deformation at a
constant distance which is predetermined by the rollers, as a
result of which a small and constant sealing gap is ensured.
[0009] In accordance with the disclosed subject matter, minimal
sealing gaps can be realized with a comparatively low amount of
constructional effort, so that short-circuit and/or leakage volume
flows will occur to an exceptionally low extent. In the case of
regenerative heat exchangers with suction, the gas quantity to be
removed will be reduced. Similarly, the sealing gas quantity will
be reduced when using sealing gas. Moreover, the disclosed subject
matter has proven to be very beneficial to mounting and offers
simple handling and maintenance. It is a further advantage that it
is possible to omit the electromechanical and mostly
sensor-controlled adjusting devices for the seals which are
included in many conventional designs.
[0010] In another embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, it is
preferably provided that the rollers are arranged in the fixed seal
and/or are fastened to the fixed seal. The rollers can be held with
a shaft on the seal or a component belonging to the seal. In
another embodiment, it is further preferably provided that the
rollers will roll off on at least one corresponding running or
rolling surface on the rotor or a component belonging to the rotor,
or are guided between two corresponding rolling surfaces which are
axially spaced from one another. These rolling surfaces can be
especially arranged on exchangeable wearing plates which are
fastened to the rotor (a rotor body or a component belonging to the
rotor). Similarly, a reverse arrangement of rollers and running
surfaces can be provided.
[0011] In order to ensure a minimal sealing gap, especially in
critical regions in which the seal is pressed against the rotor
(actuating points), the individual rollers may be arranged at least
in the region and especially only in the region of the actuating
points or pressing points of the seal against the rotor.
[0012] The seal which is supported by means of the rollers is
preferably a radial seal. The seal which is supported by means of
the rollers is especially a circumferential seal. It is also
possible to simultaneously support both the radial seals and also
the circumferential seals at least on one rotor side by means of
rollers on the rotating rotor.
[0013] In another embodiment there is at least one circumferential
seal which is supported by means of rollers on the rotor and is
coupled with a radial seal on the same rotor side, such that the
respective radial seal is co-moved during the axial movement of the
circumferential seal in the axial direction. For this purpose, the
radial seal is movably arranged in the axial direction. The
coupling between the circumferential seal and the radial seal may
occur via a mechanical actuating mechanism, which transmits axial
movements of the circumferential seal via at least one actuating
bar or the like onto the respective radial seal. The sealing system
on one rotor side can therefore perform movements which follow the
rotor movements in the axial direction. The preferably radially
extending actuating bar is ideally arranged in the rotor housing of
the regenerative heat exchanger, namely between the respective
radial seal and the wall of the housing, wherein a sealing sleeve
can also be arranged in this area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The invention will be explained in closer detail by
reference to embodiments shown in the drawings, which show the
following in the schematic partial sectional views:
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a regenerative heat
exchanger;
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment of a regenerative
heat exchanger;
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a third embodiment of a regenerative heat
exchanger, and
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment of a regenerative
heat exchanger.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a regenerative heat exchanger, designated
with reference numeral 1, of which only one symmetrical half is
illustrated. The regenerative heat exchanger 1 comprises a rotor 2
which is rotatably held around a vertical rotational axis A and is
arranged in a rotor housing 3. Several gas volume flows flow
through the rotor 2, with heat from at least one gas volume flow
being transmitted to at least one other gas volume flow. A sealing
system with radial seals 4 and circumferential seals 5 is provided
for sealing the gas volume flows V guided through the regenerative
heat exchanger 1. The radial seals 4 are arranged on the face sides
of the rotor 2 and are provided to prevent short-circuit volume
flows between the gas volume flows V. The circumferential seals 5
are arranged on the face edges of the rotor 2 and are provided to
prevent leakage volume flows into the rotor housing 3. The radial
seals 4 and the circumferential seals 5 are arranged in a
stationary manner with respect to the rotating rotor 2. The radial
seals 4 and the circumferential seals 5 preferably form an
inherently closed sealing frame, together with optional core seals
(not illustrated). The seals which are arranged on the upper face
side and on the bottom face side of the rotor 2 are arranged in a
substantially identical manner. Unless stated otherwise, the
following explanations relate by way of example only to the upper
seals and apply analogously to the bottom seals.
[0020] The upper radial seal 4 is arranged as a sealing plate and
is fastened to or suspended on the rotor housing 3 by means of
several equally spaced actuating members or spring cylinders 7, 8
and 9. (The bottom radial seal 4 is supported respectively by
spring cylinders or the like.) Each spring cylinder 7, 8 or 9
represents an actuating point for the radial seal 4. It is also
possible to use counterweights instead of the spring cylinder 7, 8
and 9. The radial seal 4 is arranged in the regional direction with
joints 41 and 42 which subdivide radial seal 4 into several
sections. The radial seal 4 is thereby able to adjust to thermally
induced rotor deformations. It is alternatively possible to arrange
the radial seal 4 without joints and in a flexible way. There is a
sealing gap S with the smallest possible size of the gap between
the radial seal 4 and the upper face side of the rotor 2. A sealing
or expansion sleeve (see reference numeral 10 in the bottom region
of the heat exchanger) can be arranged between the radial seal 4
and the wall of the rotor housing 3, which sleeve will compensate
the relative movements of the middle seal in relation to the wall
the housing.
[0021] The circumferential seal 5 is arranged as an annulus-shaped
sealing frame and is fastened to or suspended on the rotor housing
3 with several actuating members or spring cylinders 11 which are
evenly distributed in the circumferential direction. The
circumferential seal 5 can be provided with segments or joints, or
be arranged in a joint-free and flexible way. In the illustrated
embodiment, the circumferential seal 5 or the sealing frame
provides sealing against a rotor flange 6 which protrudes radially
to the outside from the rotor body. There is also a sealing gap
with the smallest possible size of the gap between the
circumferential seal 5 and the rotor flange 6 of the rotor 2. Each
spring cylinder 11 represents an actuating point for the
circumferential seal 5, with the circumferential seal 5 being
pressed against the rotor flange 6 by means of excess weight
(weight less actuating force in the spring cylinders 11).
[0022] In order to ensure a defined sealing gap between the
circumferential seal 5 and the rotor flange 6 irrespective of
thermally induced rotor deformations, the circumferential seal 5 is
supported by means of a plurality of rollers 12 on the rotor flange
6 which belongs to the rotor 2. A roller 12 is preferably provided
at least in the region of every single actuating point. As a
result, the circumferential seal always maintains a constant
distance from the rotor flange 6 in operation and simultaneously at
least follows the axial rotor deformations.
[0023] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the rollers 12 are
arranged in a recess in the circumferential direction 5 and are
preferably also rotatably held therein (e.g., by means of a shaft).
During the rotation of the rotor 2, the rollers 12 will roll off on
a wearing plate 14 which is fastened to the rotor flange 6.
Preferably, the wearing plate 14 is provided with a segmented
configuration in the circumferential direction. Such a wearing
plate can also be provided on a corresponding rolling surface in
the circumferential seal 5. It is also possible that the rollers 12
are guided in the manner of a sandwich between two wearing plates
which are spaced from one another in the axial direction a. Notice
should generally be taken when configuring and/or adjusting the
spring cylinders 11 (and optionally also counterweights, if they
are used) that the pressing pressure between the rollers 12 and the
corresponding rolling surfaces is kept at a low level. This is
achieved for example in such a way that the upper spring cylinders
11 substantially absorb or at least reduce the weight load of the
circumferential seal 5.
[0024] In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a mechanical
coupling of the radial seals 4 with the circumferential seals 5 is
provided both on the upper face side and also on the bottom face
side of the rotor 2, for which purpose the circumferential seals 5
and the radial seals 4 are frictionally connected with one another.
As a result, the radial seals 4 will follow the forcibly guided
movements of the circumferential seals 5 in the axial direction a,
for which purpose the radial seals 4 are movably held in the axial
direction a. Sealing of the rotor 2 is considerably increased
thereby and leakages are considerably reduced.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a second embodiment in which the rollers
12 fastened to the circumferential seal 5 are guided between two
axially spaced rotor flanges 61 and 62 with respective rolling
surfaces. This enables a "direct" forced guidance for the
circumferential seal 5. In all other respects the explanations made
in connection with the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 shall
apply.
[0026] The third embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 also comprises a
mechanical coupling of the circumferential seals 5 with the radial
seals 4. For this purpose, the circumferential seals 5 are
respectively connected with a radially extending actuating bar 16,
which causes an adjustment of the respective radial seal 4 (on the
same rotor side) in the axial direction a via several actuating
members 17. As a result, the forcibly guided movement of a
circumferential seal 5 is transmitted according to the lever ratios
onto the respective radial seal 4 or its individual sections, for
which purpose the radial seals 4 are movably held in the axial
direction a or are also arranged in a flexible way for example. The
radially extending actuating bars 16 are arranged in the interior
of the rotor housing 3. In some embodiments, the actuating bars 16
can also be arranged outside of the housing 3.
[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a fourth embodiment in which the radial
seals 4 are also supported by means of rollers 18 on the face sides
of the rotor 2. As a result, the radial seals 4 can be forcibly
guided in operation at a constant distance from the face sides of
the rotor 2 and can continuously follow the axial rotor
deformations. The rollers 18 are arranged in the region of the
actuating points or spring cylinders 7, 8 and 9. Corresponding
rolling surfaces are arranged on face sides of the rotor 2. These
rolling surfaces can be arranged on wearing plates 19, as
illustrated, by way of example, for the bottom, radial inner roller
18.
[0028] It is expressly understood that the features of the
embodiments explained above in connection with the drawings can be
combined with one another insofar as this does not lead to any
technical inconsistency.
* * * * *