U.S. patent number 3,602,296 [Application Number 04/862,175] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-31 for metallic flue recuperators.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Thermal Transfer Corporation. Invention is credited to Fred M. Heyn, Robert C. Schreck.
United States Patent |
3,602,296 |
Heyn , et al. |
August 31, 1971 |
METALLIC FLUE RECUPERATORS
Abstract
An interchangeable top and bottom support tube type recuperator
is provided having a bottom manifold with a plurality of vertical
tubes fixed thereto in communication therewith, a top manifold
having a plurality of openings slidably receiving the tubes, a
retainer ring fixed to a plurality of said tubes within the top
manifold and a flexible expansion compensator sheet sealingly
engaging the top ends of the tubes and the manifold within the
manifold.
Inventors: |
Heyn; Fred M. (Export, PA),
Schreck; Robert C. (Monroeville, PA) |
Assignee: |
Thermal Transfer Corporation
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25337854 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/862,175 |
Filed: |
September 30, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/81;
165/DIG.58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F28F
9/18 (20130101); F28F 9/26 (20130101); F28F
9/02 (20130101); Y10S 165/058 (20130101); F28F
2265/26 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F28F
9/04 (20060101); F28F 9/26 (20060101); F28F
9/18 (20060101); F28F 9/02 (20060101); F28f
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;165/81-84,158MF
;263/20 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Matteson; Frederick L.
Assistant Examiner: Streule; Theophil W.
Claims
We claim:
1. In a recuperator having a chamber traversed by combustion gases
and in which is disposed a plurality of tubes the improvement
comprising; a bottom manifold, said tubes fixed at one end to said
bottom manifold and communicating therewith, a top manifold having
openings slidably receiving the said plurality of vertical tubes, a
tube retainer ring fixed adjacent the top end of at least a part of
said vertical tubes within the top manifold limiting the movement
of the tubes in the openings in the top manifold, and a flexible
expansion compensator sheet sealingly fixed around the ends of the
vertical tubes within the top manifold sealing the manifold against
loss through the holes in the top manifold.
2. A recuperator as claimed in claim 1 wherein a tube retainer ring
is welded to each tube adjacent the top end within the top
manifold.
3. A recuperator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top manifold is
provided with horizontally extending support lugs.
4. A recuperator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom manifold
is provided with a support sheet forming the top surface thereof,
said support sheet having a plurality of rows of parallel spaced
openings within which the bottom end of the vertical tubes is
fixed.
5. A recuperator as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top manifold is
provided with a support sheet forming the bottom surface thereof,
said support sheet having a plurality of rows of parallel spaced
openings within which the top ends of the vertical tubes are freely
slidable.
6. A recuperator as claimed in claim 4 wherein the top manifold is
provided with a support sheet forming the bottom surface thereof,
said support sheet having a plurality of rows of parallel spaced
openings within which the top ends of the vertical tubes are freely
slidable.
Description
This invention relates to metallic flue recuperators and
particularly to tube type recuperators in a combination top and
bottom supported configuration.
It is well known that in any round tube flue type recuperator,
there exists the problem of thermal expansion of the tubes due to
the elevated temperatures at which the recuperators operate.
There are recognized in the prior art two basic ways to support the
round tube flue type recuperator. One is the bottom support type in
which the tube is fixed to and supported by a bottom tube support
sheet of the bottom manifold which supports all tubes in the
assembly. An enlarged tube hole in the upper tube sheet of the top
manifold allows the tube to elongate into the upper manifold. The
other is the tope support type in which the entire recuperator
including the bottom manifold is supported from the upper tube
support sheet of the top manifold. In this form the tubes may
freely elongate in the downward direction carrying the bottom
manifold.
It is obvious that these two forms can be used only in the way they
are originally designed to be used and are not interchangeable.
This is, of course, quite restrictive in the manner in which such
units can be used.
We have invented a novel recuperative structure which combines the
attributes of both bottom and top supported tube type recuperators
and may be used in place of either.
Preferably we provide a tube type recuperator comprising a bottom
manifold having a bottom support sheet forming a part thereof, a
plurality of vertical tubes fixed at their bottom to the bottom
support sheet and communicating therethrough to the bottom
manifold, a top manifold having a top support sheet having openings
slidably receiving the said plurality of vertical tubes, a tube
retainer ring fixed adjacent the top end of each said vertical
tubes within the top manifold and a flexible tube expansion
compensator sealingly fixed around the top ends of the vertical
tubes and to the top manifold providing communication from the
tubes to the top manifold while sealing the manifold against loss
through the holes in the top support sheet. Preferably horizontally
extending support lugs are provided on each side of the top
manifold whereby the assembly may be top supported where
desired.
In the foregoing general description, we have set out certain
objects, purposes and advantages of our invention. Other objects,
purposes and advantages of our invention will be apparent from a
consideration of the following description and the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a bottom supported recuperator
assembly according to our invention;
FIG. 2 is a section on the line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a section on the line III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the top of the
vertical tubes on the top manifold; and
FIG. 5 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 2 of the same
recuperator assembly in a top supported configuration.
Referring to the drawings we have illustrated a recuperator
assembly within a supporting housing 10. Each recuperator assembly
is made up of a bottom manifold 11 resting on the base 12 of the
housing and having a bottom support sheet 13 having parallel rows
of openings 14 into which the bottom ends 15 of vertical tubes 16
are welded. The top ends 17 of vertical tubes 16 extend through and
are slidable in parallel rows of openings 18 in top support sheet
19 forming a part of top manifold 20. A tube retainer ring 21 is
welded to at least a part of the individual tubes 16 within the top
manifold adjacent the top end of the tube. A flexible tube
compensator 22 is fixed to the inner periphery of the manifold and
to the top of each tube 16 to provide a seal. The top manifold 20
is supported on some of the tubes, which are welded to the tube
sheet 19.
The operation of the structure shown in FIGS. 1-4 is typical of
bottom support recuperators. The bottom manifold 11 is supported on
the base 12 and the top manifold 20 is supported by some
(preferably four) tubes 16 welded into top support sheet 19. When
the recuperator is in use the hot gases passing through the unit
cause tubes 16 to elongate differently due to different
temperatures. This they do in the vertical direction moving through
openings 18 in top support plate 19, the flexible sheet tube
compensator moving with them. The overall expansion is compensated
by expansion joints between the housing and the tube sheets as
shown in FIG. 2, for example.
In FIG. 5 we have illustrated the same structure as in FIGS. 1-4
but in a top supported configuration. In this arrangement the
bottom manifold 11 does not rest on the housing base 12a but is
spaced above it and is supported from top support plate 19 by the
rings 21 welded to tubes 16 which bear on plate 19 around holes 18.
The top manifold and the suspended tubes 16 and bottom manifold 11
are all supported on housing 10a.
In this configuration the tubes 16 expand downwardly in the
vertical direction when heated thus moving bottom manifold 11
downwardly. Thus the same operation is achieved as in a
conventional top supported recuperator where the tubes are welded
to the top support plate instead of being movable in holes
therein.
It will be seen from the foregoing description that the present
invention makes it possible with a single interchangeable structure
to accomplish what heretofore required two separate and distinct
noninterchangeable devices.
While we have illustrated and described certain preferred practices
and embodiments of our invention, it will be understood that this
invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *