U.S. patent number 3,860,789 [Application Number 05/466,871] was granted by the patent office on 1975-01-14 for heating element assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Gould Inc.. Invention is credited to Douglas Herman Maake.
United States Patent |
3,860,789 |
Maake |
January 14, 1975 |
HEATING ELEMENT ASSEMBLY
Abstract
There is provided an electrical resistance heating assembly for
heating a fluid moving along a pathway in which the resistance
element or elements are disposed along a serpentine or oscillatory
wave path, which wave path is characterized by decreasing frequency
in the direction of flow. Insulators are arranged in staggered,
parallel rows at the points of reversal of direction of the
resistance element or elements.
Inventors: |
Maake; Douglas Herman
(Cookeville, TN) |
Assignee: |
Gould Inc. (Chicago,
IL)
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Family
ID: |
26994125 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/466,871 |
Filed: |
May 6, 1974 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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344848 |
Mar 26, 1973 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
219/532; 219/400;
219/537; 219/551; 338/283; 338/317 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B
3/32 (20130101); F24H 1/103 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F24H
1/10 (20060101); H05B 3/22 (20060101); H05B
3/32 (20060101); H05b 003/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;219/374,375,532,536,542,550,551 ;174/138J
;338/218,280,283,291,315,317 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mayewsky; Volodymyr Y.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sachs; Edward E.
Parent Case Text
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. application
Ser. No. 344,848, filed Mar. 26, 1973, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A resistance heating assembly for heating a fluid moving along a
predetermined pathway and including:
a. a plurality of insulators arranged in staggered parallel
relationship at the points of reversal of direction along an
oscillatory wave path;
b. an elongated electrical resistance material supported by said
insulators at intervals along the length of said material, said
material being formed as a grid along an oscillatory wave path of
decreasing frequency;
c. means for supporting said insulators along said oscillatory wave
path; and
d. electrical terminal means communicating with the extremities of
said electrical resistance material.
2. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein
the insulators are nonrotatably mounted in said support means.
3. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein
the support means includes a box-like framework.
4. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 3 wherein
the box-like framework includes longitudinal members extending
between the corners of parallel rectangular frame members and
defining first and second pairs of longitudinal members, the
members of the first pair lying in one plane and the members of the
second pair lying in a second plane.
5. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 4 wherein
the longitudinal members are apertured, and the insulators are
provided with laterally extending projections for interlocking
coaction with said perforations in the longitudinal members.
6. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein
the laterally extending projections are acircular.
7. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein
the insulators are generally rectangular prismatic blocks of
refractory material.
8. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein
the insulators are generally rectangular prismatic blocks of
refractory material having:
(1). a laterally extending acircular projection from each of the
short sides, respectively; and
(2). a pair of symmetrically disposed shouldered recesses of like
geometric configuration extending inwardly from the same
longitudinal side of the blocks.
9. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1 wherein
the insulators are generally rectangular prismatic blocks of
refractory material disposed with their major faces lying at an
angle to the direction of movement of the fluid, and the major area
of contact of the electrical resistance material with each of said
insulators faces in an upstream direction.
10. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1
wherein the insulators have an acircular cross section, and the
major area of contact with the elongated electrical resistance
material faces in an upstream direction.
11. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1
wherein the insulators are generally rectangular prismatic blocks
of refractory material having:
1. a laterally extending acircular projection from each of the
short sides, respectively; and
2. a pair of symmetrically disposed shouldered recesses of like
geometric configuration extending inwardly from the same
longitudinal side of the block;
said insulators having their major sides disposed at an angle to
the direction of movement of the gas, and the major area of contact
between the insulators and the elongated electrical resistance
material faces upstream, and the minor area of contact between the
electrical resistance material and the insulators faces
downstream.
12. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 1
wherein the electrical resistance material is a thin strip of
apertured foil-like electrical resistance material retained and
supported on said insulators at intervals along the length of the
strip, and said strip is formed as a grid along a folded serpentine
path having an advancing portion and a returning portion laterally
displaced with respect to each other and connected by a reversing
portion.
13. A resistance heating element in accordance with claim 12
wherein said insulators have recesses which are dimensioned for
contacting the marginal portions only of the advancing portion and
the returning portion, respectively, of said strip as it changes
direction in passing around said insulators along said serpentine
path.
14. An insulator comprising a generally rectangular prismatic block
of refractory material having:
a. a laterally extending acircular projection from each of the
short sides, respectively; and
b. a pair of symmetrically disposed recesses of like geometric
configuration extending inwardly from the same longitudinal side of
the block, each of said recesses having a pair of shoulders
therein.
15. A resistance heating assembly for heating a fluid moving along
a predetermined pathway and comprising:
a. a box-like framework including longitudinal members extending
between the corners of parallel rectangular frame members and
defining first and second pairs of longitudinal members, the
members of the first pair lying in one plane and the members of the
second pair lying in the second plane;
b. a first plurality of insulators extending between and
nonrotatably supported by the longitudinal members of said first
pair;
c. a second plurality of insulators extending between and
nonrotatably supported by the longitudinal members of said second
pair and in alternating staggered relation to the insulators of
said first plurality;
d. a thin strip of apertured, foil-like electrical resistance
material retained and alternatingly supported by insulators of said
first and second pluralities of insulators at intervals along the
length of said strip, said strip being formed as a grid along a
folded serpentine path having an advancing portion and a returning
portion connected by a reversing portion.
e. electrical terminal means communicating with each extremity of
said strip;
said insulators having first and second shouldered recesses
dimensioned for contacting the marginal portions only of the
advancing portion and the returning portion, respectively, of said
strip as it changes direction between the insulators of said first
and second pluralities.
16. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 15
wherein the longitudinal members are provided with acircular
apertures to receive correspondingly geometrically configured ends
of the insulators.
17. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 15
wherein the longitudinal spacing between alternating insulators in
the first and second pluralities of insulators increases in the
direction of fluid movement.
18. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 15
wherein the insulators are formed of refractory material.
19. A resistance heating assembly in accordance with claim 15
wherein the insulators are formed of ceramic material.
20. A resistance heating assembly comprising:
a. a plurality of insulators arranged in staggered parallel
relationship at the points of reversal of direction along a
serpentine path, said insulators having axially spaced first and
second shouldered recesses;
b. a thin strip of apertured, foil-like electrical resistance
material supported by said insulators at intervals along the length
of said strip, said strip being formed as a grid along a folded
serpentine path having
1. an advancing portion supported by the shoulders in the first
recesses of said insulators,
2. a returning portion supported by the shoulders in the second
recesses of said insulators, and
3. a reversing portion of said strip;
c. means for supporting said insulators along said serpentine path;
and
d. electrical terminal means communicating with each extremity of
said strip.
21. A resistance heating assembly for heating a fluid moving along
a predetermined pathway and including:
a. a plurality of insulators arranged in staggered parallel
relationship at the points of reversal of direction along an
oscillatory wave path;
b. an elongated electrical resistance material supported by said
insulators at intervals along the length of said material, said
material being formed as a grid along an oscillatory wave path,
said insulators and said resistance material defining areas of
mutual contact, with major portions of mutual contact facing in the
direction of the wave path;
c. means for supporting said insulators along said oscillatory wave
path; and
d. electrical terminal means communicating with the extremities of
said electrical resistance material.
Description
The present invention relates generally to an electrical resistance
heating element or assembly, and more particularly to the
configuration of the heating element itself and the variation which
occurs therein along the path of the fluid medium being heated
thereby.
The use of electrical resistance heating elements for heating a
fluid medium, such as air in electric clothes dryers, is well
known. The U.S. Pat. to Fedor No. 3,651,304 shows a type of such
heating element. To this end, a type of resistance element such as
that disclosed in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,304 is
particularly well adapted. This element is a thin strip of
apertured, foil-like material. It has been found that best results
in terms of efficiency of power utilization and durability are
achieved with an elongated electric resistance heating element when
the temperature differential between the extremities of the element
is maintained at a minimum, whether the device is operated at red
heat or above or below red heat in the so-called "black heat"
range. For heating a gaseous medium electrically, operation in the
black heat range is preferred because less energy is lost by
radiation, which energy is very inefficient for heating a gas. Heat
transfer by convection is preferred.
It has been found that where the pathway traversed by the fluid
medium while in contact with an electrical resistance type heating
element is more than a few inches, e.g., 4 to 6 inches, the rate of
heat transfer from the heating element to the fluid decreases
moderately from the fluid inlet end toward the fluid outlet end.
Where the heating element is operated at a wattage which is
normally sufficient to maintain the heating element at a
preselected temperature (for example, red heat in a quiescent gas
state), movement of a gas across the heating element under such
circumstances, while creating a black heat condition adjacent to
the inlet, has insufficient delta T adjacent the outlet to prevent
this portion of the heating element from persisting at red heat.
This is evidence of an unduly high temperature differential in the
heating element with attendant thermal stress. In heating a moving
gas, operation of any portion of such heating elements at red heat
is undesirable because it is inefficient in heating a gas and it
adversely affects the durability of the heating element, requiring
replacement more frequently than is otherwise necessary.
The present invention solves the foregoing problem of undue
temperature differential in the heating element regardless of the
power input level by providing a serpentine or oscillatory wave
form path for the electrical resistance heating element which
decreases in frequency of undulation as it approaches the exit end
where the fluid leaves the heating chamber at an elevated
temperature. In this way, power inputs normally productive of red
heat in a quiescent gas system can be used in a moving gas system
without experiencing red heat in any portion of the electrical
heating element. Moreover, in fluid heating systems where it is
desired to operate with the heating element at red heat or higher
in a moving fluid stream, the present invention solves the problem
of undue temperature differential from one portion of the heating
element to the next.
It has also been found that where insulating elements are disposed
at the points of reversal of direction of a heating element
following an oscillatory wave form path, whether of uniform
frequency or increasing frequency, there is a problem of local
overheating and relatively large temperature differential within
the heating element itself as it changes direction around the
insulator. This condition obtains whether the heating element is
operated intentionally in the red heat range or in the black heat
range. Moreover, the portion of the insulator facing upstream is
maintained relatively cooler by the flow of fluid or gas. However,
on the downstream side of the insulator, the contact area between
the insulator and the heating element is normally shielded and
local overheating of the resistance heating element can occur. This
again induces local overheating, which promotes chemical erosion of
the element at these points and unnecessary loss of power by
radiation.
In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a solution
is provided for these problems wherein generally rectangular,
prismatic blocks of refractory material are utilized and angularly
related to the direction of flow of the gases so that in the area
of contact between the heating element and the insulating facing
upstream, there is a "wiping effect" of the gas over the surface
which tends to prevent local overheating of the resistance heating
element in this region. On the downstream side, contact between the
electrical heating element and the insulator is kept to a minimum,
and because of the disposition of the block-shaped insulators, eddy
currents are presumably generated which loop about behind the
insulator and tend to cool the downstream side of the resistance
heating element.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention also provide a
box-like structure for supporting the insulators and the heating
element thereon, enabling ready installation of the device and, if
necessary, easy replacement of the heater assembly.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, therefore, the present invention is in the
provision of a resistance heating assembly for heating a fluid
moving along a pathway and including a plurality of insulators
arranged in staggered, parallel rows at the points of reversal of
direction along an oscillatory wave path. A flexible elongated
electrical resistance material of any convenient form (e.g. thin,
narrow metal strips, wire, or apertured strips of metal) is
provided and supported by the insulators at intervals along the
length of said material, the material being formed as a fluid
intercepting grid of maze along an oscillatory wave path of
decreasing frequency which crosses and recrosses several times the
direction or pathway of fluid flow. Means are provided for
supporting the insulators along the wave path and electrical
terminal means communicating with the extremities of the electrical
resistance material are also provided.
The present invention also contemplates, but is not limited to, an
insulator comprising a generally rectangular, prismatic block of
refractory material, e.g., a refractory metal oxide composition,
having a laterally extending acircular projection from each of the
short sides, respectively, and a pair of symmetrically disposed,
shouldered, recesses of like geometric configuration extending
inwardly from the same longitudinal side of the block. These
insulators are preferably disposed in angular relationship to the
path of fluid movement so as to provide for maximum contact on the
upstream side of the insulator, minimum contact on the downstream
side, and cooling on the downstream side such as by the effect of
eddy currents generated by the air stream passing over the edge of
the rectangularly prismatic block form insulator.
The heating assemblies of this invention are adapted for
disposition in a receptacle defining a fluid conduit in which a
fluid, e.g., air, flows, for example, as in a clothes dryer.
The present invention also contemplates a unitary structure
composed of a box-like frame for holding insulators arranged in
staggered parallel rows at the points of reversal of direction
along the oscillatory wave path. A preferred embodiment of the
elongated flexible electrical resistance material is that which is
disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,651,304. The
disclosure of the aforementioned patent is, therefore, incorporated
herein in its entirety by reference thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be better understood by having reference
to the annexed drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an illustration in perspective showing a preferred
embodiment of the present invention and illustrating a use of a
"folded" apertured thin electrical resistance element supported in
a framework along an oscillatory wave path of decreasing frequency
in the direction of gas flow.
FIG. 2 is a top elevation of a resistance heating assembly in
accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the resistance heating assembly shown
in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a ceramic insulator useful in accordance
with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the gas flow on the
upstream and downstream sides of a pair of insulators.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 1-3, inclusive,
illustrative of a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
there is provided a box-like frame, generally indicated at 10,
formed of longitudinal angle beams 12, 14, 16, and 18, which are
parallel to each other and extend between corresponding corners of
rectangular end frames 20 and 22 to which the ends of angle beams
12, 14, 16, and 18 are secured by any suitable means, for example,
as by spot welding. End frames 20 and 22 may be made adjustable in
one direction if desired to facilitate assembly and take up
manufacturing tolerances. For example, two relatively movable
U-shaped portions may be used to provide such an adjustable
rectangular end. After a proper dimension is established between
the beams 12 and 14 and between the beams 16 and 18, the ends of
the cooperating U-shaped portions may then be secured by spot
welding. Longitudinal beams 12 and 14 lie in a first common plane
and are each provided with acircular apertures 24 in opposite and
aligned relationship to receive and nonrotatably retain
correspondingly configured projections hereinafter more
particularly described extending from insulators 26. In like
manner, longitudinal beams 16 and 18 also lie in a second common
plane parallel to the first plane and are provided with oppositely
disposed apertures 28 which, when the beams 16 and 18 are properly
assembled as shown in FIG. 1, lie in staggered relation with the
apertures 24 and beams 12 and 14. Thus, insulators 26 seated
between beams 12 and 14 are parallel to each other in a row and the
insulators 26 seated between beams 16 and 18 are also parallel to
each other in a second row and in staggered relation to those lying
between beams 12 and 14. The longitudinal axes of all the
insulators 26 are parallel to each other although the major faces
thereof may be, and desirably are, angularly related to each other
in the opposing rows.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heating
element is preferably a thin strip of apertured foil-like electric
resistance material 30, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
3,651,304 disposed within the framework 10 along an oscillatory
wave path of decreasing frequency in the direction of fluid flow.
The element 30 traverses back and forth between insulators 26 on
opposite sides of the framework 10 forming a corrugated grid and
changing direction around successive staggered insulators 26 in a
serpentine or oscillatory path. As will be best seen in FIG. 2, the
distance between the nodes on each side of the framework 10
gradually increases from the gas inlet end 32 in the direction
toward the exit end 34. In a specific embodiment, the spacing
between successive insulators 26 disposed between longitudinal
beams 12 and 14, for example, increases by an increment of 0.62
inches.
The spacing between insulators 26 extending between longitudinal
beams 16 and 18 also increases by a like increment successively.
There results, therefore, when the heating element 30 is wound
along an oscillatory wave path such as shown in FIG. 2, a situation
where the location of the nodes evidences a decreasing frequency of
oscillation. In such an arrangement, when gas is moved in a
direction shown in FIG. 1, persistence of red heat in a portion of
the heating element 30 near the exit end 34 is not experienced.
Where the frequency of oscillation is constant from one end of the
device to the other, or where the frequency of oscillation
increases in the direction of gas flow and the temperature at which
the device is operated is at red heat under static conditions, when
air or other fluid to be heated is passed through the apparatus in
the direction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the portion of the heating
element contacted by the cooler gas will be cooled from red heat
into the black heat range. However, that portion adjacent the exit
end will remain at red heat because the temperature difference
between the now heated gas and the heating element is insufficient
to enable cooling of the element from its red heat condition.
As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and where it is desired to have the
electrical terminals 36 and 38 at the same end of the assembly, it
is convenient to provide a folded or reversing pathway for the
heating element 30. Thus, a strip having a width which is less than
half the depth of the assembly is used and woven in an outwardly
extending segment 40 and a return segment 42 joined together by a
direction reversing segment 44. This configuration of the heating
element is termed herein as a folded heating element which extends
outwardly and then returns along substantially the same but
laterally displaced oscillatory path. As will be explained
hereinafter more particularly, the preferred configuration of the
insulators 26 is such that it is especially adapted for a folded
path by having upper and lower recesses for receiving and retaining
the electric resistance heating strip 30. The ends 54 and 56 of the
outwardly extending reach 40 and the return reach 42, respectively,
are suitably secured to electrical terminals 36 and 38,
respectively, by any suitable means such as welding.
To improve the structural strength of the box-like frame 10, there
may be provided cross ties, such as cross tie 46, extending between
longitudinal beams 12 and 14 and cross tie 48 extending between
longitudinal beams 16 and 18. These are suitably secured to the
respective longitudinal beams by any suitable means, such as
weldments 50 and 52, for example.
To aid in mounting the assemblies of the present invention in a
system where a moving gas stream is to be heated, e.g., an electric
clothes dryer (not shown), there may be provided on the end frames
22 and 20 suitable mounting means. For example, the end frame 22
may be provided with a centrally located projection 58 which may be
pierced to receive a metal screw, for example. Also, the end frame
20 may be provided with laterally extending portions 60 and 62 for
seating of the device on suitably located projecting retaining rods
in the apparatus where the assembly of the present invention is to
be utilized.
FIG. 4 shows an elevation on an enlarged scale of an insulator 26
which is particularly useful in accordance with the present
invention. As will be seen from FIG. 4, the insulators are of
generally rectangular prismatic configuration. Adjacent one of the
longitudinal edges 64 and projecting from each of the short sides
thereof 66 and 68 are laterally extending acircular projections 70
and 72, respectively, which are adapted to fit easily into
correspondingly configured and angularly disposed slots 24 and 28
in the longitudinal members, for example longitudinal members 12
and 18. The laterally projecting lugs or projections 70 and 72
being acircularly shaped and fitting into rectangularly shaped,
angularly disposed openings in the longitudinal beams are therefore
nonrotatably retained therein, and the angular disposition of the
insulating members 26 is fixed thereby. The insulating members 26
are also provided with inwardly extending recesses 74 and 76
extending inwardly from the edge 64. The recess 74 is provided with
shoulders 78 and 80, and the recess 76 is provided with shoulders
82 and 84. The width of the recesses 74 and 76 is such as to
accommodate the width of the electrical resistance heating member
30 for seating engagement of the outwardly extending segment 40 on
the shoulders 78 and 80, and for seating engagement of the return
segment 42 on the shoulders 82 and 84. The fit between the
projection 70 and 72 on the insulators 26 and the correspondingly
configured openings 24 and 28 in the longitudinal members is loose,
but sufficient to prevent substantial rotation of the insulators
26. The angular disposition of the insulators 26 relative to the
gas stream is between 90.degree. and 180.degree. and a suitable
specific angular disposition for the insulator with respect to the
direction of movement of the gas being heated is 45.degree..
As shown in FIG. 5, when the insulators 26a and 26b are disposed at
an angle of approximately 45.degree. relative to the direction of
gas flow and the heating element 30 reaved across the shoulders of
the recesses 74, for example, on the upstream side of the
insulators where the contact area of the heating element with the
insulators is at a maximum, the gas being heated tends to flow
across the face of the heating element in a "wiping" action and
minimizes any tendency for local overheating of the heating element
in the region of contact with the insulator. On the reverse side or
downstream side of the insulator, the contact with the insulator is
maintained at a minimum, and the orientation of the insulators is
such that they act as air foils to create low pressure areas and to
thereby create eddy currents or turbulence indicated by the
reversing arrows in FIG. 5, which again tend to sweep the very
small area of contact with the insulators and minimize the chances
for local overheating thereof. Recesses 74 and 76 also permit air
to flow through and further aid in cooling to prevent local
overheating.
The extremes of the range of angles for disposition of the
insulators 26 are the last satisfactory. At 90.degree. disposition,
the downstream side experiences maximum shielding from cooling gas
and local overheating or development of red heat in the shielded
heating element is experienced. At 180.degree. to the direction of
gas flow, there is minimum turbulence which is useful in effecting
the downstream side of the heating element 30 as it changes
direction around the insulator 26 and, again, localized development
of red heat may occur. A disposition at 45.degree. to the direction
of gas flow minimizes the shielding effect, maximizes turbulence,
and minimizes sharp bends which can become points of thermal stress
and reduced durability. Thus, the middle portion of the range
90.degree. to 180.degree. is preferred where the desirable effects
are most pronounced.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the heating element
itself acts as an air foil to promote turbulent flow or "wiping"
action of the element in downstream locations wherein the element
is blocked by an insulator. A characteristic of expanded metal
foils, employed as heating elements according to U.S. Pat. No.
3,651,304, is the fact that the lattice structure forming
diamond-shaped openings includes interconnected webs which are
oriented at an angular to the plane of the foil, and that angle is
a function of the degree to which the metal is expanded. In FIG. 5,
webs 95 define openings through the heating element and are
oriented at 45.degree. to the plane of the element. It may be noted
that the portion of the element on the upstream face of the
insulator 26a has webs which are oriented at 90.degree. to the air
stream, thus tending to block air flow through the recess 74.
However, this orientation adds to the air foil effect of the
insulator 26a to promote element cooling eddy currents on the
downstream side of the insulator 26a. It may further be noted that
the portion of the element on the upstream face of the insulator
26b has webs which are oriented parallel to the air stream, thus
reducing the air foil effect of the insulator 26b but permitting
flow through the recess 74 to aid in cooling downstream portions of
the element. The net effect of this relationship is to minimize
heat differentials along the length of the heating element.
Furthermore, the various web orientations encountered by the air
stream tend to promote a degree of overall turbulence which may
tend to eliminate localized hot spots in the heating element.
When leads are connected to the binding posts 86 and 88 and current
permitted to flow in the circuit formed by the electrical
resistance heating element 30, heat is developed in the heating
element, preferably at a level which is at red heat. When gas is
moved over the surface of the heating element 30, the gas at the
inlet end 32 being relatively cooler traverses a higher density of
the heating elements in the region where the frequency of
oscillation along the wave path is considerably higher and reduces
the temperatures of the heating element 30 to within the black heat
range where most efficient utilization of applied power is
realized. Thus, the watt density or watt output of heat per unit of
length of the assembly is greater, and the temperature of the gas
more rapidly increased. As the temperature of the gas continues to
increase, the watt density of the electrical resistance heating
element 30 is decreased (or the frequency of oscillation decreased)
so that the rate of change of temperature of the gas more nearly
accommodates the rate at which heat may be transferred to a gas
with a continuously decreasing delta T relative to the heating
element 30. It is believed that by this mechanism, maintenance of
the entire heating element at a temperature just below red heat may
be realized without any portion of the exposed grid experiencing
elevation of the temperature locally to red heata through inability
to discharge sufficiently heat units by convection to the moving
gas.
Also, because of the disposition of the insulator element with the
major areas of contact between the heating element 30 and the
insulators 26 being angularly disposed to the direction of flow of
the gas on the upstream side, local overheating due to static
conditions on the upstream side is heat minimized by a "wiping
action" of the gas as it passes over the angularly related surface
against which the electric resistance heating element 30 rests. On
the downstream side, where contact between the heating element 30
and the insulator 26 is at a minimum, removal of heat units from
otherwise shielded portions of the heating element 30 is
accomplished by eddy currents or turbulence of the gas occurring
behind the trailing edge of the insulator 26, as well as the
recesses 74 and 76 provided therein.
The effect of the oscillatory wave path of decreasing frequency is
to minimize the opportunity for development of red heat in the
heating element near the exit end 34 while providing a maximum
surface for efficient exchange of heat between the heating element
30 and the moving gas stream in a relatively short gas conduit
while at the same time enabling operation of the heating element at
a temperature just below red heat for maximum efficiency of heat
transfer and durability of the heating element.
The amplitude of the wave form is generally less than the maximum
width of the frame structure. This prevents shorting out of the
electrical heating element against metallic fluid conduit defining
elements. It also allows fluid to pass externally of the heating
element grid as it changes direction around the insulators to
provide a cooling effect on the heating element at these points of
high thermal stress.
Principal advantages of the present invention in respect of
efficient heating and durability of the heating element are
achieved with the decreasing frequency of oscillation of the wave
pattern from the inlet end toward the exit end of the pathway
traversed by the moving fluid independently of the configuration of
the insulators. Thus, tubular insulators, rod type insulators, bar
type insulators or specially configured insulators may be used in
any resistance element heater assembly where there is a decreasing
frequency of oscillation in the direction of fluid flow as herein
described with realization of such principal advantages. Best
results are achieved when the insulators, positioned as herein
described, are configured in the preferred manner set forth. The
manner in which decrease in frequency is effected is also
unimportant as long as the watt density at any given points is not
so high as to result in the persistence of a region or regions of
red heat. Thus, the change in frequency may be irregular, although
for convenience, the change in frequency is preferably at a uniform
decreasing rate along the moving fluid pathway from the inlet
toward the outlet.
* * * * *