Recuperator cell assembly procedure

Abstract

Recuperators include a core which is commonly constructed of a plurality of relatively thin flat sheets having an angled or corrugated spacer fixedly attached therebetween. The sheets are joined into cells, sealed and form passages between the sheets. These cells are stacked or rolled and form alternate air (recipient) cells and hot exhaust (donor) cells. Compressed discharged air from a compressor of the engine passes through the air cell while hot exhaust gas flows through alternate cells. The exhaust gas heats the sheets and the spacers, and the compressor discharged air is heated by conduction from the sheets and spacers. The need for repeatability of construction of each cell assures that the final recuperator is economically and easily assembled. Examples, of such repeatability required includes length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others. The recuperator assembly method provides a cell and a recuperator having repeatability of length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others.

1 . An automated method of manufacturing a cell, said cell being adapted for use with a recuperator; said method of manufacturing comprising the steps of: 
 actuating a master control system;    actuating a work station control system;    actuating a first work station defining a first work position positioning a first donor bar in a first fixture designated as “A”, a second work position positioning a second donor bar in a second fixture designated as “B”, a third work position positioning a sheet into said first fixture “A” and said second fixture “B”, each of said sheets having a recipient side being up and attaching said first donor bar and said second donor bar to said sheets forming a pair of cell portions, and a fourth work position rotating a pair of cell portions and further attaching said sheets and said first donor bars;    actuating a second work station defining a first work position of said second work station transferring and rotating one of said pair of cell portions from said first fixture “A” of said fourth work position of said first work station to a first fixture “A′” of said first work position of said second work station and having said donor side of said sheet being up and transferring said other one of said pair of cell portions from said second fixture “B” of attaching linearly along a portion of a bottom edge of said sheet and an entire length of said second recipient bar, a third work position of said third work station transferring and rotating said cell portion as fixedly attached from said second work position of said third work station to said third work position of said third work station, forming said cell portion and fixedly attaching a pair of side edges of said sheet to said first recipient bar, a fourth work position of said third work station transferring and positioning said cell portion as fixedly attached to said fourth work position of said third work station fixedly attaching a top edge of said sheet and said first recipient bar and a fifth work position of said third work station staging said cell portion as fixedly attached; and    actuating a fourth work station defining a first work position of said fourth work station transferring said cell portion from said fifth work position of said third work station to a second work position of said fourth work station, said second work position of said fourth work station testing a leakage of said cell portion, said first work position of said fourth work station further transferring said cell portion as tested to a third work position of said fourth work station attaching a director sheet to said donor side of said sheet, said first work position of said fourth work station further transferring said cell as completed to a fourth work position of said fourth work station unloading said cell.    
     
     
         2 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said attaching includes a tack welding operation.  
     
     
         3 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said actuating of said third work station of said third work position forming said cell portion includes said cell portion being formed into an involute configuration.  
     
     
         4 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said actuating a fourth work station of said third work position attaching a director sheet to said donor side being gluingly attached.  
     
     
         5 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said sheet having a serpentined portion.  
     
     
         6 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 5  wherein said sheet further having a flattened portion.  
     
     
         5 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said first work position of said first work station positioning said first donor bar in said first fixture designated as “A” including a first roll of steel stock being straightened and cut to a preestablished length.  
     
     
         8 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said first work station positioning said second donor bar in said first fixture designated as “B” including a second roll of steel stock being straightened and cut to a preestablished length.  
     
     
         9 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said first work station positioning said sheet being positioned by a rotary part handler.  
     
     
         10 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 9  wherein said rotary part handler using a vacuum tool.  
     
     
         11 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said first work station attaching said first donor bar and said second donor bar to said sheet being a tack welding operation.  
     
     
         12 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said fourth work position of said first work station further welding said sheet and said first donor bar includes a sealed weld between said first donor bar and said sheet generally along a pair of flattened portions of said sheet.  
     
     
         13 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 1  wherein said first work position of said second work station transferring and rotating being transferred and rotated by a rotary part handler.  
     
     
         14 . The automated method of manufacturing the cell of  claim 9  wherein said rotary part handler using a vacuum tool.  
     
     
         15 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said second work station positioning said second recipient bar including a third roll of steel stock being straightened and cut to a preestablished length.  
     
     
         16 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said second work station attaching said second recipient bar being a tack welding operation.  
     
     
         17 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said second work station positioning said first recipient bar including said first recipient bar having a recipient side director sheet attached thereto.  
     
     
         18 . The automated method of  claim 17  wherein said third work position of said second work station positioning said first recipient bar including said first recipient bar having a second recipient side director sheet attached thereto.  
     
     
         19 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said second work station positioning said first recipient bar including said sheet having a flattened portion along a top edge and a pair of flattened portions and said first recipient bar being positioned in said flattened portion along said top edge and said pair of flattened portions.  
     
     
         20 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said second work station welding said first recipient bar being a tack welding operation.  
     
     
         21 . The automated method of  claim 20  wherein said third work position of said second work station attaching said first recipient bar and said tack welding operation being near an open end of said first recipient bar.  
     
     
         22 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said fourth work position of said second work station positioning said cell portion from said first fixture “A′” to said second fixture “B′” being positioned by a vacuum tool.  
     
     
         23 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said fourth work position of said second work station attaching said cell portion from said first fixture “A′” to said second fixture “B′” being a tack welding operation.  
     
     
         24 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said first work position of said third work station transferring said cell portion from said second fixture “B′” of said fourth work position of said second work station into said second work position of said third work station being transferred by a robot unit.  
     
     
         25 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said third work station includes a pair of second work positions.  
     
     
         26 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said third work station fixedly attaching linearly along said portion of said bottom edge of said sheet and said entire length of said second recipient bar being welded by a seam welder having a pair of torches.  
     
     
         27 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said third work station includes a pair of third work positions.  
     
     
         28 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said third work station forming said cell portion including said cell portion being placed in a forming fixture having said top edge of said sheet, the second donor bar and the base portion of said second recipient bar facing up.  
     
     
         29 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said third work station fixedly attaching said pair of side edges including a pair of welding torches each welding a respective one of said pair of side edges.  
     
     
         30 . The automated method of  claim 29  wherein said welding said pair of side edges including welding a top and bottom corners.  
     
     
         31 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said fourth work position of said third work station includes a pair of fourth work positions.  
     
     
         32 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said fourth work position of said third work station fixedly attaching said top edge of said sheet and said first recipient bar includes a slide system having a pair of welding torches.  
     
     
         33 . The automated method of  claim 32  wherein each of said pair of welding torches sealingly welds half of a linear weld along said top edge of said sheet and a base portion of said first recipient bar.  
     
     
         34 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said first work position transferring said cell portion from said fifth work position of said third work station to said second work position of said fourth work station includes a servo driven pick and place assembly.  
     
     
         35 . The automated method of  claim 34  wherein said servo driven pick and place assembly transferring said cell portion onto a walking beam conveyor assembly.  
     
     
         36 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said second work position of said fourth work station testing includes a sealing tool assembly.  
     
     
         37 . The automated method of  claim 36  wherein said sealing tool assembly includes actuating a vacuum of about  25  inches of mercury through said cell.  
     
     
         38 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said fourth work station includes forming a precut sheet defining a plurality of alternating root portion and crest portion making said director sheet.  
     
     
         39 . The automated method of  claim 38  wherein said forming said precut sheet includes using a forming tool.  
     
     
         40 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said fourth work station includes a pair of director sheets being positioned in a pair of flattened portions.  
     
     
         41 . The automated method of  claim 1  wherein said third work position of said fourth work station includes an adhesive system dispersing a thin line of adhesive to said donor side of said sheet.  
     
     
         42 . A cell being formed of a plurality of individual components and being produced by an automated process and being adapted for use with a recuperator, said cell comprising: 
 a pair of performed sheets defining a donor side and a recipient side;    a plurality of donor bars being attached to said donor side of said pair of performed sheets;    a plurality of recipient bars being attached to said recipient side of said pair of performed sheets;    a donor side director sheet being in contacting relationship with said donor side of at least one of said pair of performed sheets;    a recipient side director sheet being in contacting relationship with said recipient side of at least one of said pair of performed sheets; and    said pair of performed sheets, said plurality of donor bars and said plurality of recipient bars being fixedly attached one to another forming said cell.    
     
     
         43 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 42  wherein one of said donor side director sheets and said recipient side director sheets being trapped between said pair of performed sheets.  
     
     
         44 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 43  wherein said recipient side director sheets being trapped between said pair of performed sheets.  
     
     
         45 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 42  wherein one of said donor side director sheets and said recipient side director sheets being connected to one of said pair of performed sheets.  
     
     
         46 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 42  wherein said cell having a preestablished configuration defining a preestablished thickness (“T of A”).  
     
     
         47 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 40  wherein said thickness (“T of A”) being maintained to within plus or minus about “0.6 mm”.  
     
     
         48 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 46  wherein said pair of performed sheets having a substantial thickness, said plurality of donor bars having a substantial thickness, and said plurality of recipient bars having a substantial thickness being combined to define said preestablished thickness (“T of C”) of said cell.  
     
     
         49 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 48  wherein said plurality of individual components are fixedly attached by welding operation.  
     
     
         50 . The cell being produced by the automated process of  claim 49  wherein said welding operation fails to increase the preestablished thickness (“T of C”) of said cell.