Method For Operating A Regenerative Heat Exchanger And Regenerative Heat Exchanger Having Improved Efficiency

Abstract

A regenerative heat exchanger, including a rotor mounted so it is rotatable, which has at least one first gas volume flow to be heated and at least one second gas volume flow to be cooled flowing through it, as well as a method for operating the regenerative heat exchanger, is provided. The inflowing first gas volume flow enters the rotor at a first front side of the rotor and exits the rotor again at a second front side of the rotor at an outflowing first gas volume flow. To increase the heating performance, a leakage volume flow is captured at the first front side of the rotor and supplied to the inflowing first gas volume flow and/or a leakage volume flow is captured at the second front side of the rotor and supplied to the outflowing first gas volume flow.

1 . A method for operating a regenerative heat exchanger, including a rotor having a first front side with a rotor seal and a second front side with a rotor seal, through which a first gas volume flow is heated and a second gas volume flow is cooled, the first gas volume flow flowing into the rotor at the first front side and flowing out of the rotor at the second front side, the method comprising:
 capturing a leakage volume flow at the first front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal;   supplying the leakage volume flow, captured at the first front side of the rotor, to the inflowing first gas volume flow;   capturing a leakage volume flow at the second front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal; and   supplying the leakage volume flow, captured at the second front side of the rotor, to the outflowing first gas volume flow.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the leakage volume flow captured at the first front side of the rotor is introduced into the inflowing first gas volume flow upstream from the rotor, and the leakage volume flow captured at the second front side of the rotor is introduced into the outflowing first gas volume flow downstream from the rotor. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the leakage volume flows are introduced into the first gas volume flow proximate to the rotor. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the leakage volume flows, captured at the first front side of the rotor and at the second front side of the rotor, are separately supplied to the inflowing first gas volume flow and the outflowing first gas volume flow, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the regenerative heat exchanger includes respective fan units to capture the leakage volume flows from the rotor and supply the leakage volume flows to the first gas volume flow. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor seals are radial seals, said capturing a leakage volume flow at the first front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal is performed by suctioning, and said capturing a leakage volume flow at the second front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal is performed by suctioning. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotor seals are peripheral seals, said capturing a leakage volume flow at the first front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal is performed by suctioning, and said capturing a leakage volume flow at the second front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal is performed by suctioning. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first gas volume flow and the second gas volume flow pass through the rotor in opposite directions. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein an additional gas volume flow flows through the rotor and is not supplied with leakage volume flows. 
     
     
         10 . A regenerative heat exchanger, comprising:
 a rotor, having a first front side with a rotor seal and a second front side with a rotor seal, through which a first gas volume flow is heated and a second gas volume flow is cooled, the first gas volume flow flowing into the rotor at the first front side and flowing out of the rotor at the second front side;   a first unit for capturing a leakage volume flow at the first front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal and supplying the leakage volume flow to the inflowing first gas volume flow; and   a second unit for capturing a leakage volume flow at the second front side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal for supplying the leakage volume flow to the outflowing first gas volume flow.   
     
     
         11 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the first unit is connected to the rotor and the inflowing first gas volume flow through a first line system, and the second unit is connected to the rotor and the outflowing first gas volume flow through a second line system. 
     
     
         12 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 11 , wherein the first and second units are fans. 
     
     
         13 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the rotor seals are radial seals or peripheral seals. 
     
     
         14 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the rotor seals are divided or provided with multiple openings. 
     
     
         15 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 10 , wherein the first and second units are suction units. 
     
     
         16 . A regenerative heat exchanger, comprising:
 a rotor, including a lower side with a rotor seal, an upper side with a rotor seal and a heat storing mass disposed therebetween, through which a gas volume flow is heated;   a fan unit for capturing a leakage volume flow at the lower side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal and supplying the leakage volume flow to the gas volume flow before the gas volume flow enters the rotor.   
     
     
         17 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , further comprising an additional fan unit for capturing a leakage volume flow at the upper side of the rotor in the area of the rotor seal and supplying the leakage volume flow to the gas volume flow after the gas volume flow exits the rotor. 
     
     
         18 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the rotor seal is a radial seal. 
     
     
         19 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein the rotor seal is a peripheral seal. 
     
     
         20 . The regenerative heat exchanger according to  claim 16 , wherein each rotor seal includes a plurality of openings.