Heat exchanger containing a component capable of discontinuous movement

Abstract

Regenerative heat exchangers are described for transferring heat between hot and cold fluids. The heat exchangers have seal-leakage rates significantly less than those of conventional regenerative heat exchangers because the matrix is discontinuously moved and is releasably sealed while in a stationary position. Both rotary and modular heat exchangers are described. Also described are methods for transferring heat between a hot and cold fluid using the discontinuous movement of matrices.

I claim:  
     
       1. A regenerative heat exchanger for transferring heat between a hot fluid stream and a cold fluid stream, said heat exchanger comprising, 
       a first matrix comprising a first plurality of modules,  
       a second matrix comprising a second plurality of modules,  
       means for providing a first discontinuous movement of said modules within each of said first and said second matrices,  
       means for directing said hot fluid stream to said first mentioned matrix and said cold fluid stream to said second matrix, each of said fluid streams being substantially perpendicular to the direction of said first discontinuous movement,  
       means for providing a second discontinuous movement of said modules from said first mentioned matrix to said second matrix,  
       and seal means positioned to seal said hot fluid stream from said cold fluid stream when said modules are stationary and being releasable to permit movement of said modules.  
     
     
       2. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  1  wherein the matrix is fabricated of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, stainless steels, ceramics, heat-resistant cast alloys, refractory materials, thoria-dispersed alloys, graphite, and carbon-fiber-reinforced carbon-base materials. 
     
     
       3. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  2  wherein the matrix is fabricated of a material having a honeycomb configuration. 
     
     
       4. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  3  wherein the matrix is a ceramic honeycomb. 
     
     
       5. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  4  wherein the ceramic is a glass ceramic. 
     
     
       6. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  4  wherein the ceramic is silicon carbide or silicon nitride. 
     
     
       7. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  4  wherein the ceramic is silicon oxide. 
     
     
       8. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  1  wherein the hot and cold fluids each comprise a gas. 
     
     
       9. In a method of exchanging heat between a hot fluid steam and a cold fluid stream in a regenerative heat exchanger having a matrix with first and second passageways for said hot and cold fluid streams respectively and said heat exchanger having sealing means to seal and hot and cold streams from each other, the improvement comprising, 
       sealing said hot and cold fluid streams from each other to prevent mixing of said fluids when said matrix is stationary with respect to the position of said fluid streams,  
       and releasing said seal and moving said matrix with respect to the position of said fluid streams, said movement being at least partially linear and further being in a direction perpendicular to the direction to said fluid streams.  
     
     
       10. The improvement of claim  9  wherein said regenerative heat exchanger has a first group of heat exchange modules and a second group of heat exchange modules forming said matrix and said method further including the step of moving said modules from said first group to said second group and vice versa. 
     
     
       11. The improvement of claim  10  and further comprising, 
       said matrix comprising a porous material,  
       and establishing said hot and cold fluid streams through respective first and second portions of said matrix,  
       and incrementally moving said matrix to reciprocate said first and second portions with respect to said hot and cold fluid streams.  
     
     
       12. A regenerative heat exchanger for transferring heat between a hot fluid stream and a cold fluid stream, said heat exchanger comprising: 
       
         a matrix, a portion of said matrix being maintained in either one of said hot or cold fluid streams while said portion undergoes a plurality of discontinuous movements; and  
       
       
         a seal for discontinuously sealing said hot fluid stream from said cold fluid stream in synchronization with said discontinuous movements of said portion of said matrix wherein said portion of said matrix is sealed when said portion is stationary. 
       
     
     
       13. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said matrix comprises a rotary matrix. 
     
     
       14. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  13  wherein said rotary matrix comprises a disk and said portion comprises a segment of said disk. 
     
     
       15. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said matrix comprises a plurality of modules and said portion of said matrix comprises at least one of said modules. 
     
     
       16. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  15  wherein: 
       
         said modules travel linearly within said matrix. 
       
     
     
       17. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  15  wherein said matrix includes a face and wherein: 
       
         said modules travel linearly and perpendicularly across said face. 
       
     
     
       18. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said hot fluid stream flows in a conduit. 
     
     
       19. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said cold fluid stream flows in a conduit. 
     
     
       20. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said movements are unidirectional. 
     
     
       21. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  13  wherein said seal comprises an annular sector having substantially arcuate walls connected by a pair of radial walls, said seal being arranged orthogonal to the matrix. 
     
     
       22. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  21  wherein said seal functions in conjunction with an actuator system. 
     
     
       23. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  22  wherein said actuator system includes a series of actuating members in operable communication with the seal. 
     
     
       24. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said seal is retracted from said matrix during movement. 
     
     
       25. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said discontinuous movement is carried out in similar increments. 
     
     
       26. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  13  wherein said discontinuous movements are in increments in the range of about  20 ° to about  120 ° of rotation. 
     
     
       27. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said matrix is constructed of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, stainless steels, ceramics, heat- resistant cast alloys, refractory materials, thoria - dispersed alloys, graphite, and carbon - fiber - reinforced carbon - based materials.   
     
     
       28. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  13  wherein said matrix has a configuration selected from the group consisting of honeycomb, corrugated, egg crate or grid. 
     
     
       29. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said matrix is rectangularly shaped. 
     
     
       30. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  29  wherein said exchanger comprises two rectangularly shaped matrices. 
     
     
       31. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  30  wherein said matrices are each composed of a plurality of modules. 
     
     
       32. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  31  wherein said modules are arranged in rows with said rows being moved in incremental discontinuous movements. 
     
     
       33. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  17  wherein said modules are arranged in rows and each of said rows comprises at least one module. 
     
     
       34. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  16  wherein said modules define transverse through passages for flow through of fluids, said modules including heat absorptive and releasing properties. 
     
     
       35. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  12  wherein said seal provides a leak rate in the range of about  2 %  to about  10   %. 
     
     
       36. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  35  wherein said leak rate is in the range of about  0 . 5 %  to about  10   %. 
     
     
       37. A regenerative heat exchanger for exchanging thermal energy between a conduit containing a hot fluid and a conduit containing a cold fluid, said exchanger comprising: 
         a )  a matrix divided into a plurality of discrete portions; and    
         b )  at least one seal for releasably sealing to said matrix for preventing leaking of said fluid wherein each of said discrete portions of said matrix are maintained in said hot or cold fluid for a predetermined plurality of discontinuous movements, said seal discontinuously sealing said hot fluid from said cold fluid in synchronization with said discontinuous movements.   
     
     
       38. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  37  wherein each of said discrete portions of said matrix after being maintained in one of said hot or cold fluids for a predetermined plurality of discontinuous movements is expelled from said hot or cold fluid and maintained in the other of said hot or cold fluids for a predetermined plurality of discontinuous movements. 
     
     
       39. A regenerative heat exchanger having a matrix sequentially positionable within at least one higher temperature environment and at least one lower temperature environment wherein said sequential positioning is discontinuous and maintains each of a plurality of discrete portions of said matrix in one of said higher temperature environment and lower temperature environment for a predetermined number of discontinuous movements and a seal which discontinuously seals said higher temperature environment from said lower temperature environment in synchronization with said discontinuous movements. 
     
     
       40. A regenerative heat exchanger comprising: 
       
         a matrix having a plurality of discrete portions, said matrix being disposed simultaneously in at least one lower temperature environment and at least one higher temperature environment in distinct respective areas of said matrix, each of said respective areas encompassing a plurality of discrete portions moveable in a stepwise manner such that any particular discrete portion remains in one of said lower temperature environment and said higher temperature environment for in excess of one stepwise movement and a seal which discontinuously seals said higher temperature environment from said lower temperature environment in synchronization with said stepwise movements. 
       
     
     
       41. In a method of exchanging heat between at least one hot fluid steam and at least one cold fluid stream in a regenerative heat exchanger having a matrix with first and second passageways for said hot and cold fluid streams respectively and said heat exchanger having sealing means to seal said hot and cold streams from each other, the improvement comprising: 
       
         maintaining a portion of said matrix in either of said hot or cold fluid stream while said portion undergoes a plurality of discontinuous movements;  
       
       
         discontinuously sealing said hot fluid stream from said cold fluid stream in synchronization with said discontinuous movements of said portion of said matrix wherein said portion of said matrix is sealed when said portion is stationary;  
       
       
         sealing said hot and cold fluid streams from each other to prevent mixing of said fluids in synchronization with said discontinuous movements of said portion of said matrix wherein a seal is achieved when said matrix is stationary with respect to the fluid streams and wherein said seal is released when said matrix is moving. 
       
     
     
       42. The method of claim  41  wherein said regenerative heat exchanger has a first group of heat exchange modules and a second group of heat exchange modules forming said matrix and said method further including the step of moving said modules from said first group to said second group and vice versa. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim  41  wherein said matrix comprises a porous matrix and further comprising the steps of: 
       
         establishing said hot and cold fluid streams through respective first and second areas of said matrix; and  
       
       
         incrementally moving said matrix between said first and second areas. 
       
     
     
       44. A method for transferring heat between a hot fluid and a cold fluid, said method comprising: 
       
         establishing at least one hot fluid stream and at least one cold fluid stream;  
       
       
         positioning a matrix for exchanging heat with said hot and cold fluid streams;  
       
       
         discontinuously moving said matrix in preselected increments such that discrete matrix portions contact said hot fluid and cold fluid streams for a preselected plurality of increments and carry heat between said hot fluid stream and said cold fluid stream;  
       
       
         contacting said matrix with a seal for at least one of said hot or cold fluid streams when said matrix is stationary with respect to said one stream; and  
       
       
         releasing the seal from the matrix when the matrix is moved. 
       
     
     
       45. A method as claimed in claim  44  wherein the discontinuous movement and contacting steps are repeated a plurality of times. 
     
     
       46. A method as claimed in claim  44  wherein the discontinuous movement is a discontinuous rotation. 
     
     
       47. A method as claimed in claim  44  wherein the discontinuous movement is a linear movement. 
     
     
       48. A method as claimed in claim  46  wherein the preselected increments are about  20 ° to about  120 ° increments. 
     
     
       49. A method as claimed in claim  44  wherein one of said hot or cold fluid streams defines a high pressure fluid and one of said hot or cold fluid streams defines a low pressure fluid and wherein a first surface area of said matrix contacting the high pressure fluid is less than a second surface area of said matrix contacting the low pressure fluid. 
     
     
       50. A method as claimed in claim  44  wherein the matrix is fabricated of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, stainless steels, ceramics, heat- resistant cast alloys, refractory materials, thoria - dispersed alloys, graphite, and carbon - fiber - reinforced carbon - based materials.   
     
     
       51. A method as claimed in claim  50  wherein the matrix being discontinuously moved has a configuration selected from the group consisting of honeycomb, corrugated, egg crate or grid. 
     
     
       52. A method as claimed in claim  50  wherein the ceramic is a glass ceramic. 
     
     
       53. A method as claimed in claim  50  wherein the ceramic is carbide or nitride. 
     
     
       54. A method as claimed in claim  50  wherein the ceramic is oxide. 
     
     
       55. A regenerative heat exchanger as claimed in claim  44  wherein the hot and cold fluids each comprise a gas. 
     
     
       56. A regenerative heat exchanger for transferring heat between a hot fluid stream and a cold fluid stream, said heat exchanger comprising: 
       
         a first matrix comprising a first plurality of modules;  
       
       
         a second matrix comprising a second plurality of modules;  
       
       
         means for providing a first discontinuous movement of said modules within each of said first and said second matrices;  
       
       
         means for directing said hot fluid stream to said first matrix and said cold fluid stream to said second matrix;  
       
       
         means for providing a second discontinuous movement of said modules from said first matrix to said second matrix;  
       
       
         seal means positioned to seal said hot fluid stream from said cold fluid stream when said modules are stationary and being releasable to permit movement of modules;  
       
       
         a portion of said first matrix being maintained in said hot fluid stream while said portion undergoes a plurality of said first discontinuous movements; and  
       
       
         a portion of said second matrix being maintained in said cold fluid stream while said portion undergoes a plurality of said second discontinuous movements. 
       
     
     
       57. In a method of exchanging heat between a hot fluid stream and a cold fluid stream in a regenerative heat exchanger having a matrix with first and second passageways for said hot and cold fluid streams respectively and said heat exchanger having sealing means to seal said hot and cold streams from each other, the improvement comprising the steps of: 
       
         sealing said hot and cold fluid streams from each other to prevent mixing of said fluids when said matrix is stationary with respect to the position of said fluid streams;  
       
       
         releasing said seal and moving said matrix with respect to the position of said fluid stream; and  
       
       
         maintaining a portion of said matrix in either said hot or cold fluid stream while said portion undergoes a plurality of discontinuous movements. 
       
     
     
       58. The improvement of claim  57  wherein said regenerative heat exchanger has a first group of heat exchange modules and a second group of heat exchanger modules forming said matrix and said method further including the step of moving said modules from said first group to said second group and vice versa.