Sector plate deformed in a parabolic shape

Abstract

A method for producing a sector plate for a rotary heat exchanger is disclosed. The method includes defining overall dimensions of the sector plate. A number of tapered ribs to be included on a top surface of the sector plate is determined based on a surface area of the sector plate and / or a seal to be provided by the sector plate. Additionally, a root height of the number of tapered ribs is determined based at least on a plate thickness of the sector plate and the number of tapered ribs. With the root height, the number of tapered ribs causes the sector plate to deform parabolically in response to actuation. The number of tapered ribs also returns the sector plate to a rest position, and the sector plate supports its weight in a cantilevered manner when in the actuated position and the rest position.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of rotary heat exchangers, and in particular, the present invention relates to deforming sector plates to reduce gas leakage in rotary heat exchangers. BACKGROUND

[0002] Rotary heat exchangers, also known as heat wheels, rotary air-to-gas enthalpy wheels, rotary regenerative heat exchangers, or heat recovery wheels, are commonly deployed to recover heat energy from exhaust gases of industrial processes. These heat exchangers can have two or more sectors (e.g., double sector, triple sector, quadruple sector, etc.) and a drum-shaped rotor with a matrix of honeycomb-like heat-absorbing material is rotated within a housing to transfer heat from hot gases passing through one or more hot sectors to cold gases passing through one or more cold sectors.

[0003] This heat transfer preheats the incoming gases for the industrial process, greatly improving the efficiency for the industrial process. However, the inherent leakage problem caused by the leakage of high-pressure air to low-pressure flue gas increases the fan power, slightly reducing the efficiency gain provided by the heat exchanger. Moreover, reducing leakage can also minimize emissions by reducing the mass flow of gas being treated, improving the efficiency of downstream abatement equipment.

[0004] In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide methods, apparatuses, and systems that improve radial seal leakage (e.g., minimize radial seal leakage). As an example of a solution that attempts to reduce radial seal leakage, European Patent No. 3171117 B1 provides a sector plate for a regenerative heat exchanger. Each sector plate includes three tapered ribs (two ribs on an outer edge of the sector plate and one rib in the middle between the two ribs on the outer edge) that create a constant moment of inertia along a radial dimension of the sector plate.

[0005] This constant moment of inertia causes the sector plate to respond to deformation spherically in response to actuation downward at the outer end of the sector plate. Unfortunately, this does not match the typical rotor turndown curve, which is generally parabolic. Thus, European Patent No. 3171117 B1 uses two actuators or adjustment devices, one pushing down at the outer end of the sector plate and the other pushing up on a middle portion of the sector plate, to further deform its sector plate to attempt to match the radial turndown of the rotor. These actuators support the sector plate (e.g., hold the sector plate in a rest position) and can push or pull the sector plate to actuate the sector plate.

[0006] Unfortunately, the increase in the number of actuators in the system causes more potential for error, while also increasing the operational complexity of the system, which can increase maintenance, installation, and operational costs (e.g., due to the control system having to control and coordinate the actions of multiple actuators). Moreover, as the number of actuators increases, the more complex operational system must be carefully tuned for different heat exchangers (e.g., due to different heat exchangers having different operational characteristics, which results in different trim curves and / or requiring different sized sector plates). Thus, there is a need to provide methods, apparatuses, systems, and / or techniques that improve radial seal leakage (e.g., minimize radial seal leakage) while also minimizing operational complexity and potential for error. SUMMARY

[0007] The present invention relates to a sector plate for a rotary regenerative heat exchanger and a design technique for designing the sector plate. According to at least one embodiment of the present invention, a sector plate is presented herein. The sector plate includes a bottom surface and a top surface. The bottom surface is configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to be positioned across a radial dimension of a rotor of a rotary heat exchanger such that the bottom surface can form one or more seals with one or more radial plates of the rotor during operation of the rotor. The top surface includes a plurality of tapered ribs sized to cause the sector plate to deform parabolically to an actuated position in response to an actuation load acting in a downward direction. The parabolic deformation minimizes a running clearance between the bottom surface and the one or more radial plates. The plurality of tapered ribs also return the sector plate to a rest position in response to removal of the actuation load, and the sector plate supports its weight in a cantilevered manner when the sector plate is in the actuated position and when the sector plate is in the rest position during operation of the heat exchanger.

[0008] Thus, advantageously, the sector plate does not need to be supported at its distal end and can be easily and at minimal cost installed. Also, since the sector plate is not supported at its distal end, the sector plate can be inexpensively manufactured, at least because complex supports, cooling systems, and / or lubrication systems are not needed. Further, since the tapered ribs cause the parabolic deformation, the sector plate can be actuated downward (e.g., along a single arc or annular segment) at a single location, and a set of actuators does not need to simultaneously pull upward and push downward at different locations along the length of the sector plate.

[0009] According to other embodiments, a rotary heat exchanger is presented herein. The rotary heat exchanger includes a housing having a cylindrical portion, a rotor hub disposed with the cylindrical portion to define an annular space between the cylindrical housing and the rotor hub, a rotor disposed in the annular space and configured to rotate within the annular space, and a sector assembly dividing the annular space into two or more sectors and including at least two sector plates coupled to the rotor hub. Each of the at least two sector plates includes a bottom surface and a top surface. The bottom surface is configured to form one or more seals with one or more radial plates of the rotor during rotation of the rotor. The top surface includes a plurality of tapered ribs sized to cause the sector plate to deform parabolically to an actuated position in response to an actuation load. The parabolic deformation minimizes a running clearance between the bottom surface and the one or more radial plates. Additionally, the plurality of tapered ribs return the sector plate to a rest position in response to removal of the actuation load, and the sector plate supports its weight in a cantilevered manner when in the actuated position and the rest position during operation of the rotary heat exchanger.

[0010] According to other embodiments, a method for producing a sector plate for a rotary heat exchanger is presented herein. The method includes defining an overall dimension of the sector plate, the overall dimension of the sector plate defining surface areas of a top surface and a bottom surface of the sector plate, the bottom surface configured to be positioned across a radial dimension of a rotor of the rotary heat exchanger such that the bottom surface can form one or more seals with one or more radial plates of the rotor during operation of the rotor. Then, a number of tapered ribs to be included on the top surface is determined based on a desired seal and / or surface area to be provided between the one or more radial plates and the bottom surface. Additionally, a root height of the plurality of tapered ribs is determined based at least on a plate thickness of the sector plate and the number of tapered ribs such that, with the root height, the plurality of tapered ribs cause the sector plate to deform parabolically to an actuated position in response to an actuation load. The parabolic deformation minimizes a running clearance between the bottom surface and the one or more radial plates. Additionally, the plurality of tapered ribs return the sector plate to a rest position in response to removal of the actuation load, and the sector plate supports its weight in a cantilevered manner when in the actuated position and the rest position.

[0011] Among other advantages, the method allows for a design of a sector plate that is customized on a case-by-case basis. Thus, a sector plate designed according to the method presented herein can minimize a running clearance for rotary regenerative heat exchangers of different sizes or capacities and / or for rotary regenerative heat exchangers operating under different conditions. That is, a sector plate designed according to the method presented herein can be customized across a variety of temperature differentials.

[0012] In some embodiments of the above method, the number of the plurality of ribs is capped at three for a double seal or a quadruple seal, and capped at five for a triple seal or a sextuple seal. Additionally or alternatively, the determination of the root height can also be based on material. The material, surface area, and plate thickness can be used to calculate the weight of the sector plate. Notably, the weight of the sector plate can not be supported at the distal end of the sector plate during operation of the rotary heat exchanger. Still further, in some cases, the root height and / or number of the plurality of tapered ribs can control the stiffness of the sector plate, thereby controlling the parabolic deformation to minimize the running clearance. Advantageously, this allows the sector plate to deform parabolically according to various rotor profile curves across different sizes and specifications of the regenerative heat exchanger without requiring redesign of the actuation system across the heat exchanger.

[0013] In some of these embodiments, defining the overall size of the sector plate includes determining the overall size based on: (a) a sealing arrangement to be disposed in the rotary heat exchanger; (b) a number of segments included in the rotary heat exchanger; (c) a size of the rotary heat exchanger; or (d) any combination of the above factors (a), (b), and (c) (e.g., (a) and (b), (a) and (c), (b) and (c), or (a), (b), and (c)). Thus, the sector plate can be compatible with heat exchangers requiring a single seal, a double seal, a triple seal, a quadruple seal, etc., as well as heat exchangers including two segments, three segments, four segments, etc., each having an inlet and an outlet.

[0014] Additionally or alternatively, the method can include defining a fixed segment and a cantilevered segment. The fixed segment extends from a first end of the sector plate that interfaces with a rotor hub of the rotary heat exchanger. The cantilevered segment extends from the fixed segment to a distal end of the sector plate, and the plurality of tapered ribs extends radially through at least a portion of the cantilevered segment. Further, the sector plate can include a first edge and a second edge, and the method can include arranging the plurality of tapered ribs to be equally spaced between the first edge and the second edge. For example, the sector plate can be a circular sector such that the first edge and the second edge are angled outwardly relative to a central longitudinal axis of the sector plate, and each of the plurality of ribs can extend radially through the sector. The equally spaced spacing can provide a relatively constant stiffness across a lateral axis or lateral arc spanning the sector plate.

[0015] In some embodiments, the actuation load acting on the sector plate acts only in a downward direction. In some cases, the method defines an actuation segment disposed at a distal end of the top surface, and the actuation segment is configured to receive the actuation load. For example, the actuation segment can include one or more actuation points that are equally spaced between transverse ribs that extend across or between the plurality of tapered ribs. In some cases, the one or more actuation points are a pair of actuation points that are equally spaced from the two lateral ribs and also equally spaced from the first and second edges of the sector plate. In some cases, the plurality of tapered ribs can terminate at one of the two transverse ribs disposed closer to the proximal end of the sector plate. Additionally or alternatively, the sector plate can be a circular sector, and the actuation segment can include an arcuate or annular segment of the sector.

[0016] Regardless of how the actuation segment is precisely defined, actuation of the sector plate is at one location along its length (e.g., along a single arcuate or arcuate segment), allowing the sector plate to be deformed with a single actuator (or actuator assembly) and a less complex control system. This also reduces the number of potential points of failure. That is, arranging the actuation points in a particular location can also distribute the actuation force evenly across the sector plate, and spacing the actuation points relative to the transverse ribs can ensure that downward actuation does not cause unwanted deformation of the sector plate.

[0017] According to yet other embodiments, a device and a computer program product (e.g., computer-readable storage medium) for producing a sector plate are presented herein. The device includes a processor that can perform the above-described method, and the computer program product includes one or more computer-readable memories that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform the above-described method. Thus, both the device and the computer program product can realize the benefits of the above-described systems and methods. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to accomplish this description and in order to provide a better understanding of the application, a set of drawings is provided. These drawings form an integral part of the description and illustrate embodiments of the application, which should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the application, but merely as examples of how the application can be implemented. These drawings include the following figures:

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a power generation facility having a rotary heat exchanger in accordance with an example embodiment of the application, which can utilize one or more of the sector plates presented herein.

[0020] Figure 2Ais a partial cutaway perspective view of a rotary heat exchanger according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the rotary heat exchanger being of the type that can use or include the sector plates presented herein.

[0021] Figure 2B is a side view of the exterior of the rotary heat exchanger of Figure 2A

[0022] Figure 3 is a cutaway view of a prior art rotary heat exchanger that does not include the sector plates presented herein, the prior art rotary heat exchanger showing rotor distortion that occurs during operation.

[0023] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a prior art rotary heat exchanger that does not include the sector plates presented herein, the prior art rotary heat exchanger showing a leak within the rotary heat exchanger.

[0024] Figure 5 is a side cutaway view of a prior art sector plate that attempts to minimize the operational gap between the sector plate and the rotor.

[0025] Figure 6 is a top cutaway view of a rotary heat exchanger that includes two sector plates formed according to exemplary embodiments presented herein.

[0026] Figure 7A is an exploded view of the rotary heat exchanger of Figure 6

[0027] Figure 7B is a high level schematic view of a portion of the rotary heat exchanger of Figure 6

[0028] and Figure 8 are perspective views of portions of the rotary heat exchanger of Figure 9 Figure 6

[0029] Figure 10 and Figure 11 are top and bottom perspective views of a sector plate of Figure 8 and Figure 9

[0030] Figure 12A are top plan views of tapered ribs on sector plates of Figure 10 and Figure 11

[0031] Figure 12B is a side view of the tapered rib of Figure 12A

[0032] Figure 13 are Figure 8 and Figure 9 ​​​​​​​side view cross-section of the sector plate in the actuated position.

[0033] Figure 14 is the sector plate with the conical ribs removed Figure 8 and Figure 9 is a top plan view of the sector plate.

[0034] Figure 15A and Figure 15B are views showing the placement of lateral ribs on the sector plate of Figure 8 and Figure 9 are views showing the placement of lateral ribs on the sector plate of

[0035] Figure 16 is a high level flow chart showing a method for designing a sector plate according to exemplary embodiments presented herein.

[0036] Figure 17 and Figure 18 are views graphically showing steps or portions of steps of the method of Figure 16

[0037] Figure 19 is a view showing a fatigue test performed on a sector plate presented herein.

[0038] Figure 20 is a table showing tabulated values of predicted leakage for known sector plates and sector plates presented herein.

[0039] Figure 21 is a simplified block diagram of a computing device according to exemplary embodiments that can be used to implement various embodiments of the disclosed technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] The inventive concept is best described by certain embodiments of the invention described in detail herein with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout. It should be understood that the term “invention” as used herein is intended to mean the inventive concept underlying the embodiments described below, and not just the embodiments themselves. It should further be understood that the general inventive concept is not limited to the illustrative embodiments described below, and the following description should be read from that perspective.

[0041] ​In general, the present application relates to a sector plate for a rotary heat exchanger and a method of designing the same. The sector plate can be a cost-effective and easily installable solution to reduce or minimize leakage in a rotary heat exchanger (e.g., hot end radial seal leakage). As will be explained below, the sector plate presented herein is self-supporting during operation of the heat exchanger. Thus, the sector plate presented herein does not need to ride on the rotor or the housing of the rotary heat exchanger during operation of the heat exchanger. That is, the sector plate presented herein is not supported by rollers at its distal end and, thus, can be easily installed or retrofitted without changing the rotor or the housing of the rotary heat exchanger. Moreover, the sector plate presented herein can naturally deform into a parabolic shape in response to actuation downward (and not upward). This can ensure that the sector plate conforms to any rotor deformation (e.g., “rotor sag”) and minimizes the operational gap between the sector plate and the one or more radial plates of the rotor.

[0042] In Figure 1 An exemplary power generation facility 10 is shown in FIG. 1, which is of a type that can include a rotary heat exchanger 12 having a sector plate according to the present application. The power generation facility 10 includes a generator 14 coupled with a steam turbine 16 to generate electricity. The turbine 16 is driven by steam from a boiler 18 that receives preheated air Gl’ for combustion via an air intake 20 and expels combustion gases G2 via an exhaust 22. Fans 24a and 24b can be used to supply air Gl to the boiler air intake 20 and to draw combustion gases G2 from the exhaust 22 through a particulate removal system 26 before being released to the atmosphere. A rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12 can be positioned near the boiler air intake 20 and exhaust 22 to heat the air Gl so that preheated air Gl’ enters the boiler 18. The air Gl is heated by the heat of the combustion gases G2 expelled from the boiler, which are cooled by the process so that cooled exhaust gases G2’ enter the particulate removal system 26. Additionally, although not shown, the rotary regenerative heat exchanger can also be used as a gas-gas heater for heat transfer within an emissions abatement system of the power generation facility.

[0043] Figure 2A and Figure 2B Cross-sectional and side views are provided showing the rotary heat exchanger 12 using the heat of combustion gases G2 expelled from the boiler to preheat air Gl for the boiler 18. The rotary heat exchanger 12 includes a housing 28 having a first duct or opening 30 and a second duct or opening 32. The first opening 30 is in communication with the boiler air intake 20 (see FIG. 1) and the second opening 32 is in communication with the boiler exhaust 22 (see FIG. 1). The rotary heat exchanger 12 also includes a rotor 34 having a first radial plate 36 and a second radial plate 38. The first radial plate 36 is in communication with the first opening 30 of the housing 28 and the second radial plate 38 is in communication with the second opening 32 of the housing 28. The rotor 34 is rotatably supported by a plurality of rollers 40a and 40b. The first radial plate 36 is in communication with the first opening 30 of the housing 28 and the second radial plate 38 is in communication with the second opening 32 of the housing 28. The rotor 34 is rotatably supported by a plurality of rollers 40a and 40b. Figure 1 ), and the second opening 32 is in communication with the boiler exhaust 22 (see Figure 1). A rotor 34, which houses a plurality of heat transfer element containers 36, is mounted for rotation in the housing 28. Specifically, the rotor 34 includes or is mounted on a rotor hub 342, which can be rotated by a motor to cause the rotor 34 to rotate through an annular space defined between the rotor hub 342 and a cylindrical segment 281 of the housing 28. During this rotation, an outer shell 343 of the rotor 34 is disposed adjacent the cylindrical segment 281.

[0044] During rotation of the rotor 34, the radial plates 341 of the rotor 34 rotate through one or more sector assemblies, which delineate different sectors within the housing 28. In the illustrated embodiment, a sector assembly 29 separates the first duct 30 from the second duct 32. Thus, during rotation, the heat transfer element containers 36 in the rotor 34 move between the duct 30 and the duct 32 by passing through the sector assembly 29. The heat transfer elements in the containers 36 are heated by the exhaust gases G2 when aligned with the second opening 32 and transfer this heat to the incoming air G1 when aligned with the first opening 30. This preheats the air G1 (e.g., from 30°C to 340°C) and also cools the temperature of the exhaust gases G2 (e.g., from 370°C to 125°C). However, in other cases, one or more sector assemblies can delineate any number of sectors (e.g., for three-sector, four-sector, etc., heat exchangers) in the annular space between the rotor hub 342 and the cylindrical segment 281 of the housing 28. Moreover, in the illustrated embodiment, the sector assembly 29 is at least partially supported by a lateral support member 283, which extends from the second duct 32 between the first duct 30 and the second duct 32, although in other embodiments, the housing 28 can not include a support or any other desired support.

[0045] Referring now to FIG. 3, but continuing to refer to Figure 2A and Figure 2B During operation of the rotary heat exchanger, the opposite two ends of the rotor (e.g., the top and bottom of the rotor 34) are subjected to opposite extreme temperatures. This subjects the rotor 34 to differential expansion, which causes the rotor to deform parabolically toward the lower temperature (e.g., toward the bottom of the heat exchanger), which is commonly referred to as “rotor sagging.” The deformation of the rotor 34, particularly at the outermost ends of the rotor 34, creates large running clearances G between the radial plates 341 of the rotor 34 and the top 292 of the sector assembly 29. These running clearances G allow for significant leakage between the hot and cold fluids (e.g., hot exhaust gases and cold ambient air) passing through the rotary heat exchanger 12, which is often referred to as radial seal leakage. In particular, the high pressure air G1 (in the duct 30) can leak through the running clearances G to the low pressure hot flue gas G2 (in the duct 32).

[0046] For clarity, FIG. 4 illustrates such radial seal leakage and other common leakage issues associated with a rotary heat exchanger. As mentioned, rotor bowing can allow for significant radial seal leakage between rotor 34 and top 292 of sector assembly 29. Additionally or alternatively, rotor distortion can allow for radial seal leakage between rotor 34 and bottom 293 of sector assembly 29 (e.g., between the bottom of the radial plates of rotor 34 and the bottom sector plates). Radial seal leakage can be referred to as hot-end radial seal leakage when the leakage is on the side that is typically the top of the rotary heat exchanger (e.g., the inlet of duct 32) for combustion gas G2 to enter the rotary heat exchanger. Radial seal leakage can be referred to as cold-end radial seal leakage when the leakage is on the side that is typically the bottom of the rotary heat exchanger (e.g., the inlet of duct 30) for air G1 to enter the rotary heat exchanger. Additionally, there can be axial seal leakage between rotor 34 and sides 291 of sector assembly 29, circular seal leakage between the outer shell 343 of rotor 34 and cylindrical segment 281 of housing 28, and / or entrained leakage of rotor 34.

[0047] FIG. 5 illustrates one known way to address radial seal leakage. The known solution provides a hinged top sector plate 292’. The hinged sector plate 292’ includes a fixed segment 292(1) connected to a modulating segment 292(3) via a hinge 292(2). This sector plate 292’ can be connected to a control system with a position sensor (e.g., a proximity sensor) and an actuator that can pivot the modulating segment 292(3) about the hinge 292(2) based on the detected position. However, the reliance on a position sensor and a complex control system increases cost and potential for error (e.g., due to the proximity sensor being prone to failure in the rotary heat exchanger environment with high temperature fluctuations, particulate contamination, and other factors that are not conducive to a position sensor). Furthermore, as can be seen, the pivoting of the two-part sector plate 292’ about the hinge 292(2) can cause the sector plate to inaccurately conform to the parabolic distortion of rotor 34. Instead, the radial plates 341 can be parabolically distorted, and the two-part sector plate 292’ can be linearly bent, resulting in the operational gap G between the radial plates 341 and the sector plate 292’ diverging near the hinge 292(2) and at the distal end of the modulating segment 292(3).

[0048] Although not shown, another way to address radial seal leakage is to use springs to hold the outermost end of the sector plate in compression against the rotor, such that the sector plate is self-regulating rather than regulated by a complex control system. An example of this type of self-regulating is described in Chinese Utility Model Patent ZL201621086153.3. However, with this design, the contact rollers at the outermost end of the sector plate run on a naturally deformed rotating rotor and require lubrication and / or cooling.

[0049] Referring now to Figures 6 to 9 The sector plate 400 presented herein is specifically designed to have a graduated stiffness (e.g., a variable moment of inertia along its length) that allows the sector plate 400 to be deformed parabolically in response to a downward actuation force applied to the distal end of the sector plate 400. The sector plate 400 can be included at the top or hot end of the rotary heat exchanger 12, the bottom or cold end of the rotary heat exchanger, or both. Regardless, the sector plate 400 is configured (e.g., shaped and dimensioned) to be positioned across the radial dimension of the rotor 34 of the rotary heat exchanger 12 such that the bottom surface 430 can form one or more seals with one or more radial plates 341 of the rotor 34 during operation (e.g., rotation) of the rotor 34. That is, the sector plate 400 can be a sector of a circle defined by the rotor 34 and can allow for any seal now known or later developed, e.g., a single seal, a double seal, a triple seal, a quadruple seal, a sextuple seal, etc. In other words, the sector plate 400 can extend from the rotor hub 342 to the cylindrical segment 281 of the heat exchanger housing 28 and can span any sector of that space.

[0050] In Figures 6 to 9 In the illustrated embodiment, the rotary heat exchanger 12 includes four sector plates 400, two at the top end (e.g., hot end) of the rotary heat exchanger 12 and two at the bottom end (e.g., cold end) of the rotary heat exchanger 12. Each pair of sector plates 400 extends in opposite directions from the rotor hub 342 to define a double sector heat exchanger with approximately equally sized conduits 30, 32. However, this is merely an example, and in other embodiments, the sector plates 400 can be used to define any number of any size conduits (e.g., as a triple sector, quadruple sector, etc. and as part of a heat exchanger). Additionally, in other embodiments, the sector plates 400 can be included at only the top or only the bottom of the sector assembly 29, and known sector plates can be included at the other.

[0051] Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the sector plates 400 are disposed substantially below the lateral support members 283. In some embodiments, the sector plates 400 can be coupled to the lateral support members 283 adjacent the rotor hub 342; however, the sector plates 400 need not be coupled to the lateral support members 283. Indeed, the sector plates 400 can not be coupled to or supported by any other component at their distal ends 436 (see Figure 10 ). Instead, the sector plates 400 are designed to support their own weight at least during operation of the rotary heat exchanger including the sector plates. As such, the sector plates 400 do not require rollers, bearings, and a coolant / lubrication system and other such components associated therewith. However, while not illustrated, in at least some embodiments, the sector plates 400 can also be urged or lifted upward prior to starting the rotary exchanger to ensure that the sector plates do not rub or interfere with the rotor 34 during start-up. During operation, this upward urging need not be provided (and the sector plates 400 naturally deform parabolically in response to downward actuation). That is, the sector plates 400 generally deform away from the lateral support members 283 toward the rotor 34.

[0052] Referring now to the drawings in detail Figure 7B , while not clearly illustrated in Figure 6 and Figure 7A , the rotary heat exchanger 12 can include one or more actuators 360 for each sector plate 400 Figure 7B illustrates one actuator 360 for each sector plate 400, but this is merely an example). The actuators 360 can be controlled by the processor 350, which determines the number of amperes of current to send to the actuators 360 based on temperature readings from the cold end temperature sensor 352, the hot end temperature sensor 354, and a limiting algorithm that relates the temperature readings to current values determined and / or obtained according to the methods described in detail below based on characteristics (e.g., stiffness) of the sector plates 400.

[0053] Generally, the actuators 360 can include any actuator or actuators now known or later developed, e.g., a linear electric actuator. However, during operation of the heat exchanger 12, the actuators 360 can exert only downward forces on the sector plates 400. That is, in at least some embodiments, the actuators 360 do not support or hold the sector plates 400 and push downward to initiate deformation or remove the downward force (e.g., retract a pin) to terminate or reduce the parabolic deformation. Meanwhile, the temperature sensors 352 and 354 can include any temperature sensors now known or later developed, including those housed in the conduits 30 and / or 32 (see Figure 2A) and the processor 350 can be or include any number of processing cores, each of which can separately execute processing.

[0054] Additionally or alternatively, the processor 350 can include special purpose logic circuitry (i.e., an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)) or configurable logic circuitry (i.e., a simple programmable logic device (SPLD), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA)), which can be alone or in combination with a microprocessor and a digital signal processor be a type of processing circuitry. Generally, the processor 350 executes portions of or all of the processing steps required to execute received instructions and / or instructions contained in an associated memory.

[0055] As can be seen in Figure 8 and Figure 9 , the scalloped plate 400 includes a plurality of tapered ribs 420 that taper (e.g., narrow) from the rotor hub 342 toward the cylindrical segment 281 of the housing 28. These ribs 420 provide the scalloped plate 400 with a graduated stiffness (e.g., a moment of inertia that varies along a radial dimension (i.e., length) of the scalloped plate 400), which induces a parabolic deformation toward the rotor 34. The ribs 420 are included on a top surface 402 of the scalloped plate 400, while a bottom surface 430 of the scalloped plate 400 is substantially flat (see Figure 11 ), such that the scalloped plate 400 can form one or more seals with one or more radial plates 341 of the rotor 34.

[0056] More specifically, and now referring to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the scalloped plate 400 extends from a first end 434 to a second end 436. The first end 434 engages and / or is coupled to the rotor hub 342, while the second end 436 is disposed adjacent to the outer shell 343 of the rotor 34 and / or the cylindrical segment 281 of the rotating heat exchanger housing 28. Additionally, the scalloped plate 400 extends from a first edge 438 to a second edge 440. The first edge 438 and the second edge 440 are angled outwardly relative to the first end 434, such that the scalloped plate 400 defines a circular scallop (e.g., the circle is defined by the rotor 34). In at least some embodiments, the first edge 438 and the second edge 440 are angled at the same angle relative to a longitudinal axis Al of the scalloped plate 400 that bisects the first end 434 and the second end 436.

[0057] Collectively, the first edge 438, the second edge 440, the first end 434, and the second end 436 define the top surface 402 and the bottom surface 430. As Figure 11As shown, edges 438 and 440 also define a thickness T1 between the top surface 402 and the bottom surface 430. In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness T1 is constant; however, in other embodiments, the thickness T1 may vary from edge 438 to edge 440 and / or from the first end 434 to the second end 436. In any case, the bottom surface 430 may be substantially smooth (e.g., flat) such that the bottom surface 430 may form one or more seals with one or more radial plates 341 of the rotor 34 (the bottom surface 430 may also include any desired shape or structure, e.g., overlapping panels, to facilitate seal formation). Meanwhile, the top surface 402 includes lateral ribs 410 and tapered ribs 420, the lateral ribs 410 extending laterally across the width of the top surface 402, and the tapered ribs 420 extending radially along the length of the top surface 402.

[0058] In particular, lateral ribs 410 extend from the first edge 438 to the second edge 440 to define a plurality of longitudinal segments 423 along the length of the top surface 402 (e.g., moving along axis A1 from the first end 434 to the second end 436). As an example, in Figure 14 In the illustrated embodiment, six lateral ribs 410(1) to 410(6) define seven segments 423(1) to 423(7) between the fixed segment 442 and the second end 436. However, the last segment 423(7) is a smaller curved segment defined outside the last lateral rib 410(6), and the last segment 423(7) can be considered as the end of the sector plate 400 rather than the sector portion, such that the sector plate 400 can also be described as having six segments. In different embodiments, the number of segments 423 included in the sector plate 400 can vary based on the dimensions to be provided and / or the seal. For example, a double-sealed sector plate 400 may include only three or four lateral ribs 410, while the illustrated embodiment can be applied to a triple seal. The number of segments 423 can also depend on the material used to form the sector plate, since the material and dimensions of the sector plate 400 can determine the weight of the sector plate 400 (and the sector plate is self-supporting).

[0059] In contrast, the tapered ribs 420 extend through the longitudinal segments 423, the height of the tapered ribs 420 decreasing toward the second end 436. Indeed, in the illustrated embodiment, the tapered ribs 420 terminate prior to the final longitudinal segment 423(6), which is referred to herein as the actuation segment 426. However, in other embodiments, the tapered ribs 420, or at least a portion of the tapered ribs 420, can extend into the actuation segment 426. Regardless, the actuation segment 426 can include actuation points 428 upon which the actuator 360 can act to deform the sector plate 400. In the illustrated embodiment, the sector plate 400 includes two actuation points 428; however, in other embodiments, the sector plate 400 can include any number of actuation points 428.

[0060] Indeed, and now briefly referring to Figure 14 , Figure 15A and Figure 15B , to ensure that the actuation segment 426 is stable, the actuation segment 426 can be bounded by lateral ribs 410 that are equally spaced from the actuation point(s) 428. As shown in Figure 14 and Figure 15A , the lateral ribs 410 can initially be placed to support the total weight of the tapered ribs 420 and the sector plate 400. The placement of the lateral ribs 410 can also be based on the dimensions of the sector plate 400 and the desired seal to be provided by the sector plate 400. The distance between the actuation point 428 and the nearest lateral rib 410 can then be measured as d x1 and d x2 , and additional lateral ribs 410 can be added in the larger spaces to provide lateral ribs 410 that are equally spaced from the actuation point(s) 428.

[0061] For example, in the illustrated embodiment shown in Figure 14 , Figure 15A and Figure 15B , an additional lateral rib as the seventh rib 410(7) can be added to the larger space between d x1 and d x2 , but that is equally spaced from the actuation point 428 by a distance that is equally spaced from the smaller spaces between d x1 and d x2 . Specifically, in the illustrated embodiment, the seventh rib 410(7) is added in the space spanned by d x1 , but is equally spaced from the actuation point(s) 428 by a distance of d x2This ensures that the sector plate can stably receive actuation forces from the one or more actuators 360 acting on the one or more actuation points 428 (and that the sector does not undesirably deform). The actuators 360 can act on one or more actuation points 428 included in the actuation segment 426 of the sector plate 400. As noted above, the actuation forces generated by the actuators 360 can be based on measured temperature differentials in the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12.

[0062] Further, in addition to or as an alternative to being spaced from the transverse ribs 410, the actuation points 428 can be equally spaced from the first and second edges 438, 440 of the sector plate. That is, if a first actuation point 428 is spaced a distance X from the first edge 438, a second actuation point can be spaced a distance X from the second edge 440. In the illustrated embodiment, the actuation points 428 are shown as being laterally aligned (e.g., disposed on a single transverse axis); however, the actuation points 428 can also be arranged on an arc of the top surface 402 of the sector plate 400 or within an annular segment (e.g., a segment defined by concentric arcs) of the sector plate 400. Regardless, since the actuation points 428 and / or the actuation segment 426 span a single segment of the sector plate 400, a single actuator or actuator assembly (e.g., the actuators 360) can actuate the sector plate 400. Indeed, the sector plate 400 is designed to deform parabolically in response to actuation at a single radial location, such that the "single radial location" can represent a single lateral axis extending across the sector plate 400, a single arc extending across the sector plate 400, or an annular segment (e.g., a segment defined by concentric arcs) extending across the sector plate 400.

[0063] Now referring back to Figure 10 and Figure 11 In the illustrated embodiment, the root end 421 of the tapered rib 420 does not begin at the first end 434 of the sector plate 400. Instead, the sector plate 400 includes a fixed segment 442 extending radially outward from the first end 434 and a cantilevered segment 444 beginning at an end of the fixed segment 442. The tapered rib 420 begins at a proximal end of the cantilevered segment 444 (e.g., at a distal end of the fixed segment 442). Notably, in the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12, the rotor 34 can not deform immediately adjacent to the rotor hub 342 (or can only deform a minimal amount). Thus, the sector plate 400 can be fixed or nearly fixed in the region adjacent to the rotor hub 342 (the region of the fixed segment 442) and need not include the tapered rib 420 in this segment.

[0064] Accordingly, the tapered rib 420 is positioned radially outward of the fixed segment 442. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixed segment 442 extends for approximately one-third of the sector plate radius (e.g., one-third of the length of the axis Al, which is also one-third of the rotor radius). Accordingly, the cantilever segment 444 extends for approximately two-thirds of the sector plate radius (e.g., two-thirds of the length of the axis Al). However, in other embodiments, the fixed segment 442 can extend for any radial distance (with the cantilever segment 444 extending for the remainder of the sector plate radius), and the tapered rib 420 can begin at any location on the top surface 402. Indeed, in some embodiments, the sector plate 400 need not include the fixed segment 442, and the cantilever segment 444 can extend for the entire sector plate radius (such that the tapered rib 420 begins at the first end 434).

[0065] Figure 12A The tapered rib 420 is illustrated from a top plan view, and Figure 12B The tapered rib 420 is illustrated from a side view. As can be seen, in the illustrated embodiment, the tapered rib 420 is a right triangle having a constant thickness T2. The tapered rib 420 tapers from a root end 421 having a height H1 to a tail end 422 having a height H2. The tail height H2 can be equal to or less than the height of the lateral rib 410, such that the tapered rib 420 can smoothly terminate at the lateral rib 410. Meanwhile, the root height H1 can be determined based on the particular configuration of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12 on which the sector plate 400 is to be installed, as explained in further detail below. In at least some embodiments, the tail height H2 can also be relatively constant across different embodiments, so the root height H1 can be determined by the slope of the tapered rib 420. That is, in other embodiments, the tapered rib 420 need not be a right triangle, but can be any shape, including circular segments, irregular shapes, or some combination thereof. Additionally, in some embodiments, the height and width of the tapered rib 420 can be gradually decreasing.

[0066] Generally, the dimensions of the tapered ribs 420 are set to cause the sector plate 400 to deform parabolically to an actuated position in response to a downward actuation load applied to the actuation points 428. In particular, the variable height of the tapered ribs 420 and the desired actuation load are calculated using scripting and / or three-dimensional modeling to ensure that the parabolic shape of the sector plate 400 can match the parabolic deformation of the rotor 34. However, the tapered ribs 420 are also designed to ensure that the sector plate 400 has sufficient rigidity and / or elasticity to return to the rest position in response to removal of the actuation load. Thus, the actuators 360 acting on the sector plate 400 can act in a single direction (e.g., downward) to control the deformation, and the sector plate can control the return from the deformation. That is, due to the weight of the sector plate 400, the sector plate 400 can naturally sag when in its rest position. This sag is accounted for during the design of the tapered ribs 420, as explained in further detail below.

[0067] Figure 13 The parabolic deformation caused by the tapered ribs 420 is shown. That is, Figure 13 The cantilever segments 444 when in the actuated position are shown. As can be seen, when the cantilever segments 444 are actuated (by one or more actuators 360 acting on one or more actuation points 428), the cantilever segments 444 deform parabolically to substantially match the deformation of the rotor 34 caused by differential expansion. Because the sector plate 400 is designed to deform parabolically in response to the actuation force, the actuators 360 do not have to be part of a complex control system. Rather, the actuators 360 can be controlled based solely on a measured temperature difference, and the design of the sector plate 400 will cause it to deform parabolically to match the rotor deformation for that temperature difference. That is, in different embodiments, the actuators 360 can be actuated in any manner now known or later developed, including in response to feedback from one or more sensors of any type (e.g., proximity sensors, position sensors, etc.).

[0068] Regardless of how the actuator 360 is actuated, the operating clearance G between the bottom surface 430 of the sector plate 400 and the radial plate 341 of the rotor 34 is consistent and small, even under relatively simple actuation (e.g., downward actuation only). In other words, there is no or at least a minimal amount of divergent area that would increase leakage (e.g., as shown in Figure 5). For example, the operating clearance G can have a consistent height of 1 / 64 inch, 1 / 4 inch, or some measurement in between (e.g., 1 / 6 inch). Alternatively, the operating clearance G can vary slightly, but has a maximum height of 1 / 64 inch, a maximum height of 1 / 4 inch, or a maximum height between 1 / 64 inch and 1 / 4 inch (e.g., 1 / 6 inch). As explained in further detail below, this height of operating clearance allows access to the seal to be used with the sector plate 400 presented herein, which can significantly reduce radial seal leakage through the sector assembly.

[0069] Furthermore, the tapered rib 420 is also designed such that the sector plate 400 cantileverly supports its own weight in its actuated and rested positions during operation of the heat exchanger. That is, the tapered rib 420 is designed to ensure that the sector plate 400 does not need to be supported at its distal end 436. Instead, the overall stiffness of the sector plate 400, generated and / or controlled by the dimensions of the tapered rib 420, supports the weight of the sector plate 400. In fact, as described above, the stiffness / elasticity of the sector plate 400 can cause the sector plate 400 to be naturally biased to its rested position, such that the sector plate 400 returns to its rested position in response to the removal of the actuating force. Since the tapered rib 420 controls this stiffness / elasticity, the tapered rib 420 is described herein as returning to the rested position in response to the removal of the actuating force.

[0070] Now refer to Figure 16 However, combined Figures 10 to 15B , Figure 17 and Figure 18 The construction of the sector plate 400, and in particular the number, size, and position of the lateral ribs 410 and / or tapered ribs 420, can be determined by one or more algorithms as generally depicted by method 500. Initially, at step 510, the overall dimensions of the sector plate are defined. The overall dimensions may include the radial length of the sector plate 400 (e.g., the length of the axis A1) and the radial span of the sector plate 400 (e.g., the angle at which the first edge 438 and the second edge 440 extend relative to the axis A1). Thus, the overall dimensions may define the surface areas SA of the top surface 402 and the bottom surface 430 of the sector plate, as... Figure 17 As shown. The overall dimensions can also define the plate thickness T1 of the sector plate 400 (e.g., the height of edge 438 and edge 440).

[0071] The overall dimensions can be selected or determined based on user input, the desired sealing arrangement, the characteristics of rotor 34, and / or the characteristics of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12. For example, the overall dimensions can be determined by an algorithm that takes into account the dimensions of rotor 34 and the desired sealing arrangement (e.g., double seal, quadruple seal, etc.) for a particular rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12. Generally, a sealing arrangement with a larger number of seals corresponds to a larger radial span, but the radial length and / or plate thickness can depend on the characteristics of the particular rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12 on which the sector plate 400 will be mounted. It is noteworthy that rotors of different sizes operating under different conditions will experience different amounts of rotor downsizing. Therefore, in order to produce sector plates that deform parabolically to match rotor downsizing, it will be important to appropriately determine the overall dimensions of the sector plates based on the characteristics (e.g., operating characteristics, temperature difference, rotor speed, etc.) and properties (e.g., dimensions, number of pipes, etc.) of the rotary heat exchanger.

[0072] Once the overall dimensions are determined in step 510, the number of tapered ribs 420 to be included on the top surface 402 is determined in step 520. This determination can be based on the surface area of ​​the sector plate 400 and / or the desired seal to be provided between the rotor radial plate 341 and the bottom surface 430. For example, in some embodiments, the number of tapered ribs 420 can be directly related to the sealing arrangement (e.g., double or quadruple seals with three tapered ribs 420, triple or hexaple seals with five tapered ribs 420, etc.). Alternatively, the seal can indicate a maximum number of tapered ribs 420, and the specific number to be included can then be determined based on an algorithm that determines the number based on the required stiffness for the sector plate 400 (e.g., via a separate algorithm or a separate portion of an algorithm). The determination of the number of ribs can also depend on the material of the sector plate 400 and the temperature difference of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12 on which the sector plate 400 is to be mounted. The materials used can affect the weight, which can determine the natural droop, and the temperature difference can indicate the required parabolic deflection, which may affect how heavy the sector plate 400 can be.

[0073] For example, in order to obtain Figure 13 The ideal stiffness of the sector plate 400, given the operating clearance G shown, can be calculated based on rotor constraint (or reduction) equations that limit rotor deformation. Known constraint equations for a specific rotary regenerative heat exchanger can be differentiated and input into the static beam equation to define the ideal relationship between the bending moment of the sector plate 400 and the second moment of section of the sector plate 400, as shown in the following equation:

[0074]

[0075] In these equations, M(x) is the bending moment, E is the Young's modulus, I(x) is the second moment of area, x is the radial position, Yr is the rotor limit, D RDP is the radial split plate depth, a ave is the average thermal expansion coefficient, T HE is the average hot end metal temperature, T CE is the average cold end metal temperature, and k is a scaling factor. The Young's modulus can take into account the thermal expansion and average hot end temperature for a particular material (e.g., low carbon steel). At the same time, the limit equation can also take into account the temperature difference, and the moment equation can take into account the weight and size of the sector plate 400. Thus, in total, these equations can take into account the temperature difference of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12 as well as the material and size of the sector plate 400.

[0076] Notably, in order to obtain a constant value, the second moment of area (I(x)) is a scaled version of the bending moment M(x) equation. That is, if M(x) is some n-th order polynomial, then I(x) should approximate multiplying the same polynomial by some scaling factor (e.g., "k"). For example, if M(x) is a quadratic polynomial, then I(x) should also be a quadratic polynomial. This can be obtained by a certain number of tapered ribs 420, the thickness T2 and root height H1 of which can be determined based on an algorithm that obtains a quadratic distribution for the second moment of area in view of the above equations, as described in further detail below in connection with step 520. Generally, these tapered ribs 420 provide a varying moment of inertia (e.g., modeled by a quadratic equation) across the radial dimension (i.e., length) of the sector plate 400.

[0077] Still referring to Figure 16 In some cases, the arrangement and / or thickness T2 of the tapered ribs 420 can also be determined at step 520. In many embodiments, the tapered ribs 420 have a constant thickness T2 and will be spaced and angled evenly between the first edge 438 and the second edge 440 of the sector plate 400. Additionally or alternatively, the number and arrangement of the lateral ribs 410 needed to support the tapered ribs 420 can be determined at 510. The number and arrangement of the lateral ribs 410 can also depend on the surface area of the sector plate 400 and / or the desired seal to be provided between the rotor radial plate 341 and the bottom surface 430. Further, in some embodiments, different types of lateral ribs 410 can be selected to achieve a particular weight or support arrangement. For example, the lateral ribs 410 can be selected from an I-beam, a flat beam, an L-beam (facing the first end 434 or the second end 436), or a C-beam (facing the first end 434 or the second end 436).

[0078] As noted above, at step 530, the root height H1 of the tapered ribs 420 is determined. At this point, the plate thickness T1 of the sector plate 400 and the number of tapered ribs 420 (N) included on the sector plate 400 can be known. Thus, adjusting the height H1 of the root end 421 of the tapered ribs 420 can directly control the total cross-sectional second moment of area (I(x)), the cross-sectional area of the tapered ribs 420, and the location of the neutral axis (Y o (x)) of the sector plate 400, such that the neutral axis indicates the rest position of the sector plate 400 (and accounting for sag due to the weight of the sector plate 400). In turn, these features can define the deflection curve of the sector plate 400 when actuated to the actuated position, which controls the size of the operational gap G between the bottom surface 430 of the sector plate 400 and the radial plate 341 of the rotor 34. In other words, the height H1 of the root end 421 of the tapered ribs 420 can control the parabolic deformation of the sector plate 400 to minimize the operational gap G between the bottom surface 430 of the sector plate 400 and the radial plate 341 of the rotor 34. Thus, generally, the height H1 of the root end 421 of the tapered ribs 420 is calculated to induce a parabolic deformation that is determined based on the rotor temperature and equations modeling the rotor deflection.

[0079] In at least some embodiments, one or more algorithms can be used to solve for the height H1 in order to provide stiffness and thereby provide a deflection that matches the rotor deflection of a particular rotor 34 in a particular rotary regenerative heat exchanger 12. For example, a secant method can be implemented to determine H1 by the following equation:

[0080]

[0081] Alternatively, a range of values for H1 between H1 1,in and H1 var,min can be inferred to give their associated operational gap G, and a curve can be fit to the operational gap variation. In at least some embodiments, the maximum height for the root end 421 can be the height of the fixed segment 442, and the minimum height can be zero (e.g., indicating no tapered ribs 420). A curve can then be modeled along these points to allow interpolation to find the H1 value that achieves the desired operational gap G. For example, the curve can be constructed as follows:

[0082] [G var,min :G var.max ]=f Gvar ([H 1.min :H 1.max ])

[0083] In this equation, G var represents the size of the operational gap as a deviation ratio.

[0084] Interpolation algorithms in mathematical modeling software can then be used to interpolate between points and find the H1 value that yields the desired gap variation. However, if this approach is used and the value of H1 is outside of H1 and H1,ax, the reported value will be NaN (not a number) and interpolation can not be used. In these cases, T2 can be changed (e.g., increased with step changes) to improve the radial stiffness until the desired H1 value is within H 1,n and H 1,max That is, at step 530, the thickness T2 can be iterated based on an acceptable range of root height H1.

[0085] Figure 18 At least some of these calculations and / or the forces underlying these calculations are illustrated schematically. In Figure 18 L fix indicates the length of the fixed segment 442 of the sector plate 400, L a indicates the distance from the rotor hub 342 to the actuation point 428, and L sp indicates the overall radius of the sector plate 400. Meanwhile, F a represents the actuator force exerted (acting downward) at the actuation point 428, R represents the reaction force created at the junction of the fixed segment 442 and the cantilever segment 444, and q(x) represents the load distributed across the cantilever segment 444. M represents the bending moment created by this load.

[0086] Now referring back to Figure 16 In some embodiments, other features of the conical ribs 420 can also be determined for a particular rotary regenerative heat exchanger (e.g., a particular rotary regenerative heat exchanger that is custom-made) in addition to the number of conical ribs 420 and the height H1 of the conical ribs 420. For example, the method 500 can include a step 540 to determine the length L1 and / or the thickness T2 (the thickness need not be constant) of the conical ribs 420. However, step 540 is shown in dashed lines because this step can be optional. If step 540 is performed, the length L1 and / or the thickness T can be determined in a manner similar to that discussed above in connection with step 530 based on the overall weight of the sector plate 400, the desired deflection / stiffness of the sector plate 400, and / or the seal provided by the sector plate 400. This can ensure that the sector plate 400 deforms parabolically to minimize the gap G between the bottom surface 430 of the sector plate 400 and the radial plate 341 of the rotor 34. If 540 is not performed, L1 can extend from the fixed segment 442 to the actuation segment 426, and the thickness T2 can be constant.

[0087] Now referring to Figure 19The figure illustrates the fatigue analysis performed on the sector plate 400 proposed in this paper. As can be seen, fatigue peaks at the connection point between the fixed section 442 and the root end 421 of the tapered rib 420. However, through finite element analysis and fatigue assessment, the fatigue life was found to be acceptable. For example, sector plates 400 of various sizes used in different rotary heat exchangers were analyzed according to BS 7608, and were found to be acceptable for millions of cycles.

[0088] Figure 20 Table 600 illustrates the leakage assessment of the sector plate 400 proposed herein, compared to leakage from two previous sealing solutions (cold-end sensor control and pipe temperature control). Notably, whether the sector plate 400 is incorporated into the rotary regenerating heat exchanger 12 during installation / manufacturing or retrofitted to an existing rotary regenerating heat exchanger 12, the sector plate 400 typically significantly reduces leakage (even minor leakage is considered significant for the rotary regenerating heat exchanger). Furthermore, the sector plate 400 is capable of reducing leakage across various sealing arrangements (including double-through arrangements, quadruple-through arrangements, and double-triple arrangements) and double-sector and triple-sector rotary regenerating heat exchangers (a triple-sector is indicated by the presence of three sector plates (e.g., PA-Gas, SA-Gas, and PA-SA)). In almost all of these cases, the sector plate 400 provides a reduction in radial leakage at the hot end (HE) while using a significantly simpler and more reliable control system (and thus cheaper and easier to maintain).

[0089] Furthermore, leakage is further reduced when the sector plate 400 is used in conjunction with a hot-end contact seal. It is noteworthy that when a contact seal is used to attempt to close a large operating gap, the seal needs to be very thin and extend significantly above its stationary portion. This extension reduces the contact seal's tolerance to fatigue caused by cyclic differential pressure and / or by supersonic steam jets generated by a soot blower, rendering the contact seal almost unusable (due to rapid wear). Therefore, contact seals are generally only suitable for closing small, uniform (e.g., consistent) gaps. On the other hand, the sector plate 400 proposed herein produces a smaller, consistent operating gap G (e.g., as in conjunction with...). Figure 13 (as shown and described), and thus allow the contact seal to be used. For example in Figure 20 As can be seen, compared to the sector plate 400 without a contact seal, the contact seal can reduce the total leakage up to 20%, but the exact benefit depends on the specific circumstances of the rotary heat exchanger.

[0090] Figure 21 This demonstrates how the techniques provided herein can be implemented on it (e.g.,Figure 16 The diagram illustrates an exemplary hardware block diagram of a computing device 1101 (using the technology shown). Device 1101 includes a bus 1102 or other communication mechanism for communicating information and one or more processors 1103 coupled to the bus 1102 for processing information. Although the diagram shows a signal block 1103 for the processors, it should be understood that the processors 1103 represent multiple processing cores, each of which can perform individual processing. Device 1101 may also include dedicated logic devices (e.g., application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs)) or configurable logic devices (e.g., simple programmable logic devices (SPLDs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs)), which may act as processing circuitry individually or collectively, in addition to microprocessors and digital signal processors. The processing circuitry may reside in a single device or be distributed across multiple devices.

[0091] Device 1101 also includes main memory 1104, such as random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage devices (e.g., dynamic RAM (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), and synchronous DRAM (SD RAM)), coupled to bus 1102, for storing information and instructions to be executed by one or more processors 1103. Memory 1104 stores sector board design software 1120, which, when executed by one or more processors 1103, enables computing device 1101 to perform the operations described herein. Additionally, main memory 1104 can be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during instruction execution by processor 1103. Device 1101 also includes read-only memory (ROM) 1105 or other static storage devices (e.g., programmable ROM (PROM), erasable PROM (EPROM), and electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM)) coupled to bus 1102 for storing static information and instructions for processor 1103.

[0092] The device 1101 also includes a disk controller 1106 coupled to the bus 1102 to control one or more storage devices, such as a hard disk drive 1107, for storing information and instructions, and a removable media drive 1108 (e.g., a floppy disk drive, a read-only compact disk drive, a read / write compact disk drive, a tape drive, and a removable magneto-optical drive). The storage devices can be added to the device 1101 using an appropriate device interface (e.g., a small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated device electronics (IDE), enhanced-IDE (E-IDE), direct memory access (DMA), or ultra-DMA).

[0093] The device 1101 can also include a display controller 109 coupled to the bus 1102 to control a display 1110, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. The computer system 1101 can also include input devices, such as a keyboard 1111 and a pointing device 1112, for interacting with a computer user and providing information to the processor 1103. The pointing device 1112, for example, can be a mouse, a trackball, or a pointing stick for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor 1103 and for

[0094] The device 1101 is responsive to a processor 1103 executing sequences of instructions contained in memory, such as the main memory 1104, to perform the processes described herein, part or all of which can be embodied in software. Such instructions can be read into the main memory 1104 from another computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk 1107 or the removable media drive 1108. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement can also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in the main memory 1104. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry can be used in place of or in combination with software instructions. Thus, embodiments are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0095] As mentioned above, the apparatus 1101 includes at least one computer-readable medium or memory for holding instructions programmed according to the presented embodiments for including the data structures, tables, records, or other data described herein. Examples of computer-readable mediums are optical discs, hard drives, floppy disks, magnetic tape, magneto-optical disks, PROM (EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory), DRAM, SRAM, SD RAM, or any other magnetic medium, compact discs (e.g., CD-ROM), or any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, or other physical medium with patterns of holes, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

[0096] The embodiments presented herein, stored on any one of the non-transitory computer readable storage media or on a combination of non-transitory computer readable storage media, include software for controlling the apparatus 1101, for driving the one or more means for implementing the techniques presented herein, and for enabling the apparatus 1101 to interact with a human user (for example, a network engineer). Such software can include, but is not limited to, device drivers, operating systems, development tools, and applications software. Such computer readable storage media further include computer program products for performing some or all of the processing presented herein, if the processing is distributed.

[0097] The computer code devices can be any interpretable or executable code mechanism, including but not limited to scripts, interpretable programs, dynamic link libraries (DLLs), Java classes, and complete executable programs. Moreover, components can be distributed over a number of different computer readable storage media.

[0098] The apparatus 1101 also includes a communication interface 1113 coupled to bus 1102. Communication interface 1113 provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link 1114 that is connected to, for example, a local area network (LAN) 1115, or to another communications network 1116, such as the Internet. For example, communication interface 1113 can be a wired or wireless network interface card to attach to any packet switched (wired or wireless) LAN. As another example, communication interface 1113 can be an asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) card, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) card, or a modem to provide data communication connection to a corresponding type of communications line. Wireless links can also be implemented. In any such embodiment, communication interface 1113 sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

[0099] Network link 1214 typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, network link 1214 can provide a connection through local network 1215 (e.g., a LAN) to a household, corporate, or facility network, or through a metropolitan area network (MAN) or wide area network (WAN) to a communications network 1216 operated by a service provider, which provides communication services through communications infrastructure 1217. Local network 1215 and communications network 1216 use, for example, electrical, electromagnetic, or optical signals that carry digital data streams, and the associated physical layers (e.g., CAT 5 cable, coaxial cable, optical fiber, etc.). The signals through the various networks and the signals on network link 1214 and through communication interface 1213, which carry the digital data to and from device 1201, can be implemented as baseband signals, or can be modulated on a carrier wave using a variety of modulation schemes, as is known in the art. Baseband signals convey the digital data as unmodulated electrical pulses that are descriptive of a stream of digital data bits, where the term "bits" is to be construed broadly to mean symbol on average where each symbol conveys at least one or more information bits. Digital data can also be used to modulate a carrier wave, such as with amplitude, phase and / or frequency shift keyed signals that are propagated over a conductive medium, or transmitted as electromagnetic waves through a propagation medium. Thus, the digital data can be sent as unmodulated baseband data through a "wired" communication channel and / or as modulated carriers through a propagation medium. Device 1201 can communicate data with other devices, including through network link 1215 and 1216, through network link 1214, and communication interface 1213. Furthermore, network link 1214 can provide a connection to a mobile device 1217, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, or cellular telephone through local network 1215.

[0100] The sector plates and associated design techniques presented herein have a number of advantages. Most notably, the sector plates provide a highly efficient sealing system that can reduce leakage and at the same time can also reduce the cost of manufacture and / or installation. The highly efficient sealing reduces leakage, thereby improving the efficiency of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger and the boiler (or abatement equipment) to which it is connected. Furthermore, since the sector plates presented herein do not require rollers, bearings, cooling and / or lubrication systems, and the like, the sector plates presented herein require little to no maintenance.

[0101] It would also be very easy to retrofit the sector plates presented herein onto existing rotary regenerative heat exchangers, at least because no modification of the rotor or outer housing of the rotary regenerative heat exchanger would be required during the retrofitting process (e.g., no holes would need to be opened in the housing for mounting a cooling / lubrication system). That is, the sector plates presented herein would still be actuated / modulated and, as such, could satisfy customer demand for now common actuated sector plates. Additionally, among other advantages, the techniques used to design the sector plates presented herein allow for quick customization of the sector plates on a per job basis, which ensures that the sector plates function optimally for each rotary regenerative heat exchanger on which the sector plates are installed.

[0102] While the application has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, since various changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the application and the equivalents thereof. Additionally, various features from one embodiment of the application can be incorporated into another embodiment. Therefore, it should be understood that the claims are to be construed in the broadest manner within the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.

[0103] It should also be understood that the sector plates or portions thereof described herein can be made from any suitable material or combination of materials, such as metals or synthetic materials, including but not limited to plastics, rubbers, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. It is also intended that the application cover adaptations and modifications of the application that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. For example, it is contemplated that terminology used herein such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer,” and the like, merely describe points of reference and do not limit the application to any particular orientation or configuration. Furthermore, the term “exemplary” is used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Rather, the exemplary embodiments are to be construed as merely one example or illustration of possible embodiments of the application.

[0104] Finally, the term "comprise", including grammatical variants thereof (such as "comprises" and "comprising"), should not be understood as being limited to the means by which a thing is described, that is, the term "comprise" and its derivatives should not be construed as excluding the presence of other elements, steps, etc. in addition to those described and defined. Also, the term "approximately" and its family of terms (such as "about" and the like) should be understood as indicating values that are very close to those that accompany the aforementioned terms. That is, deviations from the exact values that are within reasonable limits should be accepted, since the skilled person will understand that such deviations from the indicated values are unavoidable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the terms "of the order of" and "substantially".

Claims

1. A method for producing sector plates for use in rotary heat exchangers, the method comprising: The overall dimensions of the sector plate are defined, the overall dimensions of which define the surface areas of the top and bottom surfaces of the sector plate, the bottom surface being configured to be positioned transversely to the radial dimension of the rotor of the rotary heat exchanger, such that the bottom surface can form one or more seals with one or more radial plates of the rotor during operation of the rotor; The number of tapered ribs to be included on the top surface is determined based on the desired seal to be provided between the one or more radial plates and the bottom surface and the surface area. The root height of the plurality of tapered ribs is determined based on the thickness of the fan-shaped plate and the number of the plurality of tapered ribs; as well as An actuation segment is defined at only the distal end of the top surface of the sector plate, and the actuation segment is configured to receive an actuation load that acts only downward. Wherein, by means of the root height, the plurality of tapered ribs cause the sector plate to deform parabolically to the actuation position only in response to the downward actuation load received at the actuation section, so as to minimize the running clearance between the bottom surface and the one or more radial plates, and wherein the plurality of tapered ribs return the sector plate to the rest position in response to the removal of the downward actuation load, the sector plate cantileveringly supporting its weight when in the actuation position and the rest position.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The number of the plurality of tapered ribs is limited to three for double or quadruple sealing, and the number of the plurality of tapered ribs is limited to five for triple or hexaple sealing.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The determination of the root height is also based on the material, wherein the material, the surface area, and the plate thickness can be used to calculate the weight of the sector plate.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, During operation of the rotary heat exchanger, the weight of the sector plate is not supported at the distal end of the sector plate.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The root height and number of the multiple tapered ribs control the stiffness of the sector plate, thereby controlling the parabolic deformation to minimize the running gap.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, The rib thickness of the plurality of tapered ribs is iterated based on the root height.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The overall dimensions of the sector plate are defined as follows: The overall dimensions are determined based on the following factors: (a) the sealing arrangement to be installed in the rotary heat exchanger; (b) the number of sections included in the rotary heat exchanger; (c) the dimensions of the rotary heat exchanger; or (d) any combination of the above factors (a), (b) and (c).

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: A fixed section is defined for the sector plate, the fixed section extending from a first end of the sector plate that engages with the rotor hub of the rotary heat exchanger; as well as A cantilever section is defined for the sector plate, the cantilever section extending from the fixed section to the distal end of the sector plate, and the plurality of tapered ribs extending radially through at least a portion of the cantilever section.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The actuation segment includes one or more actuation points that are equidistantly spaced between transverse ribs that extend laterally relative to the plurality of tapered ribs.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The one or more actuation points include a pair of actuation points that are equidistant from the first edge and the second edge of the sector plate.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The sector plate is a circular sector, and the actuation section includes an arc-shaped or annular segment of the sector.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The sector plate is a circular sector portion having a first edge and a second edge, and the method further includes: The plurality of tapered ribs are arranged to be equidistantly spaced between the first edge and the second edge.

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