Electromagnetic latching radial seal system for an air preheater
By actively compensating for the radial air leakage gap at the hot end of the air preheater through an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system, the air leakage problem caused by rotor deformation was solved, achieving efficient and economical air leakage control and improving the operating efficiency and reliability of the air preheater.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI ORIENTAL MARITIME ENG TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-12
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
Smart Images

Figure CN224551576U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This utility model relates to rotary air preheaters, and more particularly to an electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for air preheaters. Background Technology
[0002] Air preheaters are essential equipment in large-scale thermal power boiler systems. They absorb heat from flue gas to heat the air entering the furnace, achieving energy conservation and environmental protection. Improving the heat exchange efficiency of the air preheater can effectively enhance the boiler's power generation efficiency. One crucial aspect of improving air preheater efficiency is reducing air leakage. Reliable calculations show that a 1% increase in air preheater leakage leads to an increase of 0.06-0.08 g / kWh in coal consumption for power generation. Air leakage not only increases the power plant's coal consumption for power generation but also increases the plant's power consumption. This waste of energy also leads to wear and tear within the air preheater, reduced equipment lifespan, and other problems. Air leakage is an inherent problem in rotary heat exchangers. Leakage typically consists of carried-in leakage and direct leakage. Carried-in leakage refers to the air in the cavities between the heat transfer elements inside the rotor (accounting for 80-85% of the rotor volume) that is carried into the flue gas as the rotor rotates. The carried-in leakage rate is typically around 1.5-2%, and currently, apart from appropriately reducing the rotation speed, there are no good economic solutions. Direct air leakage is the leakage of air through the gap between the rotor seal and the housing, driven by the air-flue gas pressure difference. Direct air leakage is generally the main source of leakage in air preheaters.
[0003] The most challenging issue in controlling direct air leakage in preheaters is adapting to rotor deformation caused by temperature differences between the upper and lower rotor sections. The preheater rotor deforms into a mushroom shape when heated. Axial and cold-end radial seals can be pre-set using this rotor deformation, effectively eliminating gaps in the axial and cold-end seals after the hot rotor deforms. However, the hot-end radial seal gap is difficult to eliminate simply. Currently, the industry typically uses automatic air leakage control systems or spring-loaded flexible seals to control the hot-end seal gap. While automatic air leakage control systems improve air leakage to some extent, they also introduce operational and maintenance problems such as system jamming during hot operation, frequent sensor failures, dust leakage from the lifting rod, and malfunctions in electrical control devices, resulting in a low overall equipment uptime. Spring-loaded flexible seals, on the other hand, have complex structures, short lifespans, and high replacement costs, making them uneconomical. The economic benefits of reducing air leakage cannot offset the investment in the equipment. Utility Model Content
[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention proposes an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for air preheaters. This system controls the sealing plates installed radially at the hot end of the air preheater rotor to actively move as they pass under the sector plate, compensating for the radial air leakage gap at the hot end of the air preheater during hot conditions, reducing the overall air leakage rate of the air preheater, and improving the overall operating efficiency of the air preheater.
[0005] The first aspect of this utility model provides an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater, comprising an intermediate beam, a rotor, a plurality of sector plates, and a plurality of radial partitions, wherein the sector plates are disposed between the intermediate beam and the radial partitions, including: Several electromagnetic attraction modules are used to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic attraction modules are respectively located in the area where the sector plate and the intermediate beam meet and on the lower end surface of the sector plate. The electromagnetic attraction modules are respectively electrically connected. A sliding plate type sealing plate assembly, wherein the number of sliding plate type sealing plate assemblies is the same as the number of radial partitions, and the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly and the corresponding radial partition are rotatably connected; When energized, the electromagnetic attraction module generates a magnetic field; under the rotor drive, when the radial partition in the system moves toward the electromagnetic attraction module, the corresponding sliding plate sealing plate assembly of the radial partition rotates toward the fan-shaped plate under the action of the magnetic field and forms a radial sealing structure with the corresponding radial partition.
[0006] Preferably, the electromagnetic attraction module includes a housing, an electromagnetic attraction block, and a power supply cable. The electromagnetic attraction block is disposed in the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module. The housing has a cable inlet. Several coils of the power supply cable are sleeved on the electromagnetic attraction block. The input end and output end of the electromagnetic attraction block are respectively passed through the cable inlet and electrically connected. The cable inlet is a vertical pipe.
[0007] Preferably, the electromagnetic attraction module further includes a cooling circulation system, which includes a cooling air inlet, a cooling air outlet, and a cooling pipe. The cooling pipe is located inside the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module. The cooling air inlet and the cooling air outlet are located on the outside of the housing and are respectively connected to the input and output ends of the cooling pipe.
[0008] Preferably, the cooling pipe is a horn-shaped baffle.
[0009] Preferably, the sliding plate sealing assembly includes a sealing plate, the first end of which is parallel to the Z-axis and is hinged to the first end of the corresponding radial partition, the first end of which is the radial partition near the rotor end.
[0010] Preferably, the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly further includes a pressure plate type sealing plate substrate, a second substrate, and a connecting pin. The sealing plate is provided with a plurality of elongated holes in the Z-axis direction. The pressure plate type sealing plate substrate, the second substrate, and the radial partition are provided with round holes adapted to the elongated holes. The connecting pin passes through the radial partition, the pressure plate type sealing plate substrate, the sealing plate, and the second substrate in sequence and is fixed thereto.
[0011] Preferably, the sealing plate has a sealing plate offset from the Z-axis at its second end near the sector plate. The angle at which the sealing plate offsets the vertically upward Z-axis is the opposite direction of the radial partition's movement during rotor rotation and forms a first angle with the vertically upward Z-axis, where the first angle is less than 90 degrees. o。 .
[0012] Preferably, the pressure plate type sealing sheet substrate is an L-shaped pressure plate.
[0013] Preferably, the pressure plate sealing sheet substrate and the second substrate are made of weather-resistant steel.
[0014] Preferably, the sliding plate sealing assembly further includes a contact sliding plate disposed on the end face of the sealing plate near the sector plate.
[0015] Because of the adoption of the above technical solution, this utility model has the following advantages and positive effects compared with the prior art: (1) The system is simple and does not require complex automatic control logic to compensate for radial air leakage at the hot end of the air preheater, thereby reducing the air leakage rate of the air preheater. The air leakage control effect is close to that of traditional automatic air leakage control systems.
[0016] (2) The daily maintenance workload is relatively small. This utility model has no complex automated control logic and does not require manual control operation. The basic functions can be operated as long as the power is on, which improves the overall system safety and reliability.
[0017] (3) It can compensate for leakage under all working conditions. This utility model can achieve the same leakage gap compensation under all working conditions when the air preheater is hot, and has excellent comprehensive leakage compensation performance.
[0018] (4) It is economical, has a simple structure, is easy to process, has low production costs, and a short system investment payback period.
[0019] (5) The compact integrated design occupies little space, is highly adaptable, and is easy to install and disassemble. The electromagnetic attraction module can be directly added to the original sector plate. The slide-type sealing plate assembly and the pressure plate sealing plate substrate are similar in size to the original sealing plate and do not affect the flow area of the air preheater.
[0020] (6) The system has a wide range of applications and can adapt to different air preheater models. Attached Figure Description
[0021] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 This is a general layout diagram of an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of an electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater in a cold state according to the present invention. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater in the state where the system is not installed. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of an electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater in a hot state according to the present invention. Figure 5 This is a side view schematic diagram of an electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to the present invention; Figure 6 This is a side view of an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater according to the present invention. Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the electromagnetic attraction module structure of this utility model; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the power supply module for the electromagnetic attraction module of this utility model; Figure 9 This is a general layout diagram of an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system (including intermediate beam) for an air preheater according to the present invention.
[0022] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1: Sector plate; 2: Rotor; 3: Radial partition; 410: Housing; 420: Electromagnetic attractor block; 430: Power supply cable; 441: Cooling gas inlet; 442: Cooling gas outlet; 443: Cooling pipe; 510: Sealing plate; 511: Contact slide plate; 520: Pressure plate type sealing plate base plate; 530: Second base plate; 540: Connecting pin; 550: Sealing plate; 6: Hinge; 7: Intermediate beam. Detailed Implementation
[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The advantages and features of the present invention will become clearer from the following description and claims. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise ratios, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.
[0025] First Embodiment The first aspect of this utility model provides an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater, comprising an intermediate beam 7, a rotor, a plurality of sector plates, and a plurality of radial partitions, wherein the sector plates are disposed between the intermediate beam 7 and the radial partitions, including: See Figure 1 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 9 The first aspect of this utility model provides an electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater, including an intermediate beam 7, a rotor 2, a plurality of sector plates 1, and a plurality of radial partitions 3, wherein the sector plates 1 are disposed between the intermediate beam 7 and the radial partitions 2, and include: Several electromagnetic attraction modules are used to generate a magnetic field. The electromagnetic attraction modules are respectively located in the area where the sector plate 1 and the middle beam 7 meet and on the lower end face of the sector plate 1. The electromagnetic attraction modules are respectively electrically connected. The number of sliding plate type sealing plate assemblies is the same as the number of radial partitions 3, and the sliding plate type sealing plate assemblies and the corresponding radial partitions 3 are rotatably connected; When energized, the electromagnetic attraction module generates a magnetic field; driven by the rotor 2, when the radial partition 3 in the system moves toward the electromagnetic attraction module, the corresponding sliding plate sealing plate assembly of the radial partition 3 rotates toward the fan-shaped plate 1 under the action of the magnetic field and forms a radial sealing structure with the corresponding radial partition 3.
[0026] When the electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system is working, several electromagnetic attraction modules are electrically connected to the power supply module. Each electromagnetic attraction module generates a magnetic field. The radial partition 3 moves in a circular motion around the rotor under the drive of the rotor. When the radial partition 3 moves towards the electromagnetic attraction module, the sliding plate sealing plate assembly experiences an increasing magnetic force. When the radial partition is below the Z-axis of the sector plate 1, the sliding plate sealing plate assembly moves vertically upwards along the Z-axis under the influence of the magnetic force. Ultimately, the sliding plate sealing plate assembly, sector plate 1, and radial partition 3 form a sealing structure, enabling the sealing plate to compensate for the gap difference between the sector plate and the rotor under all operating conditions, thereby reducing the radial leakage rate of the air preheater and improving the overall operating efficiency of the air preheater. When the radial partition 3 moves away from the electromagnetic attraction module, the magnetic force on the sliding plate sealing plate assembly decreases, and the vertically upward magnetic force on the sliding plate sealing plate assembly decreases. When the magnetic force is less than the force of gravity, the sliding plate sealing plate assembly moves towards the radial partition 3, eventually returning to its initial state. As the rotor performs its cyclical circular motion, the aforementioned sliding plate sealing assembly periodically engages with and moves away from the sector plate to return to its initial state. The electromagnetic attraction module is fixed to the sector plate by welding, bolts, or other methods; this embodiment is not limited to these methods, but the fixed connection ensures the integrity of the product.
[0027] Figure 6 and Figure 7 Preferably, the electromagnetic attraction module includes a housing 410, an electromagnetic attraction block 420, and a power supply cable 430. The electromagnetic attraction block 420 is disposed in the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module. The housing 410 is provided with a cable inlet. Several coils of the power supply cable 430 are sleeved on the electromagnetic attraction block 420. The input end and output end of the electromagnetic attraction block 420 are respectively passed through the cable inlet and electrically connected. The cable inlet is a vertical pipe.
[0028] Since the air preheater is filled with high-temperature dust and corrosive gases, the electromagnetic attraction block 420 and the power supply cable 430 are placed inside the cavity to prevent external dust and corrosive gases from damaging them. At the same time, in order to ensure that the cable routing is not damaged by corrosive gases, the cable inlet is a vertical pipe, and the power supply cable 430 passes through the pipe to avoid the damage of corrosive gases. The cable inlet is used to lead the power supply cable of the electromagnetic attraction module to the outside, and at the same time, it also serves as a cable through-plate sealing effect.
[0029] Figure 6 and Figure 7 Preferably, the electromagnetic attraction module further includes a cooling circulation system, which includes a cooling air inlet 441, a cooling air outlet 442, and a cooling pipe 443. The cooling pipe 443 is located inside the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module. The cooling air inlet 441 and the cooling air outlet 442 are respectively located on the outside of the housing 410 and are respectively connected to the input end and the output end of the cooling pipe 443.
[0030] Since the coil generates heat when energized and the medium in the air preheater is a high-temperature medium, a cooling system is introduced to ensure the robustness of the sealing system. The outer casing is equipped with a cooling gas inlet 441, a cooling gas outlet 442, and a cable inlet. The cooling gas entering from the inlet enters the cavity of the electromagnetic engagement module. The gas passes through the cooling pipe 443 inside the cavity and carries away the heat. The module is cooled by the circulating cold gas, which gives the electromagnetic engagement module high-temperature resistance and extends the module's service life.
[0031] Figure 7 Preferably, the cooling pipe 443 is a trumpet-shaped baffle.
[0032] The cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module is equipped with a cooling pipe 443, which has a horn-shaped guide plate to carry away as much heat as possible when it exits from the cooling gas outlet.
[0033] Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4Preferably, the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly includes a sealing plate 510, the first end of the sealing plate 510 parallel to the Z-axis is connected to the first end of the corresponding radial partition 3 by a hinge 6, the first end of the radial partition 3 being the end of the radial partition 3 near the rotor 2.
[0034] By connecting the sealing plate 510 to the radial partition 3 via the hinge 6, the sealing plate assembly and the radial partition 3 can rotate. Furthermore, the sealing plate assembly can move in the Z-axis direction; when moving away from the radial partition 3, it moves towards the sector plate 1 and eventually fits against it; when moving towards the radial partition 3, it moves away from the sector plate 1 and eventually returns to its initial state. The sealing plate 510 is hinged and fixed to the rotor radial partition near the end of the radial partition on the side close to the center cylinder of the air preheater rotor. The sealing plate 510 and the rotor radial partition can rotate relative to each other around the hinge point, driving the sliding plate sealing plate assembly to rotate around the fixed point.
[0035] Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 Preferably, the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly further includes a pressure plate type sealing plate substrate 520, a second substrate 530, and a connecting pin 540. The sealing plate 510 is provided with a plurality of elongated holes in the Z-axis direction. The pressure plate type sealing plate substrate 520, the second substrate 530, and the radial partition 3 are provided with round holes adapted to the elongated holes. The connecting pin 540 passes through the radial partition 3, the pressure plate type sealing plate substrate 520, the sealing plate 510, and the second substrate 530 in sequence and is fixed.
[0036] The radial partition 3, the pressure plate type sealing plate substrate 520, the sealing plate 510, and the second substrate 530 are connected by a connecting pin 540 to form a pressure plate type sealing plate, achieving a sealing effect. Simultaneously, since the sealing plate 510 has elongated holes, the pressure plate type sealing plate substrate 520 and the second substrate 530 on both sides respectively achieve a sealing effect for the elongated holes, further preventing air leakage channels and further reducing the radial air leakage rate of the air preheater, ultimately improving the overall operating efficiency of the air preheater. The sealing plate 510 has several elongated holes in the Z-axis direction; the number of elongated holes can be greater than two, but other numbers are not limited in this embodiment. The elongated holes allow the sealing plate to move relative to the radial partition 3, with the travel range being the projected distance of the elongated holes in the Z-axis direction. This limits the movement of the sealing plate 510, thereby limiting the movement of the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly.
[0037] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 Preferably, the second end of the sealing plate near the sector plate 1 is provided with a sealing plate 550 that is offset from the Z-axis. The angle at which the sealing plate 550 is offset from the vertically upward Z-axis is the opposite direction of the movement of the radial partition 3 when the rotor rotates, and forms a first angle with the vertically upward Z-axis, which is less than 90 degrees. o。 .
[0038] When the rotor undergoes mushroom-shaped deformation due to high temperatures during hot operation, the radial partition 3 will deform in the Z-axis direction. Traditional seals are prone to forming air leakage channels on one side and localized rapid wear; this design makes the contact line between the sealing plate and the fan-shaped plate 1 a progressive pressure state, and the load is evenly distributed along the contact line; it slows down the fatigue failure of the sealing surface material and significantly extends the maintenance cycle.
[0039] See Figure 6 Preferably, the pressure plate type sealing sheet substrate 520 is an L-shaped pressure plate.
[0040] The L-shaped pressure plate design enhances bending resistance and further strengthens the bond between the sealing sheet and the pressure plate sealing sheet substrate 520.
[0041] Preferably, the pressure plate sealing sheet substrate 520 and the second substrate 530 are made of weathering steel.
[0042] Weathering steel has a higher fatigue limit strength and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) threshold than ordinary steel. Using weathering steel can make components robust and extend the life of the system.
[0043] See Figure 5 and Figure 6 Preferably, the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly further includes a contact sliding plate 511, which is disposed on the end face of the sealing plate 550 near the sector plate 1.
[0044] The contact slide 511 has a large projected area on the plane perpendicular to the Z-axis for the electromagnetic attraction block 420, which increases the attraction of the electromagnetic attraction block.
[0045] Optionally, the contact slide 511 is provided with a sliding strip on the end face near the sector plate 1.
[0046] The resistance between the sealing plate 510 and the sector plate 1 is reduced by setting several sliding strips.
[0047] See Figure 8 Optionally, it also includes a power supply module, which is connected to the power supply cable 430 and has power supply and start / stop functions.
[0048] When the air preheater experiences an abnormal alarm (such as fire or unexpected shutdown), the system can be promptly cut off through the control power supply module to protect the equipment.
[0049] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0050] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0051] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific identification content executed by the system and device described above can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments.
[0052] The embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings, but this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Even if various changes are made to this utility model, if these changes fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, they shall still fall within the protection scope of this utility model.
Claims
1. An electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater, comprising an intermediate beam, a rotor, a plurality of sector plates, and a plurality of radial partitions, wherein the sector plates are disposed between the intermediate beam and the radial partitions, characterized in that, include: Several electromagnetic attraction modules are used to generate a magnetic field. The electromagnetic attraction modules are respectively located in the area where the sector plate and the intermediate beam meet and on the lower end surface of the sector plate. The electromagnetic attraction modules are electrically connected. A sliding plate type sealing plate assembly, wherein the number of sliding plate type sealing plate assemblies is the same as the number of radial partitions, and the sliding plate type sealing plate assembly and the corresponding radial partition are rotatably connected; When energized, the electromagnetic attraction module generates a magnetic field; under the rotor drive, when the radial partition in the system moves toward the electromagnetic attraction module, the corresponding sliding plate sealing plate assembly of the radial partition rotates toward the sector plate under the action of the magnetic field and forms a radial sealing structure with the corresponding radial partition and the sector plate.
2. The electromagnetic attraction-type radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electromagnetic attraction module includes a housing, an electromagnetic attraction block, and a power supply cable. The electromagnetic attraction block is disposed in the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module. The housing has a cable inlet. Several coils of the power supply cable are sleeved on the electromagnetic attraction block. The input end and output end of the electromagnetic attraction block are respectively passed through the cable inlet and electrically connected. The cable inlet is a vertical pipe.
3. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electromagnetic attraction module also includes a cooling circulation system, which comprises a cooling air inlet, a cooling air outlet, and cooling pipes. The cooling pipes are located within the cavity of the electromagnetic attraction module, and the cooling air inlet and outlet are respectively located on the outer side of the housing. It is connected to the input and output ends of the cooling pipeline.
4. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 3, characterized in that, The cooling pipes are funnel-shaped baffles.
5. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding plate type sealing plate assembly includes a sealing plate, the first end of which is parallel to the Z-axis and is connected to the first end of the corresponding radial partition via a hinge, the first end of which is the radial partition near the rotor end.
6. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sliding plate type sealing plate assembly also includes a pressure plate type sealing plate base plate, a second base plate, and a connecting pin. The sealing plate has several elongated holes in the Z-axis direction. The pressure plate type sealing plate base plate, the second base plate, and the radial partition plate have round holes that are adapted to the elongated holes. The connecting pin passes through the radial partition plate, the pressure plate type sealing plate base plate, the sealing plate, and the second base plate in sequence and is fixed.
7. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 5, characterized in that, The sealing plate has a sealing plate offset from the Z-axis at its second end near the sector plate. The angle at which the sealing plate offsets from the vertically upward Z-axis is the opposite direction of the radial partition's movement when the rotor rotates, forming a first angle with the vertically upward Z-axis, and this first angle is less than 90 degrees. 。 .
8. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressure plate type sealing sheet substrate is an L-shaped pressure plate.
9. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 6, characterized in that, The pressure plate type sealing sheet substrate and the second substrate are made of weathering steel.
10. The electromagnetic attraction radial sealing system for an air preheater according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sliding plate sealing assembly also includes a contact sliding plate, which is disposed on the end face of the sealing plate near the sector plate.