High efficiency heat exchanger with ceramic rotor

摘要

An improved regenerative, high temperature gas, high efficiency heat exchanger has a heat absorbing rotor formed of a plurality of gas flow passages and a housing that includes partition columns for dividing the rotor passages into at least one high temperature and at least one low temperature duct. A two section drive shaft supports the rotor in the housing and pressure plates securely connect the rotor to the drive shaft. The rotor is of a size to provide an annular gas bypass channel between the rotor and the housing, which channel is greater than the hydraulic diameter of the rotor flow passages in order that bypass of gas through the channel provides a continual flushing of contaminants therefrom. To prevent leakage between the high and low temperature ducts through this annular channel, air curtains may be employed at the top and bottom of the partition columns. In addition, air curtains may be employed along the length of the partition columns to prevent leakage of contaminants from occurring through the space between the columns and the rotor.