Patent · US Expired

Heater head and regenerator assemblies for thermal regenerative machines

US5743091A · kind A · utility

49Cited by
3References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 1, 1996
Grant dateApr 28, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 1, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02G1/043
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A heater head for use with a thermal regenerative machine has a heater shell formed from a single piece of material. The shell has a tubular body with a cap-shaped end portion provided at a distal end and an open mouth portion provided at a proximal end. The heater head also has a mounting flange with a receiving portion configured to mate in fixed assembly with the open mouth portion of the heater shell. The mounting flange is constructed and arranged to mount the shell assembly to a housing of the thermal regenerative machine. The shell assembly and housing are hermetically sealed there between. Furthermore, a heater head for use with a thermal regenerative machine typically has a heater shell and a heat exchanger portion. The heat exchanger portion is formed substantially from a corrugated piece of sheet metal. The heat exchanger portion is affixed to an inner portion of the heater shell. The heater shell and heat exchanger portion cooperate to form a plurality of working gas flow paths having a large thermally conductive surface area.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.