Waste heat recovery system having thermal sleeve support for heat pipe

Patent · Mon Jan 23 23:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:7058910

McCurley, J

A system for recovering waste heat from a stream of heated gas is disclosed. The system includes a convection heat transfer chamber, a boiler tank, and a plurality of heat pipes thermally interconnecting the convection heat transfer chamber with the boiler tank. Each of the heat pipes includes an evaporator section which is disposed in heat transfer relation with a stream of heated gas flowing through the convection heat transfer chamber, and a condenser section disposed in heat transfer relation with a volume of water contained within the boiler tank. The boiler tank is provided with a header plate having an array of heat pipe openings through which the heat pipes project. A heat pipe support sleeve is received in each heat pipe opening in sealed engagement with the header plate, with the heat pipes projecting through the support sleeves and thermally interconnecting the convection heat transfer chamber with the boiler tank. An intermediate portion of each heat pipe is received in sealed engagement with its associated support sleeve. In a preferred embodiment, heat transfer through the support sleeve is minimized in an arrangement in which each heat pipe opening is reduced by a stepped bore with the support sleeve connected in threaded, sealed engagement with the stepped bore. Futhermore, in this arrangement, the support sleeve has swaged end portions which project beyond the header plate and engage the heat pipe on opposite sides at points which are remote with respect to the support sleeve/header plate interface. One of the swages end portions is sealed against the heat pipe in a fluid-tight union within the boiler tank. The support sleeve is radially spaced with respect to the heat pipe, and is also radially spaced with respect to the heat pipe opening whereby heat transfer through the walls of the heat pipe to the support sleeve and to the header plate is minimized by concentric annular air gaps.

• Assignee: Q-dot Corp.
• Patent Number(s): US 4426959
• OSTI ID: 7058910
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
320304 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
BOILERS
COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
CONTROL
CONVECTION
ENERGY RECOVERY
ENERGY TRANSFER
EVAPORATORS
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
HEAT PIPES
HEAT RECOVERY
HEAT TRANSFER
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
PLATES
PROCESS CONTROL
RECOVERY
SLEEVES
SUPPORTS
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION