초록 ▼

An annular heat recuperator is formed with alternating hot and cold cells to separate counter-flowing hot and cold fluid streams. Each cold cell has a fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter of the recuperator near one axial end, and a fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter of the recuperator ne

An annular heat recuperator is formed with alternating hot and cold cells to separate counter-flowing hot and cold fluid streams. Each cold cell has a fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter of the recuperator near one axial end, and a fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter of the recuperator near the other axial end to evenly distribute fluid mass flow throughout the cell. Cold cells may be joined with the outlet of one cell fluidly connected to the inlet of an adjacent downstream cell to form multi-stage cells.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An annular recuperator for transferring heat from a hot fluid stream to a cool fluid stream, comprising:generally cylindrical annular housing defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the housing having axially opposed first and second ends; a plurality of cold cells extending generally

1. An annular recuperator for transferring heat from a hot fluid stream to a cool fluid stream, comprising:generally cylindrical annular housing defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the housing having axially opposed first and second ends; a plurality of cold cells extending generally radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter in spaced-apart relationship to one another, each cold cell having at least a first stage for conducting the cool fluid stream from a first stage fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter near the second end to a first stage fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter nearer the first end than the second end; and a plurality of hot cells disposed within the housing in alternating relationship with the cold cells for conducting the hot fluid stream from the first end to the second end. 2. The annular recuperator of claim 1, wherein said first stage fluid inlet of each cold cell is located generally diagonally opposite said first stage fluid outlet to substantially equalize fluid flow through the first stage of the cell.3. The annular recuperator of claim 1, wherein each hot cell comprises:an open passage defined between the two adjacent cold cells. 4. The annular recuperator of claim 2 or 3, wherein each cold cell further comprises:a pair of substantially parallel, spaced-apart surfaces; and a plurality of flow partitions extending between the surfaces to define flow channels for conducting the cool fluid stream in a generally axial direction from the first stage fluid inlet toward the first stage fluid outlet. 5. The annular recuperator of claim 4, wherein each cold cell further comprises:directional channels extending from the first stage fluid inlet and the first stage fluid outlet toward the flow channels to conduct the cool fluid stream from the first stage fluid inlet and to the first stage fluid outlet, respectively. 6. The annular recuperator of claim 5, wherein:the directional channels substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the respective cold cell. 7. The annular recuperator of claim 1, wherein each cold cell further comprises:a second stage extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter and coplanar with the first stage, the second stage including a second stage fluid inlet formed in the outer diameter and in communication with the first stage fluid outlet, and further including a second stage fluid outlet formed in the inner diameter near the first end. 8. The annular recuperator of claim 1, wherein each cold cell comprises:a plurality of coplanar, axially aligned stages extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter, each stage including a fluid inlet and a generally diagonally opposed fluid outlet, each stage having at least one of the inlet or the outlet in fluid communication with the outlet or the inlet, respectively, of an adjacent stage. 9. The annular recuperator of claim 7 or 8, wherein the stage at the first end is formed from a different material than the other stages.10. The annular recuperator of claim 7, wherein the second stage is formed from a high-temperature alloy and the first stage is formed from a stainless steel.11. A method for transferring heat from a hot fluid stream to a counter-flowing cool fluid stream, comprising:(a) providing a generally cylindrical annular housing defined by an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the housing having axially opposed first and second ends; (b) providing a plurality of cold cells extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter in spaced-apart relationship to one another, each cold cell including at least a first stage having a first stage fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter near the second end and a first stage fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter nearer the first end than the second end; (c) providing a plurality of hot cells disposed within the housing in alternating relationship with the cold cells; (d) passing the hot fluid stream through the hot cells from the first end of the housing to the second end; and (e) passing the cool fluid stream through the cold cells from the first stage fluid inlets to the first stage fluid outlets to acquire heat energy from the hot fluid stream. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein:in step (b), said first stage fluid inlet of each cold cell is located generally diagonally opposite said first stage fluid outlet in each cold cell to substantially equalize fluid flow through the first stage of the cell. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) comprises:providing said first stage fluid inlet generally diagonally opposite said first stage fluid outlet to substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the first stage of the cell. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein in step (c) each hot cell comprises:an open passage defined between two adjacent cold cells. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein in step (b) each cold cell further comprises:a pair of substantially parallel, spaced-apart surfaces; and a plurality of flow partitions extending between the surfaces to define flow channels for conducting the cool fluid stream in a generally axial direction from the first stage fluid inlet toward the first stage fluid outlet. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein in step (b) each cold cell further comprises:directional channels extending from the first stage fluid inlet and the first stage fluid outlet toward the flow channels to conduct the cool fluid stream from the first stage fluid inlet and to the first stage fluid outlet, respectively. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein in step (b)said directional channels substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the respective first stage of each cold cell. 18. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises:providing each cold cell with a second stage extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter and coplanar with the first stage, the second stage including a second stage fluid inlet formed in the outer diameter and in communication with the first stage fluid outlet, and further including a second stage fluid outlet formed in the inner diameter near the first end. 19. The method of claim 11, wherein step (b) further comprises:providing each cold cell with a plurality of coplanar, axially aligned stages extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter, each stage including a fluid inlet and a generally diagonally opposed fluid outlet, each stage having at least one of the inlet or the outlet in fluid communication with the outlet or the inlet, respectively, of an adjacent stage, said first stage being one of said plurality of stages. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the stage at the first end is formed from a different material than the other stages.21. The method of claim 18, wherein the second stage is formed from a high-temperature alloy and the first stage is formed from a stainless steel.22. A method of transferring heat from a hot fluid stream to a cold fluid stream, comprising:providing a plurality of cold cells, each cold cell for conducting cold fluid from a respective cold cell inlet to a respective cold cell outlet over a plurality of fluid flow paths having substantially equal path lengths, wherein each cold cell comprises a plurality of coplanar, axially aligned stages extending radially from an inner diameter to an outer diameter, each stage including a fluid inlet and a generally diagonally opposed fluid outlet, each stage having at least one of the inlet or the outlet in fluid communication with the outlet or the inlet, respectively, of an adjacent stage, and wherein the stage at the first end is formed from a different material than the other stages; providing a plurality of hot cells, each hot cell for conducting hot fluid from a respective hot cell inlet to a respective hot cell outlet over a plurality of fluid flow paths having substantially equal path lengths; disposing the cold cells and hot cells in adjoining, alternating relationship to form an annular, generally cylindrical pattern of alternating hot and cold cells; passing the hot fluid through the hot cells from the hot cell inlets to the hot cell outlets; and passing the cold fluid through the cold cells from the cold cell inlets to the cold cell outlets to receive heat energy from the hot fluid. 23. The method of claim 22, wherein providing a plurality of cold cells comprises:providing a plurality of cold cells, each for conducting cold fluid over a plurality of fluid flow paths having substantially equal fluid flow resistance. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein each hot cell comprises:an open passage defined by the two adjacent cold cells therebetween. 25. The method of claim 22 or 24, wherein each stage of each cold cell further comprises:a pair of substantially parallel, spaced-apart surfaces; and a plurality of flow partitions extending between the surfaces to define flow channels for conducting the cool fluid stream in a generally axial direction from the fluid inlet of the stage toward the fluid outlet of the stage. 26. The method of claim 25, wherein each stage of each cold cell further comprises:directional channels extending from the fluid inlet of the stage and the fluid outlet of the stage toward the flow channels to conduct the cool fluid stream from the fluid inlet of the stage and to the fluid outlet of the stage, respectively. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein:the directional channels substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the respective stage of each cold cell. 28. The method of claim 22 or 23, wherein said plurality of coplanar, axially aligned stages of each cold cell comprises:a first stage extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter, the first stage including a fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter near the second end and an intermediate fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter; and a second stage extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter and coplanar with the first stage, the second stage including an intermediate fluid inlet formed in the outer diameter and in communication with the intermediate fluid outlet, and further including a fluid outlet formed in the inner diameter near the first end. 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the second stage is formed from a high-temperature alloy and the first stage is formed from a stainless steel.30. A system, comprising:a combustor for combusting compressed air and fuel to generate hot gas; a turbine driven by the hot gas and having an outlet for the hot gas; a compressor with an outlet, the compressor rotationally coupled to the turbine to compress air for the combustor; and an annular recuperator for transferring heat from the hot gas to the compressed air, the recuperator comprising: a generally cylindrical annular housing defined by an inner diameter substantially overlying the turbine and the compressor, an outer diameter, and axially opposed first and second ends, the first end in communication with the turbine hot gas outlet; a plurality of cold cells extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter in spaced-apart relationship to one another, each cold cell including a first stage for conducting the compressed air from a first stage fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter near the second end and in communication with the compressor outlet to a fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter nearer the first end than the second end and in communication with the combustor; and a plurality of hot cells disposed within the housing in alternating relationship with the cold cells for conducting the hot gas from the first end to the second end. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein:said first stage fluid inlet of each cold cell is located diagonally opposite said first stage fluid outlet to substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the first stage of the cell. 32. The system of claim 30, wherein each hot cell comprises:an open passage defined between two adjacent cold cells. 33. The system of claim 31 or 32, wherein each cold cell further comprises:a pair of substantially parallel, spaced-apart surfaces; and a plurality of flow partitions extending between the surfaces to define flow channels for conducting the compressed air in a generally axial direction from the first stage fluid inlet toward the first stage fluid outlet. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein each cold cell further comprises:directional channels extending from the first stage fluid inlet and the first stage fluid outlet toward the flow channels to conduct the compressed air from the first stage fluid inlet and to the first stage fluid outlet, respectively. 35. The system of claim 34, wherein:the directional channels substantially equalize fluid flow paths through the first stage of each respective cold cell. 36. The system of claim 30, wherein each cold cell further comprises:a second stage extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter and coplanar with the first stage, the second stage including a second stage fluid inlet formed in the outer diameter and in communication with the first stage fluid outlet, and further including a second stage fluid outlet formed in the inner diameter near the first end and in communication with the combustor. 37. The system of claim 30, wherein each cold cell comprises:a plurality of coplanar, axially aligned stages extending radially from the inner diameter to the outer diameter, each stage including a fluid inlet and a generally diagonally opposed fluid outlet, each stage having at least one of the inlet or the outlet in fluid communication with the outlet or the inlet, respectively, of an adjacent stage, said first stage being one of said plurality of stages. 38. The system of claim 36 or 37, wherein the stage at the first end is formed from different material than the other stages.39. The system of claim 36, wherein the second stage is formed from a high-temperature alloy and the first stage is formed from a stainless steel.