High temperature recuperator

Claim 1

A HIGH TEMPERATURE RECUPERATOR INCLUDING A VERTICAL SHELL FORMING A HEAT EXCHANGE CHAMBER AND HAVING INLET AND OUTLET PORTS FOR ONE HEAT EXCHANGE FLUID, AN UPPER TUBE SHEET AT ONE END OF THE SHELL AND A LOWER TUBE SHEET AT THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL, THE UPPER TUBE SHEET HAVING A CONCAVE CONFIGURATION AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL PORTION ATTACHED TO THE SHELL, THE UPPER TUBE SHEET HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING ALIGNED WITH A SIMILAR OPENING IN THE LOWER TUBE SHEET, A CONDUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THE HEAT EXCHANGE CHAMBER, THE UPPER END OF THE CONDUIT BEING SECURED TO THE UPPER TUBE SHEET AROUND THE CENTRAL OPENING, THE LOWER END OF THE CONDUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THE CENTRAL OPENING OF THE LOWER TUBE SHEET AND BEING UNATTACHED THERETO, HEAT EXCHANGE TUBES EXTENDING THROUGH THE CHAMBER AND HAVING END PORTIONS MOUNTED IN THE TUBE SHEETS, FIRST END WALL MEANS ATTACHED TO THE END OF THE SHELL AND SPACED FROM THE UPPER TUBE SHEET AND FORMING WITH SAID TUBE SHEET AN INLET HEADER COMPARTMENT WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH THE TUBES, SECOND END WALL MEANS ATTACHED TO THE OTHER END OF THE SHELL AND SPACED FROM THE LOWER TUBE SHEET AND FORMING WITH SAID TUBE SHEET AN OUTLET HEADER COMPARTMENT WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH THE TUBES, MEANS MOUNTING THE UPPER END OF EACH HEAT EXCHANGE TUBE IN THE FIRST TUBE SHEET AND INCLUDING AN ANNULAR MEMBER HAVING AN INNER SURFACE FORMING A BORE AND AN OUTER SURFACE, THE MEMBER HAVING A TUBE-RECEIVING ANNULAR NOTCH BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER SURFACES, THE MEMBER BEING MOUNTED ON THE UPPER SIDE OF THE FIRST TUBE SHEET AND HAVING A TELESCOPIC PORTION EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY THROUGH A TUBE-RECEIVING OPENING IN THE TUBE SHEET, THE ANNULAR NOTCH OPENING DOWNWARDLY AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE HEAT EXCHANGE CHAMBER, THE UPPER END PORTION OF THE NOTCH BEING FLARED OUTWARDLY, ONE TUBE EXTENDING INTO THE NOTCH OF EACH ANNULAR MEMBER AND HAVING AN OUTWARDLY FLARED UPPER END PORTION SEATED IN THE CORRESPONDING PORTION OF THE ANNULAR NOTCH, AND THERMAL EXPANSION MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE LOWER END OF EACH TUBE IN THE LOWER TUBE SHEET WHEREBY THE TUBE SHEETS, TUBES, AND CONDUIT EXPAND INDEPENDENTLY IN RESPONSE TO VARYING TEMPERATURE ZONES WITHIN THE SHELL, AND WHEREBY THE PRIMARY SUPPORT OF THE TUBES SHIFTS FROM THE UPPER TUBE SHEET IN A HIGHER TEMPERATURE ZONE TO THE LOWER TUBE SHEET IN A LOWER TEMPERATURE ZONE AS THE OVERALL RECUPERATOR OPERATING TEMPERATURE INCREASES.