Recuperator for gas turbine powerplants

Claim 1

IN A GAS TURBINE POWERPLANT HAVING IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATIONSHIP A FLUID COMPRESSOR, A COMBUSTOR, A TURBINE DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID COMPRESSOR, A DISCHARGE OPENING, AND A PASSAGEWAY CONNECTING SAID TURBINE TO SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, A RECUPERATOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: (A) FIRST MANIFOLD MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST TOROIDAL HEADER AND FIRST DUCTING MEANS IN FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP, (B) SECOND MANIFOLD MEANS COMPRISING A SECOND TOROIDAL HEADER AND SECOND DUCTING MEANS IN FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP, (C) ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND DUCTING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE DISCHARGE PORTION OF THE COMPRESSOR AND THE OTHER DUCTING MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INLET PORTION OF THE COMBUSTOR, (D) SAID FIRST DUCTING MEANS SECURED TO SAID FIRST HEADER SUCH THAT SAID FIRST HEADER IS SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST DUCTING MEANS, AND SAID SECOND MANIFOLD MEANS INCLUDING FLEXIBLE MEANS SUCH THAT SECOND HEADER IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNSUPPORTED BY SAID SECOND DUCTING MEANS, (E) AXIALLY EXTENDING SUPPORT MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST MANIFOLD MEANS AND SAID SECOND HEADER SUCH THAT SAID SECOND HEADER IS SUPPORTED AXIALLY BY SAID FIRST MAINFOLD MEANS, SAID SUPPORT MEANS PERMITTING SUBSTANTIALLY UNRESTRAINED RADIAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF SAID SECOND HEADER, (F) AND A PLURALITY OF HEAT EXCHANGE ELEMENTS CONNECTING SAID FIRST AND SECOND HEADERS IN FLUID FLOW RELATION, SAID HEAT EXCHANGE ELEMENTS EXTENDING INTO THE PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE TURBINE AND THE DISCHARGE OPENING IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION TO COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FLOWING THERETHROUGH, (G) WHEREBY FLUID SUPPLIED TO SAID HEAT EXCHANGE ELEMENTS FROM THE COMPRESSOR IS HEATED BY THE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS PRIOR TO BEING DELIVERED TO THE COMBUSTOR.