Regenerator disk flexible rim

Claim 2

A rotary regenerator matrix including an annular body of heat transfer material of a structure porous to fluid flow through the body and adapted to receive heat from a fluid flowing through the body, store heat, and to deliver heat to a fluid flowing through the body and, a flexible rim of a spirally wrapped, corrugated sheet encircling said body, the spiral wraps of said corrugated sheet being bonded to each other and to said body, the peaks of the corrugations of said corrugated sheet being crushed in paths angled across a plurality of corrugations and extending from one edge of said corrugated sheet thereacross.

Claim 3

A rotary regenerator matrix according to claim 1 further including a rigid rim encircling said flexible rim and connected thereto for rotation therewith, said flexible rim providing a circumferential flexible connection between said body and said rigid rim.

Claim 4

A flexible rim on the annular main heat transfer body of a rotary regenerator matrix comprising a corrugated sheet having deep, substantially straight, parallel, regular and curved ridges and hollows, the peaks of said ridges being partially crushed in paths angled across a plurality of corrugations and extending from one edge of said corrugated sheet to the opposite edge of said sheet, said corrugated sheet with said crushed peaks being spirally wound about said main heat transfer body in a plurality of wraps with said wraps of said corrugated sheet being secured together and to said main heat transfer body, said ridges and said hollows of said corrugated sheet extending substantially parallel to the axis of said main heat transfer body.

Claim 5

A flexible rim on the annular main heat transfer body of a rotary regenerator matrix comprising a corrugated sheet having deep, substantially straight, parallel, regular and curved ridges and hollows, the peaks of said ridges being partially crushed in paths angled across a plurality of corrugations and extending from one edge of said corrugated sheet to the opposite edge of said sheet, said corrugated sheet with said crushed peaks being spirally wound about said main heat transfer body in a plurality of wraps with said wraps of said corrugated sheet being secured together and to said main heat transfer body, said ridges and said hollows of said corrugated sheet extending substantially parallel to the axis of said main heat transfer body.

Claim 6

A rotary regenerator matrix structure of annular form porous to flow of fluid generally parallel to the axis of the matrix and effective to block fluid flow circumferentially around the axis, said matrix structure including a first annular section comprising first and second spiral wound strips with each turn of said first strip disposed between adjacent turns of said second strip and with said strips abutting face to face and fixed together into a rigid, elastic structure, said first strips having corrugations trending generally axially of the matrix and with substantial depth radially of said matrix to separate radially the turns of said second strip and define fluid flow passages through said corrugations, said second strip having corrugations parallel to those of said first strip and of relatively small depth compared to those of said first strip and, a second section annular comprising spiral wraps of said first strip, with the peaks of the corrugations of said first strip crushed in paths angled across a plurality of corrugations and extending from one edge of said first strip to the opposite side of said first strip, said first strip with said crushed paths thereon being spirally wrapped at least two turns in abutting face to face relation and fixed together into a rigid, circumferentially flexible rim for said first section.

Claim 7

A rotary regenerator matrix structure of annular form porous to flow of fluid generally parallel to the axis of the matrix and effective to block fluid flow circumferentially around the axis, said matrix structure including a first annular section comprising first and second spiral wound strips with each turn of said first strip disposed between adjacent turns of said second strip and with said strips abutting face to face and fixed together into a rigid, elastic structure, said first strips having corrugations trending generally axially of the matrix and with substantial depth radially of said matrix to separate radially the turns of said second strip and define fluid flow passages through said corrugations, said second strip having corrugations parallel to those of said first strip and of relatively small depth compared to those of said first strip and, a second section annular comprising spiral wraps of said first strip, with the peaks of the corrugations of said first strip crushed in paths angled across a plurality of corrugations and extending from one edge of said first strip to the opposite side of said first strip, said first strip with said crushed paths thereon being spirally wrapped at least two turns in abutting face to face relation and fixed together into a rigid, circumferentially flexible rim for said first section.

Claim 8

A rotary regenerator matrix structure according to claim 4 further including a rigid rim encircling said second section of said matrix and connected thereto for rotation therewith, said second section of said matrix providing a circumferentially flexible connection between said first section of said matrix and said rigid rim.

Claim 9

A rotary regenerator matrix comprising, in combination, an annular body of heat transfer material of structure pervious to fluid flow through the body and adapted to receive heat from a fluid flowing through the body, store heat, and deliver heat to a fluid flowing through the body, a rigid rIm extending circumferentially of said body adjacent to but spaced from the outer peripheral surface thereof, and an interconnecting flexible rim coupling said body to said rigid rim and effectivve to transmit torque between said body and said rigid rim, said flexible rim comprising at least two wraps of a corrugated sheet having deep corrugations with a portion of the peaks of said corrugations crushed in angled paths across a plurality of corrugations of the sheet whereby to prevent nesting of the corrugations of one wrap into the corrugations of the next radially outward wrap of said corrugated sheet forming said flexible rim.

Claim 10

A rotary regenerator matrix comprising, in combination, an annular body of heat transfer material of structure pervious to fluid flow through the body and adapted to receive heat from a fluid flowing through the body, store heat, and deliver heat to a fluid flowing through the body, a rigid rIm extending circumferentially of said body adjacent to but spaced from the outer peripheral surface thereof, and an interconnecting flexible rim coupling said body to said rigid rim and effectivve to transmit torque between said body and said rigid rim, said flexible rim comprising at least two wraps of a corrugated sheet having deep corrugations with a portion of the peaks of said corrugations crushed in angled paths across a plurality of corrugations of the sheet whereby to prevent nesting of the corrugations of one wrap into the corrugations of the next radially outward wrap of said corrugated sheet forming said flexible rim.