Solar Turbines Inc.

Michael S Nowak

Charles W Bucey

Bruce D Harkins

Doug R Ervin

Tod Papai

An apparatus for manufacturing a cell of a recuperator wherein the cell includes a plurality of primary surface sheets, a plurality of spacer bars and a pair of guide vanes. A fixture has a top portion and a bottom portion. The top portion is pivotably movable between an open or loading position and a closed or welding position. A plurality of the spacer bars, plurality of primary surface sheets and a pair of guide vanes are positioned in the fixture in a preestablished relationship and are fixedly attached one to another by a tack welding machine. A controller operative controls the tack welding machine.

Apparatus for tack welding a recuperator cell

A cell of a recuperator has a passage therein having a first end and a second end. In use a fluid passes through the passage under pressure. The cell must be tested to determine an operational efficiency or leakage within the passage. A pair of sealing mechanisms is positioned at a respective one of the first end and the second end of the passage. A vacuum is pulled across the passage and a rate of leakage is monitored to define an operational cell and a failed cell.

Apparatus and method for testing a recuperator cell for an air leak

Recuperators include a core which is commonly constructed of a plurality of relatively thin flat sheets having an angled or corrugated spacer fixedly attached therebetween. The sheets are joined into cells, sealed and form passages between the sheets. These cells are stacked or rolled and form alternate air (recipient) cells and hot exhaust (donor) cells. Compressed discharged air from a compressor of the engine passes through the air cell while hot exhaust gas flows through alternate cells. The exhaust gas heats the sheets and the spacers, and the compressor discharged air is heated by conduction from the sheets and spacers. The need for repeatability of construction of each cell assures that the final recuperator is economically and easily assembled. Examples, of such repeatability required includes length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others. The recuperator assembly method provides a cell and a recuperator having repeatability of length, height, thickness, weld size, weld position, weld splatter and others.

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St. Joseph, MI, United States of America

Michael S Nowak