Hot oil drum

Abstract

An apparatus having a substantially uniformly heated surface is provided for heat exchange purposes, such as use in the printing of textile web materials. The apparatus comprises a cylindrical, rotatable drum including narrowly spaced inner and outer concentric shells defining an annular flow space, and provided with alternating partitions and baffles extending longitudinally within that flow space, thus providing approximately U-shaped flow paths, having entrance and exit legs, for the circulation of a suitable heat-transfer medium, such as hot oil therethrough. The apparatus also includes a centrally disposed concentric tubular conduit, or central feed passage, coaxial with the cylinder or drum, for supply and return of the heat-exchange medium. Means are also provided for supplying the hot heat transfer medium from the central coaxial conduit to each entrance leg of the U-shaped flow paths within the annular flow space, and return means for return of the medium from the exit leg of each U-shaped flow path to the central coaxial conduit. Preferably, the feed means will comprise radially extending feed channels extending outwardly from said central feed passage, for supplying hot heat-transfer medium to an annular feed plenum, which is provided with radial feed distributors, each of which communicate with an entrance aperture in the entrance leg of each U-shaped flow path within the annular flow space. Also, the return means may include an annular return plenum, preferably disposed between the annular feed plenum and the concentric inner shell, the annular return plenum including return orifices communicating with exit apertures in each exit leg of the U-shaped flow paths. The return means also includes radially extending return channels communicating with the annular plenum and with the central feed passage, which is provided with a divider, or strap, in order to separate the feed means from the return means.

What I claimed is: .[. 
     
       1.  Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween;   (b) closing means connecting the opposite ends of said inner and outer shells;   (c) longitudinally extending partitions extending between said inner and outer shells and forming a plurality of longitudinally extending compartments within said flow space;   (d) longitudinally extending baffles extending between said inner and outer shells for a portion of the length of said compartments, so that an approximately U-shaped flow path is formed within each of said compartments, said approximately U-shaped flow paths each including only two legs consisting of an entrance leg and an exit leg, said legs being circumferentially arranged with respect to each other;   (e) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths;   (f) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths..]. .[.2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means..]. .[.3. The apparatus of claim 2 including dividing means within said central feed   
     
     
        passage, for separating said feed means from said return means..]. .[.4. The apparatus of claim 2 including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing means..]. .[.5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said closing means comprises transverse end walls..]. .[.6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said transverse end walls extend 
     
     
        from said central feed passage to said outer shell..]. 7. .[.The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said return means includes:.]. .Iadd.Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween;   (b) closing means connecting the opposite ends of said inner and outer shells;   (c) longitudinally extending partitions extending between said inner and outer shells and forming a plurality of longitudinally extending compartments within said flow space;   (d) longitudinally extending baffles extending between said inner and outer shells for a portion of the length of said compartments, so that an approximately U-shaped flow path is formed within said compartments, said approximately U-shaped flow paths including an entrance leg and an exit leg;   (e) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths;   (f) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit leg of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths;   (g) a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means;   (h) said return means including:.Iaddend. .[.(a).].  an annular return plenum .[.disposed beneath.]. .Iadd.extending about the inner circumference of .Iaddend.said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and   .[.(b).].  at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum for     
     
     
        removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum. 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said annular return plenum communicates with 
     
     
        said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner shell. 9. The apparatus of claim 8 including a plurality of said exit apertures disposed 
     
     
        in a circular path along the surface of said inner shell. 10. The apparatus of claim 7 including at least one return orifice communicating with said radially extending return channel and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum. 
     
     
         1. The apparatus of claim 7 including a plurality of said radially 
     
     
        extending return channels. 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said radially extending return channels are disposed at approximately 90° with respect to each other. .[.13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said return means includes: (a) an annular return plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and   (b) at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum for removing   
     
     
        heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum..]. 14. The apparatus of claim .[.2.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.wherein said feed means includes: (a) an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and   (b) at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying   
     
     
        heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum. 15. The apparatus of claim 14 including a plurality of radial feed distributors connecting said annular feed plenum to said entrance legs of each of said approximately 
     
     
        U-shaped flow paths. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance 
     
     
        apertures in said inner shells. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 including a plurality of said entrance apertures disposed in a circular path along the 
     
     
        surface of said inner shell. 18. The apparatus of claim 14 including a 
     
     
        plurality of said radially extending feed channels. 19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said radially extending feed channels are disposed at 
     
     
        approximately 90° with respect to each other. 20. The apparatus of 
     
     
        claim 14 wherein said closing means comprises transverse end walls. 21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said transverse end walls extend 
     
     
        from said central feed passage to said outer shell. 22. The apparatus of claim 14 including dividing means within said central feed passage, for 
     
     
        separating said feed means from said return means. 23. The apparatus of claim 14 including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing means. .[.24. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said feed means includes: (a) an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs of said approximately U-shaped flow paths; and   (b) at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying   
     
     
        heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum..]. 25. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.wherein said annular return plenum is 
     
     
        disposed between said annular feed plenum and said inner shell. 26. The apparatus of claim 25 including a plurality of radial feed distributors connecting said annular feed plenum to said entrance legs of each of said approximately U-shaped flow paths, said radial feed distributors passing 
     
     
        through said annular return plenum. 27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance apertures in said inner shell, and said annular return plenum communicates with said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner 
     
     
        shell. 28. The apparatus of claim 27 including a plurality of alternating entrance apertures and exit apertures, disposed in a circular path along 
     
     
        the surface of said inner shell. 29. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.14 .Iaddend.including a plurality of said radially extending feed 
     
     
        channels, and a plurality of said radially extending return channels. 30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said radially extending feed channels are disposed at approximately 90° with respect to each other, and wherein said radially extending return channels are disposed at 
     
     
        approximately 90° with respect to each other. 31. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.including dividing means within said central feed passage, for separating said feed means from said return 
     
     
        means. 32. The apparatus of claim .[.24.]. .Iadd.7 .Iaddend.including support struts extending from said central feed passage to said closing 
     
     
        means. 33. Apparatus for uniformly heating materials, said apparatus comprising: (a) concentric inner and outer shells defining an annular flow space therebetween;   (b) closing means communicating with said inner and outer shells;   (c) barrier means positioned within said annular flow space for establishing a plurality of flow paths having entrance and exit legs;   (d) feed means for supplying a heat-transfer fluid to said entrance legs;   (e) return means for withdrawing a heat-transfer fluid from said exit legs;    (f) a centrally disposed concentric feed passage adapted to be connnected to a source of heat-transfer fluid, said central feed passage communicating with said feed means and said return means;   (g) said feed means includes an annular feed plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said entrance legs, and at least one radially extending feed channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular feed plenum, for supplying heat-transfer fluid to said annular feed plenum; and   (h) said return means includes an annular return plenum disposed beneath said inner shell and communicating with said exit legs, and at least one radially extending return channel communicating with said central feed passage and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer   
     
     
        fluid from said annular return plenum. 34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said closing means comprises end walls extending from said central 
     
     
        feed passage to said outer shell. 35. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said annular return plenum is disposed between said annular feed plenum 
     
     
        and said inner shell. 36. The apparatus of claim 33 including a plurality 
     
     
        of said radially extending feed channels. 37. The apparatus of claim 33 
     
     
        including a plurality of said radially extending return channels. 38. The apparatus of claim 33 including at least one return orifice communicating with said radially extending return channel and with said annular return plenum, for removing heat-transfer fluid from said annular return plenum. 
     
     
         9. The apparatus of claim 33 including a plurality of radial feed distributors communicating with said entrance legs and with said annular 
     
     
        feed plenum, for supplying heat-transfer fluid to said entrance legs. 40. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said annular return plenum communicates with said exit legs by means of exit apertures in said inner 
     
     
        shell. 41. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said radial feed distributors communicate with said entrance legs by means of entrance apertures in said inner shell.