Importance

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Abstract

A high-cycle regenerative combustion system has first and second regenerative heat exchanger units. A four-way valve is provided for alternately bringing the heat exchanger units into contact with a low temperature fluid and a high temperature fluid. The valve is switched at a switching cycle time not longer than 60 seconds. Each heat exchanger unit has a void ratio .epsilon. which substantially provides the maximum value (Q/V)max of the volumetric efficiency (Q/V). The temperature efficiency .eta. t is preset to be a value in a range between 0.7 and 1.0. The heat transmission coefficient h and the heat transmission area A of the heat exchanger unit are determined such that the temperature efficiency, which is calculated in accordance with a specific equation as being a function of the heat transmission coefficient, the heat transmission area and the switching cycle time .tau., falls under the preset value within the range mentioned above. Each of the first and second heat exchanger units has the cell pitch P and the cell wall thickness b, which provide the above-mentioned values of the void ratio, heat transmission coefficient and heat transmission area. Thus, a compact and high-performance regenerative heat exchanger can be obtained, which has a reduced overall volume while exhibiting the large heat transmission rate and high temperature efficiency.

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