Low cost and high performance screen laminate regenerator matrix

A laminate screen matrix regenerator with 47 elements has been designed, analyzed, fabricated and tested. The laminate was fabricated from stainless steel screen sheets that were stacked on top of each other at certain angular orientation and then bonded at high temperature and pressure environment utilizing a sintering process. This laminate is a porous structure media with highly repeatable properties that can be controlled by varying mesh size, weave type, wire size and laminate sheet to sheet orientation. The flow direction in relation to the weave plan can be varied by cutting a cylindrical or rectangular laminate element along or across the weave. The regenerator flow resistance, thermal conductance losses, dead volume, surface area and heat transfer coefficient are analyzed. Regenerator cost and performance comparison data between the conventional widely used method of stacked screens and the new stacked laminate matrix regenerator is discussed. Also, a square stainless steel screen laminate was manufactured in a way which permits gas to flow along the screen wire instead of across it. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.