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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to rotary regenerative heat exchangers used as Air preheater. More particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality-sized connecting plate assembly used in rotary regenerative air preheater.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The rotary regenerative heat exchangers are used in Thermal power stations/Industrial applications to transfer the heat from the flue gas leaving boiler/ furnace to the entering combustion air through regenerative heat transfer surface in a rotor which turns continuously through the air and gas streams.
In a typical Rotary Regenerative heat exchanger, the hot flue gas and the combustion air enter the rotor shell from opposite ends and pass in opposite directions over the heat exchanger material housed within the rotor. Consequently, the cold air inlet and the cooled gas outlet are disposed at one end of the heat exchanger, referred to as the cold end, and the hot gas inlet and the heated air outlet are configured at the opposite end of the heat exchanger, referred to as the hot end.
The cold end of the Air preheater rotor is connected to the incoming air ducts and the outgoing flue gas duct through an assembly called connecting plate cold end assembly. This connecting plate cold end assembly is connected between the air/gas ducts and Air preheater rotor at erection site and joined by welding.

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Similarly the hot end of the Air preheater is connected to the outgoing hot flue duct and the outgoing hot air ducts through an assembly called connecting plate hot end assembly. These assemblies viz. connecting plate hot end and connecting plate cold end assemblies are fabricated from steel plates of various thickness from 5mm to 100mm. The size of the connecting plate assembly manufactured at shop varies from 6.5 Mtr to 12.5 Mtr in diameter and from 1.2 Mtr to 2 Mtr in height and it is octagonal shape. A center section of the connecting plate assembly constitutes a heavy fabricated component that divides the air stream and the gas stream at the entry and exit of the Air heater rotor.
The connecting plate assembly consists of said center section, a gas side duct means, a primary air center section, an air side duct means, and support bracing pipes. As these constituting features are larger in size and heavy weighted, they are generally fabricated in a manufacturing shop by building up the entire assembly by fitting and welding of each steel pieces over a leveled surface and the final shape and size is obtained. This process is called trial assembly of the connecting plate assembly.
This trial assembly is conducted on the leveled steel structure made up of steel beams and supports angles, which is called connecting plate trial assembly device. Since the entire assembly is fabricated over this device, the level shape and the dimensional stability of the device determines the final product quality. According to prior art, such devices are made up of steel beams and steel angles to form an octagonal shape with the required dimensions for the assembly to be fabricated. The prior art methods use separate fixtures/cluster of fixture for each

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size of the assembly and atleast twelve numbers of such fixtures are used in the shop floor, The fixtures are required to be altered to suit the various sizes of connecting plate assemblies to be manufactured. The beams of the fixture are placed on the floor in octagonal shape and attached with the center post through steel angles. After checking the dimensions, the fixture beams and the supports are joined by welding. If a fixture is formed to adapt one particular size then such a fixture can not be used for fabrication of other assembly of different size without altering or replacing the same entirely. The fixture is generally altered by attaching extra beams projecting inward or outward from the existing fixture to suite the fabrication of another assembly size assembly. The leveling of the fixture is done by driving metal wedge plates between the fixture and the floor to level the top of the fixture within an allowable limit. Depending upon the requirement of size of the assembly to be made, one fixture is moved out of the shop floor storage and the another required fixture is brought inside the shop. These fixtures can be handled only after cutting into small pieces convenient for handling and storing. These disintegrated fixtures brought inside the shop are assembled once again in the shop floor to form tfie required shape.
As the prior art fixtures are made of bits and pieces, the fixtures are very unsafe for the workmen during working. Moreover, whenever another size assembly to be made at shop, to created space and to place required size fixture, the existing fixture is to be cut into pieces and moved out of working place and stored. The disintegrated fixture brought into the shop from storing place and is shaped to the required size by fitting and aligning the bits and pieces. The fixture top surface is leveled to start the fabrication of connecting plate assembly by

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inserting different thickness steel pieces at the bottom. During this process the floor and bottom surface of the thickness get generally damaged. The problems of the prior art are : a) Unsafe working place/fixture b) Resources wastage in cutting. c ) Resource wastage in moving out for storing. d ) Time taken and resource wastage for placing ad aligning again for another size e) The cost of raw materials used for so many fixtures f) Raw materials used for placing the damaged portion of old fixtures during handling for storing.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose an adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly, which eliminates the disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention to propose an adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly, which can accommodate various size component manufacturing for connecting plate cold end assembly.
An yet another object of the present invention to propose an adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly which is safe and easy to manufacture.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly there is provided an adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly used in rotary regenerative air preheater, comprising, atleast eight corner frames each made of ISMB forming a base fixture substantially of an octagonal shape. Both ends of each corner frame are so configured to establish slotted connections at each of the frame sides. A plurality of holes with nuts at the bottom corner frames are provided including a plurality of inserts correspondingly configured to establish said slotted connections when inserted for size adjustment. A plurality of pad plates having bolting means for clamping the inserts with the base fixture are arranged. A center post of substantially equal height of the corner frames for connecting the corner plates and the inserts including a plurality of radial supports made of steel angles with holes for adjusting the device to accommodate plurality sizes of the manufacturable components are provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Fig, 1- shows a schematic diagram of an adjustable / splittable device according to the invention.
Fig. 2 - shows the device of the invention in an assembled condition. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention the device is configured as a split type being

adjustable to any size as shown in Fig. - 1. A plurality of clamping inserts (2) fixable to corner pieces of a base fixture (1) are provided. The base fixture can be modified to suit any required size. To enable an easy assembly of the inserts (2) with the corner piece of the base fixture (1), a number of slotted joints are provided at both sides and connected with a fixing means (7,8) to ensure a firm joint, Atleast eight corner pieces are provided to form the base fixture (1) to which the required inserts (2) are assembled to make the fixture into octagonal shape (Fig. 2) To facilitate manufacturing of different sizes of air preheater connecting piate devices viz, 24.5, 26.5, 27, 27.5, 30, 30.5 and 31 size insert pieces (2) of different length are made and identified with match marks and different colours. The Air preheater diameter varies from 6.5 Mtr. to 12.5 Mtr.
The present invention is described herein below in detail with sequence to the accompanying drawing. (Fig. 1)
The constructive features of the adjustable combo device according to the figure -1, comprises eight equal size corner pieces (1) which form a base fixture. The base fixture (1) is configured to suit manufacturing of a lowest size (24.5) regenerative air preheater component. To modify the base fixture (1) to the required size, atleast eight inserts pieces (2) of different length are provided. Bolt & nut (6) arrangement for leveling the fixture (1) including a pad plate (7) and a plurality of fasteners (8) for securing tightness of the joint are provided. Radial adjustable supports (3) with adjustable slotted holes for clamping the corner pieces (i) and a center post (4) are arranged.

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The size of the beam used for this fixture (1) is ISM8 305 only as against ISMB 450 used in earlier case. The radial stiffeners is ISA 75 X 75 X 8mm used as against ISA 100 X 100 X 12mm used earlier. The invention may result in prime material savings upto 50% as compared to the prior art. M32 size bolt nut arrangement provided at the bottom fiange of the fixture beam enables leveling the top of the fixture (1).

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1. An adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly used in rotary regenerative air preheater, comprising;
atleast eight corner frames (1) each made of ISMB forming a base fixture substantially of an octagonal shape, both ends of each corner frame (1) being so configured to establish slotted connections at each of the frame sides; a plurality of holes with nuts being arranged at the bottom corner frames (1);
- a plurality of inserts (2) correspondingly configured to establish said slotted connections when inserted for size adjustment;
a plurality of pad plates (7) having bolting means (8) for clamping the inserts (2) with the base fixture (1);
a center post (4) of substantially equal height of the corner frames (1) for connecting the corner plates (1) and the inserts (2);
a plurality of radial supports (3) made of steel angles with holes for adjusting the device to accommodate plurality sizes of the manufacturable components.

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2. An adjustable combo device adaptable for fabricating components of a plurality sized connecting plate assembly used in rotary regenerative air preheater as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of MAY 2006
(P.D. GUPTA) of L S DAVAR & CO. Applicants' Agent