Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for heating pressure vessels used in the tire retreading and tire repairing industry which includes a plurality of heat exchangers in the form of plate coils associated with the pressure vessel with steam being circulated through the plate coils for heating the pressure vessel to a temperature required for vulcanizing rubber. Steam is supplied from a boiler and returned to a condensate return tank through valves and traps in order to provide a closed loop system with the steam being produced by the boiler passing through steam lines into the upper end portions of the plate coils which are attached to the pressure vessel, either interiorly or exteriorly, in a manner to radiate heat into the insulated pressure vessel in order to raise the temperature interiorly of the vessel to that required for vulcanizing rubber. As heat is radiated from the plate coils into the pressure vessel, the steam in the plate coils will be cooled and condensed and forced into a float operated trap and when the water level in the trap builds up, the float valve therein is opened and the condensate water is forced through a condensate return line into a condensate return tank with this circulation of the steam through the plate coils maintaining substantially constant temperature in the pressure vessel. The condensate return tank is provided with a feed water line to maintain a desired water level by the use of a float valve with a water pump being activated to pump the water back into the boiler where it is heated for passage into the plate coils thereby providing a closed loop system with the feed water line, of course, maintaining proper water levels in the system.

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First Claim