Title of Invention

A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING HEAT EXCHA NGE MEDIUM TO THE LIQUID-CARRYING HEAT EXCHANGERS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for providing heat exchangers supplied with liquids with a heat exchanging medium. One such exchanger comprises a thread inlet and a thread outlet, and heat exchanging medium comes directly into contact with the thread to be thread, in the heat exchanger. After passing through the heat exchanger, the heat exchanging medium is through to a defined temperature and a defined composition and is resupplied to the heat exchanger in this state. The invention device comprises a heat exchanging medium circuit extending from the heat exchanger to a collector in which the heat exchanging medium circuit extending from the heat exchanger medium is collected and brought to a defined temperature. A pump is used to resupply the heat exchanging medium to the heat exchanging medium to the heat exchanger in such a way that the temperature remains constant in the heat exchanger.

Full Text

FORM 2 THE PATENT ACT 1970 (39 of 1970) & The Patents Rules, 2003 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See Section 10, and rule 13) TITLE OF INVENTION A METHOD AND- AN APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING. HEAT MEDIUM. TO THE LIQUID-CARRYING HEAT EXCHANGERS EXCHA NGE APPLICANT(S) a) Name b) Nationality c) Address TEMCO TEXTILMASCHINENKQMPONENTEN GMBH. GERMAN Company FULDAER STRASSE 19, D-97762 HAMMELBURG GERMANY PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION GRANTED The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : - 20-9-2006 ORGN 197/MUMNP/2005 The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for supplying heat exchange medium to the liquid-carrying heat exchangers in which the heat exchange medium comes directly into contact with the threads that are to be treated. A device of this sort for treating synthetic threads is known from EP 0 624 208 B1. The heat exchanger is used both as a heating and as a cooling device. In each case, liquid - hot in one case and cold in the other - is brought directly into contact with the thread. The liquid is located here in a heat exchange chamber through which the liquid is flowing. This heat exchange chamber takes the general form of a pipe, and has small holes at both ends through which the thread is introduced and, after travelling through the heat exchange chamber, passed out again. Additionally the chamber has feed and return lines for the heat exchange medium, so that the heat exchange chamber can be supplied with suitable heat exchange medium. A problem that occurs in this kind of heat exchange apparatus is that, as a result of the direct contact with the thread, the heat exchange medium not only absorbs heat in order to cool the thread, but it also absorbs spinning finish and other materials that were applied for the purposes of previous process stages, and which now are washed away from the thread by the heat exchange medium. It is known from DE 199 09 380 Al that the liquid that is used for cooling should be saturated with softener to prevent washing out the thread. This approach has been found to be inappropriate, it is also known from this state of technical development that, in order to achieve a particular thread temperature in the cooler, the liquid must be supplied to the cooler at a specific temperature. Because it is unacceptable, for both economic and ecological reasons, to continually supply fresh heat exchange medium to the heat exchanger, for instance in the form of water, it would be desirable to re¬use the heat exchange medium. Here, however, the problem occurs that the spinning finish becomes concentrated in the heat exchange medium, in the same way as the heat drawn away from the thread causes the heat exchange medium to warm up. This does not permit the constant thread temperature, important for the thread treatment process, to be achieved. It is, moreover, necessary to start up individual working locations without impairing the circulation of the heat exchange medium, in particular to neighbouring working locations. It is the purpose of the present invention to create a method and apparatus that permit liquid-based heat exchangers to be used in an economic manner for the thermal treatment of threads. This task is performed by the features of the independent claims. It has, surprisingly, been found that for the thread treatment process it is not only necessary for the heat exchange medium to be supplied to the heat exchanger at a specific temperature in order to achieve the necessary thread temperatures, but that, for the stability of the following thread treatment processes and for the provision of the twist, the particular composition of the heat exchange medium is also important. It has been found that a spinning finish content of between 0.5 and 2% is optimum. On heat exchangers in which a sealing medium is used to seal the thread inlet and outlet openings, and where this sealing medium becomes mixed with the heat exchange medium, the sealing medium is separated from the heat exchange medium as it emerges from the heat exchanger and is collected. This allows the heat exchange medium to be returned in its original form for re-use in the heat exchanger. If the sealing medium is pressurised, the joint discharge also has the advantage that the pressure has the effect of assisting forward transport, with the effect that the discharge line can be located higher than the heat exchanger. After leaving the heat exchanger it is useful for the heat exchange medium to pass through a circuit in which the heat exchange medium is collected, separated from any sealing medium that may have become mixed with it, and brought to the desired temperature and composition before it is returned again to the heat exchanger, it is appropriate to provide a secondary circuit for the purposes of filtering, cooling and measuring the composition of the heat exchange medium. The cooling power is controlled in the secondary circuit in order to maintain the temperature of the collected heat exchange medium at the desired temperature. However, it is also possible to control the flow rate in the secondary circuit instead of the cooling power, so that more cooled heat exchange medium is added to the heat exchange medium in the reservoir if its temperature rises. Individual working locations can easily be removed from the heat exchange circuit in the event of a malfunction of the process, and brought back into operation again when the malfunction has been corrected. A reservoir is provided to supply the heat exchanger with heat exchange medium. The heat exchange medium is collected here and brought to a particular temperature. A pump ensures that the heat exchange medium is returned again to the heat exchanger, in such a way that the temperature in the heat exchanger remains constant. This can, for instance, be achieved by controlling the quantity of heat exchange medium supplied to the heat exchanger by means of the pump. It is useful to supply a large number of heat exchangers in common from one distribution manifold, and for the heat exchange medium from these heat exchangers to be led back to the reservoir via a common discharge line. The accumulation of foam in the reservoir resulting from the spinning finish is monitored by a foam sensor which, if a specific foam level is exceeded, adds anti-foaming agent from a container of anti- foaming agent. Favourably, however, a vacuum device is used for foam reduction, since with this technique the chemical composition of the heat exchange medium is not changed. The reservoir is favourably connected to a secondary circuit that includes cooling apparatus and an instrument with which the composition of the heat exchanger medium can be measured. These two devices are preceded by a filter to ensure that they operate correctly, and to separate in advance any impurities that could lead to the formation of deposits. It is favourable to use a reversible flow filter here, to ensure continuity of the preparation process. In this way it is both possible to establish the composition of the heat exchange medium reliably whilst simultaneously maintaining the temperature in the reservoir at the desired level accurately by means of the secondary circuit. A recycling circuit can be connected to the reservoir to purify heat exchange medium that has become over-saturated with spinning finish, making it available for re- use. When using heat exchangers operated with liquid, it is important that it is possible to disconnect a single working location from the supply of heat exchange medium following a malfunction in the process and its rectification without impairing the operation of neighbouring working locations. For this purpose, the heat exchanger is provided with a shut-off and emptying device. An additional emptying opening and a vent opening permit the processes of emptying and filling to proceed quickly. A safety device prevents the heat exchanger from being opened when it is not disconnected from the supply of heat exchange medium. In order to avoid adhesion of the delivery roller pairs or of the friction disks, which would lead to further malfunctions of the thread treatment processes, the thread is only inserted into the heater when the heat exchanger is running effectively, for which purpose a thread insertion device is provided. Further details of the invention are explained with the help of the diagrams. These illustrate: Fig. 1 A schematic illustration of the supply apparatus Fig. 2 The heat exchanger in the closed state Fig. 3 The thread inlet as the thread treatment process starts up Fig. 4 A schematic diagram of a foam reduction device. The invention is described using the example of a heat exchanger 1 operating as a cooler in a false-twist texturizing process, and to which heat exchange medium in the form of water is supplied by the pump 21 through the feed line 13. It would, of course, also be possible for the heat exchanger 1 to operate as a heater, and for a heat exchange medium other than water to be used. Only the working temperature in the heat exchanger 1 would change. The cooler 1 has a thread inlet opening 11 and a thread outlet opening 12 through which the thread F runs in the direction of the arrow, so that it is cooled to the desired temperature after leaving the heater 7 (Fig. 3). After leaving the cooler 1, the cooled thread F is passed, in order to be twisted, over the friction disks 4 before being passed a through a pair of delivery rollers 92 to a winding device not shown here. The coolant comes into direct contact with the thread F, with the effect that spinning finish adhering to the thread F is washed away. To bring the thread F exactly to the desired temperature, it is necessary for the coolant in the cooler 1 to be maintained very accurately at the necessary cooling temperature- For this reason, sufficient coolant is fed via the feed line 13 and the pump 21 at a particulas temperature for the heat taken away from the thread by the coolant to be completely removed via discharge line 14, so that the temperature of the coolant in the heat exchanger 1 refnains constant. The quantity that needs to be supplied at any time is regulated and supplied in a controlled quantity by the pressure sensor 29 which controls the pump 21. It is therefore favourable to use a frequency controlled pump 21, whose pumping quantity can be controlled accurately. Fig. 1 only shows a single cooler. In the texturizing machine, however, a cooler 1 is provided for each individual working location. This large number of coolers 1 is supplied with coolant through a distributor manifold 22. The coolant used in cooler 1 is returned through a common discharge line 3 into which the outlets 14 of the coolers 1 open. In order to prevent the escape of coolant at the thread inlet location 11 or the thread outlet location 12, sealing devices are normally provided at these openings, supplied with sealing medium. In the cooler 1 shown here, air, for instance, is used as the sealing medium, supplied via the feed lines 15 to the sealing devices, which may for instance consist of labyrinth seals. The sealing medium pushes the coolant that has penetrated the sealing device back, so preventing it from emerging from the inlet opening 11 or the outlet opening 12. This causes it to become mixed with the coolant, and it is passed together with the coolant via outlet 14 to the discharge line 3. The discharge line 3 transports the used coolant, mixed with sealing medium, to a reservoir 2, from which the coolant, after appropriate treatment, is returned by the pump 21 into the primary coolant circuit via lines 22 and 13 to the coolers 1. The coolant is prepared for re-use in the reservoir 2. Initially the sealing medium, air in this case, separates in the reservoir 2, which can, however, lead to the formation of foam. If the level of foam exceeds a certain height, this is detected by a foam sensor 26 that controls a valve 27 through which anti-foaning agent is passed to the reservoir 2 from an anti-foaming agent container 28, in order to promote separation of the air and to reduce the formation of foam. Although this method of reducing the amount of foam generated is, in itself, very effective, chemical additives are in many cases disadvantageous for re-use of the coolant, since in some circumstances it can be deposited on the cooling threads. Foam reduction using a vacuum device (Figure 4) is therefore preferred. The reservoir 2 has a cover 31 which is placed at some distance above the container 2. A connector 32 is provided in the centre of the cover 31, through which a vacuum pump 33 is connected to the space under the cover 31. The vacuum pump 32 primarily sucks in what is known as false air, sucked in around the container 2 through the clearance gap. This causes an airflow above the container 2. If the amount of foam generated suddenly rises to a high level, for instance as a result of the manual addition of spinning preparations, the individual bubbles of the foam 30 are sucked away by this airflow at high speed. The majority of them burst, and are collected through a pipeline 35 and a collection funnel 34 and passed in liquid form to a container 36. If the proportion of spinning preparation in the water only rises slightly, the level of foam does not continue to rise, halting shortly below the upper edge of the container, since the lateral airflow presses on the foam. Fig, 4 illustrates a situation in which the foam 30 is being sucked away as described above. Foam reduction using an ultrasonic device would also be possible. Ready-made devices are already available on the market for this purpose, and might be used for this application. They need not, therefore, be described in more detail. In any event, it is more economical to implement foam reduction by means of a vacuum, as described above in accordance with Figure 4. In order to prepare the coolant in the reservoir 2, a secondary circuit 5 is connected to the reservoir 2, into which a secondary circuit pump 51, a filter 52 and a cooler 53 are integrated. Additionally, before the inlet to the secondary circuit 5, another measuring instrument 54 that measures the composition of the coolant is fitted into the reservoir 2. The cooling process transports heat away from the threads, with the result that the water that returns to the reservoir 2 is warmer than the water that is fed to the coolers 1 by the pump 21. The consequence of this is that the coolant in the reservoir 2 gradually becomes hotter. In order to cool the threads F as required by the process, the temperature of the coolant must be accurately controlled. For this purpose a thermometer 25 is provided as a sensor in the reservoir 2, which, in the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1, controls a cooling unit 53, through which the water in the secondary circuit 5 is pumped and cooled. The control can be implemented in two ways: the thermometer may control the quantity of coolant passed by the pump 51 while the cooling power of the cooling unit 53 remains constant. Alternatively, however, the quantity passed by the pump 51 may be held constant, and the cooling capacity of the cooling unit 53 controlled. The power consumption of the latter version has been found to be more economical. Washing the spinning finish from the thread F causes this to concentrate in the coolant. It has, surprisingly, been found that the concentration of spinning finish in the coolant has a strong influence on the stability of the thread treatment process and on the development of twist in the thread in the twisting unit. Too little spinning finish has an unfavourable effect, but so does too much spinning finish. It is therefore important to establish the concentration of spinning finish, which is conveniently done by measuring the cloudiness of the coolant. Depending on the measured concentration of spinning finish, the coolant is brought to an optimum concentration. A concentration of between 0.5 and 2% has been found optimum for process reliability. This is achieved by the secondary circuit 5 attached to the reservoir 2, into which the meter 54 for the composition of the coolant is integrated. This may take, for example, the form of a measurement of clouding, This clouding meter 54 is appropriately located at the end of the secondary circuit 5, and in any event following the filter 52, since at this location the cloudiness is most constant and can therefore be most precisely measured. Clouding results primarily from the spinning finish that is applied to the thread F. As the thread F is passed through the cooler and is directly in contact with the coolant, the coolant washes spinning finish off the thread F. This spinning finish is passed back with the coolant to the reservoir 2, and therefore also enters the secondary circuit 5. This is fed by the pump 51 from the reservoir 2. A so-called working window is incorporated into the pipeline of the secondary circuit 5, and a measurement is taken here by the clouding meter 54. If the system obtains a measurement that indicates that the concentration of spinning finish is too high, water is automatically released via valve 24 from the reservoir 2, and fresh water is added through a second valve 23. This heavily polluted coolant is then cleaned before being passed to the waste water system. It is, however, also possible to connect a recycling circuit through valves 24 and 23, by means of which the coolant is cleaned to such an extent that it can be returned through the fresh water valve 23 into the reservoir 2. The pump 51 maintains the secondary circuit 5 in continuous operation, with the result that coolant is continuously pumped out of the reservoir 2 through this secondary circuit 5. The coolant passes firstly through a filter 52 in the secondary circuit 5, where all the coarser impurities are removed, so preventing the development of deposits, it is favourable to use a reversible flow filter 52 here, so that while the thread process continues the filter 52 can be regularly cleaned, thus avoiding interruptions. This secondary circuit 5 thus provides cleaning of the coolant, along with control of both the temperature and the concentration of spinning finish. The thread F emerging from the heater 7 passes through the thread inlet opening 11 into the cooler 1, after which it passes out through the thread outlet opening 12 to the twisting unit 4. Sealing at the thread inlet 11 and at the thread outlet 12 is implemented in both cases through labyrinth seals to which air is fed. While the coolant is fed through the distribution manifold 22, the discharge line 14 and the discharge line 3 take away the sealing medium and the used coolant together. The seating medium is passed to the labyrinth, seals via pipeline 15. This type of sealing on thread coolers is sufficiently well known, for instance through EP 0 624 208 Bl, or through the unpublished patent application PCT/DE01/02643 from this applicant, so that a detailed description is not necessary here. Discharging the pressurised sealing medium together with the heat exchange medium brings the latter through the discharge line 14 to the common discharge line 3. The coolant is therefore not subject only to gravity, as a result of which the discharge line in the texturizing machine can be positioned higher than the heat exchanger. This makes the construction conditions significantly more favourable. If a malfunction occurs at a working location in which the thread tears, the thread F must be inserted again into the cooler 1. The cooler 1 has a cover 6 mounted on hinges 61, allowing it to be opened in order to insert the thread F. It is necessary for this purpose to disconnect the cooler 1 from the supply of coolant, in particular also so that the supply to the other coolers 1 that are connected to the common distribution manifold 22 or to the discharge line 3 are not disturbed. For this reason the cooler 1 has a control lever 17 that operates a control shaft 16. By moving the lever 17 out of the position shown in Fig. 2 by about 90° upwards, the control shaft 16 is turned through the same angle, and the control cams that are mounted on this control shaft close the feed lines 13 and the discharge line 14. At the same time, this movement of the lever 17 releases the fork 62 on lever 18 which locks the cover 6. Only as a result of this release is the lever 18 able to pivot about an axis 63, allowing the cover 6 to open. This means that the lever 17 locks the opening of the cover 6, which can only be opened when the lines for supplying and discharging the water have been closed. At the same time, a fast-emptying opening 10 and a vent 19 are opened, so that the water is released from the chamber quickly. It is possible to include a window in the cooling chamber 1 through which this process can be observed. When closing, the fever 17 is moved in the opposite direction, as a result of which the feed and discharge lines are only opened when the lever 18 has locked into its closing position for the cover 6. The vent 19 ensures that the cooler 1 can be filled with coolant again quickly, allowing the thread treatment process to start up again. It should be noted that when the thread treatment process starts up, the thread F must be inserted into the twisting unit 4, the cooler 1 and the heater 7 when it is already being transported at operating speed by the delivery rollers 92. Since the cooler 1 only is fully effective after inserting the thread F when filled with water in its closed state, the thread F must not be heated until the cooler 1 is operating effectively, since otherwise the uncooled thread F would cause adhesions in the twisting unit 4. In accordance with the invention, therefore, the running thread F is only subjected to the heating effect of the heater 7 in the course of starting up the thread treatment process when the cooler 1 is working effectively. Apparatus is therefore provided at the heater 7 which holds the thread outside the heater until the cooler 1 is operating effectively, after which the thread F is inserted into the heater 7. A switchable thread guide unit 8 is provided for this purpose which, as shown on Fig. 3, holds the thread outside the heater 7 during the start up phase, so that it is not subjected to the heating effect. The path of the thread during start up is suggested by the line Fl on Fig. 3. Then when the cooler 1 has again achieved effective operation, the thread guide unit 8 is switched over, so that the thread F moves into its normal thread running position, and therefore passes through the heating unit 7, so being subjected to its heating effect. We Claim: 1. A method for supplying heat exchange medium to the liquid-carrying heat exchangers in which the heat exchanger has a thread inlet opening (11) and a thread outlet opening (12) and in which the heat exchange medium, at a specified temperature and in a specific composition, comes directly into contact with the thread being treated inside the heat exchanger wherein the heat exchange medium after passing through the heat exchanger (1) passes through a circuit (3, 2, 22), in which the heat exchange medium is collected for re-use, and is brought to a specific temperature and a specific composition and is then returned to the heat exchanger (1) and the heat exchange medium is impeded at the outlet of the thread inlet opening (11) and the thread outlet opening (12) by a sealing medium that is pressurized and is discharged together with the heat exchange medium from the heat exchanger (1) and passed to a circuit (3, 2, 22) in which the heat exchange medium is separated from the sealing medium with which it has become mixed. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a primary circuit and a secondary circuit connected in parallel with the primary circuit are provided, and in which a proportion of the collected heat exchange medium passes through this secondary circuit (5), in which the heat exchange medium is cooled and its composition is measured and in which"ttis returned to the primary circuit (3,2,22) before being passed again to the heat exchanger (1). 3. A method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 2 wherein, a cooling unit (53) is controlled in the secondary circuit (5), according to the temperature of the collected heat exchange medium in the primary circuit (3, 2, 22), and that with the aid of the measurement of the composition of the heat exchange medium in the secondary circuit (5) the control of the addition and/or reduction of the collected heat exchange medium is performed through the addition of fresh heat exchange medium. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein, the flow rate in the secondary circuit (5) is controlled, according to the temperature of the collected heat exchange medium, instead of the cooling unit (53). 5. A method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 4 wherein heat exchange medium is withdrawn from the primary circuit (3, 2, 22), is freed from spinning finish that it has absorbed, after which it is returned in controlled quantities to the primary circuit (3,2, 22) again. 6. A method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 5 wherein the proportion of spinning finish in the heat exchange medium is in the range between 0.5 and 2%. 7. A method as claimed in one or more of claims 1 to 6 wherein the foam generated through collecting the heat exchange medium for preparation is suppressed. 8. A method as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the suppression is carried out by generating a vacuum. 9. A method as claimed in any preceding claims for supplying heat exchange medium to the liquid-carrying heat exchangers in a thread treatment process in which a thread passes through a heater and through a cooler, and in which, in the heat exchanger, the heat exchange medium comes directly into contact with the thread and is prepared by means of a supply circuit (3, 2, 22) and passed again to the heat exchanger wherein, when restarting the thread treatment process at one working location, the heat exchanger (1) of this working location is disconnected from the circuit (3, 2, 22) that supplies heat exchange medium and is emptied before the heat exchanger (1) is opened in order to insert the thread (F), and in which, when restarting the thread treatment process, the thread (F) is first placed in a position (Fl) outside the range of the heating effect of the heater (7), from where it is only placed in the region of the heating effect of the heater (7) once the heat exchanger (1) is reconnected to the circuit (3, 2, 22) for the supply of heat exchange medium, and is again operating effectively. . Apparatus for supplying heat exchange medium to the liquid-carrying heat exchangers, said heat exchanger has a thread inlet opening (11) and a thread outlet opening (12) and in which the thread to be treated in said heat exchangers coming directly into contact with the heat exchange medium in the heat exchanger, said apparatus comprises:a circuit (3,2, 22) for the heat exchange medium leading from the heat exchanger (1) to a reservoir (2) in which the heat exchange medium is collected and brought to a particular temperature;pump (21) through which the heat exchange medium is returned in controlled quantities to the heat exchanger (1), so that the temperature in the heat exchanger (1) remains constant;a foam sensor (26) being mounted in the reservoir (2) that activates foam suppression apparatus if the foam rises above a specific level; anda measuring instrument (54) for the composition of the heat exchange medium is provided in the circuit (3, 2, 22; 5) of the heat exchange medium, and where this is used to control the composition of the heat exchange medium. 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the pump (21) is controlled and which at any time returns the quantity of heat exchange medium to the heat exchanger (1) that is necessary to keep the temperature inside the heat exchanger (1) constant. 12. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 10 or 11 wherein plurality of heat exchangers (1) are provided that are connected to a common distribution manifold (22) and that are fed from a reservoir (2) assigned to the heat exchangers (1), and a common discharge line (3) by means of which the heat exchange medium emerging from the heat exchangers (1) is passed to the reservoir (2). 13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 wherein the foam suppression apparatus includes a vacuum pump (33) that acts on the surface of the reservoir (2). 14. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of claims 10 to 13 wherein a secondary circuit (5) in which a cooling device (53) is mounted is connected to the reservoir (2). 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the reservoir (2) has mounted in it a temperature sensor (25) that controls a pump (51) that determines the flow rate through the cooling unit (53) located in the secondary circuit (5). 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the temperature sensor (25) controls the cooling unit (52). 17. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of claims 14 to 16 wherein the secondary circuit (5) includes a filter (52). 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the filter (52) is located in front of the cooling unit (53). 19. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of claims 16 to 18 wherein the filter (52) is a reversible flow filter. 20. Apparatus as claimed in claims 10 to 19 wherein the measuring instrument (54) for the composition of the heat exchange medium is located in the secondary circuit (5). 21. Apparatus as claimed in one of claims 10 to 20 wherein the measuring instrument (54) for the composition of the heat exchange medium takes the form of a clouding meter. 22. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of claims 10 to 20 wherein the measuring instrument (54) for the composition of the heat exchange medium is associated in a controlling manner with a valve (23) that passes fresh heat exchange medium into the reservoir (2). 23. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of Claims 10 to 22 wherein a recycling circuit for the heat exchange medium is connected to the reservoir (2). 24. Apparatus as claimed in any of the claims 10 to 23 for supplying liquid-carrying heat exchangers with heat exchange medium the thread to be treated in said heat exchangers coming directly into contact with the heat exchange medium in the heat exchanger and the heat exchange medium being prepared through a supply circuit and returned to the heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger includes shut-off and emptying devices (16,17) for the heat exchange medium flowing in the circuit (3, 2, 22) through the heat exchanger (1). 25. Apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the shut-off and emptying apparatus (16,17) includes an emptying opening (10). 26. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of claims 24 or 25 wherein a vent (19) is provided adjacent to the discharge line (14). 27. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of Claims 24 to 26 wherein a safety device (62) is associated with the shut-off and emptying devices (16,17). 28. Apparatus as claimed in one or more of Claims 24 to 27 wherein thread insertion apparatus (8) is included outside the heater (7). Dated this 12th day of March, 2005. ASEAN SAARC PATENT & TRADE MARK SERVICES AGENT FOR TEMCO TEXTILMASCHINEN KOMPONENTEN GMBH

Documents:

197-mumnp-2005-cancelled pages(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-claims(granted)-(20-9-2006).doc

197-mumnp-2005-claims(granted)-(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-correspondence(6-8-2007).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-correspondence(ipo)-(27-6-2007).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-drawing(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form 1(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form 18(16-3-2005).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form 2(granted)-(20-9-2006).doc

197-mumnp-2005-form 2(granted)-(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form 3(12-3-2005).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form 5(12-3-2005).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-form-pct-isa-210(20-9-2006).pdf

197-mumnp-2005-power of attorney(15-3-2001).pdf

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