초록 ▼

A pressure exchanger for transferring pressure energy from a high-pressure fluid stream to low-pressure fluid stream. A ducted rotor is positioned on a central axle between two end covers inside the vessel with a coaxial inlet and outlet pair that is in communication with a pair of low pressure port

A pressure exchanger for transferring pressure energy from a high-pressure fluid stream to low-pressure fluid stream. A ducted rotor is positioned on a central axle between two end covers inside the vessel with a coaxial inlet and outlet pair that is in communication with a pair of low pressure ports having inclination forming an inlet tangential velocity vector in the direction of rotor rotation and an outlet tangential velocity vector in opposite direction imparting a rotational momentum on rotor. A pair of high-pressure ports is adapted for flow without inclination and imparts no momentum to the rotor. The end covers have a sloped surface following a flat sealing area that increases the clearance in the direction of rotation causing increased outflow during depressurization and lower duct pressure. This also causes increased inflow during the pressurization phase which will dissipate pressure energy as opposed to producing cavitation or pressure waves.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A pressure exchanger for transferring pressure energy from a first fluid flow to a second fluid flow, comprising: a substantially cylindrical-shaped pressure vessel; a pair of end covers located on opposing ends of the pressure vessel, each end cover having at least one

The invention claimed is: 1. A pressure exchanger for transferring pressure energy from a first fluid flow to a second fluid flow, comprising: a substantially cylindrical-shaped pressure vessel; a pair of end covers located on opposing ends of the pressure vessel, each end cover having at least one passage formed therein; a rotor, disposed inside the vessel, comprising multiple through-going coaxial ducts and arranged for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the exchanger between the pair of opposing end covers, the rotor adapted to guide fluid exchange both within and external to the rotor; a pair of fluid inlets; and a pair of fluid outlets in communication with the fluid inlets to promote a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow through the rotor, wherein the opposing end cover passages pass low pressure fluids and are oriented with a degree of inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis to impart a uni-rotational impulse momentum onto the rotor regardless of flow direction of the first and second fluid flows relative to the pressure vessel, through an inlet tangential flow vector component in the direction of rotation and an outflow tangential flow vector component in an opposite direction of rotation, wherein the rotor rotates about a central axle with each axle end affixed to the opposing end covers. 2. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the second fluid flow enters and exits the pressure exchanger in opposite directions while imparting essentially no rotational momentum on the rotor. 3. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the surface of each end cover that faces away from the rotor has an area subject to high pressure giving a normal pressure force substantially equal to a separating force between end cover and rotor with their respective force centroids co-aligned. 4. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the end covers are configured as substantially opposed mirror images of each other. 5. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein each axle end is affixed to the opposing end covers with a central tension rod removably attached to at least one of the end covers. 6. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the rotor and the end covers is equipped with an elevated central surface area preventing a rotor outer sealing area from acquiring a lock up position. 7. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein at least one end cover is adapted for depressurization and pressurization of rotor duct fluid over extended angular movement, the at least one end cover having at least one of either a curved end cover or stepped end cover geometry starting at the point where the duct opening is located in a sealing area and thereon forming a controlled increase of duct leading edge clearance in the direction of rotation. 8. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel has coaxial flow passages leading into a sealed balancing chamber located asymmetrically with direct opening to end cover ports having inclined passages. 9. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein non-impulse imparting flow streams enter and exit the pressure vessel substantially radially in the same direction of a common co-axial plane. 10. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel has at least one end configured with a removable end closure allowing for insertion or removal of at least one pressure exchanger component. 11. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, further comprising a seal disposed between an end cover and an internal wall of the pressure vessel between its side opening and a rotor end. 12. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the rotor vessel clearance is able to be pressurized either directly from the high pressure streams, by internal rotor end clearance leakage or the space is depressurized directly from the low pressure side. 13. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the pressure vessel comprises a means for monitoring rotational speed of the rotor. 14. The pressure exchanger according to claim 13, wherein the means for monitoring comprises a transparent window. 15. The pressure exchanger according to claim 14, wherein the means for monitoring comprises a reflecting surface for permitting optical measurement of the rotational speed visible through the transparent window. 16. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the pair of opposing end covers have ports of different and uneven angular extent. 17. The pressure exchanger according to claim 1, wherein the inlet tangential flow vector component in the direction of rotation and the outflow tangential flow vector component in an opposite direction of rotation are related by the expression Vy out≈-Vy in. 18. A bidirectional pressure exchanging device for exchanging pressure from one fluid flow to another fluid flow, comprising: a pressure vessel; a pair of end covers disposed on opposing ends of the pressure vessel, each end cover having at least one fluid passage formed therein; a rotor, located inside the pressure vessel, comprising multiple through-going coaxial ducts and arranged for rotation about its longitudinal axis between the pair of opposing end covers, the rotor guiding fluid exchange both within and external to the rotor, wherein the rotor rotates about a central axle with each axle end affixed to the opposing end covers; a first substantially axial fluid flow path perpendicular comprising an inlet and outlet communicating through the rotor; and a second fluid flow path that is at least in part parallel to the first fluid flow path through and around the rotor and that comprises an inlet and outlet that are substantially perpendicular to the first fluid flow path, wherein the opposing end cover fluid passages pass low pressure fluids and are oriented with a degree of inclination to impart a uni-rotational impulse momentum onto the rotor regardless of flow direction of the first and second fluid flows, through an inlet tangential flow vector component in the direction of rotation and an outflow tangential flow vector component in an opposite direction of rotation. 19. A reverse osmosis system for desalinating sea water comprising: a fresh water supply; a sea water supply; a membrane separating the fresh water supply from the sea water supply, wherein the sea water supply is maintained at a pressure against the membrane sufficient to reverse an osmotic tendency of fresh water to flow into the sea water; and a pressure exchanger for increasing a pressure of sea water fed to the reverse osmosis system, the pressure exchanger, comprising: a substantially cylindrical-shaped pressure vessel; a pair of end covers located on opposing ends of the pressure vessel, each end cover having at least one passage formed therein; a rotor, disposed inside the vessel, comprising multiple through-going coaxial ducts and arranged for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the exchanger between the pair of opposing end covers, the rotor adapted to guide fluid exchange both within and external to the rotor; a pair of fluid inlets; and a pair of fluid outlets in communication with the fluid inlets to promote a first fluid flow and a second fluid flow through the rotor, wherein the opposing end cover passages pass low pressure fluids and are oriented with a degree of inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis to impart a uni-rotational impulse momentum onto the rotor regardless of flow direction of the first and second fluid flows relative to the pressure vessel, through an inlet tangential flow vector component in the direction of rotation and an outflow tangential flow vector component in an opposite direction of rotation, wherein the rotor rotates about a central axle with each axle end affixed to the opposing end covers.