Split-chamber pressure exchangers

Abstract

The invention relates to split-chamber pressure exchangers. Split-chamber pressure exchangers are characterized in that the pressure exchange chambers and the pistons thereof are split in two. Each fluid passes through the corresponding chamber thereof, such that said fluids cannot be mixed. The cross sections of the chambers can be varied in order to vary the transmitted pressure. The reverse line operation can be established and synchronized using a U-shaped tube with telescopic sides and a fixed base filled with fluid or diametrically opposed curved lines, and multiple arrangements can be used. Split-chamber pressure exchangers can be used as surface or well pumping systems and the pumping fluid used can differ from the fluid to be pumped. Different levels of any material can be exploited at any storage site using a chamber with elastic walls filled with fluid and attached to the bottom. Electric power can be generated by centrifuging the pre-pumped fluid.

Description

FIELD OF THE ART[0001]The invention is comprised within the field of pressure exchangers, which are for transmitting dynamic pressure from one fluid to another different fluid.[0002]Due to the innovations provided, the invention is transformed into a new pumping system for any type of fluids, and even into a new electric power generation system.STATE OF THE ARTPressure Exchangers[0003]Pressure exchangers were invented over more than twenty-five years ago and they basically consist of pressurizing one fluid (fluid 1 in FIG. 1) from the pressure of another fluid, which is depressurized after the process (fluid 2). There are several models, but they all basically work according to the diagram of FIG. 1. The fluid 1 is introduced in the interconnecting chambers by means of a system of shut-off and check valves, represented by the gray boxes. Once filled, the fluid 2 is allowed to pass through the other end, displacing said fluid by pushing an transmitting intermediate member which trans...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]Obviously, the vertical or angled arrangement of the lines is possible (FIG. 5), but this will worsen the problem that the fluid to be pressurized (fluid 1) must displace the fluid 2 once it has been depressurized, since in this case it must also overcome the weight of the fluid, plus that of the discs or pistons and the attachment between them. To that end an additional lifting system thereof could also be arranged, the control of which would be integrated in the electronic control system of the system, or the drain system shown in FIG. 6 can be used, which consists of exploiting the energy from the pressurized fluid (fluid 2) not only to transmit it to the fluid to be pressurized (fluid 1), but also to aid the actual fluid 1 in displacing fluid 2 in the other line once it has been depressurized. This is achieved by means of an auxiliary U-shaped tube which interconnects both lines as shown in FIG. 6, and it is a telescopic tube on both sides of the “U”, being rigidly supported by the base of the “U”. The ends of the “U” are attached to the discs or pistons of their respective lines, and the “U” is filled with an incompressible fluid. Therefore, when the fluid 2 under pressure enters its chamber, not only does it apply pressure to its disc or piston to displace fluid 1, but it also transmits part of its energy to the disc or piston of the other line to aid fluid 1 of the other line in displacing the depressurized fluid 2 in said line and in overcoming the friction of the discs or pistons and their weight and that of the depressurized fluid 2 if necessary. Logically, the cross section of the tube must be such that the energy transferred to the disc or piston of the other line is the necessary minimum. The reverse line operation is furthermore assured by means of this system, thus simplifying the system control electronics. It can be assembled in any type of pressure exchangers, whether they are split chambers or not. Obviously, instead of being a telescopic tube they could be several telescopic tubes equidistant from one another and from the center, or a ring made up of several sections of the same length and equidistant for the purpose of better distributing the stress on the discs or pistons.

[0072]an additional advantage that is of considerable interest is that VSSCPEs can be designed such that the speed of the piston is constant, except in a small initial span in which it must be accelerated to the desired speed. The energy transfer performance is thus optimized since it is not used for an unnecessary acceleration of the double or single disc or piston.

Problems solved by technology

Although the system proposed in the previous section relating to desalination is fairly energetically efficient, it presents two problems:the outlet pressure of the reverse osmosis filters of the brine is always lower than that of the feed water, which means that it is necessary to install a booster pump increasing the pressure of the watersince the pre-treatment water and the brine are separated in the pressure-transmitting intermediate members, there is always a small though significant mixture of both fluids, therefore the pre-treatment water leaves the pressure exchangers with a higher salt concentration, which obviously jeopardizes the process

Furthermore, traditional pressure exchangers generally present another drawback, which is that the fluid to be pressurized (fluid 1) is forced to displace the fluid 2 once it has been depressurized.

This is not so much of a problem in the case of desalinators because the water to be pressurized comes from the pre-treatment process, from which it leaves with some pressure, but in other applications it may be a serious drawback, especially taking into account the fact that the reverse line operation is necessary, and the natural speeds of the discs or pistons in either direction are very different.

This reduces the performance of the exchangers and complicates the system control electronics.

All these drawbacks are probably what have not allowed further development of pressure exchangers in all types of applications.

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