A reverse osmosis concentrated water energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electric energy conversion

Abstract

This application relates to a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, comprising energy input, conversion, and control modules. The energy input module includes a flow guide cavity and a pressure regulating valve. The flow guide cavity has a gradually narrowing flow channel that converts the pressure energy of the concentrate into kinetic energy. The pressure regulating valve is connected to this channel. The energy conversion module includes an impeller assembly, a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism, and a micro permanent magnet generator. The impeller assembly is located at the end of the flow guide cavity and rotates under the impact of the concentrate. The magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is connected to the impeller assembly, and its internal magnet is made of electromagnet material. The control module includes a frequency converter and an energy storage unit. The frequency converter is connected to the pressure regulating valve, and the energy storage unit consists of energy storage electrical components. This device has high energy recovery efficiency, with a conversion efficiency exceeding 70%. It features a compact modular structure, lubrication-free magnetic drive, simple and long-term maintenance, and adaptability to complex operating conditions through frequency conversion control. It can be directly connected to existing systems, has low retrofit costs, and recovers its costs within 1-2 years.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the fields of energy recovery and utilization as well as environmental protection and energy conservation technology, and in particular to a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion. Background Technology

[0002] Reverse osmosis (RO) technology is widely used in the water treatment field. However, its high operating energy consumption has become a key issue restricting its development. It is worth noting that the RO concentrate still has a high pressure when discharged, usually reaching 80%-90% of the system operating pressure. Direct discharge of this concentrate would undoubtedly result in a large amount of energy waste.

[0003] To address this issue, various energy recovery technologies have emerged. Pressure exchangers can transfer the pressure of concentrate to the feed water, but require strict matching with the feed water flow rate and suffer from energy losses. Turbine-type recovery devices generate electricity by driving a generator through a turbine, but traditional turbines are complex in structure, inefficient, and poorly adaptable to fluctuations in concentrate flow rate. Hydraulic motor power generation technology also exists, but it requires an additional hydraulic system, resulting in high equipment costs and extremely complex maintenance.

[0004] Overall, existing technologies have many shortcomings. On the one hand, energy conversion efficiency is low, with significant energy loss during the conversion from mechanical energy to electrical energy. On the other hand, the complex structure and multi-stage transmission devices result in large equipment size and increased maintenance difficulty. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, this application proposes a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion. Its structure includes: a flow guide cavity, a pressure regulating valve, an impeller assembly, a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism, a micro permanent magnet generator, a frequency converter, and an energy storage unit. The flow guide cavity has a gradually narrowing flow channel. The pressure regulating valve is connected to the flow guide cavity, and the impeller assembly is located at the end of the flow guide cavity. The magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is connected to the impeller assembly, and the magnet inside the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is made of electromagnet material. The frequency converter is connected to the micro permanent magnet generator, and the energy storage unit consists of energy storage electrical components.

[0006] Preferably, the impeller assembly is provided with biomimetic streamlined impeller blades, which are biomimetic fin-shaped blades.

[0007] Preferably, a speed sensor is installed on the shaft of the micro permanent magnet generator, and the speed sensor feeds back the rotation speed signal to the frequency converter.

[0008] Preferably, the frequency converter includes an overcurrent protection device and an overvoltage protection device. The overcurrent protection device is installed between the output terminal of the frequency converter and the motor, and the overvoltage protection device is installed in parallel across the DC bus of the frequency converter.

[0009] Preferably, the material of the biomimetic streamlined impeller blades is a highly corrosion-resistant alloy.

[0010] Preferably, the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is equipped with a current intensity control device for the electromagnet material.

[0011] Preferably, the energy storage unit is a supercapacitor.

[0012] Preferably, the energy storage unit is a lithium battery.

[0013] Preferably, the micro permanent magnet generator is provided with a structural magnet for receiving the kinetic energy of the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism.

[0014] Preferably, the material of the flow guiding cavity is a high-strength corrosion-resistant alloy material.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: In terms of energy recovery efficiency, thanks to its carefully optimized impeller and magnetic drive design, its mechanical energy to electrical energy conversion efficiency can reach over 70%. This means that it can fully recover and utilize the energy contained in the reverse osmosis concentrate, effectively reducing energy consumption and providing strong support for the energy saving and efficiency improvement of the entire system.

[0016] From the perspective of device structure and maintenance, the modular design significantly reduces the number of mechanical parts, making the overall structure more compact. At the same time, the use of magnetic drive eliminates the need for lubrication required by traditional transmission methods, simplifying the maintenance process, greatly extending the maintenance cycle, and reducing maintenance costs.

[0017] This device exhibits excellent adaptability to complex operating conditions. Utilizing variable frequency control technology, it maintains stable operation even when the concentrate flow rate fluctuates between 30% and 120% of its rated value. Furthermore, it can be directly integrated into existing reverse osmosis systems, resulting in low retrofit costs and a short payback period—approximately 1-2 years—making it highly economical.

[0018] Other features and aspects of this application will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which are included in and form part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application together with the specification and serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0020] Figure 1 This invention relates to a structural diagram of a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, according to an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the connection between the reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion and external devices according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0021] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0022] It should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model or simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0023] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration.” Any embodiment illustrated herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments.

[0025] Furthermore, to better illustrate this application, numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed description. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application can be implemented without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, components, and circuits well-known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the main points of this application.

[0026] This application discloses a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, applicable in the fields of energy recovery and utilization, as well as environmental protection and energy-saving technology / equipment, playing a role in the efficient utilization of wastewater energy. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion is characterized by comprising: a flow guiding cavity 101, a pressure regulating valve 102, an impeller assembly 103, a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104, a micro permanent magnet generator 105, a frequency converter 106, and an energy storage unit 107. The flow guiding cavity 101 has a gradually narrowing flow channel, and the pressure regulating valve 102 is connected to the flow guiding cavity 101. The impeller assembly 103 is located at the end of the flow guiding cavity 101, and the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104 is connected to the impeller assembly 103. The magnet inside the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104 is made of electromagnet material. The frequency converter 106 is connected to the micro permanent magnet generator 105, and the energy storage unit 107 is an energy storage electrical component.

[0027] In one possible implementation, the impeller assembly 103 is provided with biomimetic streamlined impeller blades, which are biomimetic fin-shaped blades.

[0028] In one possible implementation, a speed sensor is mounted on the shaft of the micro permanent magnet generator 105, and the speed sensor feeds back the rotational speed signal to the frequency converter 106. The frequency converter 106 compares the actual rotational speed with the set rotational speed. If the actual rotational speed is lower than the set rotational speed, the frequency converter 106 increases the output frequency; if the actual rotational speed is higher than the set rotational speed, the frequency converter 106 decreases the output frequency.

[0029] In one possible implementation, the frequency converter 106 includes an overcurrent protection device and an overvoltage protection device. The overcurrent protection device is located between the output terminal of the frequency converter and the motor, and the overvoltage protection device is located across the DC bus of the frequency converter 106 connected in parallel.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the biomimetic streamlined impeller blades are made of a highly corrosion-resistant alloy. During operation, the impeller in a concentrated water-driven turbine is subjected to the impact of high-speed water flow and the centrifugal force generated by rotation. The high-strength, corrosion-resistant alloy possesses high yield strength and tensile strength, enabling it to withstand these complex stresses and resist deformation and cracking, thus ensuring the structural integrity of the impeller during long-term operation.

[0031] In one possible implementation, the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104 is provided with a current intensity control device for the electromagnet material.

[0032] In one possible implementation, the energy storage unit 107 is a supercapacitor. Supercapacitors have extremely fast charging and discharging rates, with charging times ranging from seconds to minutes, compared to the typical hours required to charge a battery. This rapid charging and discharging characteristic allows it to adapt well to frequent fluctuations in generator output power, storing excess energy promptly and releasing it quickly when needed.

[0033] In one possible implementation, the energy storage unit 107 is a lithium battery. Lithium batteries have lower energy loss during charging and discharging, and their charge-discharge efficiency is typically around 90%, compared to lead-acid batteries which generally have a charge-discharge efficiency of 70%-80%. This high charge-discharge efficiency allows the generator energy storage unit to store electrical energy more quickly during charging and release it more fully during discharging, reducing energy waste and improving energy utilization.

[0034] In one possible implementation, the miniature permanent magnet generator 105 is equipped with a structural magnet for receiving the kinetic energy of the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104. This achieves contactless transmission and avoids seal leakage.

[0035] In one possible implementation, the material of the flow guiding cavity 101 is a high-strength corrosion-resistant alloy material.

[0036] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the structure of a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, according to an embodiment of this application. This utility model relates to a reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, applicable in energy recovery and utilization, as well as environmental protection and energy-saving technologies / equipment, playing a role in the efficient utilization of wastewater energy. Its structure includes: an energy input module, an energy conversion module, and a control module. The energy input module includes a flow guide cavity 101 and a pressure regulating valve 102. Concentrate enters the flow guide cavity 101 from 100. The flow guide cavity 101 has a gradually narrowing flow channel inside, used to convert the pressure energy of the concentrate into kinetic energy. The pressure regulating valve 102 is connected to the flow guide cavity 101 and is used to regulate the concentrate flow rate and pressure. The energy conversion module includes an impeller assembly 103, a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104, and a micro permanent magnet generator 105. The impeller assembly 103 is located at the end of the guide cavity 101 and rotates under the impact of concentrated water. The magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104 is connected to the impeller assembly 103, and the magnet inside the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism 104 is made of electromagnet material. The control module includes a frequency converter 106 and an energy storage unit 107. The frequency converter 106 is connected to the micro permanent magnet generator 105, and the energy storage unit 107 is an energy storage electrical component connected to the output terminal of the micro permanent magnet generator 105. The control module is used to stabilize the output of the energy conversion module. Finally, electrical energy is output through the output terminal 108.

[0037] Figure 2This diagram illustrates the connection between the reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion according to an embodiment of this application and external devices. The water to be treated enters the system through inlet 201, and after being pressurized by high-pressure pump 202, it is fed into the reverse osmosis unit 203. In the reverse osmosis unit 203, the water is separated into desalinated water and concentrate. The desalinated water is directly discharged to the first outlet 204, while the concentrate, after being pressurized, is fed into the reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, reacts, and is then discharged to the second outlet 205.

[0038] The various embodiments of this application have been described above. These descriptions are exemplary and not exhaustive, nor are they limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein is chosen to best explain the principles, practical application, or improvement of the technology in the market, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion, characterized in that, include: The components include a flow guide cavity, a pressure regulating valve, an impeller assembly, a magnetic coupling transmission mechanism, a micro permanent magnet generator, a frequency converter, and an energy storage unit. The flow guide cavity is provided with a gradually narrowing flow channel, and the pressure regulating valve is connected to the flow guide cavity; The impeller assembly is located at the end of the flow guide cavity, and the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is connected to the impeller assembly. The magnet inside the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is an electromagnet material. The frequency converter is connected to the micro permanent magnet generator, and the energy storage unit is an energy storage electrical component.

2. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The impeller assembly is provided with biomimetic streamlined impeller blades, which are biomimetic fin-shaped blades.

3. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, A speed sensor is installed on the shaft of the micro permanent magnet generator, and the speed sensor feeds back the rotation speed signal to the frequency converter.

4. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frequency converter includes an overcurrent protection device and an overvoltage protection device; The overcurrent protection device is installed between the output terminal of the frequency converter and the motor, and the overvoltage protection device is installed in parallel across the DC bus of the frequency converter controller.

5. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 2, characterized in that, The biomimetic streamlined impeller blades are made of a highly corrosion-resistant alloy.

6. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The magnetic coupling transmission mechanism is equipped with a current intensity control device for the electromagnet material.

7. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-to-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage unit is a supercapacitor.

8. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The energy storage unit is a lithium battery.

9. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The micro permanent magnet generator is equipped with a structural magnet for receiving the kinetic energy of the magnetic coupling transmission mechanism.

10. The reverse osmosis concentrate energy recovery device based on mechanical energy-electrical energy conversion according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the flow guiding cavity is a high-strength corrosion-resistant alloy material.

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