Hydrodynamic-cavitation-based liquid-liquid reactor and method thereof, and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a hydrodynamic-cavitation-based liquid-liquid reactor and a method thereof, and an apparatus. The reactor comprises a chamber A and a chamber B, wherein the chamber A is configured to convey a first fluid so as to make same rotatably enter a cavitation reaction unit in a central region; the chamber B is configured to convey a second fluid so as to make same rotatably enter the cavitation reaction unit to mix with the first fluid; and an axially adjustable flow guide member is provided in the central region to assist with drainage. The present invention achieves high-efficiency mass transfer of multiphase fluids in a controllable cavitation field by means of an innovative dual-tangential reverse feeding structure, adjustable flow guidance and Venturi coupling design, forming reaction intensification through swirling flow impingement, mixing and cavitation collapse; moreover, intelligent regulation and control of a reaction path is achieved by means of the micro-injection of gas and flow field adjustment, thus significantly improving the reaction rate, selectivity and energy efficiency ratio. Thus, the present invention has good engineering adaptability and prospects for large-scale application.

Description

A liquid-liquid reactor, device and method based on hydraulic cavitation Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of liquid-liquid reaction equipment technology, specifically relating to a liquid-liquid reactor, equipment and method based on hydraulic cavitation, which is applicable to industrial applications such as organic synthesis, extraction, emulsification, separation and purification and mixing enhancement. Background Technology

[0002] Cavitation refers to the formation, growth, and collapse of cavitation cavities (bubbles) caused by changes in the pressure field of a fluid during flow. Because hydraulic cavitation produces a series of enhancing effects, including mechanical effects (shock waves, microjets), thermal effects (localized high temperatures), optical effects (sound-induced fluorescence), and activation effects (generation of hydroxyl radicals in aqueous solutions), it can enhance reactions. This enhancing effect makes cavitation highly valuable for research and has promising application prospects in chemical, food, and biological industries.

[0003] Cavitation effects act on chemical reactions, mainly by utilizing the collapse of cavitation bubbles to generate local high temperatures, high pressures, and strong shock waves and jets. These provide a new and very special physicochemical environment for chemical reactions that are difficult or impossible to achieve under normal conditions. Numerous experiments have shown that cavitation can be widely applied to various reactions, including: (1) Synthetic chemistry, especially the application of cavitation in organic synthesis, which has developed rapidly. The main research object is heterogeneous reactions, especially organometallic reactions. Cavitation pulverization and surface activation may replace phase transfer catalysts (PTC) reactions. These include reactions involving metal surfaces (such as accelerated catalytic reactions), reactions involving powdered solid particles, emulsification reactions, and homogeneous reactions. (2) Polymer chemistry, such as polymerization reactions and polymer degradation reactions. (3) Electrochemistry, where ultrasound is directly introduced into the electroplating tank. Due to cavitation, the deposition rate is increased and the current density is improved. (4) The application of hydrodynamic cavitation technology in the field of liquid-liquid heterogeneous reactions is particularly prominent. These applications include esterification of oils, transesterification reactions, epoxidation of vegetable oils, and oxidation reactions. The reaction rates of these reactions are usually limited by the mass transfer rate. Hydraulic cavitation technology can enhance these reactions largely because of the cavitation physics effect, which causes strong turbulence at the liquid-liquid interface, allowing the two immiscible phases to form a tiny emulsion, thus eliminating mass transfer limitations.

[0004] In 2004, Ambulgekar et al. enhanced the oxidation process of alkyl aromatics using hydraulic cavitation technology. They used potassium permanganate solution to oxidize toluene and employed hydraulic cavitation to intensify this oxidation process. The effects of potassium permanganate dosage, oil-water phase volume ratio, reaction time, orifice plate parameters, and pump inlet pressure were investigated, and these conditions were optimized. Cavitation technology can accelerate the reaction rate. The paper also compared hydraulic cavitation with ultrasonic cavitation; under the same energy consumption, the reaction rate under hydraulic cavitation was approximately six times that under ultrasonic cavitation. In 2006, Ji et al. applied hydraulic cavitation technology to biodiesel transesterification, using soybean oil and methanol as raw materials and potassium hydroxide as a catalyst. Experimental results showed that compared to mechanical stirring, using a hydraulic cavitation reactor significantly shortened the reaction time, requiring only 10-30 minutes to complete the reaction. In terms of energy consumption, the energy required to produce one unit mass of biodiesel using hydraulic cavitation technology is approximately one-third that of mechanical stirring. In 2008, Kelkar et al. applied hydrocavitation technology to the esterification reaction of biodiesel. In biodiesel production systems, esterification (a reaction involving free fatty acids with sulfuric acid as a catalyst) is typically limited by mass transfer. This article investigated the effects of the molar ratio of fatty acids to alcohols, catalyst dosage, and pore plate structure parameters on the reaction. The results showed that under mild operating conditions and mild reaction temperature / pressure conditions, all experimental groups achieved conversion rates of over 90% within a reaction time of less than 3 hours, verifying that hydrocavitation technology can effectively promote the esterification process in biodiesel production systems.

[0005] The enhancement of solvent extraction in equipment primarily relies on the cavitation effect of the liquid; therefore, any parameter properties that affect the cavitation effect will impact the extraction efficiency. Cavitation technology is applied to extraction processes including solid-liquid and liquid-liquid extraction. It comprehensively improves and enhances the mass transfer rate and efficiency of extraction and separation compared to conventional methods such as heat treatment, mechanical stirring, or pressure changes. Cavitation extraction can not only enhance the extraction process of substances using conventional fluids but also enhance the extraction process of substances under supercritical conditions, thereby increasing the yield.

[0006] Currently, cavitation technology has been extensively studied in the laboratory, but industrial scale-up still faces challenges such as complex equipment structures, limited scalability, high energy consumption, and difficulty in controlling the cavitation zone. Furthermore, existing hydraulic cavitation equipment often employs a single inlet method, making it difficult to achieve pre-organization of the two fluids before they enter the cavitation core zone, as well as efficient mixing and reaction control after entering the core zone. This results in low cavitation energy utilization and poor reaction selectivity, limiting its application in continuous and refined production. For example, in cavitation extraction, although the technology has been applied to the extraction of small samples in some industries, large-scale production applications are still limited, and the corresponding extraction equipment is not yet mature. Further research and development of equipment and optimization of process parameters are needed. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a liquid-liquid reactor, device, and method based on hydraulic cavitation. The reactor includes a chamber A with a gradually narrowing flow channel and a chamber B with a flattened swirl channel. Chamber A is used to transport a first fluid in a rotating manner into the cavitation reaction unit in the central region; chamber B is used to transport a second fluid in a rotating manner into the cavitation reaction unit to mix with the first fluid. The central region is also equipped with an axially adjustable guide to aid in flow guidance. This reactor, through an innovative dual-tangential reverse feed structure, adjustable guide, and Venturi coupling design, achieves high-efficiency mass transfer of multiphase fluids in a controllable cavitation field, forming a reaction enhancement effect of swirling counter-current, fusion, and cavitation collapse. Intelligent control of the reaction path is achieved through gas micro-injection and flow field adjustment, significantly improving reaction rate, selectivity, and energy efficiency. It is applicable to multiple strategic emerging fields such as green chemical engineering, biorefining, energy conservation and environmental protection, high-purity material synthesis, pharmaceutical production, and wastewater treatment, possessing good engineering adaptability and large-scale application prospects, providing core equipment support for energy conservation, emission reduction, and transformation and upgrading of process industries.

[0008] On one hand, the present invention provides a liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation, the liquid-liquid reactor comprising chamber A, chamber B and cavitation reaction unit;

[0009] The chamber A is used to transport the first fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit in a first spiral flow in a first rotation direction;

[0010] The chamber B is used to transport the second fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit in a second spiral flow with a second rotation direction that is the same as or different from the first rotation direction.

[0011] The cavitation reaction unit is used to induce a hydraulic cavitation effect in the incoming fluid.

[0012] Existing hydraulic cavitation equipment, when used for mixing two fluids in a reaction, typically mixes the two fluids first and then introduces them together into the cavitation reaction unit. This method can easily cause the two fluids to react chemically prematurely, resulting in incomplete reaction, lower yield than ordinary reactors, inaccurate local reaction ratios, and the generation of a large number of byproducts.

[0013] To achieve efficient mixing and reaction of two fluids in a hydraulic cavitation device, this invention provides a liquid-liquid reactor with a reasonable structure and high cavitation efficiency. By constructing two independent swirling fields to pretreat the two fluids, the two fluids are rotated separately before entering the cavitation reaction unit, and then guided to form a double vortex before entering the cavitation reaction unit. The formation of the double vortex establishes an ordered flow field for the two fluids, and the generated centrifugal force stores energy in the fluid volume, allowing the fluids to approach the cavitation reaction unit with a higher tangential velocity, providing a stronger initial driving force for the subsequent cavitation reaction.

[0014] It should be explained that in the liquid-liquid reactor provided by the present invention, although the two fluids may mix briefly before entering the cavitation core zone, this mixing occurs at the instant before entering the cavitation core zone, which is significantly different from the existing "pre-mixing and entering the cavitation zone together". The mixing instant does not have time to react, but prepares for a more complete reaction in the cavitation reaction zone. Therefore, the problem of insufficient reaction or by-product generation due to premature reaction will not occur, and the effect of cavitation reaction can be improved.

[0015] Our research group had previously considered using only the first fluid to rotate and enter, while the second fluid remained stationary in chamber B. When the first fluid rotated into the cavitation unit, it would generate negative pressure, which would then directly draw the second fluid into the cavitation unit. However, due to the instability of the negative pressure, it was difficult to effectively control the flow rate of the second fluid, thus compromising the reaction outcome. This invention employs simultaneous rotation of both fluids, allowing for active injection of both fluids and active flow rate control, achieving more precise control and resulting in more stable and reliable reaction results.

[0016] This invention organically integrates swirl pretreatment, shear mixing, and hydraulic cavitation to construct a stepped and controllable process enhancement system, which significantly improves the contact area and mixing efficiency of the two fluids. This achieves a stepped and controllable process enhancement from macroscopic mixing to microscopic cavitation enhancement, resulting in significant energy-saving and efficiency-enhancing effects.

[0017] Furthermore, chamber B is located below chamber A and is in fluid communication with it.

[0018] The design of placing chamber B below and connecting chamber A is an optimized choice based on the principles of fluid mechanics, mass transfer processes, and chemical reaction engineering. It can make fuller use of the synergy of gravity, pressure, and shear force to construct a stepped reaction environment with high energy utilization, orderly mixing process, and enhanced cavitation effect.

[0019] Chamber A is positioned at the top, serving as the main fluid delivery channel, receiving the first fluid from the pump. The first fluid rotates and descends here, converting gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy, increasing the velocity and turbulence of the first fluid as it reaches the lower part.

[0020] Chamber B is located below chamber A, and its inlet pressure can be slightly lower than that of the first fluid, because the pressure provided by the first fluid during its descent can partially compensate for the pressure demand of the second fluid. This arrangement allows for more efficient use of the pumping energy driving the two fluids, and the two fluids will not mix prematurely. The overall hydraulic resistance distribution of the system is more reasonable, which helps to reduce the total operating energy consumption.

[0021] It is worth mentioning that when the first fluid rotates in the first direction in chamber A, a spiral vortex is formed in the center, generating negative pressure in the center. This can draw the fluid below upwards, providing power to the fluid below and helping it to enter the hydraulic cavitation unit along the guide. It can be seen that the device of the present invention can make full use of the fluid's energy and cleverly combine various kinetic energies to promote a more efficient hydraulic cavitation reaction, which can save energy and reduce consumption, and also achieve better reaction results.

[0022] Meanwhile, in some approaches, this design is more suitable for situations where the amounts of the two fluids used are unequal. When using two fluids for cavitation reactions, one fluid may be used in larger quantities, while the other is more expensive and its quantity should be minimized. For example, in cavitation extraction, where the first fluid is the sample and the second fluid is the extractant, to reduce the amount of extractant used while still maintaining good extraction results, it is preferable to place chamber A at the top and chamber B at the bottom. This improves mixing and mass transfer efficiency, ensuring thorough mixing and extraction of the two fluids even with a smaller amount of the second fluid.

[0023] Furthermore, the chamber A includes a first top surface and a first bottom surface; the first top surface is a plane or an inclined plane that is tilted toward the central axis; the first bottom surface is an arc-shaped surface or a conical surface with an inner diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0024] The structural design of chamber A determines the effect of the rotating flow formed after the first fluid enters tangentially. It can be understood that after the first fluid enters from the tangential inlet, it impacts the top surface or inner wall of chamber A and quickly spreads along the inner wall of chamber A, forming a relatively uniform rotating flow layer. This reduces the initial eddy current turbulence caused by the complex shape, which is more conducive to the first fluid concentrating energy and reducing energy loss.

[0025] Furthermore, the first top surface and the first bottom surface are connected by a first circular arc transition section; when the first top surface is a plane, the first bottom surface is an arc-shaped surface with an inner diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom; when the first top surface is an inclined surface, the first bottom surface is parallel to the first top surface.

[0026] A smooth, curved transition minimizes fluid flow separation and eddy generation, allowing the first fluid to accelerate and descend along a smooth curved path with minimal energy loss and high flow field quality.

[0027] Studies have shown that when chamber A adopts the following two shapes, the cavitation area formed in the outlet pipe is larger, which is more conducive to improving the mixing and mass transfer efficiency of the two fluids: 1. The first top surface is a plane, and the first bottom surface is an arc-shaped surface with a gradually decreasing inner diameter from top to bottom; 2. The first top surface is an inclined surface, and the first bottom surface is parallel to the first top surface. However, it can be seen that when the first shape is adopted, chamber A has a larger capacity and a smoother inner wall, which can handle more of the first fluid, thus having an advantage in this respect.

[0028] Furthermore, the chamber B is a disc-shaped chamber, including a second top surface and a second bottom surface; the second top surface and the second bottom surface are connected by a third circular arc transition section; the second top surface is a plane or an inclined surface inclined toward the central axis.

[0029] Furthermore, chamber A and chamber B are connected by a second circular arc transition section; the first top surface of chamber A is a plane, and the second top surface and the second bottom surface of chamber B are both planes; the volume of chamber A is not less than that of chamber B.

[0030] Furthermore, chamber A is provided with a first inlet pipe that guides liquid tangentially, and chamber B is provided with a second inlet pipe that guides liquid tangentially; the liquid inlet directions of the first inlet pipe and the second inlet pipe are opposite, thereby making the first rotation direction opposite to the second rotation direction.

[0031] In some designs, the diameter of the second inlet pipe is smaller than that of the first inlet pipe. This design is to meet the requirements of the flow difference. The second inlet pipe is connected to a low-flow metering pump, while the first inlet pipe is connected to a booster pump or a high-pressure pump. The first inlet pipe introduces the main phase, while the second inlet pipe introduces the additive phase (such as an extractant). This setup minimizes the amount of additive phase used, as additive phases are generally expensive, and excessive additive phase can burden subsequent processing.

[0032] It is understood that it is best for both inlet pipes to supply liquid simultaneously, but cavitation can still occur even if they are not supplied simultaneously. For example, closing the valve of the second inlet pipe and supplying liquid only through the first inlet pipe will also result in cavitation. However, this invention aims to allow the two components to collide and mix, resulting in a cavitation reaction. Using this reactor, good extraction or other chemical reactions can be achieved while maintaining a relatively small amount of added phase. Therefore, the reactor provided by this invention can significantly reduce the amount of added phase compared to existing technologies.

[0033] Furthermore, the first inlet pipe is evenly arranged in two or more locations along the upper circumference of chamber A; the second inlet pipe is evenly arranged in two or more locations along the circumference of chamber B.

[0034] In some configurations, both the first and second inlet pipes are evenly distributed at two locations. This even distribution allows for simultaneous liquid introduction, improving inlet efficiency and thus reaction efficiency. Alternatively, only one inlet pipe can be used, depending on the specific circumstances.

[0035] Furthermore, the angle between the line connecting the tangents of the first and second circular arc transition segments and the second bottom surface is not less than 45 degrees.

[0036] The shape of chamber A resembles a low-pressure funnel in terms of fluid dynamics. The top surface guides the fluid to converge, while the bottom surface rapidly accelerates to create low pressure. The angle between the line connecting the tangents of the first and second circular arc transition sections and the second bottom surface determines the rotational convergence speed of the first fluid in chamber A. The larger this angle is, the faster the first fluid rotates and descends, and the greater the kinetic energy generated.

[0037] Studies have shown that in order for the first fluid and the second fluid to make full contact, the included angle needs to be no less than 45 degrees, so that the two liquid streams can collide and improve mass transfer efficiency. The collision occurs between the second arc segment and the outer wall of the outlet pipe. After the collision, the liquid is guided and merged together to enter the outlet pipe for cavitation reaction.

[0038] Furthermore, it also includes a flow guide located at the axial center of chamber A and chamber B; the flow guide is a conical or arc-shaped structure with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, used to guide the first fluid and / or the second fluid to the cavitation reaction unit.

[0039] In some configurations, the bottom of the guide is lower than the second bottom surface of chamber B, the middle section passes through the axial center of chamber B, the upper end enters chamber A, and the end extends below the outlet pipe, thereby allowing all the passing fluid to be guided into the outlet pipe.

[0040] The liquid-liquid reactor provided by this invention describes the main motion processes of the two fluids within it as follows: The first fluid is introduced into chamber A via a first inlet pipe, where it spirals downwards and accelerates, forming a rotating fluid vortex. This vortex creates a turbulent boundary layer and is guided upwards in a reverse spiral motion by a flow guide. Simultaneously, the second fluid is introduced into chamber B via a second inlet pipe in the opposite direction to the first fluid. The second fluid forms a reverse-rotating fluid vortex, which is then guided by the flow guide and mixes with the first fluid medium in the same direction of rotation on the flow guide. The mixture then enters the outlet pipe to undergo a hydraulic cavitation reaction. In other words, the two fluids convert to the same direction of rotation before entering the hydraulic cavitation unit, preventing energy loss due to collisions before the reaction and ensuring the effectiveness of the hydraulic cavitation reaction.

[0041] In summary, the two fluids undergo two states before the hydraulic cavitation reaction: first, they rotate in opposite directions, during which they collide with the outer wall of the outlet pipe in the second arc segment, increasing the contact area; second, their rotation directions become the same at the guide section, and they merge in the same direction before entering the hydraulic cavitation unit. This design ensures thorough mixing of the two fluids while preventing energy loss due to collisions before entering the hydraulic cavitation unit, thereby maximizing energy utilization and improving the effectiveness of the hydraulic cavitation reaction.

[0042] In some embodiments, the guide element is an arc-shaped structure with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, and the arc shape is consistent with that of the second circular arc transition section. Since the second circular arc transition section has an inwardly concave arc structure, the guide element also needs to be set with a consistent inwardly concave arc at the corresponding position to prevent sudden narrowing of the fluid when passing through this area, allowing it to be more smoothly guided into the outlet pipe through the guide element.

[0043] Furthermore, it also includes a liquid outlet pipe, which is located at the axial center of chamber A and extends upward; the cavitation reaction unit is located inside the liquid outlet pipe and includes a flow channel with a throat, the throat being the interface contraction part in the flow channel.

[0044] Furthermore, the cavitation reaction unit is a venturi tube, located below the liquid outlet pipe, near the inlet end of the liquid outlet pipe, and located inside chamber A.

[0045] The Venturi tube is positioned within chamber A to ensure that the first fluid, flowing clockwise in chamber A to form a vortex, and then guided counterclockwise by the flow guide to enter the outlet pipe, maintains the same flow direction as the second fluid in chamber B and enters the Venturi tube synchronously. If the Venturi tube is not positioned correctly, the two fluids may not enter synchronously, and the flow direction may become turbulent upon entering the outlet pipe, releasing energy. In such cases, further entry into the Venturi tube would be detrimental to the formation of hydraulic cavitation.

[0046] Furthermore, the upper end of the guide extends into the liquid outlet pipe, and a gas channel is provided inside the guide, which runs through the guide from top to bottom.

[0047] The gas channel within the flow guide allows the gas in the outlet pipe to connect with the outside environment. Dissolved gas can be introduced into the reactor through this channel. Hydraulic cavitation requires cavitation nuclei (such as tiny bubbles or impurities) in the liquid. Injecting gas externally increases the number of cavitation nuclei, thereby enhancing cavitation intensity, improving reaction efficiency, and improving mixing or emulsification effects.

[0048] In some embodiments, the guide element can be moved up and down axially to adjust the relative distance between the guide element and the outlet pipe, thereby adjusting the cavitation intensity.

[0049] Furthermore, the distance between the second top surface and the second bottom surface of the chamber B is not greater than the distance between the second top surface and the inlet end face of the outlet pipe.

[0050] The distance h2 between the second top surface and the second bottom surface of chamber B determines whether the second fluid can smoothly enter the hydraulic cavitation unit. If h2 is significantly higher than the distance h1 between the second top surface and the inlet end face of the outlet pipe, the amount of the second fluid will increase and the distance from the outlet pipe will be greater, making it more difficult to overcome gravity to enter the outlet pipe. Therefore, choosing h2≤h1 is beneficial for the first fluid and the second fluid to enter the hydraulic cavitation unit together, ensuring the reaction effect.

[0051] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the central hole between the second arc transition sections is not greater than the outer diameter of the outlet pipe.

[0052] The inner diameter d2 of the center hole of the second arc transition section is not greater than the outer diameter d1 of the outlet pipe, which can increase the pressure near the center hole of the second arc transition section, causing the second fluid to enter the inlet pipe upward, thereby ensuring that the second fluid in chamber B can smoothly enter the inlet pipe.

[0053] Furthermore, the outlet pipe is also provided with guide vanes, which are located above the venturi tube and are spiral in shape. The spiral direction of each guide vane may be the same or different.

[0054] The guide vanes inside the outlet pipe are used to guide the fluid to form a spiral flow, enhancing turbulence and shear effects, and further promoting and intensifying the cavitation reaction. The spiral direction of the vanes can be set to be the same or different according to the fluid properties and reaction requirements, so as to achieve adjustable optimization of the flow structure.

[0055] Furthermore, the guide vanes are divided into a first layer of guide vanes and a second layer of guide vanes; the first layer of guide vanes is located above the second layer of guide vanes, and the spiral direction of the first layer of guide vanes is consistent with that of the second layer of guide vanes and opposite to that of the second layer of guide vanes; each guide vane has flow holes.

[0056] This invention constructs a composite flow field with strong shearing and turbulence enhancement effects by incorporating two layers of guide vanes with opposite spiral directions inside the liquid outlet pipe. The upper vane forms a dominant swirling flow to homogenize the fluid and store rotational kinetic energy, while the lower, opposite-direction vane generates intense shearing by forcibly changing the direction of rotation, breaking large-scale vortices into small-scale, high-frequency vortices, greatly enhancing the collapse effect of cavitation bubbles and the micro-mixing between the liquid and liquid phases. Simultaneously, the flow holes on the vanes not only avoid the risk of flow channel blockage, but the axial microjets they create further create conditions for cross-mixing and inducing micro-cavitation. This structure enables the reactor to achieve spatial continuity and stepwise enhancement of the cavitation effect during a single fluid passage, significantly improving the efficiency and uniformity of reaction, extraction, or emulsification.

[0057] Furthermore, it also includes an outer shell, which comprises, from top to bottom, a first shell, a second shell, and a third shell; chamber A and chamber B are enclosed by the first shell, the second shell, and the third shell.

[0058] It is understood that the liquid-liquid reactor provided by this invention can have its first shell, second shell, and third shell as either integrally formed structures or as structures formed in sections and then welded together. They can be plate structures, such as thin plates bent into shape, or thick plates segmented and machined to form internal chambers. The first shell, second shell, and third shell are assembled together at their contact surfaces using fasteners, seals, or other sealing connection methods.

[0059] On the other hand, the present invention provides a liquid-liquid reaction device based on hydraulic cavitation, the device including the liquid-liquid reactor as described above, and further including a reaction tank and a second fluid medium storage tank; the first liquid inlet pipe of chamber A is connected to the reaction tank, and the second liquid inlet pipe of chamber B is connected to the second fluid medium storage tank.

[0060] In some configurations, a first booster pump and valve are installed between the first inlet pipe and the reaction vessel; and a second booster pump and valve are installed between the second inlet pipe and the second fluid medium storage tank.

[0061] In some designs, the first inlet pipe is connected to the outlet of the reactor, and the upper outlet of the outlet pipe is connected to the inlet of the reactor. This design allows the liquid-liquid reaction equipment to operate in a cyclic manner. After the cavitation reaction is completed, the first fluid re-enters the reactor for another cavitation reaction, thus enabling multiple cavitation reactions between the first and second fluids. This facilitates the full utilization of the expensive second fluid and reduces costs.

[0062] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for inducing a liquid-liquid reaction between two fluids based on hydraulic cavitation. The method employs a liquid-liquid reactor as described above, or a liquid-liquid reaction apparatus as described above, and includes the following steps:

[0063] (1) The first fluid is introduced into chamber A through the first inlet pipe;

[0064] (2) The second fluid is introduced into chamber B through the second inlet pipe;

[0065] (3) Collect the fluid from the outlet tube.

[0066] In some methods, steps (1) and (2) can be performed simultaneously or separately. If performed separately, for example, if step (1) starts first, both chamber A and chamber B will be filled with the first fluid (main phase) first. When step (2) starts, chamber B will begin to be filled with the second fluid, and only then will the reaction actually begin. If step (2) starts first, a similar situation will occur, but this operation will lead to the waste of the expensive second fluid (added phase). Therefore, it is preferable to perform steps (1) and (2) simultaneously.

[0067] In some methods, steps (1) and (2) are performed simultaneously, and the diameter of the second inlet pipe is smaller than that of the first inlet pipe, or the inlet power of the second inlet pipe is smaller than that of the first inlet pipe, so as to reduce the amount of the second fluid and ensure the full reaction of the two fluids.

[0068] Furthermore, the liquid-liquid reaction is used for any one or more of organic reactions, extraction, emulsification, separation and purification, or deep mixing.

[0069] In another aspect, the present invention provides the use of the liquid-liquid reactor or liquid-liquid reaction apparatus as described above in any one or more aspects of organic reactions, extraction, emulsification, separation and purification or deep mixing.

[0070] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0071] 1. The dual-chamber independent liquid inlet structure is adopted to avoid incomplete reaction caused by premixing, thereby improving reaction selectivity and yield;

[0072] 2. The two fluids rotate separately in the chamber before entering the cavitation core area, which increases the contact area of ​​the raw materials, improves the yield and purity of the products, and reduces production costs.

[0073] 3. During the descent and entry into the cavitation core region, the first fluid changes its rotation direction using its internal structure. This ensures thorough mixing of the two fluids and prevents energy loss caused by collisions before hydraulic cavitation, thereby improving energy utilization.

[0074] 4. The synergistic effect of the flow guide and the venturi structure significantly expands the cavitation area and enhances the cavitation intensity;

[0075] 5. It can achieve precise control of the ratio of two fluid streams and has a wide range of applications;

[0076] 6. Simple structure, easy to scale up, suitable for continuous industrial production;

[0077] 7. Significantly improves efficiency in extraction, emulsification, and mixing processes, resulting in obvious energy saving and consumption reduction;

[0078] 8. This equipment can increase the extraction efficiency by 5%-30% compared to ordinary extraction devices;

[0079] 9. This equipment can improve the mixing uniformity by 2-5% compared to ordinary mechanical mixing devices;

[0080] 10. This equipment can increase the yield by 3-10% compared to general mixing reaction devices;

[0081] 11. This equipment can improve the emulsification efficiency by 12-20% compared to ordinary emulsification reaction devices. Attached Figure Description

[0082] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 1;

[0083] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 1;

[0084] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the fluid movement process inside the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 1;

[0085] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 2;

[0086] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 3;

[0087] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 4;

[0088] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the liquid-liquid reactor based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 5;

[0089] Figure 8 shows the CFD flow field simulation analysis results of the internal cavity configuration of Example 1 provided in Example 6;

[0090] Figure 9 shows the CFD flow field simulation analysis results of the internal cavity configuration of Example 3 provided in Example 6;

[0091] Figure 10 shows the CFD flow field simulation analysis results of the internal cavity configuration of Example 4 provided in Example 6;

[0092] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the liquid-liquid reaction device based on hydraulic cavitation provided in Example 10. Detailed Implementation

[0093] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the following embodiments are intended to facilitate the understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit it in any way. All features disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, or all steps in all methods or processes disclosed, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps, can be combined in any way.

[0094] Example 1: Liquid-Liquid Reactor Based on Hydraulic Cavitation

[0095] The liquid-liquid reactor 1 based on hydraulic cavitation provided in this embodiment is shown in Figures 1 to 3. The liquid-liquid reactor 1 includes a first shell 2, a second shell 3, and a third shell 4 (Figure 2). The first shell 2, the second shell 3, and the third shell 4 enclose chamber A10 and chamber B11, with a cavitation reaction unit 12 disposed in the middle. Chamber A10 is used to transport a first fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit 12 in a first spiral flow with a first rotation direction. Chamber B11 is used to transport a second fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit 12 in a second spiral flow with a second rotation direction that is the same as or different from the first rotation direction. The cavitation reaction unit 12 is used to induce a hydraulic cavitation effect in the incoming fluid. The first shell 2, the second shell 3, and the third shell 4 can be integrally formed or segmented and then welded together. In this embodiment, a plate shell structure is used, which can be formed by bending a thin plate.

[0096] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, chamber B11 is located below and in fluid communication with chamber A10. Chamber A10 includes a first top surface 102 and a first bottom surface 103; the first top surface 102 is a plane or an inclined surface oriented towards the central axis; the first bottom surface 103 is an arc-shaped surface or a conical surface with a gradually decreasing inner diameter from top to bottom. In this embodiment, the first top surface 102 is preferably a plane, and the first bottom surface 103 is an arc-shaped surface with a gradually decreasing inner diameter from top to bottom. The first top surface 102 and the first bottom surface 103 are connected by a first arc transition section 104. Chamber B11 is a flat, disc-shaped chamber, including a second top surface 112 and a second bottom surface 113; the second top surface 112 and the second bottom surface 113 are connected by a third arc transition section 114; the second top surface 112 is a plane or an inclined surface oriented towards the central axis, and in this embodiment, it is preferably a plane. Chamber A10 and chamber B11 are connected by a second arc transition section 105. The volume of chamber A10 is greater than the volume of chamber B11.

[0097] Chamber A10 is provided with a tangentially directed first inlet pipe 101, and the first inlet pipe 101 has a first inlet port 100 penetrating through chamber A10. Chamber B11 is provided with a tangentially directed second inlet pipe 111, and the second inlet pipe 111 has a second inlet port 110 penetrating through chamber B11. The inlet directions of the first inlet pipe 101 and the second inlet pipe 111 are opposite, thereby making the first rotation direction opposite to the second rotation direction. The diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is smaller than the diameter of the first inlet pipe 101, and the diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is 10-50% of the diameter of the first inlet pipe 101. In this embodiment, it is preferably about 20%. This arrangement can minimize the amount of the second fluid (added phase) used. Two or more first inlet pipes 101 are evenly arranged circumferentially along the upper 13 of chamber A10; two or more second inlet pipes 111 are evenly arranged circumferentially along chamber B11. In this embodiment, both the first inlet pipe 101 and the second inlet pipe 111 are arranged in two evenly distributed locations. The two evenly distributed inlet pipes can be used for simultaneous liquid introduction, improving the liquid introduction efficiency and thus the reaction efficiency. Of course, only one inlet pipe can be used for liquid introduction, depending on the specific circumstances.

[0098] Preferably, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, the angle α between the line 14 connecting the tangents of the first arc transition section 104 and the second arc transition section 105 and the second bottom surface 113 is not less than 45 degrees (preferably, the angle α is 45 to 60 degrees, and in this embodiment, it is preferably 45 degrees). The size of the angle α determines the rotational convergence speed of the first fluid in the chamber A10. The larger this angle, the faster the first fluid rotates and descends, and the greater the kinetic energy generated. In order to ensure that the first fluid and the second fluid can make full contact, the angle α needs to be not less than 45 degrees, so that the two liquid flows can collide, thereby improving the mass transfer efficiency. The collision occurs between the second arc section 105 and the outer wall of the outlet pipe 6. After the collision, they are guided and merged together and enter the outlet pipe 6 for cavitation reaction.

[0099] A guide member 5 is provided at the axial center 17 of chambers A10 and B11. The guide member 5 is a conical or arc-shaped structure 41 with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, used to guide the first fluid and / or the second fluid to the cavitation reaction unit 12. The bottom of the guide member 5 is lower than the second bottom surface 113 of chamber B11, the middle section 19 passes through the axial center 17 of chamber B11, the upper end 20 enters chamber A10, and the end 21 extends into the lower part 22 of the outlet pipe 6, so that all the passing fluid can be guided into the outlet pipe 6. In this embodiment, the guide member 5 is an arc-shaped structure 41 with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, as shown in Figure 1. The arc-shaped structure 41 is consistent with the arc shape of the second arc transition section 105. Because the second arc transition section 105 has an inwardly concave arc structure, the guide member 5 also needs to be set with a consistent inwardly concave arc at the corresponding position to prevent the fluid from suddenly narrowing when passing through this section, and to allow it to be more smoothly guided into the outlet pipe 6 through the guide member 5. A gas channel 50 is provided inside the guide member 5, running vertically through it. The gas channel 50 connects the gas in the outlet pipe 5 with the outside environment. Dissolved gas can be introduced into the reactor 1 through the gas channel 50. The occurrence of hydraulic cavitation requires cavitation nuclei (such as tiny bubbles or impurities) in the liquid. By injecting gas externally, the number of cavitation nuclei can be increased, thereby enhancing the cavitation intensity, improving reaction efficiency, and improving mixing or emulsification effects. The guide member 5 can move up and down along the axis (axial center 17) to adjust the relative distance between the guide member 5 and the outlet pipe 6, thereby adjusting the cavitation intensity.

[0100] The outlet pipe 6 is located at the axial center 17 of chamber A10 and extends upwards. The cavitation reaction unit 12 is located inside the outlet pipe 6 and includes a flow channel 24 with a throat 23, which is the interface contraction point in the flow channel 24. The cavitation reaction unit 12 is a venturi tube 25, located below the outlet pipe 6 22, close to the inlet end face 26 of the outlet pipe 6 (for example, the lower end 27 of the venturi tube 25 is flush with the inlet end face 26), and is located inside chamber A10. The venturi tube 25 is located inside chamber A10 to allow the two fluids to enter as synchronously as possible, avoiding energy waste.

[0101] Chamber A10, chamber B11, liquid outlet pipe 6, and flow guide 5 are all coaxially arranged.

[0102] As shown in Figure 1, the distance h2 between the second top surface 112 and the second bottom surface 113 of chamber B is not greater than the distance h1 between the second top surface 112 and the inlet end face 26 of the outlet pipe 6. If h2 is significantly higher than h1, the amount of the second fluid increases, and the distance to the outlet pipe 6 becomes greater, making it more difficult to overcome gravity and enter the outlet pipe 6. Therefore, choosing h2 ≤ h1 is beneficial for the first and second fluids to enter the hydraulic cavitation unit 12 in a coordinated manner, ensuring the reaction effect. Preferably, h2 = (50% ~ 100%) * h1, and in this embodiment, h2 is preferably 85% of h1.

[0103] Preferably, the inner diameter d2 of the central hole 28 between the second arc transition sections 105 is not greater than the outer diameter d1 of the outlet pipe 6. This increases the pressure near the central hole 28 of the second arc transition section 105, causing the second fluid to flow upward into the outlet pipe 6, thus ensuring that all the second fluid in the chamber B11 can smoothly enter the outlet pipe 6. Preferably, d2 = (50%~100%)*d1, and in this embodiment, d2 is preferably 95%d1.

[0104] As shown in Figure 3, the outlet pipe 6 is also equipped with guide vanes 29, which are located above the venturi tube 25 and are spiral-shaped. The spiral directions of each guide vane 29 may be the same or different. Preferably, the guide vanes 29 are divided into a first layer of guide vanes 30 and a second layer of guide vanes 31, with three vanes in each layer. The first layer of guide vanes 30 is located above the second layer of guide vanes 31, and the spiral directions of the first layer of guide vanes 30 are consistent and opposite to those of the second layer of guide vanes 31. Each guide vane 29 has a flow hole 32. The flow hole 32 not only avoids the risk of flow channel blockage, but also has a diameter of 0.5-5 mm (preferably 2 mm in this embodiment) and a distribution density of 10%-30%. The axial microjet formed by the flow hole further creates conditions for cross-mixing and inducing microcavitation. This structure enables the reactor 1 to achieve spatial continuity and step-by-step enhancement of the cavitation effect during a single fluid passage, significantly improving the efficiency and uniformity of reaction, extraction, or emulsification.

[0105] The main motion processes of the two fluids in the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment are shown in Figure 3. The first fluid is introduced into chamber A10 through the first inlet pipe 101. The liquid flow descends in a spiral shape and accelerates, forming a rotating fluid vortex. This fluid vortex forms a turbulent boundary layer in terms of flow technology. The fluid vortex is guided by the guide member 5 and moves upward in a reverse spiral. At the same time, the second fluid is introduced into chamber B11 through the second inlet pipe 111 in the opposite direction to the first fluid to be treated. The second fluid forms a fluid vortex that rotates in the opposite direction. It is guided by the guide member 5 and mixes with the first fluid in the same direction of rotation on the guide member 5. It enters the inlet of the outlet pipe 6 and passes through the throat 23 of the venturi tube 25 of the outlet pipe 6, where a hydraulic cavitation reaction occurs. The liquid flow that has undergone the cavitation reaction then passes through several flow holes 32 of the spiral guide vanes 29 set inside the outlet pipe 6, which further enhances the reaction process.

[0106] The method for enabling a liquid-liquid reaction between two fluids using the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment based on hydraulic cavitation is as follows:

[0107] (1) The first fluid is introduced into chamber A10 through the first inlet pipe 101;

[0108] (2) The second fluid is introduced into chamber B11 through the second inlet pipe 111;

[0109] (3) Collect the fluid from the outlet tube 6.

[0110] Steps (1) and (2) can be performed simultaneously or separately. If performed separately, for example, if step (1) starts first, both chamber A and chamber B will be filled with the first fluid (main phase) first. When step (2) starts, the second fluid will be introduced into chamber B, and the reaction will only begin after that. A similar situation will occur if step (2) starts first, but this operation will lead to the waste of the expensive second fluid (added phase). Therefore, it is preferable to perform steps (1) and (2) simultaneously.

[0111] In this embodiment, the liquid-liquid reactor 1 uses both the first inlet pipe 101 and the second inlet pipe 111, which are fed into the reactor via booster pumps. Furthermore, the diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is smaller than that of the first inlet pipe 101. Therefore, by controlling the power of the booster pumps and the pipe diameter, the ratio of the second fluid medium to the first fluid medium can be adjusted over a wide range (1 / 200 to 1 / 10), with a minimum ratio of 1 / 200. This allows for precise control of the amount of the second fluid medium used, tailored to various application requirements.

[0112] The liquid-liquid reactor 1 can be used for organic reactions, extraction, emulsification, separation and purification, or deep mixing.

[0113] Example 2: Internal processing and molding

[0114] As shown in Figure 4, the difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 1 is that the first shell 2, the second shell 3, and the third shell 4 are modular structures. The modular structure utilizes thick plates to form internal cavities. The first shell 2, the second shell 3, and the third shell 4 are assembled together at the contact surfaces using fasteners, seals, and other sealing connection methods.

[0115] The liquid-liquid reactor 1 based on hydraulic cavitation provided in this embodiment is shown in Figure 4. The liquid-liquid reactor 1 includes a first shell 2, a second shell 3 and a third shell 4; the first shell 2, the second shell 3 and the third shell 4 enclose a chamber A10 and a chamber B11, and a cavitation reaction unit 12 is provided in the middle.

[0116] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, chamber B11 is located below and in fluid communication with chamber A10. Chamber A10 includes a first top surface 102 and a first bottom surface 103; the first top surface 102 is a plane, and the first bottom surface 103 is an arc-shaped surface with an inner diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0117] The first top surface 102 and the first bottom surface 103 are connected by a first arc transition section 104. Chamber B11 is a flat, disc-shaped chamber, including a second top surface 112 and a second bottom surface 113; the second top surface 112 and the second bottom surface 113 are connected by a third arc transition section 114; the second top surface 112 is planar. Chamber A10 and chamber B11 are connected by a second arc transition section 105. The outer diameter of the first top surface 102 is 130 mm, the height from the first top surface 102 to the second top surface 113 of chamber A10 is 100 mm, the radius of the first arc transition section 104 is 12 mm, the outer diameter of the second top surface is 130 mm, the radius of the second arc transition section 105 is 7 mm, and the radius of the third arc transition section 114 is 8 mm.

[0118] Chamber A10 is provided with a tangentially directed first inlet pipe 101, and the first inlet pipe 101 has a first inlet port 100 penetrating through chamber A10. Chamber B11 is provided with a tangentially directed second inlet pipe 111, and the second inlet pipe 111 has a second inlet port 110 penetrating through chamber B11. The inlet directions of the first inlet pipe 101 and the second inlet pipe 111 are opposite, thereby causing the first rotation direction to be opposite to the second rotation direction. The diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is smaller than the diameter of the first inlet pipe 101, and the diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is approximately 30% of the diameter of the first inlet pipe 101. Two first inlet pipes 101 are evenly arranged along the upper circumference of chamber A10. The diameter of the first inlet pipe 101 is 25 mm, and the diameter of the second inlet pipe 111 is 12 mm.

[0119] The angle α between the line connecting the tangents of the first circular arc transition segment 104 and the second circular arc transition segment 105 and the second bottom surface 113 is 45 degrees.

[0120] A flow guide 5 is provided at the axial center 17 of chambers A10 and B11. The flow guide 5 is an arc-shaped structure 41 with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, and the arc shape of the arc-shaped structure 41 is consistent with the second arc transition section 105. A gas channel 50 is provided inside the flow guide 5, and the gas channel 50 runs through the flow guide 5 vertically. The flow guide 5 can move up and down along the axis (axial center 17) to adjust the relative distance between the flow guide 5 and the liquid outlet pipe 6, thereby adjusting the cavitation intensity. The bottom diameter of the flow guide 5 is 40 mm, the height from the upper end surface of the flow guide to the second bottom surface 113 is 37.5 mm, the diameter of the gas channel 50 in the middle is 1.5 mm, and the end 5 mm extends into the liquid outlet pipe 6.

[0121] The outlet pipe 6 is located at the axial center 17 of chamber A10 and extends upwards. The cavitation reaction unit 12 is located inside the outlet pipe 6 and includes a flow channel 24 with a throat 23, which is the interface contraction point in the flow channel 24. The cavitation reaction unit 12 is a venturi tube 25, located below the outlet pipe 6 22, close to the inlet end face 26 of the outlet pipe 6 (for example, the lower end 27 of the venturi tube 25 is flush with the inlet end face 26), and located inside chamber A10. The inner diameter of the outlet pipe 6 is 22 mm, the throat diameter in the middle of the venturi tube 25 is 5 mm, the throat length is 6.5 mm, the diameter of the widest part is 22 mm, the height from the inlet end face 26 of the outlet pipe 6 to the throat is 17 mm, and the height from the throat to the widest part above is 29 mm. The inner diameter d2 of the center hole 28 between the second arc transition section 105 is 28.5 mm, the outer diameter d1 of the liquid outlet pipe 6 is 30 mm, and d2 is 95% of d1.

[0122] Chamber A10, chamber B11, liquid outlet pipe 6, and flow guide 5 are all coaxially arranged.

[0123] As shown in Figure 1, the distance h2 (equivalent to the height of chamber B) between the second top surface 112 and the second bottom surface 113 of chamber B is 16 mm. The distance h1 between the second top surface 112 and the inlet end face 26 of the liquid outlet pipe 6 is 19 mm, and h2 is 85% of h1.

[0124] The height of the outlet pipe is 190mm. The outlet pipe 6 contains guide vanes 29 located above the venturi tube 25. These vanes are divided into a first layer of guide vanes 30 and a second layer of guide vanes 31, with three vanes evenly spaced in each layer. The first layer of guide vanes 30 is positioned above the second layer of guide vanes 31, and their spiral direction is consistent with that of the second layer of guide vanes 31. Each guide vane 29 has a flow passage hole 32. These flow passage holes 32 not only prevent the risk of flow channel blockage, but also have a diameter of 2mm and a distribution density of 20%.

[0125] Example 3: The first bottom surface is a conical surface

[0126] As shown in Figure 5, the difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the first bottom surface 103 of the chamber A10 is a conical surface with a gradually decreasing inner diameter from top to bottom. This conical surface is formed by rotating the line connecting the tangents of the first and second circular arc transition sections around the central axis, and the inclination angle of the conical surface is 45 degrees.

[0127] Example 4: The first top surface is an inclined plane.

[0128] As shown in Figure 6, the difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the first top surface 102 of chamber A10 is inclined toward the outlet pipe 6, and the distance between the first bottom surface 103 and the first top surface 102 remains constant, that is, the first bottom surface 103 and the first top surface 102 are parallel. The angle α between the center line between the first top surface 102 and the first bottom surface 103 and the second bottom surface 113 of chamber B11 is not less than 45 degrees (preferably 45 degrees in this embodiment).

[0129] Example 5: The second top surface is an inclined surface

[0130] As shown in Figure 7, the difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the second top surface 112 of the chamber B11 is inclined toward the liquid outlet pipe 6, and the distance between the second top surface 112 and the second bottom surface 113 gradually decreases toward the central axis, with an inclination angle of 8 degrees.

[0131] Example 6: Comparison of cavitation effects

[0132] This embodiment performs CFD flow field simulation analysis on the internal cavity configurations of Embodiments 1 (with the same internal cavity configuration as Embodiment 2), 3, and 4. Using the first inlet pipe 101 and the second inlet pipe 111, the inlet pressure is set to 0.6 MPa, and the outlet pressure of the outlet pipe 6 is set to 0. The simulation results are shown in Figures 8, 9, and 10, respectively. It can be seen that the cavitation region is mainly concentrated in the diffusion section of the outlet pipe, with only a small amount of cavitation region appearing in the contraction section. The cavitation region of Embodiment 3 is relatively smaller compared to Embodiments 1 and 4. By using the swirling flow from the first inlet pipe into chamber A, a negative pressure gas column appears in the central pipe; the swirling flow from the second inlet pipe into chamber B also produces a negative pressure gas column in the center. The two sets of gas columns overlap at the center, enhancing the negative pressure. Moreover, the simulation results show that the cavitation region of the liquid-liquid cavitation reactor of this invention is significantly enhanced compared to a conventional cavitation generator (which only includes the first inlet pipe).

[0133] In addition, both Example 1 and Example 4 can achieve good cavitation effects, but Example 4 has higher energy consumption. The volume difference between its chamber A and chamber B is small, and the kinetic energy generated by the first fluid is difficult to achieve synergistic combination with the second fluid. The internal cavity configuration of Example 1 is more advantageous for liquid-liquid extraction.

[0134] In Example 4, because the volume difference between chamber A and chamber B is relatively small, although the adjustment range of the ratio of the added phase to the main phase is relatively small, the resulting collision is equal-proportion convection, and they enter the cavitation reaction unit together to undergo cavitation reaction, which plays a better role in organic reaction, emulsification, and deep mixing.

[0135] This embodiment also compares the cavitation effect of embodiment 5 and finds that embodiment 5 can also achieve a similar cavitation effect, which is beneficial to accelerating the chemical reaction. Due to the inclination of the second top surface 112, the second fluid generates a certain jet before entering the cavitation reaction unit, accumulating more energy, reducing energy consumption, and is more suitable for emulsification reaction.

[0136] Example 7: No gas passage provided

[0137] The difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the flow guide 5 does not have a gas channel 50, but otherwise it is the same as that in embodiment 2.

[0138] Example 8: The spiral direction of the guide vanes remains consistent.

[0139] The difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the spiral directions of the first layer of guide vanes 30 and the second layer of guide vanes 31 are consistent.

[0140] Example 9: No flow passage holes on the guide vanes

[0141] The difference between the liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in this embodiment and that in embodiment 2 is that the guide vane 29 does not have flow holes 32.

[0142] Example 10: Liquid-Liquid Reaction Equipment Based on Hydraulic Cavitation

[0143] The liquid-liquid reaction device 33 based on hydraulic cavitation provided in this embodiment is shown in Figure 11. It includes a liquid-liquid reactor 1 provided in any one of embodiments 1 to 5 or 7 to 9, and also includes a reaction tank 34 and a second fluid medium storage tank 35. The first liquid inlet pipe 101 of the chamber A10 is connected to the reaction tank 34, and the second liquid inlet pipe 111 of the chamber B11 is connected to the second fluid medium storage tank 35.

[0144] The first inlet pipe 101 is equipped with a positive pressure gauge, a flow meter, a first booster pump 36, and a first valve 37 between it and the reaction tank 34; the second inlet pipe 111 is equipped with a positive pressure gauge, a flow meter, a second booster pump 38, and a second valve 39 between it and the second fluid medium storage tank 35. The gas passage 50 of the guide component 5 is connected to a check valve and a negative pressure gauge.

[0145] Preferably, the first inlet pipe 101 is connected to the outlet 44 of the reaction tank 34, and the upper outlet 45 of the outlet pipe 6 is connected to the inlet 45 of the reaction tank 34. This design allows the liquid-liquid reaction device 33 to achieve cyclic operation, and the first fluid after completing the cavitation reaction re-enters the liquid-liquid reactor 1 for cavitation reaction, thereby enabling the first fluid and the second fluid to undergo multiple cavitation reactions, which is more conducive to the full utilization of the expensive second fluid and reduces costs.

[0146] Working principle of liquid-liquid reaction equipment based on hydraulic cavitation:

[0147] The first fluid medium in reaction vessel 34 is drawn out by the first booster pump 36 and introduced into chamber A10 of liquid-liquid reactor 1. Simultaneously, the second fluid medium is drawn out by the second booster pump 38 and introduced into chamber B11 of liquid-liquid reactor 1. The first fluid medium descends spirally and accelerates in chamber A10, and is guided by the guide member 5 to ascend spirally in the opposite direction. The second fluid medium is introduced into chamber B11 in the opposite direction to the first fluid medium, and rotates spirally in chamber B11. It is then guided by the guide member 5 to ascend spirally and enters the outlet pipe 6 in the same spiral direction as the first fluid medium. The two liquid flows generate a hydraulic cavitation effect at the throat of the outlet pipe 6. The guide member is equipped with a gas channel 50, which is connected to a one-way valve and a negative pressure gauge. Gas is dissolved in chambers A10 and B11 through the gas channel 50. The cavitation intensity is adjusted by regulating the relative distance between the guide member 5 and the outlet pipe 6.

[0148] Example 11: Water sample extraction and purification of water-based paint cleaner

[0149] This embodiment uses the liquid-liquid reaction equipment based on hydraulic cavitation prepared by the liquid-liquid reactors provided in Examples 2-5 and 7-9 to purify water samples containing 10% water-based paint cleaner (3M water-based paint cleaner) through cavitation extraction, and compares it with the countercurrent extraction process. The steps are as follows:

[0150] (1) 50L of a 10% water-based paint cleaner solution and 5L of extractant (butyl acetate) are introduced into the cavitation extraction equipment tank and the countercurrent extraction tank (centrifugal extractor) connected to the liquid-liquid generator, respectively. The first inlet flow rate of the reactor is 5.00m³. 3 The liquid is pumped at a pressure of 0.6 MPa per hour using a centrifugal pump, with a second inlet flow rate of 0.31 m³ / h. 3 The flow rate is 0.6 MPa per hour, and a metering pump is used for liquid delivery. The metering pump can control the flow rate at the second inlet to be between 0.05 and 0.5 m³ / h. 3 Adjust the flow rate by / h, turn on the equipment, and extract the water sample.

[0151] (2) Both cavitation extraction and countercurrent extraction are performed using multi-stage extraction operations. The time for each cavitation extraction and countercurrent extraction is 10 min. The extraction is performed 4 times. After liquid-liquid separation, the aqueous phase and organic phase are discharged separately.

[0152] (3) The organic phase after liquid-liquid separation enters the distillation equipment to separate the paint remover and extractant and recover them separately;

[0153] (4) Detect the components of the wastewater extractant.

[0154] The extraction results are shown in Table 1.

[0155] Table 1. Extraction results

[0156] As shown in Table 1, the residual cleaning agent content in the solution after cavitation extraction reached 1.20% after 4 stages of treatment, while the residual cleaning agent content in the solution after countercurrent extraction was 12.15% after 4 stages of treatment. Subsequently, the residual cleaning agent content in the solution after 5 stages of treatment by countercurrent extraction only reached 1.52%. It can be seen that the processing speed of cavitation extraction is significantly higher than that of countercurrent extraction, and the extraction efficiency is improved by more than 20%.

[0157] Meanwhile, different liquid-liquid reactors exhibit varying cavitation extraction effects. The shape of the reactor chamber, as well as the design of the gas passage, guide vanes, and flow holes within the guide vanes, directly impact the cavitation extraction efficiency. A preferred design is...

[0158] The liquid-liquid reactors used in Examples 2, 4, and 5 to prepare liquid-liquid reaction devices based on hydraulic cavitation, especially the liquid-liquid reaction device of Example 2, showed the best results. It should be noted that the liquid-liquid reactor of Example 1 had almost identical results to that of Example 2; therefore, Example 2 will be used as an example here.

[0159] Example 12: Cavitation extraction of phenol-containing aqueous cleaning agent

[0160] This embodiment uses the liquid-liquid reaction equipment based on hydraulic cavitation prepared by the liquid-liquid reactors provided in Examples 2-5 and 7-9 to perform cavitation extraction treatment on a phenol-containing water sample of 4500 mg / L, and compares it with the countercurrent extraction process. The steps are as follows:

[0161] (1) 50 L of phenol-containing aqueous sample and 5 L of extractant (butyl acetate) were introduced into the cavitation extraction tank and countercurrent extraction tank (centrifugal extractor) connected to the liquid-liquid generator, respectively. The first inlet flow rate of the liquid-liquid generator was 5.00 m³ / s. 3 The liquid is pumped at a pressure of 0.6 MPa per hour using a centrifugal pump, with a second inlet flow rate of 0.31 m³ / h. 3The flow rate is 0.6 MPa per hour, and a metering pump is used for liquid delivery. The metering pump can control the flow rate at the second inlet to be between 0.05 and 0.5 m³ / h. 3 Adjust the flow rate by / h, turn on the equipment, and extract the water sample.

[0162] (2) Cavitation extraction adopts multi-stage extraction operation. The time for each cavitation extraction and countercurrent extraction is 10 min. The treatment is carried out 4 times. After the treatment, the aqueous phase and organic phase are discharged separately after liquid-liquid separation.

[0163] (3) The organic phase after liquid-liquid separation enters the back-extraction equipment to separate the phenol and extractant and recover them separately.

[0164] (4) The total phenols in the water sample were detected by spectrophotometry.

[0165] The extraction results are shown in Table 2.

[0166] Table 2. Extraction Results

[0167] According to Table 2, the total phenol content remaining in the water sample after cavitation extraction (CEPE) was 60 mg / L after four stages of treatment, while the total phenol content remaining after countercurrent extraction (COE) was 156 mg / L. Further monitoring showed that the total phenol content remaining after COE only reached 82 mg / L in the water sample after five stages of treatment. This indicates that CEPE has a significantly higher processing speed than COE. Furthermore, different liquid-liquid reactors also showed varying effects in CEPE. The liquid-liquid reaction devices based on hydraulic cavitation prepared using the liquid-liquid reactors in Examples 2, 4, and 5 exhibited the best CEPE performance, with the liquid-liquid reaction device in Example 2 being the most preferred.

[0168] Example 13: Emulsification and Viscosity Reduction Treatment of Heavy Oil Samples

[0169] This embodiment uses the liquid-liquid reaction equipment based on hydraulic cavitation prepared by the liquid-liquid reactor provided in Example 2 to perform emulsification and viscosity reduction treatment on a heavy oil sample from an oil field, and compares it with the stirring emulsification process. The steps are as follows:

[0170] (1) 50L of heavy oil sample was introduced into the cavitation emulsification equipment tank connected to the liquid-liquid generator. The auxiliary material was 5L of emulsifier (OP-10 oilfield-specific emulsifier), the emulsifier usage ratio was 0.6%, the emulsification temperature was 50℃, and the first inlet flow rate of the liquid-liquid generator was 5.00m³. 3 The liquid is pumped at a pressure of 0.6 MPa per hour using a centrifugal pump, with a second inlet flow rate of 0.12 m³ / h. 3 The flow rate is 0.6 MPa / h, and the pressure is 0.6 MPa. A metering pump is used for liquid delivery, and the second inlet flow rate can be adjusted to 0.03-0.3 m³ / h. 3 Adjust the flow rate by / h, turn on the equipment, and emulsify the water sample.

[0171] (2) Cavitation extraction adopts unipolar emulsification operation, with an emulsification time of 10 min. It is processed once and discharged after processing.

[0172] (3) Test the emulsified sample.

[0173] (4) Comparative experiment: except that the equipment used is a stirring emulsification device, the other conditions are the same as (1)-(3).

[0174] The particle size was measured using a laser particle size analyzer. The test data showed that the average particle size of the heavy oil droplets after cavitation emulsification was 25 micrometers, which was smaller than that after stirring emulsification (40 micrometers). The viscosity after cavitation emulsification was 22 mPaS, while that after stirring emulsification was 37 mPaS.

[0175] The application of this invention is not limited to this. It can be extended to other applications, such as those related to environmental protection. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention; therefore, the scope of protection of this invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid-liquid reactor based on hydrodynamic cavitation, characterized in that, It includes chamber A, chamber B, and a cavitation reaction unit; chamber A is used to transport a first fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit in a first spiral flow with a first rotation direction; chamber B is used to transport a second fluid and cause it to enter the cavitation reaction unit in a second spiral flow with a second rotation direction that is the same as or different from the first rotation direction. The cavitation reaction unit is used to induce a hydraulic cavitation effect in the incoming fluid.

2. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 1, wherein, The chamber B is located below chamber A and is in fluid communication with it.

3. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 2, wherein, The chamber A includes a first top surface and a first bottom surface; the first top surface is a plane or an inclined plane that is tilted toward the central axis; the first bottom surface is an arc-shaped surface or a conical surface whose inner diameter gradually decreases from top to bottom.

4. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 3, wherein, The first top surface and the first bottom surface are connected by a first circular arc transition section; when the first top surface is a plane, the first bottom surface is an arc-shaped surface with an inner diameter that gradually decreases from top to bottom; when the first top surface is an inclined surface, the first bottom surface is parallel to the first top surface.

5. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 3 or 4, wherein, The chamber B is a disc-shaped chamber, including a second top surface and a second bottom surface; the second top surface and the second bottom surface are connected by a third circular arc transition section; the second top surface is a plane or an inclined surface tilted towards the central axis.

6. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 5, wherein, The chamber A and chamber B are connected by a second circular arc transition section; the first top surface of chamber A is a plane, and the second top surface and the second bottom surface of chamber B are both planes; the volume of chamber A is not less than that of chamber B.

7. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 6, wherein, The chamber A is provided with a first inlet pipe that guides the liquid in a tangential direction, and the chamber B is provided with a second inlet pipe that guides the liquid in a tangential direction. The liquid inlet directions of the first inlet pipe and the second inlet pipe are opposite, so that the first rotation direction is opposite to the second rotation direction.

8. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 7, wherein, The first inlet pipe is evenly arranged in two or more locations along the upper circumference of chamber A; the second inlet pipe is evenly arranged in two or more locations along the circumference of chamber B.

9. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 6, wherein, The angle between the line connecting the tangents of the first and second circular arc transition segments and the second bottom surface is not less than 45 degrees.

10. The liquid-liquid reactor of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein, It also includes a flow guide located at the axial center of chamber A and chamber B; the flow guide is a conical or arc-shaped structure with an outer diameter that gradually increases from top to bottom, used to guide the first fluid and / or the second fluid to the cavitation reaction unit.

11. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 10, wherein, It also includes a liquid outlet pipe, which is located at the axial center of chamber A and extends upward; the cavitation reaction unit is located inside the liquid outlet pipe and includes a flow channel with a throat, the throat being the interface contraction part in the flow channel.

12. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 11, wherein, The cavitation reaction unit is a venturi tube, located below the liquid outlet pipe and inside chamber A.

13. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 11, wherein, The upper end of the guide extends into the liquid outlet pipe, and a gas channel is provided inside the guide, which runs through the guide from top to bottom.

14. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 11, wherein, The distance between the second top surface and the second bottom surface of chamber B is not greater than the distance between the second top surface and the inlet end face of the outlet pipe.

15. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 11, wherein, The inner diameter of the central hole between the second arc transition sections is not greater than the outer diameter of the liquid outlet pipe.

16. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 15, wherein, The outlet pipe is also equipped with guide vanes, which are located above the venturi tube and are spiral in shape. The spiral direction of each guide vane may be the same or different.

17. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 16, wherein, The guide vanes are divided into a first layer of guide vanes and a second layer of guide vanes; the first layer of guide vanes is located above the second layer of guide vanes, and the spiral direction of the first layer of guide vanes is consistent with that of the second layer of guide vanes; each guide vane has flow holes.

18. The liquid-liquid reactor of claim 1 wherein, It also includes an outer shell, which consists of a first shell, a second shell, and a third shell from top to bottom; chamber A and chamber B are enclosed by the first shell, the second shell, and the third shell.

19. A liquid-liquid reaction apparatus based on hydrodynamic cavitation, characterized by, The reactor includes the liquid-liquid reactor as described in any one of claims 1 to 18, and further includes a reaction tank and a second fluid medium storage tank; the first inlet pipe of chamber A is connected to the reaction tank, and the second inlet pipe of chamber B is connected to the second fluid medium storage tank.

20. A method of performing a liquid-liquid reaction between two fluids based on hydrodynamic cavitation, characterized in that, The reaction, carried out using the liquid-liquid reactor as described in any one of claims 1 to 18, or the liquid-liquid reaction apparatus as described in claim 19, includes the following steps: (1) The first fluid is introduced into chamber A through the first inlet pipe; (2) The second fluid is introduced into chamber B through the second inlet pipe; (3) Collect the fluid from the outlet tube.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein, The liquid-liquid reaction is used for any one or more of organic reactions, extraction, emulsification, separation and purification, or deep mixing.

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