Energy Recovery Devices With Parallel Pumping and Series Turbine Circuits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing energy recovery devices (ERDs) in reverse osmosis water purification systems face inefficiencies due to disparities in flowrates and specific speeds between pump and turbine impellers, leading to reduced hydraulic efficiency and potential rotor lock-up issues.

Innovation Solution

The arrangement of ERDs with parallel pumping circuits and series turbine circuits, allowing for differential fluid pressures and energy transfer between internal circuits, eliminates the need for external power sources and enhances operational efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If centrifugal turbopumps are applied as boosters in series with the high pressure pump, then the full process flow is handled, but the disparity in flowrate between pump circuit and turbine circuit results in impellers with significantly different specific speeds, reducing hydraulic efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflowrate handling capacityVSAvoidhydraulic efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The pump and turbine circuits are segmented into separate parallel pathways within the ERD, allowing each circuit to operate independently with its own impeller optimized for its specific flowrate requirements, eliminating the efficiency loss from mismatched specific speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ERD is designed as a multi-functional device that simultaneously performs both pumping and turbine functions through parallel circuits, enabling the system to handle full process flow while maintaining optimal hydraulic efficiency in each circuit through separate impeller designs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stress or pressure

If isobaric energy recovery devices are applied in parallel with the high pressure pump, then a booster pump is required to maintain positive pressure and flow, but the ERD only handles a portion of the overall flow

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositive pressure maintenanceVSAvoidflowrate handling capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the pump and turbine circuits into a single integrated ERD unit with parallel pathways, combining the pressure maintenance function with full flow handling capacity that was previously distributed across separate devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the flowrate of brine is significantly less than overall feed flow to membranes, then recovery rate varies, but this creates flowrate disparity between pump and turbine circuits

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecovery rateVSAvoidimpeller design complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The parallel circuit segmentation allows each impeller to be independently designed for its specific flowrate conditions based on the recovery rate, simplifying the overall design by eliminating the need for a single complex impeller that would need to accommodate vastly different flowrates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration maintains reliable operation despite pressure differentials, reduces energy consumption, and increases overall efficiency by effectively transferring energy across ERDs, even with varying operational characteristics.

Implementation Method 1

The rotor has a plurality of vanes that follow the contoured wall as the rotor turns... In operation, the rotor is driven by the charging fluid entering first and second lobes... and exiting the lobes at a lower energy state. The driven rotor operates to elevate the energy level of a feed fluid in third and fourth lobes

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEnergy transfer through rotor and vanes:

Implementation Method 2

reverse osmosis water purification systems... Typical recovery rates for membrane based purification processes are 40 to 75%

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReverse osmosis: Reverse Osmosis

Data Source

PatentUS20250327435A1Apparatus and Method Utilizing Energy Recovery Devices, Including in Fluid Separation Processes

Publication Date: 2025.10.23 AMORPHIC TECH

AI summary

A novel approach for applying energy recovery devices (“ERD”s) to fluid systems which increases the fluid pressure by using ‘waste’ stream energy, and concurrently obviate the need an ancillary power source such as a motor or engine directly connected to the energy recovery device. This is achieved using a system or apparatus comprising two or more energy recovery devices, and/or at least one (or two or more) energy recovery device having two or more energy recovery device stages, wherein the system or apparatus has a pumping (or compressing) circuit of the energy recovery devices are arranged in parallel, while the turbine (or motor) circuit of the energy recovery devices are arranged in series. An advantage of such systems or apparatus provides that the one or more energy recovery devices now operate as an intensifier, increasing the pressure available to a given process, i.e., a separation process. A further advantage of such systems or apparatus is in the provision of a significant disparity in the flowrates of a process.