Pressure Exchanger Flow Divider Rotor Duct Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure exchangers face reduced flow capacity and increased kinetic loss due to significant dead volume in rotor ducts, which also leads to excessive mixing of fluid streams, and existing solutions like reducing the aspect ratio or using tubular elements face manufacturing and operational challenges.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating internal flow dividers within the rotor ducts to split the duct into multiple equal resistance flow paths, reducing the aspect ratio and minimizing mixing, while being made of different materials and not providing structural support, thus avoiding mechanical interference and drag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a significant portion of duct volume is left as dead volume to prevent excessive mixing, then fluid stream separation is improved, but flow capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor duct is segmented into multiple flow paths by introducing flow dividers (partitions) within the duct. This segmentation allows the dead volume to be distributed across multiple smaller flow paths rather than occupying a large single space, thereby maintaining separation effectiveness while increasing the active flow capacity of the rotor.
2Productivity
If the aspect ratio of rotor duct is decreased to reduce dead volume, then flow capacity is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of changing the aspect ratio by modifying the rotor length (one-dimensional change), the invention introduces flow dividers that create additional flow paths within the existing rotor geometry. This effectively adds a dimensional complexity to the flow structure without altering the overall rotor dimensions, thereby improving flow capacity while avoiding manufacturing challenges.
3Productivity
If more rotor ducts with reduced aspect ratio are defined to decrease capacity loss, then flow capacity is improved, but flow cross-sectional area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The flow dividers are nested within the existing rotor duct structure, creating multiple flow paths that are contained within the original duct boundaries. This nested configuration allows the rotor to maintain its external dimensions and flow cross-sectional area while internally creating multiple flow paths that increase the effective flow capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
A pressure exchanger includes a rotor including rotor ducts that extend parallel to each other. The pressure exchanger further includes a flow divider that has a substantially flat shape and is located in the rotor ducts, where the flow divider partitions an inner space of one of the rotor ducts into flow paths configured to communicate fluid. The flow divider defines an aspect ratio of each of the plurality of flow paths, where the aspect ratio is a ratio of a width of one of the flow paths in a radial direction with respect to an axial length of one of the flow paths in the axial direction.