Device and method for controlling a phase transition of a fluid between liquid and vapour states

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514212-B2
Application number	US-201615738474-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 23, 2015
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A device and method for changing a fluid from one state to another state, the states comprising a liquid and a vapour state are disclosed. The device comprises: an inlet configured to receive the fluid in a first state; an outlet configured to output the fluid in a second state; and a conduit connecting the inlet to the outlet. The conduit is configured such that a resistance to flow changes along at least a portion of a flow axis within the conduit. The device further comprises a controller configured to control a location of a region within the portion of the conduit in which the fluid changes state by controlling at least one of a temperature of the fluid and a pressure at at least one of the inlet and the outlet.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for changing a fluid from one state to another state, said states comprising a liquid and a vapour state, said device comprising:
an inlet configured to receive said fluid in a first state;
an outlet configured to output said fluid in a second state;
a conduit connecting said inlet to said outlet, said conduit being configured such that a resistance to flow changes along at least a portion of a flow axis within said conduit; and
a controller configured to change where said fluid changes from the first state to the second state within said conduit by changing at least one of a temperature of said fluid and a pressure at least one of said inlet and said outlet;
wherein the conduit comprises a controlled vaporisation device and said first state comprises a liquid and said second state comprises a vapour, said fluid flow being in a direction such that said resistance to flow decreases along said at least a portion of said flow axis of said conduit such that said resistance to flow is higher closer to said inlet than it is closer to said outlet.

2. The device according to claim 1 , said device being configured to control a mass flow rate of a fluid flowing through said conduit by controlling where said fluid changes from the first state to the second state within said conduit.

3. The device according to claim 2 , said device further comprising a measuring device configured to measure a parameter indicative of said flow rate of said fluid flowing through said conduit, said controller adjusting said at least one of said temperature of said fluid and said pressure at least one of said inlet and said outlet in response to an output from said measuring device.

4. The device according to claim 1 , said device further comprising:
at least one metering device configured to measure at least one of a temperature and a pressure of said fluid, said device being operable to determine a flow rate of said fluid from said at least one measurement; and
an output device configured to output said flow rate.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said conduit is configured such that an effective hydraulic diameter of said conduit increases in one direction along said flow axis within said at least a portion of said conduit leading to a decrease in said resistance to fluid flow in said direction.

6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein said conduit is configured such that a cross sectional area available for fluid flow of said conduit increases in one direction along said at least a portion of said conduit leading to a decrease in said resistance to fluid flow in said direction.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said conduit is at least partially filled with a material such that multiple fluid flow paths are provided through said material.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said material comprises at least one of a porous material, a powdered or granular material and a material formed of a plurality of strands.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of a number of said fluid flow paths and a diameter of said fluid flow paths increases in one direction along said at least a portion of said conduit leading to a decrease in resistance to flow in said direction.

10. The device according to claim 7 , wherein said conduit is an elongate structure and said flow axis is a longitudinal axis of said conduit and at least one of a number of said fluid flow paths and a diameter of said fluid flow paths either continually increases or decreases towards an outer edge of said longitudinal axis of said conduit.

11. The device according to claim 7 wherein said material is a material with a higher thermal conductivity than that of said fluid.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said conduit comprises an elongate structure and comprises an obstructing member running parallel to a longitudinal axis of and within said at least a portion of, said conduit.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein said diameter of said central obstructing member changes along said longitudinal axis of said conduit.

14. The device according to claim 12 , further comprising at least one of a heater configured to heat said obstructing member and a cooler configured to cool said obstructing member.

15. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a plurality of said conduits.

16. The device according to claim 1 , comprising a pressure controller for controlling a pressure of said fluid at least one of said inlet and said outlet.

17. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said conduit is configured such that a resistance to flow changes exponentially along said at least a portion of said conduit.

18. A device for changing a fluid from one state to another state, said states comprising a liquid and a vapour state, said device comprising:
an inlet configured to receive said fluid in a first state;
an outlet configured to output said fluid in a second state;
a conduit connecting said inlet to said outlet, said conduit being configured such that a resistance to flow changes along at least a portion of a flow axis within said conduit; and
a controller configured to change where said fluid changes from the first state to the second state within said conduit by changing at least one of a temperature of said fluid and a pressure at least one of said inlet and said outlet;
wherein the conduit comprises a controlled condenser and said first state comprises a gas and said second state comprises a liquid, said fluid flow being in a direction such that said resistance to flow increases along said at least a portion of said flow axis of said conduit such that said resistance to flow is higher closer to said outlet than it is closer to said inlet.

Assignees

• Edwards Ltd

Inventors

• Masse Daniel
• Shajii Ali
• Mcbrien Michael

Classifications

• B01D5/0081

  Feeding the steam or the vapours · CPC title

• B01D5/0009

  Horizontal tubes · CPC title

• B01D1/0082 Primary

  Regulation; Control · CPC title

• B01D1/04

  Evaporators with horizontal tubes · CPC title

• B01D5/0051

  Regulation processes; Control systems, e.g. valves · CPC title