Fluid flow conduit with controlled hydrodynamics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12473937-B2
Application number	US-202217727612-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2022
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A fluid flow conduit comprises a flow-shaping element shaped to control the velocity distribution of fluid flowing therethrough. A conduit body is shaped to define a longitudinally oriented interior flow region. The flow-shaping element comprises a flow-shaping channel shaped to provide a first curved channel portion curved about a longitudinal axis in a first angular direction to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the first angular direction on fluid flow therethrough. The flow-shaping channel may be shaped to provide a second curved channel portion that is curved about the longitudinal axis in a second angular direction (opposed to the first angular direction) to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the second angular direction on fluid flow therethrough. The flow-shaping channel may be shaped to provide one or more slits that communicate fluid between the first and second curved channel portions and a central bore portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A fluid flow conduit comprising:
a conduit body shaped to define a longitudinally oriented interior flow region; an inlet for introducing fluid into the interior flow region; an outlet for conveying fluid out of the interior flow region; and a flow-shaping element located in a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the flow-shaping element comprising a flow-shaping channel shaped to provide a first curved channel portion that is curved about a longitudinal axis in a first angular direction; wherein the first curved channel portion is shaped to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the first angular direction on fluid flow through the first curved channel portion; wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped to provide a second curved channel portion that is curved about the longitudinal axis in a second angular direction, the second angular direction opposed to the first angular direction, wherein the second curved channel is shaped to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the second angular direction on fluid flow through the second curved channel portion; wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped to provide an opening that communicates fluid between the first and second curved channel portions and a bore portion.

2 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the flow-shaping element is located between the inlet and the interior flow region and the opening is located transversely opposite to the inlet.

3 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the flow-shaping element is located between the interior flow region and the outlet and the opening is located transversely opposite to the outlet.

4 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped to provide one or more second openings that communicate fluid between at least one of the first and second curved channel portions and the bore portion.

5 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the bore portion is located relatively more proximate, in a transverse direction, than the first and second curved channel portions to the longitudinal axis about which the first and second curved channel portions are curved.

6 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the flow-shaping element is located in the fluid flow path between: the inlet and the interior flow region for directing fluid from the inlet, through the flow-shaping channel and into the interior flow region.

7 . A conduit according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid flowing through the interior flow region has an average flow rate that is slower than an average flow rate of the fluid flowing through the first and second curved channel portions.

8 . A flow-through reactor for fluid, the flow-through reactor comprising:
a fluid flow conduit comprising a conduit body shaped to define a longitudinally oriented interior flow region which provides a reaction chamber for the flow-through reactor; an inlet for introducing fluid into the interior flow region; an outlet for conveying fluid out of the interior flow region; and a flow-shaping element located in a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the flow-shaping element comprising a flow-shaping channel shaped to provide a first curved channel portion that is curved about a longitudinal axis in a first angular direction; wherein the first curved channel portion is shaped to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the first angular direction on fluid flow through the first curved channel portion; and wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped to provide a second curved channel portion that is curved about the longitudinal axis in a second angular direction, the second angular direction opposed to the first angular direction, wherein the second curved channel portion is shaped to impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the second angular direction on fluid flow through the second curved channel portion.

9 . A fluid flow conduit according to claim 8 wherein the conduit forms part of a flow-through UV photoreactor, wherein the interior flow region of the conduit provides a reaction chamber of the flow-through reactor.

10 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the inlet is oriented in an inlet flow direction that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.

11 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the outlet is oriented in an outlet flow direction that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis.

12 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped such that an average flow direction of the fluid is in the longitudinal direction when the fluid enters the interior flow region.

13 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the flow-shaping channel is shaped such that the fluid entering the interior flow region has local angular momentum that causes the fluid entering the interior flow region to exhibit counter-rotating vortices.

14 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the inlet is shaped and/or oriented such that an average flow direction of the fluid is non-parallel to the longitudinal direction when the fluid enters the flow-shaping channel.

15 . A conduit according to claim 8 , wherein the flow-shaping element is shaped so as to permit radiation to impinge on fluid in the reaction chamber without occlusion from the flow-shaping element.

16 . A method for controlling a velocity distribution of fluid flowing through a fluid flow conduit, the method comprising:
introducing fluid via an inlet into a longitudinally oriented interior flow region of the fluid flow conduit; flowing the fluid through the interior flow region; flowing the fluid through a flow-shaping element located in a fluid flow path between the inlet and the outlet, the flow-shaping element comprising a flow-shaping channel providing a first curved channel portion that is curved about a longitudinal axis in a first angular direction to thereby impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the first angular direction on fluid flow through the first curved channel portion; conveying the fluid out of the interior flow region via an outlet; and flowing the fluid through a second curved channel portion that is curved about the longitudinal axis in a second angular direction, the second angular direction opposed to the first angular direction to thereby impart angular momentum about the longitudinal axis in the second angular direction on fluid flow through the second curved channel portion.

17 . A method according to claim 16 or any other claim herein, comprising: flowing the fluid through an opening that communicates fluid between the first and second curved channel portions and a bore portion; and flowing the fluid from the first and second curved channel portions into the bore portion.

18 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein the fluid flowing through the bore portion exhibits counter-rotating vortices.

Assignees

• Univ British Columbia

Inventors

• Taghipour Fariborz

Classifications

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title

• C02F2201/328

  Having flow diverters (baffles) · CPC title

• C02F1/325

  Irradiation devices or lamp constructions · CPC title

• B01J19/24

  Stationary reactors without moving elements inside (B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence; with stationary particles B01J8/02) · CPC title

• B01J2219/0077

  inclined · CPC title