Pressure exchange device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9546671-B2
Application number	US-201214346566-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2012
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A pressure exchange device is equipped with a rotator, for which first flow paths through which a first fluid flows in and out and second flow paths through which a second fluid flows in and out are arranged around a shaft center so as to penetrate through in the direction of the rotation axis. The device includes a first lateral member with a first fluid inflow path, a second fluid outflow path, a second fluid inflow path, and a first fluid outflow path. The device also includes a second lateral member with communication sections that connect the first flow paths and the second flow paths and exchange pressure between the first fluid and the second fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A pressure exchange device configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:
a rotator configured to rotate about a rotation axis between a first stationary lateral member and a second stationary lateral member, the rotator in which a first flow path, through which the first fluid flows in and out from one end side of the rotator, and a second flow path, through which the second fluid flows in and out from the one end side of the rotator, are arranged around the rotation axis in a direction along the rotation axis;
the second stationary lateral member in which there is formed a communication section configured to communicate with the first flow path and the second flow path and exchange the pressures between the first fluid and the second fluid in the communication section; and
the first stationary lateral member in which a first fluid inflow path configured to guide the first fluid to the first flow path, a second fluid outflow path configured to guide the second fluid, with a pressure that has been exchanged in the communication section for a pressure of the first fluid, from the second flow path, a second fluid inflow path configured to guide the second fluid to the second flow path, and a first fluid outflow path configured to guide the first fluid, with the pressure that has been exchanged in the communication section for the pressure of the second fluid, from the first flow path, are formed in a thickness direction along the rotation axis,
wherein the pressure exchange device further comprises a torque application mechanism configured to apply a torque to the rotator based on an energy of the first fluid that flows into the first flow path or flows out from the first flow path, or an energy of the second fluid that flows into the second flow path or flows out from the second flow path, and wherein the first stationary lateral member includes the torque application mechanism.

2. The pressure exchange device according to claim 1 , further comprising a gap in which at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid enters, the gap formed between the rotator and the first stationary lateral member, and the second stationary lateral member; and
a retentive member provided between the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member to cover the rotator.

3. The pressure exchange device according to claim 1 , further comprising a press mechanism configured to press at least one of the first stationary lateral member or the second stationary lateral member and adjust an interval between the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member.

4. The pressure exchange device according to claim 1 ,
wherein a cross-sectional area of the first flow path and a cross-sectional area of the second flow path in a plane perpendicular to a direction of a flow for the first fluid or second fluid therein are formed to be equal.

5. The pressure exchange device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first fluid supplied to the first fluid inflow path is a pressurized concentrated fluid discharged from a reverse osmosis membrane device, and the second fluid supplied to the second fluid inflow path is a concentration target fluid supplied to the reverse osmosis membrane device.

6. A pressure exchange device configured to exchange pressures between a first fluid and a second fluid, comprising:
a rotator configured to rotate about a rotation axis between a first stationary lateral member and a second stationary lateral member, the rotator in which a first flow path, through which the first fluid flows in and out from one end side of the rotator, and a second flow path, through which the second fluid flows in and out from the one end side of the rotator, are arranged around the rotation axis in a direction along the rotation axis;
the second stationary lateral member in which there is formed a communication section configured to communicate with the first flow path and the second flow path and exchange the pressures between the first fluid and the second fluid in the communication section;
the first stationary lateral member in which a first fluid inflow path configured to guide the first fluid to the first flow path, a second fluid outflow path configured to guide the second fluid, with a pressure that has been exchanged in the communication section for a pressure of the first fluid, from the second flow path, a second fluid inflow path configured to guide the second fluid to the second flow path, and a first fluid outflow path configured to guide the first fluid, with the pressure that has been exchanged in the communication section for the pressure of the second fluid, from the first flow path, are formed in a thickness direction along the rotation axis; and
a press mechanism to press at least one of the first stationary lateral member or the second stationary lateral member and adjust an interval between the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member and constituted by a first end cover and a second end cover that are respectively arranged on an end surface side, which is different from facing surfaces of the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member with respect to the rotator, and a coupling member configured to fasten the first end cover to the second end cover,
wherein the pressure exchange device further comprises a first enclosed space configured to be partitioned at least by the first stationary lateral member and the first end cover;
a first communication path configured to be formed in the first end cover to guide the first fluid or the second fluid to the first enclosed space;
a second enclosed space configured to be partitioned at least by the second stationary lateral member and the second end cover; and
a second communication path configured to be formed in the second stationary lateral member to guide the first fluid or the second fluid to the second enclosed space, and
wherein the pressure exchange device further comprises a gap in which at least one of the first fluid and the second fluid enters, the gap formed between the rotator and the first stationary lateral member, and the second stationary lateral member;
a retentive member configured to be provided between the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member to cover the rotator;
a tubular casing configured to store the retentive member;
an outer circumferential enclosed space configured to be partitioned by the first stationary lateral member, the second stationary lateral member, an outer circumferential surface of the retentive member, and an inner circumferential surface of the casing; and
a third communication path configured to be formed in the retentive member, through which a further gap between the rotator and the retentive member, and the outer circumferential enclosed space are allowed to communicate.

7. The pressure exchange device according to claim 6 , further comprising a shaft portion configured to be integrally formed with the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member respectively and rotatably supports the rotator at bilateral end portions of the rotator to protrude on respective facing surface sides of the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member with respect to the rotator; and
a support shaft configured to penetrate the shaft portion, the support shaft having bilateral ends supported by the first stationary lateral member and the second stationary lateral member.

8. The pressure exchange device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the communication section passes through the second stationary lateral member in the thickn

Assignees

• Kubota Kk

Inventors

• Hirosawa Yoshifumi
• Teramoto Norihiro
• Shouzaki Akira
• Komatsu Kazuto

Classifications

• F04F13/00 Primary

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• Y02W10/30

  Wastewater or sewage treatment systems using renewable energies · CPC title

• C02F2303/10

  Energy recovery · CPC title

• B01D2313/246

  Energy recovery means · CPC title

• C02F2103/08

  Seawater, e.g. for desalination · CPC title