Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING AND PURIFYING LIQUIDS
Field of the invention
The invention relates to a cavitation equipment producing heated or cooled
liquids,
containing at least one engine, a house, the liquid to be heated, and
cavernous hod iesrotating
in the liquid to be heated, and driven by an external engine.
Background Art
The phenomenon of cavitation to produce heat in liquids such as water is well
known
in the art.
An example of a cavitation system using a rotating body for producing heated
liquids
is presented in United States Patent No. 3,720,372 to Jacobs. Other patented
solutions using
the cavitation phenomenon to produce heat were developed in 1950s, especially
in the United
States. A well known patent is United States Patent No. 4,424,797 to Perkins.
This patent is a
developed and state of the art version of the solutions described in United
States Patent No.
2,683,448 to Smith. An improvement was also disclosed in United States Patent
No.
4,779,575, also to Perkins.
Cavitational devices are also described in United States Patent Nos. 5,188,090
and
5,385,298 to Griggs. In these devices, a cylindrical body is placed into the
housing of the
device, and a cloak is provided with cavitational bores. The liquid to be
heated is placed into
the cylindrical free space between the rotating body with cavitational bores
and the internal
cloak of the housing; the pressure and temperature of the liquid increases
while the
cavitational body is rotating. The Griggs patents are incorporated by
reference herein in their
entirety.
Other cavitation devices are disclosed in United States Patent No. 6,164,274
to
Giebeler, United States Patent No. 6,227,193 to Selivanov, and the Russian
patent No. RU
2,262,644. Another approach from a cavitation standpoint is shown in United
States
Published Patent Application No. 2010/0154772 to Harris. In this approach, the
helical loops
of the rotating rotor and the internal cloak of the housing jointly result in
cavitational heat
production, while the rotor is rotating. The Fabian Patent W02012/164322A1
teaches a
similar cavitation apparatus.
The prior art systems described above have a number of disadvantages,
including
being inefficient and generating noise, primarily due to these concepts
addressing the
cavitation process as a two dimensional process. One aim of the invention is
to eliminate the
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disadvantages of the known solutions and the harmful cavitational effects in
cavitation
devices, to eliminate destructive forces internal to the cavitation process,
to improve
efficiency, and to reduce cavitation noise through a three dimensional vector
approach.
Summary of the Invention
One object of the invention is a cavitation apparatus producing heated liquids
sufficient for fluid purification and alternative methods of heat transfer,
containing at least
one engine, a housing, liquid to be heated, and one or more cavernous
cavitation bodies
rotating in the liquid to be heated and driven by the engine. The invention
includes the
procedure for the operation of the equipment. The solution according to the
invention
advantageously eliminates the otherwise harmful and eroding features of
cavitation, while
using the generated cavitation bubbles to change the thermal conditions of
liquids, primarily
water, for water purification, HVAC applications, and other similar processes
that require
heat transfer.
More particularly, the invention is characterized in that a constricting form
is installed
in the housing, the constricting form contains cavitation steps, directional &
bounce bumpers,
and a free constricting gap funnel for the liquid to be heated between the
constricting form
and the cavitation body (2) allowing for velocity and directional control of
formed cavitation
bubbles critical for process integrity and reduction/elimination of the
destructive forces
associated with the cavitation process. The method for the use of the
cavitation equipment
forms also part of the invention, as intergral components of the overall
cavitation system
enhance noise reduction, and process efficency.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure I shows a perspective and exploded view of one embodiment of the
invention.
Figure 2 shows a top of the apparatus of Figure 1 with portions cut away to
show
detail.
Figure 3 shows a sectional view along the line III of Figure 2.
Figure 4 shows an enlarged portion of the sectional view in Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows an even more enlarged view of a portion of Figure 4.
Figure 6 shows discharge locations, and cavitation bore locations with respect
to
motor speed and calculated fluid velocity at discharge in a standard two
dimensional fashion,
Figure 7 shows a typical cylindrical fluid path within a cavitation head in
the third
dimension.
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Figure 8 shows general locations of bumpers with respect to each other to
provide for
uniform discharge velocity of fluid to cavitation bores in the third
dimension.
Figure 8A shows a cross section of Figure 8 at the entry point of discharge
tunnels,
Figure 8B shows a cross section of Figure 8 towards the discharge tunnels,
Figure 9 shows a table of water physical characteristics that vary over
temperature
change that require velocity control of cavitation process,
Figure 10 shows overall system requirements to produce a controlled three
dimensional cavitation process without negative destructive forces.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The phenomenon of cavitation and its use in heating liquids is well known in
the prior
art.
Cavitational vacuum bubbles are created in the lower pressure parts of
liquids,
primarily in areas the liquid flows at high speeds. The phenomenon is common
in central
pumps and in the proximity of ship propellers or water turbines, and may
extensively erode
the rotating propellers and the surface of all materials affected.
The phenomenon is accompanied by vibration and knocking-like noise; it
distorts the
flow pattern, and reduces the efficiency of the associated engine.
Irrespective of the material
the propeller or turbine blade is made of, cavitation erodes the respective
surfaces by literally
eating away even the hardest alloys and creating tiny holes and cavities on
the surface. The
name of the phenomenon is of this origin, as cavitation means the creation of
cavities. For
the above reasons, cavitation is usually a phenomenon to be eliminated.
Cavitational vacuum bubbles are generally small, just a few millimeters in
size, and
the bubbles are generated by a sudden decrease in pressure in high-speed
liquid flows
between the molecules of the liquid. The bubbles crash when entering high-
pressure areas, or
explode and fill the space evenly with drops, if the pressure of high-
pressure liquids drops
suddenly. Small cavities are created among the drops and drop molecules,
creating literally
vacuum bubbles. The subsequent crash of such vacuum bubbles is accompanied by
a low
crashing noise and light emission. The crashing of large quantities of liquid
molecules
produces cracking, bouncing, and rumbling noise. When the bubbles crash, the
energy
stored, which is in the form of significant heat and light energy in the
bubbles, is released.
The energy spreads at various frequencies and is absorbed by neighboring
molecules, thereby
increasing their temperature. Put another way, the resulting gas reaches a
state where the
greater temperature and pressure of the saturated gas breaks the molecular
adhesion and the
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bubbles suddenly will split. The resulting high temperature is absorbed by the
surrounding
fluid molecules, thus heating the fluid. The heat generated during the
cavitation process is
sufticent to eliminate any bacteria, viral, heavy metal, and other
contamination from fluid,
thus provided an added benefit of purification. In actuality, a purified fluid
is best for
controlling the three dimensional cavitation process.
Again, the utilization of this phenomenon to heat liquids has been known for
years.
However, producing cavitation to heat liquids has been indirectly - e.g. by
using rotating
bodies run by electric engines - more expensive than heating liquids by using
electricity
directly. On the other hand, the situation is different, if other economical
power sources - e.g.
turbine, petrol or diesel engine, etc. - are available anyway. By using such
power sources,
purified heated liquids may be produced directly.
In systems such as shown in the Griggs patents above, circulating a fluid in a
closed
system at a select high speed and passing through a narrowing channel, the
fluid is suddenly
introduced into an expanding section (cavitation bores) and the necessary
decompression to
create cavitations occur.
Cavitation is generally a detrimental phenomenon due to it's destructive
characteristics, excessive heat generation, high discharge pressure, and
noise. However, the
invention is based on the realization that an improved cavitational apparatus
can be made by
installing a constriction or interference between a rotating cavitational body
and the internal
surface of a housing containing the body and, optionally, the internal surface
of the rotating
cavitational body and a secondary and stationary rotor head. In this case, it
is ensured that
the vacuum bubbles are continuously exploded. By designing the internal of the
housing
with the interference or constriction, the liquid to be heated surrounds the
vacuum bubbles in
the bores upon explosion, cavitational noise can be reduced, and the harmful
effects of
cavitation can be reduced or eliminated.
The invention, in one aspect is a cavitation apparatus producing heated
purified
liquids, containing at least one engine, a housing, the liquid to be heated, a
rotating cavitation
body rotating in the liquid to be heated and driven by the engine. The engine
may be an
electric engine, but steam or internal combustion engines, or the rotating
shafts of turbines
may also be used to drive the cavitation equipment. A stationary rotor head
can be placed
inside of the rotating cavitation body to form the second liquid heating zone.
The invention
also includes the method for the operation of the apparatus, which entails
broadly supply a
fluid, for example water to the apparatus for cavitation purposes and
subsequent use of the
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heated fluid as would be known in the art. While water is a desired fluid, the
apparatus can
be used to heat and purify any fluid if so desired.
The advantages of the invention are amplified by having cavitation bores in
the
rotating cavitational body and the rotor head, if present. For the rotating
cavitational body, its
external surface is fitted with cavitational bores, much like found in the
Griggs patents. The
bores and the chamber between the rotating cavitational body and the
surrounding housing
forms a cavitational flow zone. In the embodiment using the stationary rotor
head, the
external surface of the rotor head is also fitted with cavitation bores so as
to face an inner
surface of the rotating cavitational body, which is then generally ring-
shaped. This creates an
additional liquid cavitational flow zone between the inside of the rotating
cavitational body
and the rotor head to enhance the cavitation of the fluid.
One embodiment of the invention is shown in the Figures 1-10. The apparatus is
designated by the reference numeral 10 and includes an external motor I is
used to rotate
a rotating cavitational body or external rotor 5 through a direct drive shaft
3 that includes a
shaft seal 7. The shaft 3 extends through an opening 6 in an end 8 of a
housing 9 and an
opening 12 in the external rotor 6 5. The external rotor 5 can be rotated at
any number of
speeds and this depends on the viscosity of the fluid being heated. Typical
speeds are from
2500-4000 rpm to generate optimal cavitation of fluid, such speeds similar to
those disclosed
in the Griggs patents. However, to improve on Griggs patent, and to precisely
locate, in the
third dimension, the eavitaton bubbles discharged to the cavitation bores 33,
37 the the motor
speed is tuned to the apparatus 10 by use of a variable speed controller 301
along with the
directional and bounce bumpers. This is crucial to producing the exact shaft
speed S,, that
determines horizontal Vx,vertiele Vy, and terciary velocity Vz of the fluid at
discharge zones
31, 35 of appartus 10. The fluid is compressed within the discharge funnel,
directed, and
released at a specific velocity Fv which is determined by the phyiscal arc
lenght LA between
cavitation zones (Figure 6) in determining the actual number of cavitation
discharge zones
with a given cavititation head at any particluar motor speed. Since the
velocity of the fluid
Fv can be tuned, a determination of the time a fluid molecule will take to
travel along path LA
can be made and the horizontal and vertical component of the fluid at
discharge zones 31, 35
can be calculated. The curvilinear motion horizontal velocity is determined as
a function,
V, ¨ d, / di, while the vertical velocity is Vy = dy / diõ and tertiary
velocity is Vz dz, dt The
directional and bouce bumpers are designed to drive the tertiary velocity V,
to zero, by
eliminating the dz component and thus by solving for d, and dy, the location
of the cavitation
bores 33, 37 and the distance between the bores BA with respect to time (i.e.
motor speed) for
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tuning can be determined. Figure 6 only depicts two cavitation bores but it
should be
understoond that the cavitation bores would extend along the circumference of
the external
rotor as shown in Figure 3.
A rotor housing 9 is provided that has no internal bearings. The existence of
internal
bearings is a critical failure mode of the Fabian patent as in this design,
the bearings would be
directly affected by thermal transfer of fluid to bearings during the
cavitation process.
Accordingly, the shaft 3 of the motor 1 extends through the housing 9 and
supports the
external rotor 5 for rotation in a cantilevered configuration. The motor has a
longer shaft 3
than normal and internal bearings in the motor to support the balanced
external rotor 5 when
the shaft 3 extends through housing 4- 9. The housing 9 forms a cavity 11 ,
with the cavity
shaped to receive the extenimal rotor 5. A conventional shaft seal (not shown)
is positioned
between the motor shaft 3 and the housing 9 for sealing purposes. With the
cantilevered
arrangement of the motor shaft and the bearings being associated with the
motor for shaft
support, the problems with bearing failure in the prior art devices is
eliminated.
In operation, fluid, e.g., water, is introduced into the cavity 11 at a rate
based upon
optimal tuned speed of motor for the fluid during operation of the apparatus
10. When the
external rotor 5 is positioned within the housing, an outer surface 13 of the
external rotor 5
faces an inner surface 15 of the housing 9. A gap 17 exists between these two
surface 13 and
15, and this gap 17 becomes one fluid heating zone for the apparatus 10,
consisting of three
lateral cavitation zones 215.
In the embodiment of Figures 1-10, six fluid heating zones exist by reason of
three
sets of three discharge zones 31 and 35 for heating zone 17 and the same
arrangement for
heating zone 25, so that there are a total of eigtheen cavitation zones 215.
This number can
be increased or decreased by varying the size of the cavitation head for
additional arc length
LA consistent with the motor speeds selected. This is accomplished by
providing a secondary
rotor head 19 in a specific rotational pitch or configuration and has similar
physical
characteristics as the external rotor 5 to enhance the energy in the fluid. An
outer surface 21
of the rotor head 19 faces an inner surface 23 of the external rotor 5, with a
gap existing
therebetween. The gap forms the another fluid heating zone 25 of the apparatus
10.
A housing cover 27 is also provided. The housing cover 27 mates with the
housing 9
using any known fastening technique to form a sealed cavitation chamber that
includes the
rotor head 19 and the external rotor 5. The rotor head 19 is mounted to the
housing cover 27
in any conventonal way to create the gap 25 as the second fluid heating zone
between the
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external or outer surface 21 of the rotor head 19 and the inner surface 23 of
the external rotor
5. As an example of the mounting, openings 26 can be used with the appropriate
fasteners.
The materials selected for the external rotor 5 and rotor head 19, and housing
9 and
cover 27 are selected for optimal performance & safety. Examples of materials
for the
housing 9 and cover 27 include polymers, e.g., a polyamide. The external rotor
5 and rotor
head 19 can be made from metal materials like aluminum or an alloy thereof or
stainless
steels.
The fluid to be heated or purified is introduced to the cavitation apparatus
10 through
an intake port 29 located on the housing cover 27. While the position of the
intake port 29
can vary, it is preferred to be positioned so that fluid entering the second
fluid heating zone
25, see Figure 4, that is between the fixed internal rotor head 19 and the
external rotor 5.
The cavitation zones 17 and 25 have special characterisics that allow for
optimal
cavitation to occur. Figure 8 shows the location of these characterisities.
Inner surface 15 of
rotor housing 9, and inner surface 23 of external rotor 5 have directional
bumpers 201 and
203, and bounce bumpers 202 and 204, respectively ,to channel the water on the
direction
path to ramp section 31 and 35 in each of these. The directional bumpers 201
and 203 of
these surfaces are longer, while the bouce bumpers 202 and 204 are shorter in
length and
allow the water to be channeled to the ramp zone 31 and 35, along the natural
fluid direction
Fd as depicted in the tetciary view Figure 7. Each set of these bumpers is
offset with the
inner series to midrange series being offset 212, while the midrange series to
outer series
offset 213 to accomodate the variation of time for fluid molecule to travel in
a cylindrical
motion, and thus effect the cavitation zone velocity components Vx, Vy,and Vz
in detenning
cavitation bore 33 and 37 locations. This allows the internal rotor 21 and
external rotor 5 to
be consistent with standard manufacturing processes.
Additional, allowing the discharged fluid path to be three dimensional
presents
geometric manufacturing issues with locating and forming the cavitational
bores 33 and 37, a
perpendicular section 210 of directional bumbers 201 and 203 and bounce
bumpers 202 and
204 to facilate a two dimesional discharge of fluids to the cavitation bores
33 and 37 is
provided. The cavitation bores 33 and 37are located in the two dimensional
plane, because
the terciary velocity Vz has been driven to zero, such that distance between
discharge zone
215 and cavitation bores 33, 37 is in direct correlation to speed of fluid F.
By precisely
locating the discharge fluid to the alignment of the cavitation bores 33 and
37,the destructive
cavitation bubbles are prevented from being released uncontrollably in
sections without
cavitation bores. - This is accomplished by the shape of the inner surface 23
of the external
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rotor 5 in the funnel zones 205 between directional bumpers 201 and bounce
bumpers 202.
This ramped surface has a spiral shape, which is illustrated by radial
distances, as measured
from a central and longitudinal axis A of the apparatus 10. Referring to
Figure 3, one radius
R2 as measured from a center axial point of the apparatus is such that the
radius R2 is less
than another radius R4. This difference in radius and spiral shape of the
inner surface 23 of
the external rotor 5 creates a wave ramp 31. This configuration produces a
pressure
differential critical for formation of cavitation vacuum bubbles at wave ramp
31.
The rotor head outer surface 21 is configured with a number of spaced apart
cavitation
bores 33 of a given depth and circumference. The bores 33 cooperate with the
wave ramp 31
and spiral shape of the inner surface 23 of the external rotor 5 to create a
continuous and
growing vacuum bubble generation in the regular arrangement of the cavitation
bores 33 of
the rotor head 19. Heat is generated through the cavitation process of the
fluid with virtually
no destructive impact to the rotor head 19 or the cavitation bores 33. During
operation, the
external rotor 5 is spinning in a clockwise direction, see Figure 4. The fluid
is compressed
during the rotation cycle of the external rotor 5 and pressure increases in
the fluid cavitation
zone 25 and 17. The entry to the wave ramps 31 and 35 provides an area of
expansion that
generates a rapid loss of pressure and this pressure reduction pennites the
forming of the
cavitation bubbles and subsequent explosion in the cavitation bores 33 and 37.
After entering the zone 25, the fluid exits the zone 25 through multiple ports
34 at the
rear face 36 of the external rotor 5. This exiting fluid then enters the other
fluid cavitation
zone 17 formed in the space between the inside surface 15 of the housing 1 and
the outer
surface 13 of the external rotor 5. In effect, the fluid is introduced to a
secondary cavitation
process, which is opposite in direction from a spinning fluid flow direction
to the first
cavitation process occuring in the zone 25 between the rotor head outer
surface 21 and the
inner surface 23 of the external rotor 5.
The housing 1 is equipped with the similar spiral configuration on the inner
surface 15
thereof with a corresponding wave ramp 35 formed by the radial differences
shown in Figure
3. That is, the radius R1 is less than radius R3 so as to form the wave ramp
35 in the tunnel
zones 206 between directional bumpers 203 and bounce bumpers 204.
The external rotor 5 includes cavitation bores 37, like those in the rotor
head 19.
Fluid exiting the first heating zone 25 is introduced into the second heating
or
cavitation zone 17. The spinning fluid therein is then introduced into the
regular arrangement
of external rotor cavitation bores 37 in the same fashion as fluid is
introduced into the bores
33 in the rotor head 19. What is different between chambers 17 and 25 is the
orientation of
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the wave ramps 31 and 35. The wave ramp 35 is configured oppositely from the
wave ramp
31
Put another way and referring to Figure 3, the spiral of increasing radius
moves in the
clockwise direction for surface 23 of the external rotor 5, short radius R2to
longer radius R4.
For surface 15 of the housing 9, the increasing radius moves in the
counterclockwise direct,
short radius R1 to longer radiusR3. This means that the faces of the wave
ramps 31 and 35
are opposite to each other. Referring to Figure 5, the wave ramp 35 has face
39, which is
shown with a right angle configuration. However, the face 39 could be angled
as well. The
spiral configuration insures the maximum vacuum bubble generation and the
resulting heat
generation bubble explosion. The dual balanced cavitation process of the zone
17 and zone
25 occur simultaneously. Thus, through a single rotational cycle of the motor
and external
rotor 5, the fluid is processed twice forcavitation.
It is also desirable for the cavitaton heating process that the primary wave
ramps 31
and 35 be aligned at rest as shown in Figure 3. That is, the wave ramps 31 and
35 are at the 6
o'clock position.
Since the housing 1 is fixed and the apparatus would be positioned so that the
axis A is
horizontal, it is not a problem to have the wave ramp 35 in this position. In
order to have the
wave ramp 31 of the external rotor 5, which can move due to its motor
connection in this
position, one way is to have the external rotor 5 balanced by the multiple
outlet ports 34 such
that the when motor I is not providing power, the external rotor 5 returns to
the proper start
up position in respect to the inner wave ramp 31 and the outer wave ramp 35.
With this start
up position, maximum heat generation of the fluid within the process is
achieved. While the
wave ramp position of the external rotor could vary from the 6 o'clock
position, even as high
as 90 degrees to either side, cavitation efficiency is lowered when varying
from the preferable
start up position. It is also preferred that the wave ramps 31 and 35 be at
the 6 o'clock
position as this facilitates the start up of the apparatus from a priming
standpoint (the input 29
is aligned with the wave ramp 31 since the apparatus not only functions as a
liquid cavitation
device but also like a pump, drawing liquid in to the apparatus 10 and
discharging it.
Varying from the 6 o'clock position towards either the 3 or the 9 o'clock
reduces the pressure
drop at the ramp and/or reduces the cavitation. By changing this configuration
of the
cavitation zones 215 to alternative positions such as the 3 or 9 o'clock
positions, in
conjunction with varying the arc length LA, the cavitation device absorbed the
heat of the
fluid and produced a cooling effect, while maintaining the non-destructive
nature of the
eaviation device.
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The fluid being cavitated then leaves the cavitation apparatus 10 through an
outlet
port 41 in the cover 9 at low pressure (< 1 atmosphere). In order achieve
maximum efficency
and eliminate the destructive element of cavitation, a total system should
include the variable
speed motor controller 301, a discharge water hammer tank 303, and an incoming
storage
tank 304 as a minimum. The discharge water hammer tank 303 is set to 12-15 psi
which
insure proper noise control of heating water, while the incoming storage tank
304 allows for
the cavitation apparatus 10 to operate at ambiant fluid flow. Because each
fluid's physical
properties vary with respect to temperature rise, as indicated in the chart of
Figure 9 for
water, it is important for the motor speed to be continually adjusted for
speed control to
insure cavitation process, specifically the distance for dishearge zone 215 to
cavitation bores
33, 37 is controlled. By tuning the motor speed to the physical
characteristics of the fluid at
any given temperature or other varient, it insures the distance to cavitation
bores 33, 37 from
funnel zones 205 is maintained for non-destructive cavitation. An additional
control panel
302 will insure optimization of the cavitation process for the fluid under
process by
monitoring fluid temperature at probes 307 of intake and output of cavitation
apparatus 10.
Also, control valves 306 may be deployed with a crossover 308 to enhance
system
performance for certain applications such as purification. The heated fluid
can be used in
any known application that employs a heated fluid.
The invention is based on the realization that the objective of having a
cavitation fluid
heating apparatus without the known problems in prior art cavitation heating
apparatus can be
obtained by having a constricting form or interference in the zones or
chambers 17 and 25
containing the wave ramp 35, directional bumpers 203, and bounce bumpers 204
between the
rotating external rotor outer surface 13 and the inner surface 15 of the
housing 9 and same
constriction or interference as wave ramp 31, directional bumpers 201, and
bounce bumpers
202 between the rotor head outer surface 21 and the external rotor inner
surface 23. By
designing the internal surface 15 of the housing I and the internal surface 23
of the external
rotor 5 this way, it can be continuously ensured that the vacuum bubbles
explode. Ensuring
by designing the spiral surfaces 15 and 23, directional bumpers 201 and 203,
and bounce
bumpers 202 and 204 that funnel the liquid to be heated surrounds the vacuum
bubbles in the
bores upon explosion, cavitational noise can be is reduced, as well as
reducing or eliminating
the other harmful effects of cavitation, e.g., erosion of component parts and
the like.
In significant variation to the Fabian design, it should be understood that
the two
chamber or zone design of Figures 1- 10 can be modified so that it is only a
one chamber
design and still function with all benefits with a single drive motor. Thus,
the rotor head 6
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could be made without the cavitation bores and act only as a conduit to feed
liquid to the zone
17 between the housing 1 and the external rotor 5. In yet a further
embodiment, the rotor
head 6 could be eliminated so that only the external rotor 5 with its
cavitation bores 37, the
housing 9 with its specially configured inner surface 15, and the appropriate
inlet and outlet
ports would interact to heat the fluid. This adaption of the invention allows
for multiple size
application configurations, with various motor sizes adaptable to a cavitation
apparatus 10 for
energy efficiency specific to the desired application.
While a single chamber apparatus provides heated liquid without many of the
cavitation-related problems of prior art devices, it is more advantageous to
employ the
embodiment of Figures 1-10, wherein the external rotor is installed with a
fixed rotor head
19, the external surface of which is fitted with additional cavitational bores
33. Together this
configuration, with the associated system components, allows the rotor pump to
produce heat
energy at a significant increased ratio of energy utilization to consumption,
while overcoming
the traditional problems of prior systems; such as sonic sound waves (noise),
bearing failures,
and high discharge pressure energy losses.
The present invention is directed at releasing heat energy for use in
delivering a fluid
for heating, or cooling systems, fluid purification and separation, and any
fluid processing
that require heat to complete progression. Moreover, the invention, releases
the energy
through a cavitation process using less power consumption then traditional
boiler systems or
furnaces and significantly improves the energy and installation cost of
purification system
with similar capabilities. The balanced internal fixed rotor 19, external
rotor 5, wave ramps
31 and 35, directional bumpers 201 & 203, and bounce bumpers 202 & 204, and
coinciding
housing 1 and cover 27 provide the unique physical characteristics to produce
heat at an
increased rate of return of energy consumption while maintaining thermal
characteristics.
The present invention comprises these unique component characteristics in a
manner
such that the fluid that the heat generated is retained for extended periods
of time and thus
requires lower cycles of energy consumption.
The present invention is unique such that the multistage cavitation process is
initially
completed through a primary cavitation rotor head that is stationary, with the
external rotor
acting as both a centrifugal source for the initial process and a cavitation
element of the
second stage. Both the external rotor and rotor housing have wave ramps to
enhance the
cavitation process. This allows the system to maximize the energy released
from the
cavitation process, while maintaining a low discharge pressure in so that
energy is not lost by
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changing the state of the fluid to a gas. The present invention configuration
is such that the
normally associated noise from the cavitation process is minimized and
controlled.
As explained above, the spiral configuration of the surfaces 15 and 23 with
the
directional bumpers 201 and 203, and bounce bumpers 202 and 204 are an
important feature
of the invention. This configuration allows for the creation and growth of the
vacuum
bubbles in the bores 33 and 37. In the bores 33 and 37, the vacuum bubbles are
created
among the molecules and surrounded by the fluid to be heated. The bubbles do
not actually
explode but crash, when they reach the cavitation bores 33 and 37.
According to the method, the external rotor 5 is placed into the housing 1 and
is
rotated with the driving engine 1. During rotation, fluid to be heated is
injected into the
housing I through the input 29. With the help of the rotation, continuously
growing vacuum
bubbles are created among the liquid molecules in the bores 33 of the rotor
head 6, if present,
and in the bores 37 of the external rotor 5. Once the vacuum bubble reaches
the cavitation
step 31 or 35, they crash. The fluid to be heated is otherwise continuously
flowed through
the chambers 25 and 17, with the vacuum bubbles crashing in the expanding
liquid after
passing through the funnel zones 205. Upon the crash, the liquid molecules,
moving in
opposite directions, explode. The heat generated during the explosion is
absorbed by the
surrounding liquid, and the heated liquid is ultimately extracted through the
output 41.
It is the advantage of the cavitation apparatus according to the invention to
successfully eliminate or reduce the harmful effects of the cavitation
phenomenon by using
flow channels designed for the liquid to be heated and by using the procedure
for the
operation of the equipment.
Turning back to the embodiments discussed above, one embodiment of the
invention
uses a single rotating cavitation body having bores in it, with the bores open
to an outer
surface of the cavitation body. This cavitation body rotates within a housing
and interacts
with the cavitation step, which is located on the inside surface of the
housing. During this
rotation, vacuum bubbles are created in the bores in the rotating body. The
bubbles
eventually grow such that they are no longer confined to the bores and crash
into the
cavitation step. This crash causes the liquid molecules to explode, which is
the energy
release that causes the heating of the water.
In another embodiment, there are two sets of bores, one on the outer surface
of the
rotating body and another set of bores on the outer surface of a second and
stationary
component located within the rotating body. In this dual bore embodiment, the
cavitation
step or wave form for the bores on the outer surface of the rotating body is
on the inner
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surface of the housing. The cavitation step for the bores on the outer surface
of the stationary
rotor head are on the inner surface of the rotating body.
The inventive system configuration allows the cavitation apparatus to produce
heat
energy at a significant increased ratio of energy utilization to consumption,
while overcoming
the traditional problems of prior systems; such as sonic sound waves (noise),
bearing failures,
and high discharge pressure energy losses. The system consisting of control
panel 302,
variable speed motor controller 301, a discharge water hammer tank 303,
incoming storage
tank 304 and control valves 306 with crossover 308 enhance the capabilties of
the cavitation
apparatus 10.
The present invention, through mechanic means, produces heated water at a 30-
70%
decreased rate of energy consumption (dependent upon the volume of fluid in
the system)
through a balanced cavitation furnace.
Another aspect of the invention is the ability of the apparatus to increase
the density
of the fluid being heated, e.g., water. Since it is known that less energy is
needed to heat
denser water, the increase in density of the water helps in increasing the
efficiency of the
fluid heating process.
Testing has been performed to monitor the heating effect of the inventive
apparatus.
This testing involved running the cavitation apparatus using different volumes
of water to be
heated and monitoring inlet water temperature, the volume of water flow rate,
outlet water
temperature of the cavitation apparatus, the temperature of the supply water
to the apparatus,
power of drive motor, electricity consumption, values of power, consumption of
electricity
power, and ambient temperature. This testing showed high efficiencies in terms
of amount of
heating done to the water as compared to the power used to run the apparatus.
As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of preferred embodiments
thereof
which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the present invention as
set forth above
and provides a new and improved fluid beating apparatus using cavitation.
Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations from the teachings
of the
present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without
departing from the
intended spirit and scope thereof. It is intended that the present invention
only be limited by
the terms of the appended claim.
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