WO2018131056A1 - Plant for oxygenating fluid - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant is described, for oxygenating and recovering energy from fluids, comprising: a reserve or tank (1) of fluid; a plant head (5) which receives fluid ascending from the reserve or tank (1); a central reserve (9) adapted to downward convey fluid received from the reserve or tank (1) and from the plant head (5); a depressurizing chamber (11) which keeps fluid contained therein in depression; an exchange pump (15) adapted to take part of the ascending fluid towards the depressurizing chamber (11) and to take it into an acceleration column (18); an expansion or compression chamber (20); and a turbine (30) adapted to be actuated by fluid exiting from the acceleration column (18).

Description

PLANT FOR OXYGENATING FLUID

The present invention refers to a plant for oxygenating and recovering energy from a flow of fluid, -in particular water, exploiting the positive and negative pressure values according to the differences of levels in water accumulating tanks arranged along the hydraulic circuit composing the plant .

The only relevant prior art in this field is given by document WO-A1-2015/015526 : with respect the plant of the present Application, in Figure 1 of this prior document there is no depression chamber 11 next to a suction pipe 10, and also the by-pass pipe 12 is lacking.

The prior art document obtains its technical objects only from its pump 12.

Instead, as can be seen in Figure 1 below, in the plant of the present Application, the pump is used only to unbalance the pressure balance state, to obtain the benefits of the pressure reversal due to the exploitation condition provided by the depressurizing chamber 11.

Therefore, object of the present invention is solving the above prior art problems, by providing a plant which allows oxygenating waste water and recovering energy from a flow of fluid, which is composed of a reduced number of parts, is easy to assemble and has reduced assembling, operating and maintaining costs.

The above and other objects ad advantages of the invention, as will result from the following description, are obtained with a induction cooker as claimed in claim 1.

Preferred embodiments and non-trivial variations of the present invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

It is intended that all enclosed claims are an integral part of the present description.

It will be immediately obvious that numerous variations and modifications (for example related to shape, sizes, arrangements and parts with equivalent functionality) can be made to what is described, without departing from the scope of the invention as appears from the enclosed claims.

The present invention will be better described by some preferred embodiments thereof, provided as a non-limiting example, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which the only Figure 1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the plant according to the present invention.

The plant of the present invention is substantially composed of a vertical column of fluid placed under negative (static) pressure, from which, through a pump, liquid is taken, which is transferred into the falling part with a positive pressure, using a pressure compensating circuit, which creates the change of reversing the polarity, composed of various elements which allow sending to the oxygenator and the energy generator a flow of fluid with a positive thrust composed of the sum of the forces in the various stages of the path followed by the fluid.

Every plant component can be made with suitable elements and materials, the diagram of Figure 1 being provided merely as a non-limiting example, for a full understanding of the invention. The main components of the plant are:

1 - Fluid tank, or level which is on the ground surface, where volumes and surfaces are determined by the needs of the plant itself. This tank can be of an artificial nature, but can also be natural, such as a lake, river, sea, torrent, etc., where levels, volumes and surfaces are constant or scarcely variable. This part is always be at a lower level than the other parts composing the plant itself, such as for example the level of the sear surface meant as zero. This tank, in addition to being natural, can also be artificial, built with construction materials such as concrete, steels, plastic, glass, etc. The features of the materials must be with low friction coefficient, in order to enable moving the fluids; in any case, this tank must have technical building features such as to allow the resistance to stresses of the forces which externally and internally act thereon. This tank can be of an open or totally closed nature: this choice is given by the needs of the type of plant itself, operating either with natural pressure, or with artificial pressure.

2 - Tap of the rising pipe, which is used for filling the plant.

3 - Tap of the collecting pipe for light fluids . 4 - Fluid rising pipe (or Torricelli-type pipe) : this construction element is sized depending on the operating needs and the amounts of fluid that has to be moved through it. The geometric shapes of this part can change depending on technical and operating needs. This part can be made of different types of material, suitably with low fluid friction coefficient, and extremely low fluid sliding speeds, constructive features which are resistant to forces operating inside and outside this part.

5 - High part of the plant, or plant head, where the rising pipe and the central pipe join; this part needs an absolute insulation from external conditions, and that its geometric features make it resistance to external and internal operating forces. Surfaces and volumes of this part, as well as its geometric shapes, must be evaluated according to the amounts of fluid or gas present therein and which determine the plant efficiency.

6 - Collecting pipe for light fluids, such as hydrocarbons and other. 7 - Tap for exhausting liquid or gaseous fluids inside the exchange chamber (2) .

8 - Sleeve with tap for filling the plant and connections of measuring instruments, which point out the forces inside and the possible negative or positive jumps.

9 - Central fluid reserve, which is connected in its upper part with the rising pipe (Torricelli pipe) (4), always placed in parallel with this rising pipe and with the same height; this part is used to supply the suction of the pump (15) through the suction pipe (10), keeping the fluid level constant. The variation in its high part triggers a fluid recall, and it must be taken into account that the geometric shape and the surfaces can enable this fluid recall, providing a benefit in the plant efficiency. The sizes will have to take into account the flow speeds and the amount of output fluid; the construction materials of this part must support internal and external operating forces, and the geometric shapes must be rated depending on efficiency.

10 - Suction pipe: this component is connected to the pumping system (15), to the bypass pipe (12) and to the depressurization chamber (11) which is in the topmost part of the plant. The pipe (10) is completely immersed down to the tank level in the previous central fluid reserve (9) component, and the position of this component is parallel to the part in which it is immersed; its sizes are proportional to the exchanged amounts; this part has a greater internal flow speed. This pipe can be geometrically built with shapes which makes suction easier, while the materials to be adopted need low resistances to fluid flows and good insulation from the outside fluid.

11 - Depressurization chamber: it is in the topmost part of the plant next to the suction pipe: it is the most important part of the plant and creates the maximum negative pressure condition and the chance of connection between the suction pipe with the pump, both with the bypass pipe and with the acceleration pipe (18) during the fall. This chamber can be geometrically built with different shapes, and the materials to be used need low resistances to fluid floes and a good insulation from the external fluid.

12 - Bypass pipe, connected in the part below the depressurization chamber with the acceleration pipe. This pipe collects the excess fluid due to the speed and guides it in the acceleration pipe, where it is dragged due to the speed in the falling pipe 18. The material of this pipe must have low friction coefficient, and can have geometric shapes at will.

13 - Control tap of the bypass pipe and the suction column.

14 - Bypass exhaust tap.

15 - Pump or fluid exchange system: this part of the plant can use any type of pump or fluid exchange system, and the pump exhaust is connected insulated; this part which accompanies the flow of fluid is suitably of a conical shape, so that, when the impeller starts rotating in the cone, a hydric flywheel is created, wherein flow is unified in a bundle whose sizes are suitable for the output amounts and to increase the flow speed and increase the dynamic dragging; in this way, the pump efficiency strongly increases; the construction materials for this exchanging or pumping system are advised with low friction coefficients.

16 - Exhaust tap for the section between suction pipe (10) and acceleration columns (18): it is placed to guarantee the air or gas exhaust inside the acceleration section.

17 - Tap for exhausting gas and liquid in the acceleration chamber (18). 18 - Acceleration chamber or column, made of an external column and various internal cones (19) which house the flow from a bigger diameter and reduce it till the outlet with the smallest desired diameter depending on the amount that has to be treated: it works as accumulation point for pressure, volumes, density between pump outlet and acceleration pipe. When the dynamic fluid acceleration process is triggered, gas contained in the top part which exceed the fluid level is compressed or decompressed so that the pump freely discharges and the fluid flow is free in its drop and can obtain the benefits of gravity and acceleration induced by the pump; these components need geometries, volumes and surfaces adequate to the amount of exit fluid, and the construction features must support external and internal forces.

19 - Fluid acceleration cones, placed inside the acceleration column (18). 20 - Expansion or compression chamber: it is a gas reserve which is used to guarantee the release of fluid when freely falling; this, due to the difference of fluid densities and gas, creates the necessary space for advancing the fluid exiting the pump. It is connected to the acceleration pipe and, as height, it is below the level of the depressurizing chamber (11) so that there is a level difference between these chambers, which guarantee the fundamental principle of the good operation of the hydric system.

21 - Gate of the chamber (18), which is used to perform a regular filling and to actuate the plant, and to guarantee that, when filling, there is no air or gas inside the section.

22 - Oxigenator.

23 - Tap with sleeve to control and drive or measure the gas or air level in the chamber (20).

24 - Tap with sleeve to control and drive or measure the gas or air level in the depressurizing chamber (11) .

25 - Tap with sleeve to install a measuring instrument . 26 - Tap which controls keeping the pressure constant between chamber (20) and acceleration column ( 18 ) .

27 - Duct which connects the acceleration column (18) to the gas chamber (20) .

28 - Small air exhaust pipe in the cones.

29 - Propeller, pump.

30 - Turbine, which can be of different types, such as Kaplan, Peltron, Francis and so on. 31- Discharge cone in the tank (1) .

A description of the plant will now be given, with reference to its above described components.

The plant is regularly loaded with fluids through its inlet or tap (8) . The tap (2) is closed, together with the tap (3) below the rising pipe (4) and the light fluid discharging pipe (6), and the tap below the acceleration column (21) . The plant is then correctly filled by complying with levels (a) and (b) of fluids in the plant, using suitable taps to regulate the levels, and namely using the tap (24) for level (a) of the depressurizing chamber (11), the tap (23) for level (b) of the backup chamber (20), the tap (17) for the acceleration column (18), the tap (16) for exhausting the suction pipe (10) and the pump (15), and the bypass pipe (12) through tap (12) when filling, complying with levels (a) and (b) already preset and provided for a correct operation. All parts where fluid flows are checked to make sure that they have no conditions impairing the correct operating cycle, and once the plant is regularly loaded, the operating procedure starts.

By opening the gate (2) which is below the rising pipe (4), all fluid in the plant is brought to a negative pressure, where all pressure values in the plant are conditioned from the atmospheric pressure (static condition) .

According to these values, the fluid which is in the upper part of the plant has the highest value of negative pressure. Starting from the top and going downwards, there is a pressure situation where values found in the upper part depend on the height of the plant itself, the pressure value starting from the top part towards the level, or the tank (1) will go from a negative pressure to a pressure equal to that of the tank (1) itself, namely the atmospheric pressure. The negative pressure value in the suction pipe (10) instead changes, which is connected to the depressurizing chamber (11) which is in the topmost part of the plant, and goes on completely immersed in the fluid contained in the central reserve (9) which communicates at the same level of the tank (1) . Starting depending on the pressure of the tank (1) till the height of the depressurizing chamber (11), there is the maximum of negative pressure (-) .

There is the same pressure value both in the rising pipe (4) and in the acceleration column (18) which is at the same height level, starting from the pump (15) with negative pressure and then down in the acceleration column (18) that goes towards the turbine (30) which is at the pressure of the tank (1) (from point (15) at minus pressure, to point (30) at atmospheric pressure) . There is the same pressure value from point (5) to the tank (1) . All there positive or possiby negative pressure values are present when the pump exchanger member (15) is not operating (static condition).

Outside, there is the atmospheric pressure which keeps the column of fluid in suspension for the pipe (4) with atmospheric gas condition. In the central reserve (9) there is the same pressure value given by fluid on the various layers.

To create a condition in which the dynamic fluid movement can be advantageously used, the pump (15) must be actuated and, being airtight connected with the suction pipe (10) , sucks from an atmospheric pressure condition on the bottom of the central reserve (9) where the pressure is positive. Starting the movement of the pump (15), there are positive pressure conditions in the falling part which starts from point (20) till point (22) of the column (18): in this way, there is a speed increase condition inside the suction pipe (10) for two reasons:

a) because the suction pipe (10) is connected to the depressurizing chamber (11), which creates an advantageous condition for supplying the pump, which does not sped for suction, since fluid is addressed towards a maximum negative pressure, and does not find any effort for the pump.

b) in the suction pipe (10) a speed is created which equals the fall due to gravity, due to the pressure conditions in which it it: in this way, there are the same atmospheric pressure conditions inside the central reserve (9) and a speed equal to gravity inside the suction pipe (10), which means polarity reversal or better increase of geodetic height of the pump, which spends the majority of its energy for this height. The remaining fluid which does not go out of the pump (15) due to the turbulence it creates due to its rotation, by opening the tap (13), provides the possibility that fluid which has acquired an excess of speed, goes out of the bypass pipe (12) which is connected to the acceleration pipe (18) in the outlet point of the first cone inside the same pipe.

At the same time, fluid going out of the pump (15) assumes a positive pressure condition, which is increasing due to the multiplication of insulating surfaces of internal cones (19) placed in the acceleration pipe (18), in order to keep all the pressure inside the condes also in the expansion or compression chamber (20) which is placed below the level of the depressurizing chamber (11), to have a pressure difference to enable the speed inside the suction pipe (10); consequently, the pressure condition of the descent column (18) changes, from points (15) and (20) of the pump, and from the chamber to point (30) of the turbine .

The amount of exiting flow and the pressure condition created by the pump (15) are compensated by the acceleration cones (19) , which extend from inside the acceleration column (18) perpendicularly till the exhaust tap (21) and the chamber (20), and which are connected through the duct (27) which is above the plant level. Under these conditions, the pressures exiting the pump (15) are recovered due to the fall of fluid accelerating from point (15) till point (30) next to a gravity effect, also positively summed to the fluid fall going out of the output cone (31) directly falling into the tank (1), to then repeat the plant cycle.

Moreover, the acceleration pipe (18) is used as accumulating point for pressure, volume and density between the output fluid of the pump (15) through the accompanying cones (19) and fluid contained in the expansion or compression chamber (20), to send the resulting fluid through the acceleration column (18) into an oxygenator (22) placed downstream of the acceleration column (18) and upstream of the turbine (30) . Summarizing, the invention, under the natural pressure balance state shown in Figure 1, by exploiting the Torricelli principle, which guarantees this balance, makes it possible, with the help of the suction pipe (10) which cna be drive to decide the desired speeds, to establish the speed through the flow-rate features of the pump (15), and consequently taking the speed of fluid in the suction pipe (10), equal to the gravity fall speed, at the maximum plant level. And the bypass pipe (12) is used for the excess fluid, which the pump is not able to absorb due to its features .

By exploiting the chance of having a high amount under low speed in the entry pipe (4), and an unchanged condition in pipe (6), there is a polarity reversal by manipulating the speed in the suction pipe (10), without the chance that the atmospheric pressure makes a hole in the external level, because in the external pipe the manipulation occurs at very low speed.

Since the physical condition of the central pipe (6) is not the same as that of the external pipe (4), since this one is supplied from below under the atmospheric pressure, the central pipe (6) is supplied with low speed and high amounts in point (5) .

For this reason, the atmospheric pressure does not damage, since its function is obtained by the same pressure of liquid inside the pipe (6), and in this way it is possible to exploit the sped as further pressure lowering, this not being possible in a normal pumping, because the atmospheric pressure immediately makes the hole and ends the pumping.

For this reason, this plant needs external energy to guarantee its manipulation, but makes the movement efficiency very high. And the pump consumption is lower, because its geodetic height is removed due to the pressure behind the pump; it happens as one pumps from 10 meters downwards.

The lower energy consumption plus the increase of the amount are elements which are summed depending on the efficiency, this not being possible in a traditional pumping.

This plant, during its operation, further provides the chance, with the helo pf the turbine (30), to recover further energy, to then inject in into the mains. This plant has been designed for oxidizing waste water because the plant itself can be placed in the step of pouring from tank to tank, managing to oxygenate about 80% of the mass in a single passage; in traditional tanks, this occurs through the rotation of the turbines which move the mass continuously and by blowing compressed air, so that, in current plants, the mass cannot be oxygenated more than 20%, due to the features of the atomic structure of water.

In the plant of the invention, this is made by the oxidation process in the movement phase, without needing complex designs in a normal continuous cycles, as occurs today, also with very high costs.

Claims

Plant for oxygenating and recovering energy from fluids, comprising:

- a reserve or tank (1) of fluid at a lowest level in the plant with respect to ground;

- a plant head (5) connected to the reserve or tank (1) and adapted to receive fluid ascending from the reserve or tank (1); a central reserve (9) connected to the reserve or tank (1) and to the plant head (5) and adapted to downward convey fluid received from the reserve or tank (1) and from the plant head ( 5 ) ;

- a depressurizing chamber (11) connected to the central reserve (9) and adapted to receive ascending fluid from the central reserve (9), the depressurizing chamber (11) keeping fluid contained therein in depression;

- an exchange pump (15) adapted to take part of the ascending fluid towards the depressurizing chamber (11) and to take it into an acceleration column (18); - an expansion or compression chamber (20) operatively connected to the acceleration column ( 18 ) ; and

- a turbine (30) adapted to be actuated by fluid exiting from the acceleration column (18) , this fluid, after having actuated the turbine (30), re-entering into the reserve or tank (1), in which to the turbine (30) a fluid flow arrives by falling, the flow having a positive thrust composed of the sum of forces generated in the various stages of a path followed by fluid.

Plant according to claim 1, wherein the plant head (5) is placed in the upper part of the plant, to which fluid arrives from the reserve or tank (1) through a rising pipe (4), fluid going out of a pipe of the central reserve (9) to rise through a suction pipe (10) coaxial therewith, supplying the exchange pump (15) .

Plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the depressurizing chamber (11) is in a topmost part of the plant, supplied by the suction pipe (10) and connected below with a bypass pipe (12) , in turn connected to the exchane pump (15), the bypass pipe (12) going on till a first of a plurality of cones (19) with which the acceleration column (18) is equipped, the cones (19) being used for keeping the negative pressure at a maximum and to out-flowing fluid under excessive speed towards the acceleration column (18).

Plant according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the acceleration pipe (18) is used as accumulating point for pressure, volume and density between the output fluid of the pump (15) through the accompanying cones (19) and fluid contained in the expansion or compression chamber (20), to send the resulting fluid through the acceleration column (18) into an oxygenator (22) placed downstream of the acceleration column (18) and upstream of the turbine (30) .

Plant according to any one of the previous claims, wherein fluid oxygenated by the oxygenator (22) and exploited by the turbine (30) is taken back in its cycle in the reserve or tank (1) through a discharge cone (31) .