System and method of fluid transfer using devices with rotatable housings
Embodiments of the present invention are directed toward systems and methods of transferring fluid using devices that have a rotatable housing. One embodiment of the invention attaches a fluid-drive element to a rotatable housing to drive fluid into a conduit for transfer. In another embodiment, a pitot tube is attached to the rotatable housing, the motion of the housing driving fluid into the conduit for transfer. Other embodiments of the invention may utilize a pressure difference to drive fluid through a conduit. Embodiments of the invention may also utilize baffles to alter circulation of fluid that may be induced by the motion of the rotating housing, to promote fluid transfer through a conduit. Some of the aforementioned embodiments may be especially useful in transporting fluid in a liquid ring pump with a rotatable housing.
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The present application is a continuation in part application from the U.S. patent application titled “Pressurized Vapor Cycle Liquid Distillation” with inventors David F. Bednarek, Jason A. Demers, Timothy P. Duggan, James L. Jackson, Scott A. Leonard, David W. McGill, and Kingston Owens, filed Nov. 13, 2003 (Ser. No. not yet assigned), which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELDThe present invention relates to transferring fluids between systems and within a system, and more particularly to fluid transfer systems that include a rotatable housing.
BACKGROUND ARTPumps are a common means to transfer fluids within a system or between two systems. The use of pumps, however, has disadvantages. Pumps are typically dynamic devices with a plurality of moving parts that are subject to aging, wear, and breakage. Thus, pumps require continuous monitoring and maintenance, which requires shut down of a system and labor to service and monitor the pump, Pumps also have a finite operating lifetime; even with constant maintenance, sudden failure of the pump without warning may occur. Finally, pumps require continuous power in order to operate. Such power usage may expend a substantial amount of energy, which can substantially decrease the energy efficiency of a process. Thus, a need exists for devices and methods of transferring fluids that reduce the maintenance effort required and failure rate of pump devices, while utilizing less power in order to achieve fluid transport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA fluid transfer system, in accord with a first embodiment of the invention includes a rotatable housing that defines at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber; a fluid-drive element attached to the rotatable housing; and a conduit for transferring fluids. The fluid-drive element is configured to force fluid through the conduit when the rotatable housing rotates. The rotatable housing may include a shaft to which the fluid-drive element is attached, and may also be a portion of a liquid ring pump.
Other related embodiments of the invention may nest the first chamber in a second chamber. In such embodiments, the fluid drive element may be an impeller of a centrifugal pump, with the impeller located outside the first chamber. A pitot tube may be attached to a stationary boundary of the second chamber to transfer fluid. The pitot tube may be threaded through a hollow portion of a shaft of the rotatable housing.
In a second embodiment of the invention, a fluid transfer system includes a rotatable housing that defines at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber; and a pitot tube for transferring fluids, the pitot tube configured such that fluid is driven into the pitot tube when the rotatable housing rotates. The pitot tube may be attached to or detached from the rotatable housing. The system may further include a partially enclosed track attached to the rotatable housing for holding fluid, wherein the pitot tube is configured to transfer fluid from the partially enclosed track when the rotatable housing rotates. The rotatable housing may be a portion of a liquid ring pump. The system may also include a second chamber capable of holding fluid, wherein the first chamber is nested in the second chamber, and a pitot tube connects the first chamber and the second chamber.
A fluid transfer system in third embodiment of the invention includes a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber; a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber being nested in the second chamber; and a conduit connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the conduit is configured such that fluid is driven through the conduit when a pressure difference exists between the first chamber and the second chamber. The rotatable housing may be a portion of a liquid ring pump. Fluid may be driven from the second chamber to the first chamber when pressure in the second chamber is higher than pressure in the first chamber.
A fluid transfer system according to a fourth embodiment of the invention includes a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber capable of holding fluid; a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber nested in the second chamber; a conduit for transferring fluid between the first chamber and second chamber; and a baffle attached to a stationary boundary of the second chamber, the baffle configured to keep a conduit opening submerged in fluid in the second chamber when the rotating housing rotates. The rotatable housing may be a portion of a liquid ring pump. The system may further include a pump configured to drive fluid through the conduit between the first chamber and the second chamber.
In a fifth embodiment of the invention, a fluid transfer system includes a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber; a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber being nested in the second chamber; and a conduit connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the conduit is configured such that fluid is driven through the conduit by a pump.
Embodiments of the invention may also be directed toward methods of transferring fluid between two containers. Such methods include the steps of providing a conduit to connect a first container and a second container, each-container holding fluid; and rotating at least part of a boundary of the first container to drive fluid into the conduit to transfer fluid between the first container and the second container. Alternatively, a method of transferring fluid between a liquid ring pump and a fluid reservoir includes the steps of providing a liquid ring pump with a rotatable housing; providing a conduit to connect the liquid ring pump with a fluid reservoir; and rotating the rotatable housing to drive fluid into the conduit to transfer fluid between the liquid ring pump and the fluid reservoir.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe foregoing features of the invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Definitions. As used in this description and the accompanying claims, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless the context otherwise requires:
Fluid refers to a liquid, a gas, any mixture of a liquid and a gas, or a liquid entrained with gases and/or solids. In many of the embodiments described herein, the fluid transfer systems typically transfer liquids, or liquids with amounts of gases dissolved or present as bubbles. The systems, however, are not necessarily limited to transport of the specific fluids described therein.
A conduit is a device capable of directing the flow of fluid in a path from at least one location to another location. Conduits are not restricted in terms of the types of shapes, sizes, and materials that may be utilized. Conduits may enclose the path that fluid is directed along, or may be partially exposed to the environment. Non-limiting examples of conduits include pipes, ducts, tubes, channels, and canals. Some embodiments of the invention as described herein, refer to the use of tubes. Such embodiments, however, may be practiced with any appropriate conduit, as is readily understood by those skilled in the art. For example, a pitot tube may be any appropriate conduit for directing a fluid, which may be undergoing convection, from one location to another.
In some embodiments of the present invention, a rotatable housing is used to drive fluid into a tube to transfer the fluid from one place to another. The rotatable housing may be part of a larger system. For example, a liquid ring pump 100, as depicted in
In
Some embodiments of the invention are directed to the use of pitot tubes to drive the flow of fluids between an inner liquid ring region 12 of a liquid ring pump and an outer, lower reservoir region 30 enclosing the inner region as depicted in
In one embodiment of the invention depicted in
Embodiments of the invention that transfer fluid, from the reservoir region 30 to the inner chamber 12 may utilize one or more baffles that are attached to the stationary, exterior housing 25 in the reservoir region 30 as shown in
In another embodiment of the invention depicted in
Another embodiment of the invention utilizing pitot tubes in depicted in
In a related embodiment of the invention, a fluid-driving element may be an impeller of a centrifugal pump which is used to transfer fluids from one place to another. In an embodiment of the invention depicted in
In some of the embodiments of the invention previously described where a liquid ring pump may be utilized, fluid transfer may be enabled with the liquid ring pump being positioned in various orientations. Thus, in accord with embodiments of the invention, fluid transfer may take place whether the liquid ring pump is positioned horizontally or vertically. The precise positioning of tubes, fluid-drive elements, and other features of the fluid transfer systems may be adjusted depending upon the orientation of the liquid ring pump.
While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined in the specification.
Claims
1. A fluid transfer system comprising:
- a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber;
- a fluid-drive element attached to the rotatable housing; and
- a conduit for transferring fluids, wherein the fluid-drive element is configured to force fluid through the conduit when the rotatable housing rotates.
2. A fluid transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable housing includes a shaft, and the fluid-drive element is attached to the shaft of the rotatable housing.
3. A fluid transfer system according to claim 1, wherein the rotatable housing is a portion of a liquid ring pump.
4. A fluid transfer system according to claim 1 further comprising a second chamber for containing fluid, wherein the first chamber is nested in the second chamber.
5. A fluid transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the fluid-drive element is an impeller of a centrifugal pump, the impeller located outside the first chamber.
6. A fluid transfer system according to claim 4, wherein the fluid-drive element is located outside the first chamber, and the conduit is a pitot tube attached to a stationary boundary of the second chamber.
7. A fluid transfer system according to claim 6, wherein the pitot tube is routed through a hollow portion of a shaft that is included in the rotatable housing.
8. A fluid transfer system comprising:
- a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber; and
- a pitot tube for transferring fluids, the pitot tube configured such that fluid is driven into the pitot tube when the rotatable housing rotates.
9. A fluid transfer system according to claim 8, wherein the pitot tube is attached to the rotatable housing.
10. A fluid transfer system according to claim 8, wherein the pitot tube is detached from the rotatable housing.
11. A fluid transfer system according to claim 10 further comprising a partially enclosed track attached to the rotatable housing for holding fluid, wherein the pitot tube is configured to transfer fluid from the partially enclosed track when the rotatable housing rotates.
12. A fluid transfer system according to claim 8, wherein the rotatable housing is a portion of a liquid ring pump.
13. A fluid transfer system according to claim 8 further comprising a second chamber capable of holding fluid, wherein the first chamber is nested in the second chamber, and the pitot tube connects the first chamber and the second chamber.
14. A fluid transfer system comprising:
- a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber;
- a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber being nested in the second chamber; and
- a conduit connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the conduit is configured such that fluid is driven through the conduit when a pressure difference exists between the first chamber and the second chamber.
15. A fluid transfer system according to claim 14, wherein the rotatable housing is a portion of a liquid ring pump.
16. A fluid transfer system according to claim 14, wherein fluid is driven from the second chamber to the first chamber when pressure in the second chamber is higher than pressure in the first chamber.
17. A fluid transfer system comprising:
- a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber capable of holding fluid;
- a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber nested in the second chamber;
- a conduit for transferring fluid between the first chamber and second chamber; and
- a baffle attached to a stationary boundary of the second chamber, the baffle configured to keep an opening of a conduit submerged in fluid in the second chamber when the rotating housing rotates.
18. A fluid transfer system according to claim 17, wherein the rotatable housing is a portion of a liquid ring pump.
19. A fluid transfer system according to claim 17 further comprising a pump configured to drive fluid through the conduit between the first chamber and the second chamber.
20. A method of transferring fluid between two containers comprising the steps of:
- providing a conduit to connect a first container and a second container, each container holding fluid; and
- rotating at least part of a boundary of the first container to drive fluid into the conduit to transfer fluid between the first container and the second container.
21. A method of transferring fluid between a liquid ring pump and a fluid reservoir comprising the steps of:
- providing a liquid ring pump with a rotatable housing;
- providing a conduit to connect the liquid ring pump with a fluid reservoir; and
- rotating the rotatable housing to drive fluid into the conduit to transfer fluid between the liquid ring pump and the fluid reservoir.
22. A fluid transfer system comprising:
- a rotatable housing defining at least a part of a boundary of a first chamber;
- a second chamber capable of holding fluid, the first chamber being nested in the second chamber; and
- a conduit connecting the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the conduit is configured such that fluid is driven through the conduit by a pump.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 24, 2003
Publication Date: May 26, 2005
Applicant: DEKA Products Limited Partnership (Manchester, NH)
Inventors: Jason Demers (Manchester, NH), Scott Leonard (Bedford, NH), Kingston Owens (Bedford, NH)
Application Number: 10/720,802