U.S. patent application number 11/679665 was filed with the patent office on 2007-08-16 for multi-chamber supercavitation reactor.
This patent application is currently assigned to CRENANO GMBH. Invention is credited to Peter Geigle, Herma Glockner, Roland Reiner, Frank Thurmer.
Application Number | 20070189114 11/679665 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34961026 |
Filed Date | 2007-08-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070189114 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Reiner; Roland ; et
al. |
August 16, 2007 |
MULTI-CHAMBER SUPERCAVITATION REACTOR
Abstract
The invention relates to a device for the molecular integration
or disintegration of solid, liquid and/or gaseous flowing,
entrained and/or countercurrent components by means of cavitation
in order to modify, build or disintegrate molecular compounds. The
invention allows to obtain stable mixtures from immiscible or
difficult-to-mix components or to separate such mixtures. The
supercavitation molecular reactor allows to build up or
disintegrate or modify, with low expenditure in terms of energy,
even complex compounds that so far have not been accessible to
modification and/or production or only by very extensive multiple
processes and a large amount of technical complexity.
Inventors: |
Reiner; Roland; (Darmstadt,
DE) ; Geigle; Peter; (Alzenau, DE) ; Glockner;
Herma; (Kleinwallstadt, DE) ; Thurmer; Frank;
(Alzenau, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Assignee: |
CRENANO GMBH
Munchen
DE
|
Family ID: |
34961026 |
Appl. No.: |
11/679665 |
Filed: |
February 27, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP04/09856 |
Sep 3, 2004 |
|
|
|
11679665 |
Feb 27, 2007 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
366/176.2 ;
366/174.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L 31/042 20130101;
A61L 27/20 20130101; C08L 5/04 20130101; A61K 9/0024 20130101; A61K
9/5036 20130101; C08L 5/04 20130101; A61L 27/20 20130101; A61L
31/042 20130101; A61P 41/00 20180101 |
Class at
Publication: |
366/176.2 ;
366/174.1 |
International
Class: |
B01F 5/08 20060101
B01F005/08; B01J 19/26 20060101 B01J019/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 16, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 019 241.3 |
Claims
1. A device (100) for mixing and/or demixing the components of one
or more through-flowing, entrained and/or counter-flowing mass
flows, which components may be, in particular, solid, liquid or
gaseous, by means of one or more hydrodynamic supercavitation
fields, in order to produce a mixture, in particular an emulsion or
suspension, and new molecular compounds and separations (cavitative
integration and disintegration), comprising a housing (1-1) which
may have one or more inlet/outlet openings (1-2) for supplying or
discharging at least a part of a mass flow and one or more
outlet/inlet openings (1-3) for supplying or discharging a mass
flow, whereby the inlet/outlet openings (1-2) and (1-3) may be
reversed, wherein, in that case (1-3) is the inlet opening and
(1-2) is the outlet opening, the housing (1-1) comprising a
through-flow chamber (1-4) which has a flow-impeding body (1-8)
arranged therein by means of amounting (1-6) and the flow-impeding
body (1-8) having at least one and/or a plurality of flow-impeding
sub-zones (1-9), each of which provides a local flow restriction,
wherein the cross-section of the through-flow chamber (1-4) taken
perpendicularly to its centre axis becomes first larger and then
smaller in at least a part of the region surrounding the
flow-impeding body (1-8) with changing flow direction of the total
mass flow passing through the through-flow chamber (1-4).
2. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the
through-flowing and counter-flowing mass flow, and of further mass
flows, can in each case be varied independently of the others.
3. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding body
(1-8) can be displaced along the direction of the centre axis of
the through-flow chamber (1-4) and/or perpendicularly thereto, or
wherein the flow-impeding body (1-8) is mounted rigidly.
4. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) is so configured that its
cross-section taken perpendicularly to the centre axis of the
through-flow chamber (1-4) is larger or smaller at the end of the
sub-body located closest to the inlet/outlet opening (1-2) than at
the end closest to the inlet/outlet opening (1-3).
5. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) has the form of a frustum and, as a
result of the two-way flow direction of the total mass flow passing
through the through-flow chamber (1-4), each cone tip faces towards
or away from the total mass flow passing through the through-flow
chamber (1-4).
6. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein at least one of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) is in the form of a frustum and/or a
cylinder having concave and/or convex surfaces according to device
(400) and, as a result of the two-way flow direction of the total
mass flow passing through the through-flow chamber (1-4), each cone
tip faces towards or away from the total mass flow passing through
the through-flow chamber (1-4).
7. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding sub-zone
(1-9) which, of all the flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9), is located
closest to the outlet/inlet opening (1-2) or (1-3), is so
configured that its cross-section taken perpendicularly to the
centre axis of the through-flow chamber (1-4), viewed in the
two-way flow direction of the total mass flow passing through the
through-flow chamber (1-4), becomes first smaller and then larger
or first larger again and then smaller again.
8. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding sub-zone
(1-9) which, of all the flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9), is located
closest to the outlet/inlet opening (1-2) or (1-3), has a hollow
end/start portion (1-5) which faces towards the outlet/inlet
opening (1-2) or (1-3), the cross-section of said cavity (1-5)
taken perpendicularly to the centre axis of the through-flow
chamber (1-4) becoming smaller or larger.
9. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein each cross-sectional area
of the hollow end portion (1-5) which completely contains the axis
of symmetry thereof has an edge line which, depending on the
two-way flow direction of the mass flow passing through the
through-flow chamber (1-4), follows a convex or concave path.
10. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding body
(1-8) is so arranged that the vertex of the through-flow chamber
(1-4) contains at least one widened portion (1-7) which, in the
two-way flow direction of the total mass flow passing through the
through-flow chamber (1-4), is located after or before the
flow-impeding body (1-8).
11. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding body
(1-8) comprises a through-cavity (1-10) having at least one
inlet/outlet opening (1-11) located at the end of the flow-impeding
body (1-8) which is located closest to the inlet/outlet opening
(1-3) or (1-5) of the housing (1-1) and/or is located between these
two ends, the cavity (1-10) passing through the flow-impeding body
(1-8) having at least one inlet/outlet opening (1-12), the mounting
(1-6) comprises a through-cavity (1-13) having an inlet/outlet
opening (1-14) and an inlet/outlet opening (1-15), the latter being
connected to the inlet/outlet opening (1-11) of the flow-impeding
body (1-8) and the mounting (1-6) and the flow-impeding body (1-8)
being so connected to one another and so arranged in the housing
(1-1) that via the inlet/outlet opening (1-14) of the mounting
(1-6) at least some of the mass flows can be introduced into or
discharged from the through-flow chamber (1-4) via the at least one
inlet/outlet opening (1-12) of the flow-impeding body (1-8).
12. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the mass
flow which is introduced or discharged via the inlet/outlet opening
(1-14) of the mounting (1-6) is variable independently of all the
other mass flows.
13. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the cavity (1-10) passing
through the flow-impeding body (1-8) is so configured that it has
at least one inlet/outlet opening (1-12) located at the end of the
flow-impeding body (1-8) which is located closest to the
outlet/inlet opening (1-2) or (1-3) of the housing (1-1).
14. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the cavity (1-10) passing
through the flow-impeding body (1-8) is so configured that it has
at least one inlet/outlet opening (1-16) which is located in a
partial surface region of the flow-impeding body (1-8), faces at
least partially towards the internal wall of the through-flow
chamber (1-4) and/or is located between two adjacent flow-impeding
sub-zones (1-9).
15. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the cavity passing through
the flow-impeding body (1-8) is so configured that it has at least
one inlet/outlet opening (1-17) which is located in a partial
surface region of the flow-impeding body (1-8), faces at least
partially towards the internal wall of the through-flow chamber
(1-4) and/or is located in the region of or on one of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9).
16. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein further supply/discharge
channels (1-18) for admixing/discharging components to/from the
mass flows are present between the inlet/outlet opening (1-2) and
the inlet/outlet opening (1-3).
17. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein, furthermore, there is
provided an arrangement for subjecting components of the device
and/or the mass flows in at least one location in, or through, the
through-flow chamber (1-4) to the influence of ultrasound, thermal
energy and/or laser light.
18. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the flow-impeding bodies
(1-8) and/or the flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) are mounted on a
chamber housing (3-2) which is attached to the housing (1-1) by one
or more attachment points, further inlet/outlet connecting pieces
(3-3) being optionally mounted at these attachment points.
19. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the interior of the
chamber housing (3-2) which can be charged via the inlets (3-3)
comprises a nested arrangement of further chamber cavitators of the
type of device (300) with chamber housings (3-2) each having
flow-impeding bodies (1-8) and/or flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9), so
that each chamber housing itself acts as the housing (1-1) for the
next chamber on the inside, and a system of nested cavitation
chambers is produced in which each chamber acts like the device
(100) with a cavitation chamber reactor (device (300)) contained
therein.
20. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein a plurality of
flow-impeding bodies (1-8) and/or flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9)
and/or chamber cavitators according to device (300) are arranged in
series.
21. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the housing (1-1), the
flow-impeding bodies (1-8) and/or the flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9)
and/or the chamber cavitators according to device (300) are
catalytically active or can be utilized catalytically over their
entire surface or parts thereof.
22. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the surface structure of
the housing, of the flow-impeding bodies (1-8), of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) and/or of the chamber cavitators
according to device (300) is modified by notches or structurings
which intensify or reduce and/or modulate the cavitation
effects.
23. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the mass
flows which are introduced or discharged via each inlet/outlet
connecting piece (3-3) and/or via further supply passages (1-18) is
variable independently of all other mass flows.
24. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein the through-cavity or
reaction body (3-1) of the chamber cavitator according to device
(300) may be subdivided by at least one partition (3-6) into a
plurality of chambers, and individual mass flows having freely
variable pressures can be supplied and/or discharged at freely
determinable locations on the flow-impeding body or cavitation
chamber reactor according to device (300), preferably via one or
more inlet/outlet connecting pieces (3-3), inflow and outflow
openings (3-4) and/or chamber housing-inflow/outflow openings
(3-5).
25. An arrangement consisting of at least two devices (100) as
claimed in claim 1, wherein the devices (100) are so arranged and
configured that their inlet/outlet openings (1-2, 1-3) are utilized
as a totality.
26. The device (100) of claim 1, wherein electrical fields and/or
magnetic fields are applied to individual components.
27. A use of the device (100) of claim 1 for mixing the components
of one or more mass flows, the components being in particular
solid, liquid or gaseous, by means of a counter-flowing
superposition of at least two hydrodynamic supercavitation fields
in order to produce a mixture, in particular an emulsion or
suspension.
28. A use of the device (100) of claim 26, wherein the mixing
process is an emulsifying, dispersing, gasifying or homogenizing
process.
29. A use of the device (100) of in claim 1 for mixing the
components of one or more mass flows, the components being in
particular solid, liquid or gaseous, by means of a counter-flowing
superposition of at least two hydrodynamic supercavitation fields
in order to achieve demixing, preferably separation or
degassing.
30. A use of the device (100) of claim 1 for mixing and/or demixing
the components of one or more through-flowing mass flows, the
components being in particular solid, liquid or gaseous, by means
of a counter-flowing superposition of at least two hydrodynamic
supercavitation fields for carrying out chemical reactions and/or
producing new materials, the reaction being preferably electrolysis
in the cavitation field.
31. The use of claim 1, a. for degassing water and/or other
gas-containing substances, b. for combining degassed water and/or
gas-containing substances with hydrophobic substances (such as oil,
wax or other insoluble or difficult-to-dissolve compounds), c. for
methanol synthesis by mixing water or degassed water with methane,
d. for treatment of water and sewage slurries, e. for improving the
effectiveness of biogas reactors, f. for introducing gases into
foodstuffs, preferably for original wort aeration in beer
production, carbonization of mineral water and/or oxygen enrichment
of O.sub.2-water, g. for homogenizing foodstuffs, preferably milk,
h. for enriching combustibles and fuels, preferably diesel fuel,
heating oil and/or petrol, with combustion-promoting gases such as
air and/or oxygen, and/or water prior to the combustion process, i.
for stabilizing and/or homogenizing fuel and combustible storage
facilities over longer time periods than hitherto (e.g. storage of
heating oil), j. for aerating bodies of water in environment
regeneration, k. for breaking up heavy metals in organic solid
matrix, l. for destroying germs, preferably in, but not limited to,
drinking water, waste water and swimming pools, and in process
engineering plants by mechanical destruction, m. for destroying
germs, preferably in, but not limited to, drinking water, waste
water and swimming pools, and in process engineering plants by
effective reduction of the required quantities of chlorine or ozone
and/or other germicidal compounds by improved integration thereof
in water, or n. for premixing multicomponent systems prior to
chemical processes, o. for carrying out chemical processes which
take place in cavitation fields and/or in cavitation fields of
mixed systems, for use in whirlpool facilities and/or saunas in the
medical/fitness field for air and/or oxygen therapies and/or air
and/or oxygen baths.
Description
[0001] A device for the molecular integration and disintegration of
solid, liquid and/or gaseous through-flowing, entrained and/or
counter-flowing components by means of cavitation in order to
modify, build or disintegrate molecular compounds. The invention
offers the possibility of obtaining stable mixtures from immiscible
or difficult-to-mix components or to separate such mixtures.
Complex compounds which so far could be modified or produced either
not at all, or only by very complex multiple processing and with
high technical cost and complexity, can also be built,
disintegrated or modified by means of the present supercavitation
molecular reactor with very low expenditure in terms of energy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION/PRIOR ART
[0002] The invention relates to a device for the molecular
integration and disintegration of solid, liquid and/or gaseous
through-flowing, entrained and counter-flowing components by means
of cavitation. Thereby, a hydrodynamic cavitation field is built up
in a reactor, preferably a through-flow reactor.
[0003] Cavitative through-flow reactors in which the cavitation
fields are generated by ultrasound are known from the prior art.
Depending on the number and arrangement of the ultrasound
generators, supercavitation fields, that is, a plurality of
superposed cavitation fields, which considerably improve the
effect, can also be built up by these reactors. They are used to
disintegrate molecular compounds, e.g. harmful substances, or to
integrate new molecular compounds. Common to all of them, however,
is the fact that the generation of cavitation fields using
ultrasound is very energy-intensive and therefore can be
economically used only for limited quantities.
[0004] Hydrodynamic cavitation generators are known in the prior
art. These, too, can be extended to form supercavitation generators
by a suitable arrangement of the bodies around which flow is
difficult (hereinafter called flow-impeding bodies), as per DE
10009326. In most cases use is made of static components, which
must be optimized by experimentation for the particular fluids
concerned. A regulating function is then achieved by varying the
admission pressure or displacing the turbulence-generating
elements. These hydrodynamic supercavitation generators according
to the prior art achieve good results when mixing constituents or
components of a mass flow passing through them, by building up a
supercavitation field.
[0005] In the previously known systems, regulation via admission
pressure or via the arrangement of the turbulence-generating
systems was necessary. However, depending on the components used,
regulability and/or the maximum admission pressure is limited, and
often difficult to achieve. In addition, in the case of
displacement or variation of the turbulence-generating systems,
mechanical modification or complete reconstruction, or alternative
construction, of the apparatus must be undertaken, and requires
frequent and complex optimization. The mechanical variability of
these turbulence-generating systems is achieved at the cost of a
simple and cost-effective construction, or necessitates other
compromises regarding effectiveness. For many components this
problem has not yet been solved, or cannot be solved without
changes to the operating principle of cavitation reactors.
THE DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is the object of the invention to provide a device for
the molecular integration and disintegration of solid, liquid
and/or gaseous through-flowing, parallel-flowing and
counter-flowing components which is able, dependently on or
independently of high or low admission pressures and independently
of composition and density differences of the components,
continuously to ensure a highly effective supercavitation field as
a result of its capacity for dynamic regulation. In this case the
through-flow of a component in a primary flow is no longer
obligatory, and can be split up into a plurality of secondary
flows.
[0007] This object is achieved by the molecular reactor, that is,
in the device according to the invention, in that supply/discharge
passages are introduced on the centre axis of the through-flow
chamber, via which components, for example, fluids, can be
introduced/discharged both against and with the flow direction of
the mass flow, ensuring, in conjunction with the flow-impeding
bodies, a highly efficient superposition in opposite directions of
at least two supercavitation fields. The energy potential made
available thereby provides the precondition for building new
molecular compounds or modifying/disintegrating existing ones,
and/or allows homogenized mixing and/or dissolution and/or
suspension of the counter-flowing and entrained components.
[0008] The device of the invention for the molecular integration
and disintegration of solid, liquid and/or gaseous components by
means of cavitation builds up in a reactor a hydrodynamic
cavitation field which can be utilized in many ways: firstly, it
can be used for physically mixing difficult-to-mix and/or
difficult-to-dissolve components, for example, hydrophobic and
hydrophilic mixtures such as water/oil, milk/fat, fuel/water;
secondly, it can be used to produce radical, reactive intermediates
(e.g. polyoxides) in dependence on the concentration of the added
or dissolved substances (e.g. gases), which can be used as
catalysts and reaction partners in building, disintegrating or
reconstructing molecular compounds. This makes possible reactions
of components which are incompatible (e.g. immiscible) under
standard conditions. Examples of such reactions comprise mixing,
emulsifying, dispersing, homogenizing, de-mixing, separating,
degassing and gasifying within systems which comprise components in
the form of solid-liquid, liquid-solid, liquid-liquid,
gaseous-liquid and liquid-gaseous phases.
[0009] A modified aspect of the invention enables the production of
new materials, an extensive field of new, alternative or improved
chemical reactions, together with electrolysis and/or reaction in
an applied magnetic field within the cavitation field.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment cavitation fields are controlled
by pressure variation and mass flows having very diverse pressures
are combined in the entrained-flow or counter-flow method, offering
the following advantages as compared to systems premixed outside
the cavitation field:
[0011] The control is effected by variation of the admission
pressure of the mass flow and/or by variation of the pressure of
the mass flows supplied with and against the flow direction and may
or may not also take place in an auxiliary manner by mechanical
variation of the apparatus. The device (200) with chamber cavitator
(device (300)) and the device (500) represent a preferred
embodiment of such control.
[0012] The reaction control of the cavitation of the mass flows is
effected via various inlet/outlet pressures of the mass flows at
the housing (1-1) and the cavitation chamber reactor according to
device (300) and via the supply/discharge of mass flow or
mixed-flow components to/from the chamber housing 11 or mixed-flow
components via the inlet/outlet connecting pieces (2-3) and/or
(2-8).
[0013] Through the mutually independent increase and/or decrease of
the pressure of mass flows or mixed-flow components in the chamber
housing 11 (2-2) and in the inlet opening/outlet openings (2-3),
superpositions of cavitation fields are already produced in the
region of the nozzle constriction (2-5-1). The chamber cavitator
according to device (300) may be subdivided by partitions (3-6)
into a plurality of individual chambers via which different
components can be supplied or discharged. This mechanism may also
be used for control. The mass flows may be introduced into the
apparatus by, among other methods, pressure from outside and/or low
pressure from inside, and removed from the apparatus by low
pressure from outside and/or high pressure from inside.
[0014] The supercavitation fields are generated by the effect of
entrainment of the mass flows out of the main chamber housing I
(2-6), and therefore the increase in the flow velocity of the mass
flows in the main chamber region, in particular of the
shear-inducing rebound faces of the reaction body (2-1), without
mechanical modification of the flow-impeding bodies (reaction
bodies) (flow-impeding bodies (1-8) and/or flow-impeding sub-zones
(1-9) and/or chamber cavitators according to device (300)). This
control can be applied variably and flexibly to the mass flow
according to the viscosity of the media concerned. This
pressure-controlled reaction modification is referred to as
"controlled cavitation" (Cavi Control Technology: "CCT") and forms
part of the basis of the invention. Contrary to the prior art,
control is effected exclusively via pressure and, in a preferred
embodiment, can take place at different locations within the
housing (1-1) with different mass flows having different
components, and can therefore be utilized for specified control of
the individual processes at different locations in the device
(100).
[0015] In a multi-chamber reactor a plurality of reactors may also
be arranged sequentially (one behind the other) or nested one
inside the other.
[0016] In a particular embodiment, through the combination of very
diverse mass flows in the reactor, parts of the component flows can
be introduced multiple times in a kind of circulation until the
desired effect is achieved.
[0017] In addition, in another preferred embodiment, the variation
(preferably the basic setting) of the cavitation fields in the
inventive device may be effected by variation of the position of
the flow-impeding bodies along or perpendicular to the centre axis
of the through-flow chamber, whereby bandwidths for the pressures
to be applied are defined or the reaction conditions and/or
dissolution conditions of the different components can be defined
by variation of the cavitation effect.
[0018] The device according to the invention offers specific
applications in use: [0019] a. for degassing water or other
gas-containing substances, [0020] b. for combining degassed water
or gas-containing substances with hydrophobic substances (such as
oil, wax or other insoluble or difficult-to-dissolve compounds),
[0021] c. for methanol synthesis by mixing degassed water with
methane, [0022] d. for treatment of water and sewage slurries,
[0023] e. for improving the effectiveness of biogas reactors,
[0024] f. for introducing gases into foodstuffs, preferably for
original wort aeration in beer production, carbonization of mineral
water or oxygen enrichment of O.sub.2-water, [0025] g. for
homogenizing foodstuffs, preferably milk, [0026] h. for enriching
combustibles and fuels, preferably diesel fuel, heating oil and/or
petrol, with combustion-promoting gases such as air or oxygen, or
water prior to the combustion process, [0027] i. for stabilizing
and homogenizing fuel and combustible storage facilities over
longer time periods than hitherto (e.g. storage of heating oil),
[0028] j. for aerating bodies of water in environment regeneration,
[0029] k. for breaking up heavy metals in organic solid matrix,
[0030] l. for destroying germs, e.g. in drinking water, waste water
and swimming pools, and in process engineering plants by mechanical
destruction, [0031] m. for destroying germs, e.g. in drinking
water, waste water and swimming pools, and in process engineering
plants by effective reduction of the required quantities of
chlorine or ozone by improved integration thereof in water, or
[0032] n. for premixing multicomponent systems prior to chemical
processes, [0033] o. for carrying out chemical processes which take
place in cavitation fields, [0034] p. for use in whirlpool
facilities and/or saunas in the medical/fitness fields for air
and/or oxygen therapies and/or oxygen baths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0035] FIG. 1 shows the operating principle of the present
invention, device (100), and comprises the following features and
components: [0036] 1-1 Housing [0037] 1-2 Inlet/outlet opening
[0038] 1-3 Inlet/outlet opening [0039] 1-4 Through-flow chamber
[0040] 1-5 Cavity [0041] 1-6 Mounting (can be attached at any
points on the housing (1-1)) [0042] 1-7 Widened portion [0043] 1-8
Flow-impeding body [0044] 1-9 Flow impeding sub-zones [0045] 1-10
Through-cavity [0046] 1-11 Inlet opening [0047] 1-12 Inlet/outlet
opening [0048] 1-13 Through-cavity [0049] 1-14 Inlet opening [0050]
1-15 Inlet/outlet opening [0051] 1-16 Inlet/outlet opening [0052]
1-17 Inlet/outlet opening [0053] 1-18 Further supply/discharge
passages
[0054] FIG. 2:
[0055] FIG. 2 shows a prototype device (device (200)) of the
present invention (or of the device (100)) and includes the
following features and components: [0056] 2-1 Reaction body [0057]
[corresponds to a preferred embodiment of 1-9 of device (100)]
[0058] 2-2 Chamber housing [0059] [corresponds to a preferred
embodiment of 1-10 and 1-13 of device (100)] [0060] 2-3
Inlet/outlet connecting piece [0061] [corresponds to a preferred
embodiment of 1-14 of device (100)] [0062] 2-4 Inflow and outflow
opening [0063] [corresponds to a preferred embodiment of the
inlet/outlet openings of device (100)] [0064] 2-5 Chamber housing
inlet and outlet [0065] [corresponds to a preferred embodiment of
the inlet/outlet openings of device (100)] [0066] 2-5-1 Nozzle
constriction for superposing cavitation fields [0067] 2-6 Main
chamber housing [0068] [corresponds to a preferred embodiment of
1-1 of device (100)] [0069] 2-7 Inflow constriction [0070] 2-8 Main
chamber housing inlet and outlet [0071] [corresponds to a preferred
embodiment of 1-2 and 1-3 of device (100)]
[0072] The reaction bodies (2-1) (see description of FIGS. 3 and 4)
are fixed to the chamber housing (2-2). The chamber housing (2-2)
has no/one or more inflow and outflow openings (2-4) and at least
one nozzle inlet and outlet (2-5). The outflowing component is
supplied via at least one inlet/outlet connecting piece (2-3) and
inlets and outlets of the main chamber housing (2-8), which at
least one inlet/outlet connecting piece (2-3) functions in addition
as the support for the reaction body (2-1). The main chamber
housing (2-6) itself, which has a rectilinear or single and/or
multiple conical construction, may have inflow constrictions (2-7),
nozzle constrictions (2-5-1), inlets and outlets to the main
chamber housing (2-8), inlet connecting pieces (2-3) for supplying
further components or for pressure regulation and therefore
cavitation regulation. In addition, further inlet/outlet connecting
pieces (2-3) and inflow and outflow openings (2-4) may be attached.
These are used for the discharge or supply of components.
[0073] FIG. 3:
[0074] FIG. 3 shows with reference to the chamber cavitator device
(300) a preferred embodiment of the present invention of the
flow-impeding body (1-8) of the device (100) and has the following
features and components: [0075] 3-1 Reaction body [0076] 3-2
Chamber housing [0077] 3-3 Inlet/outlet connecting piece
(attachable to all points of the reaction body) [0078] 3-4 Inflow
and outflow opening [0079] 3-5 Chamber housing [0080] 3-6
Partition
[0081] FIG. 4:
[0082] FIG. 4 shows the cavitator-segments device (400) in a
preferred embodiment of the present invention and of the
flow-impeding sub-zones (1-9) of the device (100) and has the
following components and features: [0083] 4-1 Reaction body [0084]
4-2 Shear-inducing rebound faces
[0085] The reaction bodies are parts of the flow-impeding bodies
and have on their surfaces properties which cause additional
turbulence and shearing of flow.
[0086] FIG. 5:
[0087] FIG. 5 shows the operating principle of a preferred
embodiment (device 500) of the invention (device 100) and has the
following features and components: [0088] 5-1 Reaction body [0089]
5-2 Position indicator [0090] 5-3 Chamber housing [0091] 5-4
Upstream and downstream nozzle [0092] 5-5 Reaction gap [0093] 5-6
Reaction chamber [0094] 5-7 Injector [0095] 5-8 Main flow inlet and
outlet [0096] 5-9 Decompression chamber
EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0096] 1. Improved Operation
[0097] As compared to other systems of the prior art (DE1009326),
higher degrees of mixing at lower pressure have been achieved in
experiments with the device (100). The number of cycles of any
required repetitions of the process is thereby also reduced. All
these simplifications represent an optimization of the cost
potential in application. Especially in comparison to
energy-intensive cavitation generating methods such as ultrasound
and laser technology, the invention represents a low-cost, less
energy-intensive method which is simpler to control and
install.
2. New and Improved Applications
[0098] In the degassing of water a smaller quantity of dissolved
gases (e.g. oxygen) was demonstrated even after a single reaction
cycle than with >5 reaction cycles using systems of the prior
art.
[0099] In the mixing of hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances,
faster, more efficient and more long-lasting mixing was achieved.
For example, an emulsion of water in fuels has a smaller droplet
size of the water particles and, in contrast to conventional
systems, no demixing was observable even after an extended
period.
[0100] Synthesizing of methanol from water and methane was carried
out with substantially higher efficiency than with conventional
systems.
[0101] In waste water and bacteriologically contaminated waste
water, sterilization of the water after treatment with a device
(100) was demonstrated.
[0102] Sewage slurries showed faster biological decomposition,
difficult-to-dissolve substances contained therein being
solubilized and aeration for biological decomposition being carried
out.
[0103] The aeration of original wort with carbon dioxide during
beer manufacture also takes place more effectively and is
reproducibly controllable for the first time using the system.
[0104] The carbonization of water with carbon dioxide for mineral
water production takes place more effectively, with a faster and
quantitatively greater dissolution of carbon dioxide, leading to
completely new effervescent flavors of the carbonized drinks.
[0105] The difficult dissolution of oxygen in drinks or water was
carried out with greater oxygen solubility than using conventional
methods.
[0106] Through treatment with a device (100) milk was homogenized,
rendering the known technically conventional homogenizing process
superfluous.
[0107] The enrichment of fuel with water or oxygen for
passenger/heavy goods vehicle engines, desired for more effective
engine performance, has not been achieved in the prior art
hitherto. By means of the device (100) water and oxygen were
mechanically suspended so finely in fuel that no separation took
place and the combustion process can thus be carried out in a more
effective and environmentally-friendly manner using the new
fuel.
[0108] The aeration of bodies of water in environmental
regeneration is effected according to the prior art by passing air
through the body of water to be regenerated. Using the invention,
more effective dissolution of the gas in the body of water to be
aerated took place.
[0109] Through the high cavitation forces complex compounds such as
heavy metals in waste water can be broken up and more easily
separated later. Gases could be isolated from the system and
separated, and salts were separated/precipitated with application
of an electrical field (electrolysis via main chamber and chamber
housing) (see FIG. 2).
[0110] The above-mentioned effects for sterilizing waste water were
also used to destroy germs in swimming pools, so that
chlorinization could be avoided, or smaller quantities of
disinfectants needed to be added. Even when adding disinfectants
such as chlorine and ozone, more effective introduction was
achieved. The same applies to the treatment of drinking water and
to the sterilization of production media in process engineering,
food processing and bio-technological plants.
[0111] For selected chemical processes, such as the methanol
synthesis mentioned above, rapid and effective reaction of the
components was achieved. In particular, hydrophobic and hydrophilic
components were effectively mixed by the device (100), and the high
energies arising during implosion of the cavitation bubbles could
be used for the reaction.
* * * * *