Split-chamber pressure exchangers

Abstract

The invention relates to split-chamber pressure exchangers. Split-chamber pressure exchangers are characterized in that the pressure exchange chambers and the pistons thereof are split in two. Each fluid passes through the corresponding chamber thereof, such that said fluids cannot be mixed. The cross sections of the chambers can be varied in order to vary the transmitted pressure. The reverse line operation can be established and synchronized using a U-shaped tube with telescopic sides and a fixed base filled with fluid or diametrically opposed curved lines, and multiple arrangements can be used. Split-chamber pressure exchangers can be used as surface or well pumping systems and the pumping fluid used can differ from the fluid to be pumped. Different levels of any material can be exploited at any storage site using a chamber with elastic walls filled with fluid and attached to the bottom. Electric power can be generated by centrifuging the pre-pumped fluid.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . A split-chamber pressure exchanger (SCPE) in which the available energy in a continuous flow of a pressurized fluid is transmitted to a fluid to be pressurized, comprising a plurality of chambers in which pressure exchange occurs, said chambers in fluid communication with each other through a plurality of rigidly attached discs or pistons, such that any contact between the pressurized fluid and the fluid to be pressurized is eliminated, said discs or pistons adapted to allow the cross sections of the chambers corresponding to both fluids to change. 
   
   
       23 . An SCPE according to  claim 22 , further comprising an auxiliary U-shaped tube which interconnects both discs or pistons, and which is telescopic at both sides of the “U”, said tube being rigidly supported by the base of the “U”, wherein the “U” is filled with an incompressible fluid, such that when the pressurized fluid enters its chamber, it not only presses its disc or piston to displace the fluid to be pressurized, but also transmits part of its energy to the disc or piston of the other line to aid the fluid to be pressurized of the other line to displace the other already depressurized fluid in said line and to overcome friction of the discs or pistons and their weight and the weight of the already depressurized fluid if the assembly is vertical or angled. 
   
   
       24 . An SCPE according to  claim 22 , wherein the chambers are curved or circular with the chambers arranged in a diametrically opposed manner, the chambers of each comprising different curvature radii, and attachment parts between the discs or pistons is curved with radius and attached to a center of the SCPE by means of a ball-type joint, so as to allow increasing the pressure transmitted depending on distance of the chambers of both fluids to the center without needing to change the cross section thereof, wherein the attachment parts between the discs or pistons are rigidly attached to one another to assure reverse line operation so as to simplify system control electronics, and to be able to displace the fluid which has transmitted its pressure in the SCPE, once depressurized, from the corresponding chambers thereof without a need for auxiliary pumping for when the fluid to be pressurized enters under substantially low pressure. 
   
   
       25 . An SCPE according to  claim 22 , wherein the available energy in a continuous flow of the pressurized fluid is exploited to transmit to the fluid to be pressurized such that the chamber of the pressurized fluid are split into several chambers, which can be used depending on available pressure of the fluid, by means of an electronically controlled valve system, thus achieving transmitting substantially homogeneous pressure to the fluid to be pressurized to form a multistage SCPE. 
   
   
       26 . An SCPE according to  claim 25 , wherein by being provided with circular chambers and a reverse operation system being aided by means of the U-shaped tube for when the pressure at which the pressurized fluid must be returned after depressurizing is variable, and/or starting pressure of the fluid to be pressurized is variable, wherein programming a control system so that stages which must start operating depending on the pressures are adjusted. 
   
   
       27 . An SCPE according to  claim 22 , further comprising a variable section in at least one of the chambers and pistons. 
   
   
       28 . An SCPE according to  claim 27 , wherein by providing one of the chambers with an initial variable section span, during which the piston accelerates until reaching a certain speed when a straight span of the chamber is reached, and the speed is kept constant since at that time the force exerted on the piston by the pressurized fluid is equal to the force exerted by the fluid to be pressurized on the piston plus the losses due to friction corresponding to the speed. 
   
   
       29 . An SCPE according to  claim 27 , wherein by providing one of the chambers with an initial span with a different section, during which the piston accelerates until reaching a certain speed when a straight span of the chamber is reached, and the speed is kept constant since at that time the force exerted on the piston by the pressurized fluid is equal to the force exerted by the fluid to be pressurized on the piston plus losses due to friction corresponding to the speed. 
   
   
       30 . A recovery system comprising the SCPE according to  claim 22  for recovering energy from brine in desalination plants by reverse osmosis, wherein contact between brine and pre-treated seawater is prevented and section ratio between the chambers is such that the pre-treated seawater is pressurized until a pressure necessary to directly feed reverse osmosis filters without needing a booster pump.