The present invention concerns a multifunction fluid circulation module.
In energy systems such as systems for the production, transportation or storage of energy or other fluid management systems, serious problems have sometimes been encountered with overall dysfunctionality of the equipments of the energy system caused by a non-homogeneous distribution problem.
These equipments may be mixers, reactors and/or heat-exchangers. In reactors in particular the reaction heat of exothermic reactions must be evacuated or heat must be supplied for endothermic reactions. In this case, a third fluid operates as a heat-transfer fluid for improved control of the reaction operating conditions.
The temperature difference may be very small, however, and therefore very difficult to produce. It is therefore increasingly an aim to enhance performance, notably by intensifying the transfer of material and/or heat, at the same time as miniaturizing the system.
The present invention aims to alleviate these drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a compact circulation module with a homogeneous fluid distribution enabling intensification of material and/or heat transfer.
To this end, the invention consists in a module for the circulation of fluids characterized in that it comprises:
Said module may further have one or more of the following features, separately or in combination:
Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description given by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended drawings, in which
a represents one embodiment of a fluid distribution plate of the module from
b represents one embodiment of another fluid distribution plate of the module from
In the above figures and in the remainder of the description identical elements are identified by the same reference numbers. Elements from
To this end, the module 1 includes a first distribution plate 3 for the first fluid A, a second distribution plate 5 for the second fluid B, and a manifold unit 7 for the two fluids A and B comprising ducts 9 for circulation and mixing of the distributed fluids A, B, these circulation ducts 9 being connected to the two distribution plates 3 and 5 so as to enable mixing of the two fluids A and B.
The distribution plates 3, 5, seen better in
These plates may be produced by injection moldina, molding or assembling, for example gluing, two superposed half-plates.
In the
Obviously, defending on the application, there may be provision for circulation of the two fluids A and B in a co-circulation mode, i.e. parallel and in the same direction, or in a cross-circulation mode, i.e. at right angles.
Moreover, the two distribution plates 3 and 5 each have an open-ended main fluid circulation duct. Here this circulation duct is a fluid feed duct 11. The feed ducts 11 are connected to respective secondary distribution ducts 12 to feed each distribution plate 3, 5 with the fluid A or B.
If a plate 3, 5 is formed by assembling two superposed half-plates, there is etched or drilled in each half-plate one half of a main duct 11 and halves of a secondary duct 12 so as to form the complete ducts 11 and 12 on assembling the two half-plates.
For reasons of compactness, the feed ducts 11 are produced in the plane of the distribution plates 3, 5 and are open-ended laterally. This manner of producing the feed ducts 11 enables stacking of the distribution plates 3, 5 to form a compact module 1.
Obviously, at the level of the end plates of the module 1, for example the first distribution plate 3 for the first fluid A in this embodiment, the feed ducts 11 may be produced outside this plane because they do not impede the stacking of the distribution plates.
Furthermore, the secondary distribution ducts 12 are produced at right angles to the plane of the plates 3, 5 and are connected to the main duct and arranged in a branched structure (
To be more precise, a predefined number of first branches 13a are arranged in a substantially H-shaped configuration in this example. Other configurations may be envisaged, of course, for example an X-shaped configuration. The first branches 13a arranged in this way form the first level of the branched structure.
These first branches 13a then have four ends 15 in total. The second branches 13b are arranged at these ends 15. In order to obtain a homogeneous distribution of the fluids A, B, the second branches 13b are arranged in the same configuration, here an H-shaped configuration, as the first branches 13a. The second level of the branched structure is formed in this way, as is also, in this example, the last level.
At each descending level of the branched structure, the configuration of the branches 13b , here a substantially H-shaped configuration, is on a smaller scale compared to the scale for the ascending level. To put this clearly, the “H” formed by the first branches 13a is larger than the “H” formed by the second branches 13b
There are therefore four H-shaped configurations formed by the second branches 13h at the ends 15 of the first branches 13a.
The second branches 13b therefore have sixteen ends 17 in total for distributing the fluids A, B to the manifold unit 7. These ends 17 are all at the same level of the branched structure. Accordingly, whatever path is taken by the fluids A, B, it is the same at each end 17. This therefore ensures an equal division of the fluids A, B and thus a homogeneous distribution. At these ends 17 are the perpendicular secondary distribution ducts 12.
The number of final ends N connected to the collector unit 7 may he calculated from the following equation (1):
(1)
N=2m
where m corresponds to the level of branching of the branched structure
For an X-shaped configuration the equation becomes:
(2)
N=4m.
In the present example with two levels of an H-shaped branched structure, there are four divisions at the ends 15 of the first branches 13a and. there are therefore 24 final ends 17, i.e. sixteen ends 17 to the second branches 13b.
Moreover, as can be seen in
In this example, the distribution plate 3 for the first fluid A is on top and the distribution plate 5 for the second fluid B is interleaved between the first distribution plate 3 and the manifold unit 7.
In order to enable the circulation of the first fluid A to reach the manifold unit 7 the interleaved second distribution plate 5 includes means enabling the first fluid A to pass to the manifold unit 7, here orifices 19 (
Moreover, to guarantee the seal between these distribution plates 3 and 5, seals can be provided, for example, or a sealing material sprayed onto these distribution plates 3, 5, or sealing plates can be interleaved between the distribution plates 3, 5.
As mentioned above, the manifold unit for its part includes circulation and mixing ducts 9 enabling mixing of the two fluids A and B produced in this embodiment in the form of parallel substantially tubular ducts (
As can be seen in
Moreover, the circulation and mixing ducts 9 can have very small dimensions, for example of the order of one millimeter, which enables intensification of the transfer of material and also a fast chemical reaction.
Furthermore, the fluids A and B being uniformly distributed in these circulation and mixing ducts 9, the quantity of fluid in each duct 9 can be small, which increases safety, notably in the case of toxic or explosive fluids.
To ensure that the mixing of or the reaction between the two fluids A and B is complete and/or to collect the mixture of the fluids A and B together, the module 1 further includes a manifold plate 23 (
In the example shown in
Like the distribution plates 3 and 5, the branched structure comprises first branches 25a arranged in an H-shaped configuration and second branches 25b arranged at the ends 27 of the first branches 25a, also in an H shaped configuration, and in turn have ends 29 at the level of which secondary ducts 26 are connected at right angles to the manifold plate 23. Referring to
Accordingly, the mixing of or the reaction between the two fluids A and B can be completed as the mixture passes through the branches 25a, 25b of the branched structure of the manifold plate 23.
The main fluid circulation duct serves in this case as an evacuation duct 31 for evacuating the mixture of the two fluids A and B, as shown by the arrow in
For reasons of compactness, like the feed ducts 11, this evacuation duct 31 can be produced in the plane of the manifold plate 23 and can be open-ended laterally (cf.
A module 1 of this kind can therefore be very compact. Of course, for applications on a larger scale, a plurality of modules 1 can be assembled simply and quickly as required.
To this end, a new distribution plate 6, 6′ interleaved between two manifold units 107 is provided for each additional fluid C, D.
In this example the fluids c and D circulate in a co-circulation mode. On the other hand, the new distribution plates 6, 6′ are arranged for circulation in a cross-circulation mode between the additional fluids C, D and the first and second fluids A, B. Of course, the circulation of the third and fourth fluids C, D can be parallel to the circulation of the first fluid A and the second fluid B.
Like the distribution plates 3 and 5 (see
In order to be able to mix these additional fluids C and D with the fluids A and B, the distribution plates 6 and 6′ are arranged so that the secondary ducts 12 are connected to the circulation and mixing ducts 9.
These distribution plates 6 and 6′ may alternatively be superposed with the distribution plates 3 and 5 before collection of the fluids in the circulation and mixing ducts 9. In this case, the interleaved distribution plates must include passage means for the fluids from the distribution plates situated above them in a similar manner to the orifices 19 of the second distribution plate 5 in
In this example, four fluids A to D are distributed and mixed; of course, as many fluids and thus as many fluid distribution plates as necessary can be added.
Accordingly, the module 101 can be adapted. simply and quickly according to the application by adding or removing fluid distribution plates 3, 5, 6, 6′.
Mixing with Serpentine Duets
To this end, a heat-transfer fluid B is distributed by a distribution plate 33 analogous to that of the fluids A and B connected to the circulation ducts 35 for the heat-transfer fluid juxtaposed with the circulation and mixing ducts 9 (see
The distribution plate 33 for the heat-transfer fluid B is for example disposed under the manifold unit 307 or the manifold plate 23. In the latter case, the manifold plate 23 includes means for the heat-transfer fluid B to pass through, such as orifices 19.
A manifold plate 33′ analogous to the manifold plate 23 can be arranged under the distribution plates 3 and 5 for the first and second fluids A and B to evacuate the heat-transfer fluid B from the module 301.
Given the position of this manifold plate 33′ for evacuation of the heat-transfer fluid B, it obviously includes passage means such as respective orifices 19 enabling circulation of the fluids A and B to the manifold unit 307.
This additional heat-exchange function of the module 301, necessitating no additional equipment or connection, is advantageous for producing isothermal operating conditions for the mixing of the two fluids A and B, for example.
In a fifth embodiment shown in
To this end, the distribution plate 433 for the heat-transfer fluid E forms an integral part of the manifold unit 407 and likewise the manifold plate 433′ for evacuation of the heat-transfer fluid E forms an integral part of the manifold unit 407.
The mixing ducts 409 are ducts produced at right angles to the plates 433 and 433′ and are connected to the mixing chambers 21 of the second plate 5.
The circulation ducts 435 they form the secondary ducts produced at right angles to the plates 433 and 433′ and connected by a branched structure on the one hand to the heat-transfer fluid feed duct 411 and on the other hand to the heat-transfer fluid evacuation duct 431, These circulation ducts 435 have a diameter greater than the diameter of the mixing ducts 409 so as to be able to surround the mixing ducts 409.
Moreover, as can be seen better in
The first thickness e1 of a circulation duct 435 is chosen so that the interior mixing duct 409 is in contact with the circulation duct 435 to enable fixing of the two ducts by gluing or welding, for example.
The second thickness e2 of a circulation. duct 435 is made smaller than the first thickness e1 so that the two ducts 409 and 435 are no longer in contact to allow the heat-transfer fluid B to circulate around the interior mixing duct 409.
To this end, the circulation ducts 509 of the manifold unit 507 collect each fluid A, B separately and not together as described above.
To this end the circulation ducts 509 include juxtaposed first circulation ducts 37 and second, circulation ducts 37′. The first circulation ducts 37 are exclusively dedicated to the first fluid A and the second circulation ducts 37′ are exclusively dedicated to the second fluid B. No mixing of the two fluids A and B occurs.
Moreover, once the exchange of heat has been effected the fluids A and B may be evacuated from the module 501 via respective additional manifold plates 3′, 5′ analogous to the manifold plate: 21 (
Moreover, as can be seen in
A plate 41 for protecting the module 501 can also be provided.
In conclusion, for greater clarity, various embodiments have been described separately but it is obvious that these various embodiments can be combined in accordance with the requirements of the application.
For example, a distribution module can be provided enabling mixing of more than two fluids in accordance with the second embodiment comprising serpentine manifold and mixing ducts in accordance with the third embodiment and integrating a heat-exchange function in accordance with the fourth or fifth embodiment.
Thus there is obtained a module of small size and reduced cost able to combine distributor, manifold, mixer, reactor and thermal-exchanger functions and enabling homogeneous distribution of a plurality of fluids, complete mixing, intensified transfer of material or heat, low head losses and small temperature differences.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
FR10/03054 | Jul 2010 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/EP11/62402 | 7/20/2011 | WO | 00 | 3/20/2013 |