Have you noticed that the price of heating and hot water supply has increased and you don’t know what to do about it? The solution to the problem of expensive energy resources is a vortex heat generator. I will talk about how a vortex heat generator works and what is the principle of its operation. You will also find out whether it is possible to assemble such a device with your own hands and how to do it in a home workshop.
A little history
The vortex thermal generator is considered a promising and innovative development. Meanwhile, the technology is not new, since almost 100 years ago scientists were thinking about how to apply the phenomenon of cavitation.
The first operational pilot plant, the so-called “vortex tube”, was manufactured and patented by the French engineer Joseph Rank in 1934.
Rank was the first to notice that the temperature of the air at the inlet to the cyclone (air purifier) differs from the temperature of the same air stream at the outlet. However, on initial stages bench tests, the vortex tube was tested not for heating efficiency, but, on the contrary, for the cooling efficiency of the air stream.
The technology received new development in the 60s of the twentieth century, when Soviet scientists figured out how to improve the Ranque tube by running liquid into it instead of an air jet.
Due to the higher density of the liquid medium, compared to air, the temperature of the liquid, when passing through the vortex tube, changed more intensively. As a result, it was experimentally established that the liquid medium, passing through the improved Ranque tube, heated up abnormally quickly with an energy conversion coefficient of 100%!
Unfortunately, there was no need for cheap sources of thermal energy at that time, and the technology did not find practical application. The first operating cavitation installations designed to heat a liquid medium appeared only in the mid-90s of the twentieth century.
A series of energy crises and, as a consequence, increasing interest in alternative energy sources served as the reason for resuming work on effective converters of the energy of water jet movement into heat. As a result, today you can buy a unit with the required power and use it in most heating systems.
Operating principle
Cavitation makes it possible not to give heat to water, but to extract heat from moving water, while heating it to significant temperatures.
The design of operating samples of vortex heat generators is externally simple. We can see a massive motor, to which is connected a cylindrical snail device.
"Snail" is a modified version of Ranque's trumpet. Due to its characteristic shape, the intensity of cavitation processes in the cavity of the “snail” is much higher in comparison with a vortex tube.
In the cavity of the “snail” there is a disk activator - a disk with special perforation. When the disk rotates, the liquid medium in the “snail” is activated, due to which cavitation processes occur:
- The electric motor turns the disk activator. The disk activator is the most important element in the design of the heat generator, and it is connected to the electric motor by means of a straight shaft or a belt drive. When the device is turned on in operating mode, the engine transmits torque to the activator;
- The activator spins the liquid medium. The activator is designed in such a way that the liquid medium, entering the cavity of the disk, swirls and acquires kinetic energy;
- Conversion of mechanical energy into thermal energy. Leaving the activator, the liquid medium loses acceleration and, as a result of sudden braking, a cavitation effect occurs. As a result, kinetic energy heats the liquid medium to + 95 ° C, and mechanical energy becomes thermal.
Scope of application
| Illustration | Description of application |
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Heating. Equipment that converts the mechanical energy of water movement into heat is successfully used in heating various buildings, from small private buildings to large industrial facilities. By the way, on the territory of Russia today you can count at least ten settlements where central heating is provided not by traditional boiler houses, but by gravity generators. |
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Heat running water For household use . The heat generator, when connected to the network, heats the water very quickly. Therefore, such equipment can be used to heat water in an autonomous water supply system, in swimming pools, bathhouses, laundries, etc. |
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Mixing immiscible liquids. IN laboratory conditions, cavitation units can be used for high-quality mixing of liquid media with different densities until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. |
Integration into the heating system of a private home
In order to use a heat generator in a heating system, it must be installed into it. How to do this correctly? In fact, there is nothing complicated about it.
In front of the generator (marked 2 in the figure) a centrifugal pump (1 in the figure) is installed, which will supply water with a pressure of up to 6 atmospheres. After the generator, an expansion tank (6 in the figure) and shut-off valves are installed.
Advantages of using cavitation heat generators
| Advantages of a vortex source alternative energy | |
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Economical. Thanks to the efficient consumption of electricity and high efficiency, the heat generator is more economical compared to other types of heating equipment. |
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Small dimensions compared to conventional ones heating equipment similar power. Stationary generator suitable for heating small house, twice as compact as modern gas boiler.
If you install a heat generator in a regular boiler room instead of a solid fuel boiler, there will be a lot of free space left. |
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Low installation weight. Due to its light weight, even large high-power installations can be easily placed on the floor of the boiler room without building a special foundation. There are no problems at all with the location of compact modifications.
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Simple design. The cavitation type heat generator is so simple that there is nothing to break in it. The device has a small number of mechanically moving elements, and complex electronics absent in principle. Therefore, the likelihood of device failure, in comparison with gas or even solid fuel boilers, is minimal. |
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No need for additional modifications. The heat generator can be integrated into an existing heating system. That is, there is no need to change the diameter of the pipes or their location. |
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No need for water treatment. If a running water filter is needed for normal operation of a gas boiler, then by installing a cavitation heater, you don’t have to worry about blockages. Due to specific processes in the working chamber of the generator, blockages and scale do not appear on the walls. |
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Equipment operation does not require constant monitoring. If for solid fuel boilers If you need to keep an eye on it, the cavitation heater works in autonomous mode. The operating instructions for the device are simple - just plug in the engine and, if necessary, turn it off. |
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Environmental friendliness. Cavitation installations do not affect the ecosystem in any way, because the only energy-consuming component is the electric motor. |
Schemes for manufacturing a cavitation type heat generator
In order to make a working device with your own hands, we will consider drawings and diagrams of operating devices, the effectiveness of which has been established and documented in patent offices.
| Illustrations | General description of cavitation heat generator designs |
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General view of the unit. Figure 1 shows the most common design diagram of a cavitation heat generator. Number 1 indicates the vortex nozzle on which the swirl chamber is mounted. On the side of the swirl chamber you can see the inlet pipe (3), which is connected to the centrifugal pump (4). The number 6 in the diagram indicates the inlet pipes for creating a counter-disturbing flow. A particularly important element in the diagram is the resonator (7) made in the form of a hollow chamber, the volume of which is changed by the piston (9). Numbers 12 and 11 indicate throttles that provide control of the intensity of water flow. |
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Device with two series resonators. Figure 2 shows a heat generator in which resonators (15 and 16) are installed in series. One of the resonators (15) is made in the form of a hollow chamber surrounding the nozzle, indicated by the number 5. The second resonator (16) is also made in the form of a hollow chamber and is located at the reverse end of the device in close proximity to the inlet pipes (10) supplying disturbing flows. The chokes, marked with numbers 17 and 18, are responsible for the intensity of the liquid supply and for the operating mode of the entire device. |
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Heat generator with counter resonators. In Fig. Figure 3 shows a less common but very effective device circuit in which two resonators (19, 20) are located opposite each other. In this scheme, the vortex nozzle (1) with a nozzle (5) goes around the outlet of the resonator (21). Opposite the resonator marked 19, you can see the inlet (22) of the resonator numbered 20. Please note that the output holes of the two resonators are located coaxially. |
| Illustrations | Description of the swirl chamber (Snail) in the design of a cavitation heat generator |
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“Snail” of a cavitation heat generator in cross section. In this diagram you can see the following details: 1 - body, which is made hollow, and in which all the fundamentally important elements are located; 2 - shaft on which the rotor disk is fixed; 3 - rotor ring; 4 - stator; 5 - technological holes made in the stator; 6 - emitters in the form of rods. The main difficulties in the manufacture of the listed elements may arise during the production of a hollow body, since it is best to make it cast. Since there is no equipment for casting metal in a home workshop, such a structure, albeit at the expense of strength, will have to be made welded. |
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Scheme of combination of the rotor ring (3) and the stator (4). The diagram shows the rotor ring and the stator at the moment of alignment when turning the rotor disk. That is, with each combination of these elements, we see the formation of an effect similar to the action of Ranque's pipe.
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Rotary displacement of rotor ring and stator. This diagram shows the position of the structural elements of the “snail” at which a hydraulic shock occurs (collapse of bubbles) and the liquid medium heats up. That is, due to the rotation speed of the rotor disk, it is possible to set parameters for the intensity of the occurrence of hydraulic shocks, provoking the release of energy. Simply put, the faster the disk spins, the higher the temperature of the aqueous medium at the outlet will be. |
Let's sum it up
Now you know what a popular and sought-after source of alternative energy is. This means that it will be easy for you to decide whether such equipment is suitable or not. I also recommend watching the video in this article.
A vortex heat generator allows you to obtain heat as a result of the transformation of energy: one kind of energy into another equivalent. The performance of such devices is extremely high, as a result of which the liquid can heat up to 95 degrees. And this allows us to provide objects of different sizes and intended purposes hot water and heat with significant savings.
Scope of application of heat generators
Today, in addition to ongoing development, heat is also being put into operation. Depending on conditions working environment Various units can be used to heat the room or system supply hot water. One of these options is a vortex heat generator.
Let's watch the video, the principle of operation and scope of application:
The main task of such units is to heat water. As a result of the high efficiency of this process, the resulting heat can be used to heat industrial, civil, agricultural and private facilities. At the same time, the vortex heat generator allows you to organize completely autonomous system heating. In addition to this, the property of this device to convert one type of energy into another can provide any object with hot water.
Basic Operation
There is still no reliable and confirmed explanation of how a vortex heat generator works. It is only known that such a unit operates based on the cavitation process. When water rotates through a rotor, bubbles filled with a gaseous medium are formed. As the liquid moves, the bubbles “collapse,” which, according to many, is precisely the reason for the heating of the water. The heated liquid is supplied to the heating system. The approximate operating diagram is as follows:
However, research did not stop and today the vortex heat generator is represented by a fairly large number of designs. The fact that developments continued despite the lack of a solid basis for such processes is explained by high efficiency, since the liquid is heated with 100% efficiency.
A number of advantages and disadvantages
The high-performance vortex heat generator is presented in a large number of designs precisely due to the fact that such devices are characterized by a number of significant advantages, including:
Like anyone else alternative source heat, the vortex cavitation heat generator is not widely popular, despite its fairly high efficiency. Accordingly, one of the main disadvantages is the high cost, which is partly due to the insignificant level of distribution of such equipment, despite the fact that today manufacturers offer various models.
Features of the models
The vortex cavitation heat generator exists in different designs. Today, the most common devices are water-based, that is, liquid acts as a coolant.
But it is also possible to purchase a solid fuel unit, the output of which produces a gaseous mixture of flue gas and air.
The high-performance vortex solid fuel heat generator is distinguished by the ability to burn wood high humidity(up to 65%). Accordingly, when choosing, the purpose of the unit and the expected load are taken into account, since there are versions with different levels of thermal power. Depending on the size of the object to be served, a suitable device is selected.
In the case of solid fuel equipment, it is important to take into account the rate of fuel consumption, the size of the loading chamber and the type of fuel loading. You can select a vortex heat generator of different types according to the level of thermal power, or you can pay attention to the clause in the accompanying documentation about how much volume is allowed to be heated. The weight and overall dimensions of the equipment are also important.
For large premises and buildings, the use of massive units is expected, while for private housing a device with a power of 2.2 kW and weighing only 40 kg is sufficient.
Review of models of different designs
If you plan to use a vortex heat generator, then you can buy it at a price of 62,000 rubles, such as, for example, a 2.2 kW model from the manufacturer ZAO Industrial Technologies 21. This is a liquid unit that can be connected to a new or existing heating system. The unit serves a room with a volume of up to 90 cubic meters. m, its weight is 40 kg.
Watch a video about the products of the Industrial Technologies 21 company:
If you choose a solid fuel version, then in this case More productive equipment with thermal power from 250 to 700 kW is being considered. For example, models TVV-R-250, TVV-R-500, TVV-R-700. All of them involve manual loading of fuel. But more powerful versions consume more fuel. If the 250 model consumes 120 kg/hour, then the 700 version consumes about 340 kg/hour. There are much more efficient devices with a thermal power of 2,500 kW. If you plan to use such vortex heat generators, then their price will be noticeably higher.
The smaller the overall dimensions of such equipment, the simpler its operation will be. For example, there are completely standalone devices with automatic control. In this case, the user does not need to participate in the process. But when using some versions of solid fuel heat generators, it is impossible to do without the participation of a trained operator to load fuel, since the unit data assumes manual supply of wood.
Today there are different versions similar equipment with fully automated execution, including preset temperature conditions. Considering that units of this kind are completely safe, both from the point of view of environmental friendliness and from the point of view of fire safety, there is no need for their constant monitoring.
But for effective long-term operation, it is recommended to periodically carry out maintenance, especially for units that operate with liquid coolant.
Thus, for the organization heating system and hot water supply it is not always necessary to resort to standard solutions. In practice, it turns out that when using thermal installations based on vortex heat generators, significant savings are noted in comparison with other types of heating systems.
As a result, you can get not only high-performance equipment, but also save money during its operation. Despite the rather high cost of such units, their further operation fully pays off, and you won’t have to wait too long for this, since in some cases the payback period reaches 6 months.
The increasing cost of energy resources used for heat supply confronts consumers with the task of finding cheaper heat sources. Thermal installations TC1 (disc vortex heat generators) are the heat source of the 21st century.The release of thermal energy is based on the physical principle of converting one type of energy into another. The mechanical rotational energy of the electric motor is transferred to the disk activator - the main working element of the heat generator. The liquid inside the activator cavity swirls, acquiring kinetic energy. Then, with sudden braking of the fluid, cavitation occurs. Kinetic energy is converted into thermal energy, heating the liquid to a temperature of 95 degrees. WITH.
Thermal installations TS1 are intended for:
Autonomous heating of residential, office, production premises, greenhouses, other agricultural buildings, etc.;
- heating water for domestic purposes, baths, laundries, swimming pools, etc.
Thermal installations TS1 comply with TU 3113-001-45374583-2003, certified. They do not require approvals for installation, because energy is used to rotate the electric motor, and not to heat the coolant. The operation of heat generators with an electrical power of up to 100 kW is carried out without a license (Federal Law No. 28-FZ of 04/03/96). They are fully prepared for connection to a new or existing system heating, and the design and dimensions of the installation simplify its placement and installation. The required network voltage is 380 V.
TS1 thermal units are produced in the form of a model range with installed electric motor power: 55; 75; 90; 110; 160; 250 and 400 kW.
TC1 thermal units operate in automatic mode with any coolant within a given temperature range (pulse operating mode). Depending on the outside temperature, the operating time ranges from 6 to 12 hours a day.
TC1 heating units are reliable, explosion- and fire-safe, environmentally friendly, compact and highly efficient in comparison with other heating devices. Comparative characteristics devices for heating premises with an area of 1000 sq.m. are given in the table:
Currently, TS1 thermal installations are operated in many regions Russian Federation, near and far abroad: in Moscow, cities of the Moscow region: Domodedovo, Lytkarino, Noginsk, Roshal, Chekhov; in Lipetsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Tula, and other cities; in Kalmykia, Krasnoyarsk and Stavropol territories; in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea and China.
Together with our partners, we provide a full range of services, starting from cleaning internal engineering systems and units from hard crystalline, corrosive and organic deposits without dismantling system elements at any time of the year. Next - development of technical specifications (technical specifications for design), design, installation, commissioning, training of customer personnel and maintenance.
The supply of thermal units based on our installations can be carried out in a block-modular version. Automation of the building's heat supply system and internal engineering systems can be brought to the level of IASUP (individual automatic enterprise control system).
If there is not enough space to place a block heating unit inside a building, they are mounted in special containers, as has been done in practice in the city of Klin, Moscow region.
In order to increase the service life of electric motors, it is recommended to use systems for optimizing the operation of electric motors, including a soft start system and which we also supply by agreement with the customer.
Benefits of use:
generator NG pump; NS pumping station; ED-electric motor; DT temperature sensor;
RD - pressure switch; GR - hydraulic distributor; M - pressure gauge; RB - expansion tank;
TO - heat exchanger; Control panel - control panel.
Comparison of existing heating systems.
The task of cost-effective heating of water, which is used as a coolant in water heating and hot water supply systems, has been and remains relevant regardless of the method of carrying out these processes, the design of the heating system and the sources of heat.There are four main types of heat sources for solving this problem:
· physico-chemical(combustion of organic fuel: oil products, gas, coal, firewood and the use of other exothermic chemical reactions);
· electric power when heat is generated on elements included in the electrical circuit that have a sufficiently high ohmic resistance;
· thermonuclear, based on the use of heat arising from the decay of radioactive materials or the synthesis of heavy hydrogen nuclei, including those occurring in the sun and deep in the earth’s crust;
· mechanical when heat is obtained due to surface or internal friction of materials. It should be noted that the property of friction is inherent not only in solids, but also in liquid and gaseous ones.
The rational choice of a heating system is influenced by many factors:
availability of specific type of fuel,
· environmental aspects, design and architectural solutions,
· volume of the facility under construction,
· financial capabilities of a person and much more.
1. Electric boiler– any electric heating boilers, due to heat loss, must be purchased with a power reserve (+20%). They are quite easy to maintain, but require decent electrical power. This requires a powerful liner power cable, which is not always realistic to do outside the city.
Electricity is an expensive type of fuel. Payment for electricity very quickly (after one season) will exceed the cost of the boiler itself.
2. Electric heating elements (air, oil, etc.)– easy to maintain.
Extremely uneven heating of rooms. Rapid cooling of the heated space. High energy consumption. Constant presence of a person in electric field, breathing superheated air. Low service life. In a number of regions, payments for electricity used for heating are made with an increasing coefficient K=1.7.
3. Electric heated floor– complexity and high cost of installation.
Insufficient to heat the room in cold weather. The use of a high-resistance heating element (nichrome, tungsten) in the cable provides good heat dissipation. Simply put, a carpet on the floor will create the preconditions for overheating and failure of this heating system. Using tiles on the floor, the concrete screed must dry completely. In other words, the first trial safe activation of the system is no less than after 45 days. Constant presence of a person in an electric and/or electromagnetic field. Significant energy consumption.
4. A gas boiler– significant start-up costs. Project, permitting documentation, gas supply from the main line to the house, special room for the boiler, ventilation and much more. other. Low gas pressure in the pipelines has a negative effect on work. Low-quality liquid fuel leads to premature wear of system components and assemblies. Pollution environment. High prices for service.
5. Diesel boiler– have the most expensive installation. Additionally, installation of a container for several tons of fuel is required. Availability of access roads for a fuel tanker. Ecological problem. Unsafe. Expensive service.
6. Electrode generators– highly professional installation required. Extremely unsafe. Mandatory grounding of all metal heating parts. High risk of electric shock to people in case of the slightest malfunction. They require unexpected addition of alkaline components to the system. No job stability.
The trend in the development of heat sources is in the direction of a transition to environmentally friendly technologies, among which electric power is currently the most common.
History of the creation of a vortex heat generator
The amazing properties of the vortex were noted and described 150 years ago by the English scientist George Stokes.
While working on improving cyclones for purifying gases from dust, French engineer Joseph Ranquet noticed that the stream of gas emerging from the center of the cyclone has a lower temperature than the feed gas supplied to the cyclone. Already at the end of 1931, Ranke submitted an application for the invented device, which he called a “vortex tube”. But he manages to obtain a patent only in 1934, and then not in his homeland, but in America (US Patent No. 1952281).
French scientists then treated this invention with distrust and ridiculed the report of J. Ranquet, made in 1933 at a meeting of the French Physical Society. According to these scientists, the operation of the vortex tube, in which the air supplied to it was divided into hot and cold flows, contradicted the laws of thermodynamics. Nevertheless, the vortex tube worked and later found wide application in many fields of technology, mainly for producing cold.
Not knowing about Ranke’s experiments, in 1937 the Soviet scientist K. Strakhovich, in a course of lectures on applied gas dynamics, theoretically proved that temperature differences should arise in rotating gas flows.
Interesting is the work of Leningrader V. E. Finko, who drew attention to a number of paradoxes of the vortex tube, developing a vortex gas cooler to obtain ultra-low temperatures. He explained the process of gas heating in the near-wall region of a vortex tube by the “mechanism of wave expansion and compression of gas” and discovered infrared radiation gas from its axial region, having a band spectrum.
A complete and consistent theory of the vortex tube still does not exist, despite the simplicity of this device. “On the fingers” they explain that when a gas spins in a vortex tube, under the influence of centrifugal forces it is compressed at the walls of the pipe, as a result of which it heats up here, just as it heats up when compressed in a pump. In the axial zone of the pipe, on the contrary, the gas experiences a vacuum, and here it cools and expands. By removing gas from the near-wall zone through one hole, and from the axial zone through another, the initial gas flow is divided into hot and cold flows.
After the Second World War, in 1946, the German physicist Robert Hilsch significantly improved the efficiency of the Ranque vortex tube. However, the impossibility of theoretical justification vortex effects postponed technical application Ranque-Hilsch's discoveries lasted for decades.
The main contribution to the development of the foundations of vortex theory in our country in the late 50s - early 60s of the last century was made by Professor Alexander Merkulov. It’s a paradox, but before Merkulov, no one even thought of putting liquid into the “Ranque tube”. And the following happened: when the liquid passed through the “snail,” it quickly heated up with abnormally high efficiency (energy conversion coefficient - about 100%). And again, A. Merkulov could not provide a complete theoretical justification, and the matter did not come to practical application. Only in the early 90s of the last century did the first Constructive decisions application of a liquid heat generator operating on the basis of the vortex effect.
Thermal stations based on vortex thermal generators
Exploratory studies of the most economical sources of heat for heating water led to the idea of using the viscosity (friction) properties of water to produce heat, characterizing its ability to interact with the surfaces of solid bodies that make up the material in which it moves, and between the internal layers of the liquid.Like any material body, water experiences resistance to its movement as a result of friction against the walls of the guide system (pipe), however, unlike a solid body, which in the process of such interaction (friction) heats up and partially begins to collapse, the surface layers of water are slowed down and reduce their speed surfaces and swirl. When enough is achieved high speeds As the fluid vortexes along the wall of the guide system (pipe), surface friction heat begins to be released.
The cavitation effect occurs, which consists in the formation of steam bubbles, the surface of which rotates at high speed due to the kinetic energy of rotation. The internal pressure of steam and the kinetic energy of rotation are counteracted by pressure in the mass of water and surface tension forces. In this way, a state of equilibrium is created until the bubble collides with an obstacle during the movement of the flow or with each other. A process of elastic collision and destruction of the shell occurs with the release of an energy pulse. As is known, the magnitude of the power, the energy of the pulse is determined by the steepness of its front. Depending on the diameter of the bubbles, the front of the energy pulse at the moment of bubble destruction will have a different steepness, and, consequently, a different distribution of the energy frequency spectrum. ast.
At a certain temperature and speed of vortex, vapor bubbles appear, which, when hitting obstacles, are destroyed, releasing an energy pulse in the low-frequency (sound), optical and infrared frequency range, while the temperature of the pulse in the infrared range when the bubble is destroyed can be tens of thousands of degrees (oC). The sizes of the resulting bubbles and the distribution of the density of the released energy over sections of the frequency range are proportional to the linear speed of interaction between the rubbing surfaces of water and a solid body and inversely proportional to the pressure in the water. During the interaction of friction surfaces under conditions of strong turbulence, in order to obtain thermal energy concentrated in the infrared range, it is necessary to form microbubbles of steam with a size ranging from 500 to 1500 nm, which, when colliding with solid surfaces or areas high blood pressure“burst” creating a microcavitation effect with the release of energy in the thermal infrared range.
However, with the linear movement of water in a pipe when interacting with the walls of the guide system, the effect of converting friction energy into heat turns out to be small, and although the temperature of the liquid is outside The pipe turns out to be slightly higher than in the center of the pipe; no special heating effect is observed. Therefore, one of the rational ways to solve the issue of increasing the friction surface and the interaction time of rubbing surfaces is to twist the water in the transverse direction, i.e. artificial vortex in the transverse plane. In this case, additional turbulent friction arises between the layers of liquid.
The whole difficulty of exciting friction in a liquid is to keep the liquid in positions where the friction surface is greatest and to achieve a state in which the pressure in the water mass, friction time, friction speed and friction surface were optimal for a given system design and ensured a given heating capacity.
The physics of the occurrence of friction and the causes of the resulting heat generation effect, especially between layers of liquid or between the surface of a solid body and the surface of a liquid, have not been sufficiently studied and there are various theories, however, this is the area of hypotheses and physical experiments.
For more information on the theoretical basis for the effect of heat release in a heat generator, see the “Recommended Literature” section.
The task of constructing liquid (water) heat generators is to find designs and methods for controlling the mass of the water carrier, in which it would be possible to obtain the largest friction surfaces, hold a mass of liquid in the generator for a certain time in order to obtain the required temperature and at the same time ensure sufficient throughput systems.
Taking these conditions into account, thermal stations are built, which include: an engine (usually electric), which mechanically drives water in a heat generator, and a pump that ensures the necessary pumping of water.
Since the amount of heat in the process of mechanical friction is proportional to the speed of movement of the friction surfaces, to increase the speed of interaction of the rubbing surfaces, fluid acceleration is used in the transverse direction perpendicular to the direction of the main movement using special swirlers or disks rotating the fluid flow, i.e. the creation of a vortex process and implementation thus a vortex heat generator. However, the design of such systems is a complex technical task since it is necessary to find the optimal range of parameters for the linear speed of movement, angular and linear speed of rotation of the liquid, viscosity coefficient, thermal conductivity and to prevent a phase transition to the vapor state or boundary state when the energy release range moves to optical or sound range, i.e. when the process of near-surface cavitation in the optical and low-frequency ranges becomes prevalent, which, as is known, destroys the surface on which cavitation bubbles form.
A schematic block diagram of a thermal installation driven by an electric motor is shown in Figure 1. The calculation of the heating system of the facility is carried out by the design organization according to the customer’s technical specifications. The selection of thermal installations is carried out on the basis of the project.
Rice. 1. Schematic block diagram of a thermal installation.
The thermal unit (TC1) includes: a vortex heat generator (activator), an electric motor (the electric motor and the heat generator are installed on a support frame and mechanically connected by a coupling) and automatic control equipment.
Water from the pumping pump enters the inlet pipe of the heat generator and leaves the outlet pipe with a temperature of 70 to 95 C.
The performance of the pumping pump, which ensures the required pressure in the system and pumping water through the heating installation, is calculated for a specific heating supply system of the facility. To ensure cooling of the activator's mechanical seals, the water pressure at the outlet of the activator must be at least 0.2 MPa (2 atm.).
Upon reaching the specified maximum temperature water at the outlet pipe, upon command from the temperature sensor thermal installation turns off. When the water cools down to a predetermined minimum temperature, the thermal unit is turned on at the command from the temperature sensor. The difference between the set turn-on and turn-off temperatures must be at least 20 °C.
The installed power of the heating unit is selected based on peak loads (one ten-day period of December). To select the required number of thermal units, the peak power is divided by the power of the thermal units from the model range. In this case, it is better to install a larger number of less powerful installations. During peak loads and during the initial warm-up of the system, all installations will operate; during the autumn and spring seasons, only part of the installations will operate. At making the right choice the number and power of thermal installations, depending on the outside air temperature and heat loss of the facility, the installations operate 8-12 hours a day.
The heating unit is reliable in operation, ensures environmentally friendly operation, is compact and highly efficient compared to any other heating devices, does not require approval from the energy supply organization for installation, is simple in design and installation, does not require chemical water treatment, is suitable for use in any objects. The thermal station is fully equipped with everything necessary for connection to a new or existing heating system, and the design and dimensions simplify placement and installation. The station operates automatically within a given temperature range and does not require on-duty service personnel.
The thermal station is certified and complies with TU 3113-001-45374583-2003.
Soft start devices (soft starters).
Soft start devices (soft starters) are designed for smooth starting and stopping asynchronous electric motors 380 V (660, 1140, 3000 and 6000 V on special order). Main areas of application: pumping, ventilation, smoke exhaust equipment, etc.
The use of soft starters allows you to reduce starting currents, reduce the likelihood of engine overheating, provide complete engine protection, increase engine service life, eliminate jerks in the mechanical part of the drive or hydraulic shocks in pipes and valves at the time of starting and stopping engines.
Microprocessor torque control with 32 character display
Current limit, torque inrush, double slope acceleration curve
Smooth engine stop
Electronic engine protection:
Overload and short circuit
Under and over voltage
Rotor jamming, protection against delayed start-up
Phase loss and/or imbalance
Device overheating
Diagnosis of status, errors and failures
Remote control
Models from 500 to 800 kW are available upon special order. The composition and delivery conditions are determined upon approval of the technical specifications.
Heat generators based on a “vortex tube”.
The vortex tube of the heat generator, the diagram of which is shown in Fig. 1, connect with injection pipe 1 to the flange centrifugal pump(not shown in the figure), supplying water under a pressure of 4 - 6 atm. Getting into the snail 2, the water flow itself swirls in a vortex motion and enters the vortex tube 3, the length of which is 10 times greater than its diameter. The swirling vortex flow in pipe 3 moves along a helical spiral near the walls of the pipe to its opposite (hot) end, ending in bottom 4 with a hole in its center for the exit of the hot flow. A braking device 5 is fixed in front of the bottom 4 - a flow straightener, made in the form of several flat plates, radially welded to the central bushing, a pine tree with a pipe 3. In the top view, it resembles the tail of an aerial bomb.When the vortex flow in pipe 3 moves towards this straightener 5, a countercurrent is formed in the axial zone of pipe 3. In it, the water also rotates and moves towards fitting 6, embedded in the flat wall of volute 2 coaxially with pipe 3 and designed to release the “cold” flow. Another flow straightener 7 is installed in fitting 6, similar to braking device 5. It serves to partially convert the rotational energy of the “cold” flow into heat. Coming out warm water is directed through the bypass 8 to the hot outlet pipe 9, where it mixes with the hot flow leaving the vortex tube through the straightener 5. From the 9 pipe, the heated water flows either directly to the consumer or to a heat exchanger that transfers heat to the consumer circuit. In the latter case, the waste water of the primary circuit (at a lower temperature) is returned to the pump, which again supplies it to the vortex tube through pipe 1.
Features of installation of heating systems using heat generators based on “vortex” tubes.
A heat generator based on a “vortex” tube must be connected to the heating system only through an accumulator tank.
When the heat generator is turned on for the first time, before it reaches operating mode, the direct line of the heating system must be closed, that is, the heat generator must operate on a “small circuit”. The coolant in the battery tank heats up to a temperature of 50-55 oC. Then the tap on the outlet line is periodically opened by ¼ stroke. When the temperature in the heating system line increases, the valve opens another ¼ stroke. If the temperature in the storage tank drops by 5 °C, the tap is closed. The tap is opened and closed until the heating system is completely warmed up.
This procedure is due to the fact that with a sharp feed cold water at the entrance of the “vortex” pipe, due to its low power, a “breakdown” of the vortex can occur and a loss of efficiency of the thermal installation.
Based on experience in operating heat supply systems, recommended temperatures are:
In the output line 80 oC,
Answers to your questions
1. What are the advantages of this heat generator over other heat sources?
2. Under what conditions can the heat generator operate?
3. Requirements for the coolant: hardness (for water), salt content, etc., that is, what can critically affect the internal parts of the heat generator? Will scale form on the pipes?
4. What is the installed power of the electric motor?
5. How many heat generators should be installed in thermal unit?
6. What is the performance of the heat generator?
7. To what temperature can the coolant be heated?
8. Is it possible to regulate the temperature by changing the speed of the electric motor?
9. What could be an alternative to water to protect liquids from freezing in the event of an “emergency” with electricity?
10. What is the operating pressure range of the coolant?
11. Is it necessary circulation pump and how to choose its power?
12. What is included in the heating installation kit?
13. What is the reliability of the automation?
14. How loud is the heat generator?
15. Is it possible to use single-phase electric motors with a voltage of 220 V in thermal installations?
16. Is it possible to use diesel engines or another drive to rotate the heat generator activator?
17. How to choose the cross-section of the power supply cable for a thermal installation?
18. What approvals are required to obtain permission to install a heat generator?
19. What are the main malfunctions that occur during the operation of heat generators?
20. Does cavitation destroy discs? What is the resource of the thermal installation?
21. What are the differences between disk and tubular heat generators?
22. What is the conversion coefficient (the ratio of the thermal energy received to the electrical energy expended) and how is it determined?
24. Are the developers ready to train personnel to service the heat generator?
25. Why is the warranty for the thermal installation 12 months?
26. In which direction should the heat generator rotate?
27. Where are the inlet and outlet pipes of the heat generator?
28. How to set the on-off temperature of a heating installation?
29. What requirements must the heating point in which heating units are installed meet?
30. At the Rubezh LLC facility in Lytkarino, the warehouse premises maintain a temperature of 8-12 °C. Is it possible to maintain a temperature of 20°C using such a heating system?
Q1: What are the advantages of this heat generator over other heat sources?
A: When compared with gas and liquid fuel boilers, the main advantage of the heat generator is the complete absence of maintenance infrastructure: there is no need for a boiler room, maintenance personnel, chemical preparation and regular maintenance. For example, if there is a power outage, the heat generator will turn on again automatically, while liquid fuel boilers require human presence to turn on again. When compared with electric heating (heating elements, electric boilers), the heat generator benefits both in maintenance (lack of direct heating elements, water treatment), and in economic terms. When compared with a heating plant, a heat generator allows each building to be heated separately, which eliminates losses during heat delivery and eliminates the need to repair the heating network and its operation. (For more details, see the website section “Comparison of existing heating systems”).
Q2: Under what conditions can the heat generator operate?
A: The operating conditions of the heat generator are determined by the technical specifications for its electric motor. It is possible to install electric motors in waterproof, dustproof, and tropical versions.
Q3: Requirements for the coolant: hardness (for water), salt content, etc., that is, what can critically affect the internal parts of the heat generator? Will scale form on the pipes?
A: Water must meet the requirements of GOST R 51232-98. No additional water treatment is required. A filter must be installed in front of the inlet pipe of the heat generator. rough cleaning. During operation, scale does not form; previously existing scale is destroyed. It is not allowed to use water with a high content of salts and quarry fluid as a coolant.
Q4: What is the installed power of the electric motor?
A: The installed power of the electric motor is the power required to spin up the heat generator activator at startup. After the engine reaches operating mode, power consumption drops by 30-50%.
Q5: How many heat generators should be installed in a heating unit?
A: The installed power of the heating unit is selected based on peak loads (- 260C one ten days of December). To select the required number of thermal units, the peak power is divided by the power of the thermal units from the model range. In this case, it is better to install a larger number of less powerful installations. During peak loads and during the initial warm-up of the system, all installations will operate; during the autumn and spring seasons, only part of the installations will operate. With the correct choice of the number and power of thermal installations, depending on the outside air temperature and heat loss of the facility, the installations operate 8-12 hours a day. If you install more powerful thermal installations, they will work for a shorter time, less powerful ones - for a longer time, but the energy consumption will be the same. For a larger calculation of the energy consumption of a thermal installation for the heating season, a coefficient of 0.3 is used. It is not recommended to use only one installation in a heating unit. When using one heating system, it is necessary to have a backup heating device.
Q6: What is the performance of the heat generator?
A: In one pass, the water in the activator heats up by 14-20°C. Depending on the power, heat generators pump: TS1-055 – 5.5 m3/hour; TS1-075 – 7.8 m3/hour; TS1-090 – 8.0 m3/hour. The heating time depends on the volume of the heating system and its heat loss.
Q7: To what temperature can the coolant be heated?
A: The maximum heating temperature of the coolant is 95°C. This temperature is determined by the characteristics of the mechanical seals installed. Theoretically, it is possible to heat water up to 250 °C, but to create a heat generator with such characteristics, research and development is necessary.
Q8: Is it possible to regulate the temperature by changing the speed?
A: The design of the thermal installation is designed to operate at engine speeds of 2960 + 1.5%. At other engine speeds, the efficiency of the heat generator decreases. Regulation temperature regime carried out by turning the electric motor on and off. When the set maximum temperature is reached, the electric motor turns off, and when the coolant cools to the minimum set temperature, it turns on. The range of set temperatures must be at least 20°C
Q9: What could be an alternative to water to protect liquids from freezing in the event of an “emergency” with electricity?
A: Any liquid can act as a coolant. It is possible to use antifreeze. It is not recommended to use only one installation in a heating unit. When using one heating system, it is necessary to have a backup heating device.
Q10: What is the operating pressure range of the coolant?
A: The heat generator is designed to operate in the pressure range from 2 to 10 atm. The activator only swirls the water; the pressure in the heating system is created by the circulation pump.
Q11: Do I need a circulation pump and how to choose its power?
A: The capacity of the pumping pump, which ensures the required pressure in the system and pumping water through the heating installation, is calculated for a specific heating supply system of the facility. To ensure cooling of the activator's mechanical seals, the water pressure at the outlet of the activator must be at least 0.2 MPa (2 atm.) Average pump performance for: TC1-055 – 5.5 m3/hour; TS1-075 – 7.8 m3/hour; TS1-090 – 8.0 m3/hour. The pump is a pressure pump and is installed in front of the heating unit. The pump is an accessory to the facility’s heat supply system and is not included in the delivery package of the TC1 heating unit.
Q12: What is included in the heating installation kit?
A: The heating installation package includes:
1. Vortex heat generator TS1-______ No. ______________
1 PC
2. Control panel ________ No. _______________
1 PC
3. Pressure hoses (flexible inserts) with fittings DN25
2 pcs
4. Temperature sensor TSM 012-000.11.5 L=120 cl. IN
1 PC
5. Product passport
1 PC
Q13: What is the reliability of the automation?
A: The automation is certified by the manufacturer and has a warranty period. It is possible to complete the thermal installation with a control panel or controller of asynchronous electric motors "EnergySaver".
Q14: How loud is the heat generator?
A: The thermal installation activator itself makes virtually no noise. Only the electric motor makes noise. In accordance with technical characteristics electric motors specified in their passports, The maximum permissible sound power level of an electric motor is 80-95 dB (A). To reduce noise and vibration levels, it is necessary to mount the heating unit on vibration-absorbing supports. The use of EnergySaver asynchronous electric motor controllers makes it possible to reduce the noise level by one and a half times. IN industrial buildings thermal installations are located in separate rooms, basements. In residential and administrative buildings, the heating unit can be located autonomously.
Q15: Is it possible to use single-phase electric motors with a voltage of 220 V in thermal installations?
A: Currently produced models of thermal installations do not allow the use of single-phase electric motors with a voltage of 220 V.
Q16: Can diesel engines or another drive be used to rotate the heat generator activator?
A: The design of the thermal installation type TC1 is designed for standard asynchronous three phase motors voltage 380 V. with a rotation speed of 3000 rpm. In principle, the type of engine does not matter, a necessary condition is only ensuring a rotation speed of 3000 rpm. However, for each such engine option, the design of the thermal installation frame must be designed individually.
Q17: How to choose the cross-section of the power supply cable for a thermal installation?
A: The cross-section and brand of cables must be selected in accordance with PUE - 85 for calculated current loads.
Q18: What approvals are required to obtain permission to install a heat generator?
A: Approvals for installation are not required, because Electricity is used to rotate the electric motor, and not to heat the coolant. The operation of heat generators with an electrical power of up to 100 kW is carried out without a license (Federal Law No. 28-FZ of 04/03/96).
Q19: What are the main malfunctions that occur during the operation of heat generators?
A: Most failures occur due to improper operation. Operation of the activator at a pressure less than 0.2 MPa leads to overheating and destruction of the mechanical seals. Operation at a pressure of more than 1.0 MPa also leads to loss of tightness of the mechanical seals. If the electric motor is connected incorrectly (star-delta), the motor may burn out.
Q20: Does cavitation destroy discs? What is the resource of the thermal installation?
A: Four years of experience in operating vortex heat generators shows that the activator practically does not wear out. The electric motor, bearings and mechanical seals have a shorter service life. The service life of components is indicated in their passports.
Q21: What are the differences between disk and tubular heat generators?
A: B disk heat generators vortex flows are created due to the rotation of disks. In tubular heat generators, it twists in the “snail” and then slows down in the pipe, releasing thermal energy. At the same time, the efficiency of tubular heat generators is 30% lower than that of disk heat generators.
Q22: What is the conversion coefficient (the ratio of thermal energy received to electrical energy expended) and how is it determined?
A: You will find the answer to this question in the Acts below.
Report of the results of operational tests of a disk-type vortex heat generator of the TS1-075 brand
Test report for thermal installation TS-055
A: These issues are reflected in the project for the facility. When calculating the required power of the heat generator, our specialists, based on the customer’s technical specifications, also calculate the heat removal of the heating system, give recommendations for the optimal distribution of the heating network in the building, as well as the location of the heat generator installation.
Q24: Are the developers ready to train personnel to service the heat generator?
A: The operating time of the mechanical seal before replacement is 5,000 hours of continuous operation (~ 3 years). Engine operating time before bearing replacement is 30,000 hours. However, it is recommended once a year at the end heating season carry out preventive inspection of the electric motor and automatic control system. Our specialists are ready to train the Customer’s personnel to carry out all preventive and repair work. (For more details, see the “Staff Training” section of the website).
Q25: Why is the warranty for the thermal installation 12 months?
A: A warranty period of 12 months is one of the most common warranty periods. Manufacturers of heating installation components (control panels, connecting hoses, sensors, etc.) establish a warranty period of 12 months on their products. The warranty period of the installation as a whole cannot be longer than the warranty period of its components, therefore technical conditions The following warranty period is specified for the manufacture of the TS1 thermal unit. Experience in operating TS1 thermal installations shows that the activator service life can be at least 15 years. By accumulating statistics and agreeing with suppliers on increasing the warranty period for components, we will be able to increase the warranty period of the thermal installation to 3 years.
Q26: In which direction should the heat generator rotate?
A: The direction of rotation of the heat generator is set by an electric motor that rotates clockwise. During test runs, rotating the activator counterclockwise will not cause it to break. Before the first starts, it is necessary to check the free movement of the rotors; to do this, the heat generator is turned one/half turn manually.
Q27: Where are the inlet and outlet pipes of the heat generator?
A: The inlet pipe of the heat generator activator is located on the electric motor side, the outlet pipe is located on the opposite side of the activator.
Q28: How to set the on/off temperature of a heating installation?
A: Instructions for setting the on-off temperature of a heating unit are given in the “Partners” / “Aries” section.
Q29: What requirements must the heating point in which the heating units are installed meet?
A: The heating point in which heating units are installed must comply with the requirements of SP41-101-95. The text of the document can be downloaded from the website: “Information on heat supply”, www.rosteplo.ru
Q30: At the Rubezh LLC facility in Lytkarino, the warehouse premises maintain a temperature of 8-12 °C. Is it possible to maintain a temperature of 20 o C using such a thermal installation?
A: In accordance with the requirements of SNiP, the heating installation can heat the coolant to a maximum temperature of 95 °C. The temperature in heated rooms is set by the consumer himself using OWEN. The same heating installation can support temperature ranges: for warehouses 5-12 °C; for production 18-20 oC; for residential and office 20-22 оС.
A vortex heat generator consists of an engine and a cavitator. Water (or other liquid) is supplied to the cavitator. The engine spins the cavitator mechanism, in which the process of cavitation (collapse of bubbles) occurs. Due to this, the liquid supplied to the cavitator is heated. The supplied electrical energy is spent for the following purposes: 1 - heating water, 2 - overcoming the friction force in the engine and cavitator, 3 - emission of sound vibrations (noise). Developers and manufacturers claim that the operating principle is based on " on the use of renewable energy." However, it is not clear where this energy comes from. However, no additional radiation occurs. Accordingly, it can be assumed that all the energy supplied to the heat generator is spent on heating water. Thus, we can talk about efficiency close to 100%. But not more...
But let's move from theory to practice.
At the dawn of the development of “vortex heat generators”, attempts were made to conduct an independent examination. Thus, the well-known model YUSMAR by inventor Yu.S. Potapov from Moldova was tested by the American company Earth Tech International (Austin, Texas), specializing in experimental verification of new directions in modern physics. In 1995, five series of experiments were carried out to measure the ratio between generated thermal and consumed electrical energy. Note that all the numerous modifications of the tested device, intended for different series of experiments, were personally agreed upon with Yu.S. Potapov during the visit of one of the company’s employees to Moldova. Detailed description The design of the tested heat generator with a vortex tube, operating parameters, measurement techniques and results are presented on the company’s website www.earthtech.org/experiments/.
To drive the water pump, an electric motor with efficiency = 85% was used, the heat losses of which for heating the surrounding air were not taken into account when calculating the heat output of the “vortex heat generator”. Note that the heat losses for heating the surrounding air were not measured, which, of course, somewhat reduced the resulting efficiency of the heat generator.
The results of studies carried out by varying the main operating parameters (pressure, coolant flow, initial water temperature, etc.) over a wide range demonstrated that the efficiency of the heat generator varies in the range from 33 to 81%, which is far short of the 300% declared the inventor before conducting experiments.
Although I’ll tell you about the “thermal vortex generator”...
There were some examples of significant savings on heating costs during the transition periods of our economy, when enterprises began to count money. I’ll say right away that this is due to the grimaces of the economy, and not at all to heating engineering.
Let's say some enterprise wants to heat its premises. Well, you see, they are cold.
For some reason, it is clear what, cannot invest in Gas pipe, to build your boiler house on coal, fuel oil - there is not enough scale, but central heating absent or far away.
Electricity remains, but when obtaining permission to use electricity for thermal purposes, the enterprise was charged a tariff several times higher than usual.
These were the rules before, and not only in Russia, but in Ukraine, Moldova and other states that spun off from us.
This is where Mr. Potapov and others like him came to the rescue.
We bought a miracle device, the electricity tariff for electric motors remained normal, thermal efficiency Naturally, it couldn’t have been more than a hundred, but in monetary terms the efficiency was both 200 and 300, depending on how many times you saved on the tariff.
By using HP it was possible to achieve even greater savings, but for those times a vortex heat generator with an efficiency of supposedly 1.2-1.5 was quite sufficient.
After all, an even greater declared efficiency could only damage and scare away buyers, because quotas for electricity supply were allocated according to power consumption, and the heat generator provided the same amount, if not less, due to losses in cos F.
In terms of heat loss in the premises, the error of 30-40% could somehow be accommodated and attributed to weather fluctuations.
Now this is a thing of the past, but the topic of vortex generators continues to emerge by inertia, and there are fools who buy, having fallen for the information with photos and addresses that a number of respected enterprises at one time used them and saved a lot of money.
But no one tells them the whole story.
