US 11,454,463 B2Granted

Fluid eductors, and systems and methods of entraining fluid using fluid eductors

AssigneesGeneral Electric Company, General Electric Company Polska sp. z o.o.

InventorsPradeep Hemant Sangli, Vinod S. Chaudhari, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Michal Starzynski

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Abstract

The present disclosure provides fluid eductors, systems that utilize fluid eductors, and methods of entraining a suction fluid flow using a fluid eductor. Exemplary fluid eductors include a concentric eductor space or a plurality of annular eductor spaces. Exemplary methods include ejecting a volume of motive fluid out of a concentric eductor space of a fluid eductor, accelerating a peripheral region of the suction fluid flow with the motive fluid ejecting out of the first annular eductor space, and accelerating a core region of the suction fluid flow with the motive fluid ejecting out of the second annular eductor space.

Claims32

Dependent claims

A fluid eductor comprising:

a first motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about an axis and having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus defining a first motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
a first Coanda surface defining a transition from the interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus to the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, or
a second Coanda surface defining a transition from the interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus to the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
an annular eductor cap connected to the first motive fluid annulus, the annular eductor cap extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a semicircular annulus, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the annular eductor cap concentrically envelops the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus defines a concentric eductor space comprising a concentric first annular eductor space and second annular eductor space, the first annular eductor space defined at least in part by a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, and the second annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus.

4 more elements

A heat transfer system, the heat transfer system comprising:

a tube defining a suction fluid pathway and a heat exchanger defining a cooling fluid pathway and a portion of the suction fluid pathway, the heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat between a cooling fluid in the cooling fluid pathway and a suction fluid in the suction fluid pathway;
a fluid eductor disposed within the suction fluid pathway downstream from the heat exchanger;
and
a motive fluid supply line operably coupled to the fluid eductor;
wherein the fluid eductor comprises:
a first motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about an axis and having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus defining a first motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
a first Coanda surface defining a transition from the interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus to the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, or
a second Coanda surface defining a transition from the interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus to the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
an annular eductor cap connected to the first motive fluid annulus, the annular eductor cap extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a semicircular annulus, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the annular eductor cap concentrically envelops the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus defines a concentric eductor space comprising a concentric first annular eductor space and second annular eductor space, the first annular eductor space defined at least in part by a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, and the second annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus.

9 more elements

A fluid eductor comprising:

a first motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about an axis and having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus defining a first motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
and
an annular eductor cap connected to the first motive fluid annulus, the annular eductor cap extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a semicircular annulus, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the annular eductor cap concentrically envelops the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus defines a concentric eductor space comprising a concentric first annular eductor space and second annular eductor space, the first annular eductor space defined at least in part by a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, and the second annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus,
wherein the fluid eductor is positioned downstream from a heat exchanger, and wherein the fluid eductor is used to draw a suction fluid through the heat exchanger to cool a stream of hot fluid.

3 more elements

A heat transfer system, the heat transfer system comprising:

a tube defining a suction fluid pathway and a heat exchanger defining a cooling fluid pathway and a portion of the suction fluid pathway, the heat exchanger arranged to exchange heat between a cooling fluid in the cooling fluid pathway and a suction fluid in the suction fluid pathway;
a fluid eductor disposed within the suction fluid pathway downstream from the heat exchanger;
and
a motive fluid supply line operably coupled to the fluid eductor;
wherein the fluid eductor comprises:
a first motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about an axis and having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus defining a first motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
and
an annular eductor cap connected to the first motive fluid annulus, the annular eductor cap extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a semicircular annulus, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the annular eductor cap concentrically envelops the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus defines a concentric eductor space comprising a concentric first annular eductor space and second annular eductor space, the first annular eductor space defined at least in part by a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, and the second annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus,
wherein the fluid eductor is positioned downstream from a heat exchanger, and wherein the fluid eductor is used to draw a suction fluid through the heat exchanger to cool a stream of hot fluid.

8 more elements

A fluid eductor comprising:

a first motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about an axis and having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the first motive fluid annulus defining a first motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
a second motive fluid annulus extending circumferentially about the axis and being concentric to the first motive fluid annulus, the second motive fluid annulus having an open-end and a closed-end, an interior surface of the second motive fluid annulus defining a second motive fluid delivery chamber, and an exterior surface of the second motive fluid annulus comprising a concentric outward-facing exterior surface and inward-facing exterior surface;
and
an annular eductor cap connected to the first motive fluid annulus, the annular eductor cap extending circumferentially about the axis and defining a semicircular annulus, wherein at least a portion of an interior surface of the annular eductor cap concentrically envelops the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus, wherein at least a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and the open-end of the first motive fluid annulus defines a concentric eductor space comprising a concentric first annular eductor space and second annular eductor space, the first annular eductor space defined at least in part by a portion of the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the concentric outward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus, and the second annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the annular eductor cap and a portion of the inward-facing exterior surface of the first motive fluid annulus;
and
at least one motive fluid distribution spoke operably coupling the first motive fluid delivery chamber to the second motive fluid delivery chamber, and
a third annular eductor space defined at least in part by the interior surface of the open-end of the second motive fluid annulus, the third annular eductor space being concentric to the first annular eductor space and/or the second annular eductor space.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/447,192Filed 20 Jun 2019
Priority: PL 42603322 Jun 2018
Published: US 2019/0390925 A126 Dec 2019
Granted: 27 Sep 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F28F 13/12
By affecting the pattern of flow of the heat-exchange media: by creating turbulence, e.g. by stirring, by increasing the force of circulation
B01F 25/31243
Characterised by the place of introduction of the main flow: eductor or eductor-type venturi, i.e. the main flow being injected through the…
F02C 7/14
Cooling of plants: of fluids in the plant , e.g. lubricant or fuel
F02C 7/185
The medium being gaseous, e.g. air: cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas