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US 9,956,532 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for generating swirling flow
AssigneeU.S. Department of Energy
InventorsRobert E. Haden, Donald G. Lorentz
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for generating a swirl is disclosed that is used to induce an axi-symmetric swirling flow to an incoming flow. The disclosed subject matter induces a uniform and axi-symmetric swirl, circumferentially around a discharge location, thus imparting a more accurate, repeatable, continuous, and controllable swirl and mixing condition of interest. Moreover, the disclosed subject matter performs the swirl injection at a lower pressure drop in comparison to a more traditional methods and devices.
Claims9
A method of creating an axially-symmetric swirling flow, comprising:
- passing a main flow lacking axially-symmetric swirling flow through a chamber having an upstream nozzle and a downstream nozzle;
- injecting a second flow into a plenum;
- passing the second flow from the plenum into a slot connecting at a first end with the plenum and connecting radially tangentially at a second end with the chamber;
- discharging the second flow through the slot and into the main flow,
- wherein the step of discharging the second flow into the main flow mixes the second flow with the main flow to impart a predefined swirling component to the main flow to generate an axially-symmetric uniform flow field;
- wherein a rotation of the axially-symmetric swirling flow is either a clockwise swirl or a counterclockwise swirl, and
- further comprising switching the rotation of the axially-symmetric swirling flow by re-orienting the chamber.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.