Transcript Pressure Exchanger development history

Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
NORWAY 1985
Hitra
How can I can use cold sea water for cooling
my vegetable storage high up on the hill
without using too much energy?
Dolmsundet Marina
located on the island of Hitra
This challenge put forward by my brother
Ragnar late 1985 sent me off to uncharted
territory dominated by unpredictable events.
Today the farm site is a popular resort for
fishing and diving with guests from East and
Northern Europe .
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
NORWAY 1986
A first prototype of a none-rotary pressure
exchanger is made and achieves an award at
the Norwegian Inventor show in Bergen
“KLEKK 86”.
Shortly after the idea of a rotary pressure
exchanger emerges and a small unit with a
bronze 3”rotor is used for demonstrations.
Design work on a larger 4” rotor unit in
stainless steel is started.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
NORWAY 1987
Norwegian Hydrotechnical Laboratories
During testing of the 15 m3/h rotary pressure
exchanger, it is discovered that the flow will
rotate the rotor, hence no need for external
drive.
The first US patent # 4,887,942 “Pressure
Exchanger for liquids” is filed based on self
rotation through a particular end cover profile.
Design work on a new 4” rotor unit based on
flow rotation and hydrostatic bearings is
started. Cast end covers is introduced with
improved flow profile.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
NORWAY / KUWAIT 1988
Norwegian Hydrotechnical Laboratories
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
Testing of the new unit shows the hydrostatic
bearing system is working and mixing is low.
Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
seemed to be the best application for the
pressure exchanger and Kuwait Institute of
Scientific Research (KISR) had already
established a unique test facility Doha
Reverse Osmosis Plant (DROP).
After initial contacts with KISR management, it
was decided to ship the prototype to Kuwait.
A test bed is prepared using reject from the
2nd stage of their SWRO plant at 40 bar.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
KUWAIT 1989
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
STATE Minister of Cabinet Affairs Rashid
Abdul-Aziz Al-Rashed accompanied by
Minister of Electricity and Water Dr. Hamud AlRguiba
A successful test using dye colored water
(dark red) as LP feed becomes fully
pressurized to 40 bar without sign of
discoloring of the HP reject. This was quite
stunning to the observing Cabinet ministers
and KISR management, leading to the signing
a 3 year R & D Joint-Venture agreement.
The development program focuses on
developing a fundamental understanding of
the flow dynamics involved through modeling
and experimental verification.
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US patent 5,338,158 “ Pressure Exchanger
having axially inclined ducts” that need no
booster pump is filed.
Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
KUWAIT 1990
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
The development program continues until
the Iraqi invasion August 2. The inventor and
his family is forced to leave Kuwait.
The prototype and associated equipment is
lost along with all personal property as well.
The family decides to take up residence in
USA.
Iraqi tanks rolled into Kuwait City
during Saddam Hussein's invasion
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The KISR Joint-Venture is suspended and will
not resume again
Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
GERMANY 1991
Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH
A Joint-Venture for using pressure exchanger
in connection with CCD (Closed Cycle Diesel)
propulsion system was started with the
German submarine manufacturer Thyssen
Nordseeewerke GmbH. Exhaust gas need to
be scrubbed into the sea while submerged,
which would require a pressure exchanger.
A new 30 m3/h prototype with 6” rotor using
low galling superalloys is built and tested for
sound and reliability. The hydrostatic bearing
system shows instability and a new principle
seems required.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
GERMANY / USA / NORWAY 1992
Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH
Newport News Shipbuilding
AGA Innovation
The new rotor positioning system operates
without external restrictors and uses a step
bearing and is very stable.
The unit was demonstrated for Newport News
Shipbuilding ,which secures an order of a
large unit.
The unit was test successfully for oxygenation
of fishponds by AGA Innovation in Norway,
prior to being tested further in Germany by
Thyssen.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
GERMANY/USA 1993
Thyssen Nordseewerke GmbH
Newport News Shipbuilding
The Thyssen Joint-Venture comes to an end
without reaching the necessary operational
reliability due to high propensity for seizing
(cold welding).
A large 10” rotor pressure exchanger with 75
m3/h flow capacity is built and successfully
tested for Newport News Shipbuilding and
US-NAVSEA. Submarine thermal desalting
plants need a brine pump in order to
discharge brine.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA / DENMARK 1994
Norfolk harbor
HOH Water technology
A 1,500 GPD SWRO plant is built and
operated continuous at about 33 % recovery
for 1000 hours with 45-50 % energy savings.
The plant used a modified CAT 347 plunger
pump using 1 plunger as a booster pump. The
pressure exchanger used a 2” rotor operating
at 2 GPM.
A CAT 2537 triplex pump is modified with an
ejector and tested by HOH showing 45 %
energy savings and leads to an exclusive
marketing agreement for Scandinavia, Canary
Islands and the Maldives.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA 1995
Virginia Beach
The first object grind was a
coffee mug to be fitted on a
rotor as an outer sleeve.
Based on further test result from the SWRO
plant, the seawater based hydrostatic rotor
positioning function shows unreliable
performance.
A development program to change materials
from metallic superalloys to ceramic is started.
Manufacturing technology for in-house
machining of alumina green ware is
developed for rotor, end covers and housing.
US patent 5,988,993 “ Pressure Exchanger
having rotor with automatic axial alignment”
was filed.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA 1996
Tennessee
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
The High temperature Materials Laboratory
A DOE sponsored R & D ceramic
manufacturing study was awarded. Initial test
grinding of parts to required tolerances took
place early fall.
Design optimization of ceramic parts,
including CNC based machining and firing
continues.
The goal is to ready a field installation in the
Canary Islands, but first generation pressure
vessel with the ceramic parts under high
pressure has design flaws.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA / Spain 1997
HOH Canarias SA
Canary Islands-Lanzarote
A dramatic redesign of the pressure vessel
allows the use of a standard Du Pont
membrane vessel. US patent # 6,659,731
“Pressure Exchanger” is filed.
Bjørn Lyng, the late
founder of Aqualyng
observes the worlds first
pressure exchanger in a
commercial SWRO
plant November 1997.
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A n 80 m3/D commercial SWRO plant located
Costa Teguise, Lanzarote has been prepared
with a booster pump and downsized CAT
triplex pump. The installation of the pressure
exchanger proceeds smoothly. When feed
pressure rises, the rotor start accelerating with
a loud noise. Now for the first time, fresh
water is produced from the sea at 2.8 kW/m3
or 60 % less power – after 12 years
development.
Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA / Spain 1998
HOH Water Technology
Canary Islands-Lanzarote
After less than 6 months of flawless operation,
HOH decided to launch the first commercial
SWRO plant with pressure exchangers. The
500 m3/D plant goes into service at Playa
Blanca on Lanzarote early spring.
At this time 3 pressure exchangers is needed
as flow is limited to 30 GPM due to an
excessive noise level.
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Pressure Exchanger development history
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
USA / Spain 1999
Canary Islands-Lanzarote
The ceramic components of the prototype in
Ficus apartments show signs of inexplicable
erosion. Experimental verification determines
cavitation being the cause, and a major
redesign of end covers take place.
The result exceeds expectations as noise
level fall from 90 to 80 dBa and flow increases
100 % to 60 GPM.
US patent # 6,540,487 “Pressure Exchanger
with anti-cavitation pressure relief system in
end covers “ is filed subsequently .
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Finally, the pressure exchanger looks ready for
unrestrained marketing and scale-up………
March 2000 - A company has been born
Leif J. Hauge – November 2009
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