Fluid flow separation occurs in the elbow and transition joints of virtually all complex fluid piping systems.  Fluid flow separation creates noise, vibration, unwanted mixing and stresses which can result in component failure and pipe ruptures, degradation of pump performance, metering inaccuracy and uncontrolled chemical reaction or concentration distribution burst.

The purpose of the CRV^® is to reduce the flow separation and turbulence occurring downstream of the standard pipe elbow or tee.  Flow separation, occurs in all elbows and tees, and there are many undesirable consequences in addition to the large pressure drop that accompany this separation which requires greater pumping energy to overcome.  The unsteady, distorted flow resulting from the separation also causes relatively high noise levels.  If the pressure and temperature of the fluid are in certain ranges, cavitation will occur because of a reduced pressure on the inside wall of the elbow, such as in a liquid pipeline.  Cavitation creates additional noise and shock loading and uneven flow distribution on the pipe and system components, resulting in the failure of check valves, pumps, etc. 

If the fluid is a volatile, gas bubbles can persist and collect at some convenient point in the system, leading to danger from fire or explosion that can trigger large-scale plant damage.  There are many piping-related accidents around the world every year causing massive damage in plants and chemical spillage.

The existence and orientation of the flow separation regions in the elbow significantly accelerates the flow in the remaining unseparated flow areas and directs this high-speed flow toward a small region of the outer walls of the elbow.  The phenomenon leads to increased rates of erosion, particularly if small solid particles are being carried along with the flow.  The eroded walls are much more susceptible to corrosion if corrosive fluids are involved or rusting if the fluid is water.  Both flow separation and cavitation cause unsteady pressure pulses to exist in the fluid. The pipe is a pressure vessel and unsteady loads which result from these pressure pulses, coupled with elbow and/or pipe wall thinning by erosion/corrosion, will greatly shorten the time to failure of these components as parts of a fluid tight pressure system. The consequences of the above results in higher system maintenance costs and shorter life for many system components such as elbows, valves and pumps.

The CRV^® can greatly ameliorate and in some cases completely eliminate the flow problems described. The vanes, when properly matched to the elbow geometry, introduce a swirling motion to the fluid flow entering the elbow that will cancel the effects of centrifugal and coriolis forces acting on the fluid as it turns the corner in passing through the elbow.  It is the pressure distributions resulting from the action of these forces that cause the flow separations within the elbow.  The swirling flow can negotiate the turn within the elbow without separating.  As a result, all of the previously cited consequences of flow separation are greatly diminished or eliminated.

The LAD^® is a large angle diffuser, its patented design incorporates a set of focused, concentric cones engineered to efficiently and evenly distribute fluid and gas as it passes from a small pipe into a large pipe.  Fluid or gases suddenly expand when entering a larger diameter pipe, creating turbulence, noise and vibration with the potential for piping system damage. Downstream equipment such as condensers, chemical reacting vessels, heat exchangers, electro-static precipitators, and exhaust systems are adversely affected.   In the majority of pipes, trapped chemicals, particulate matter and pollutants create an unsolvable problem. The LAD^® uniquely eliminates the turbulence, reduces pressure losses and eliminates fluid trapping. 

The LAD^® also performs as a pressure recovery diffuser that may take different forms, depending upon the specific application.  Targeted applications are piping systems and heating and/or air conditioning ducting, and chemical reactors.  There is a great need for chemical reactors to have uniform flow, so the residence time of chemical species can be controlled.  Without the LAD^®, trapped chemicals are periodically released, producing a different end product than what was wanted.

By eliminating flow irregularities such as separation, turbulence, cavitation, and backflow, Cheng Fluid Flow Conditioning Technology eliminates noise, vibration, irregular pressure levels, unwanted mixing and gas trapping, and elbow erosion.  Elimination of these problems yield a valuable array of benefits that are not available from any other source:

• Improved system efficiency (25%+ increased pump efficiency, i.e., more work per unit of energy; smaller plants can yield the same output, reducing capital investment and operating costs)
• Improved process control and product assurance, resulting in better process yields. (e.g., elimination of trapped chemicals can increase production of desired product, with associated increase in purity and reduction in further processing requirements)
• Substantial reduction of maintenance expense (some users report over 5x increase in time between required major maintenance procedures).
• Substantial reduction in down-time due to maintenance, increasing the effective capacity and total yields from continuous operations
• Increased safety.  Eliminates the cause of pipe system rupture and component stress.
• Reduction of environmental hazards. Contamination due to unwanted release of chemicals into the ground or in the air is prevented by eliminating the major causes of such release: pipe erosion, bursting, component leakage arising from vibration and pulse stresses, spillage due to inaccurate metering. Additionally, noise pollution is substantially reduced, allowing plant operators to up production rates without creating unwanted noise levels.