Patent ID: 9599404
Date: 2017-03-21
CPC Classifications: F28C,F28D,F28F

Claim:
1. A fluid direct contact heat exchanger for transferring heat between a source fluid and a transfer fluid, the source fluid and the transfer fluid being of differing specific gravities, the source fluid having a higher specific gravity than the transfer fluid, the fluid direct contact heat exchanger comprising: a contact chamber having a first chamber end, a second chamber end, a contact chamber top, and a contact chamber bottom; a source fluid inlet hydraulically connected to the contact chamber proximal to the first chamber end; a transfer fluid inlet hydraulically connected to the contact chamber proximal to the first chamber end; a heat transfer inducement element positioned in the contact chamber, the heat transfer inducement element having an inducer shaft, an inducer drive mechanism, and an inducement matrix, the inducement matrix being attached to the inducer shaft, and the inducer drive mechanism having a capability for rotating the inducer shaft and for repetitively rotating the inducement matrix through the source fluid and the transfer fluid respectively, the inducement matrix comprising an open matrix of matrix material, the matrix material comprising a metallic wool of metal strands or fibers and providing for direct contact of the matrix material with the source fluid and the transfer fluid respectively as the inducement matrix is rotated through the source fluid and the transfer fluid respectively; a transfer fluid outlet hydraulically connected to the contact chamber proximal to the second chamber end and proximal to the contact chamber top; and a source fluid outlet hydraulically connected to the contact chamber proximal to the second chamber end and proximal to the contact chamber bottom.