Abstract:
The disclosed system includes heat exchangers to recover and redistribute heat from and within a building heating and ventilation system and/or a steam system. Certain implementations of the system enable hybrid heating systems that merge existing combustion-based heating systems with systems that produce heat with electricity from renewable energy sources. Implementations of the disclosed system enable the conversation of energy and use of environmentally clean energy sources. In one illustrative implementation, heat is removed from an air conditioning system and redistributed into a steam generation system.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is related to the following U.S. patent applications:
       U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/134,535, filed Jun. 6, 2008,   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/061,872, filed Apr. 3, 2008,   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/030,272, filed Jan. 6, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,393,695,   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/590,049, filed Jun. 8, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,855,299, and   U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/354,413, filed Jul. 15, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,432,
 
all entitled Collider Chamber Apparatus and Method of Use and all incorporated by reference herein.
       
 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0008]    The present invention relates to the recovery and redistribution of heat. More specifically, the present invention relates to recovering heat from various elements of environmental control systems for a building and/or utilities for the building and redistributing the heat to other elements of the environmental control systems and/or utilities. 
         [0009]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,931 issued to Campbell et al. discloses a waste heat recovery subsystem utilizing a heat exchanger for extracting and recovering heat energy from a superheated refrigerant. The system includes three interactive control systems for control of the flow of a heat transfer fluid through the heat exchanger. The control systems cooperate to circulate the heat transfer fluid in response to a waste heat temperature and a heat transfer fluid temperature. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,091 issued to Martinez discloses an apparatus for utilizing heated water from an air conditioning condenser to heat water used to control temperatures in a large building. The apparatus includes a heat exchanger connected to an air conditioner condenser for receiving water heated by the air conditioner condenser and transmitting the water to a liquid circuit means. The liquid circuit means convey hot water to heating coils located in the building. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,110,432 issued to Southwick discloses an apparatus including a stator and a rotor disposed for rotation within the stator. An inner wall of the stator defines one or more collider chambers. Rotation of the rotor causes movement of fluid disposed between the rotor and stator, thereby establishing a rotational flow pattern within the collider chambers. The fluid movement induced by the rotor increases the temperature, density, and pressure of the fluid in the collider chamber. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    Under one aspect of the invention, a method and system for recovering and redistributing heat is provided. 
         [0014]    Under another aspect of the invention, a system for recovering and redistributing heat includes a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with an air conditioner system. The first heat exchanger removes heat from the air conditioner system. The system also includes a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and in fluid communication with a stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. The second heat exchanger receives heat from the first heat exchanger and conveys heat to the stream of water. The system further includes a heater and a third heat exchanger. The heater is in fluid communication with an air stream of a ventilation system. The heater supplies heat to the air stream. The third heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the heater and a stream of steam condensate. The third heat exchanger removes heat from the steam condensate and conveys heat to the air stream, thereby cooling the steam condensate. 
         [0015]    Under a further aspect of the invention, the system also includes a fourth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger, and an auxiliary heat source. The auxiliary heat source is, optionally, a non-combustion-based heat source. 
         [0016]    Under yet another aspect of the invention, the auxiliary heat source includes a collider chamber apparatus. The collider chamber apparatus includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an inner wall, and the inner wall defines a plurality of collider chambers. The rotor is disposed for rotation relative to the stator, about an axis. An outer wall of the rotor is proximal to the inner wall of the stator. Rotation of the rotor in a first direction relative to the stator causes a fluid in each of the collider chambers to rotate within the collider chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Rotation of the rotor causes the temperature of the fluid in the collider chambers to increase. The fluidic communication between the fourth heat exchanger and the auxiliary heat source, optionally, includes a liquid-filled closed loop. 
         [0017]    Under another aspect of the invention, a method for recovering and redistributing heat includes removing heat from an air conditioner system and supplying a portion of the heat removed from the air conditioner system to a stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. The method also includes removing heat from a stream of steam condensate and supplying a portion of the heat removed from the stream of steam condensate to an air stream of a ventilation system. The method optionally includes supplying heat from an auxiliary heat system to the steam of water being supplied to the steam generation system. 
         [0018]    Under a further aspect of the invention, a system for recovering and redistributing heat includes a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with a stream of boiler blow-down liquid and in fluid communication with a stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. The first heat exchanger removes heat from the boiler blow-down liquid and conveys heat to the stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. The system also includes a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the stream of water being supplied to the steam generation system and in fluid communication with an auxiliary heat system. The second heat exchanger receives heat from the auxiliary heat system and conveys heat to the stream of water being supplied to the steam generation system. Optionally, the second heat exchanger is downstream from the first heat exchanger relative to the flow of the stream of water being supplied to the steam generation system. 
         [0019]    Under still a further aspect of the invention, the auxiliary heat system is a non-combustion-based heat system. 
         [0020]    Under yet another aspect of the invention, the auxiliary heat system includes a collider chamber apparatus. The collider chamber apparatus includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an inner wall, and the inner wall defines a plurality of collider chambers. The rotor is disposed for rotation relative to the stator, about an axis. An outer wall of the rotor is proximal to the inner wall of the stator. Rotation of the rotor in a first direction relative to the stator causes a fluid in each of the collider chambers to rotate within the collider chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Rotation of the rotor causes the temperature of the fluid in the collider chambers to increase. The fluidic communication between the second heat exchanger and the auxiliary heat system, optionally, includes a liquid-filled closed loop. 
         [0021]    Under another aspect of the invention, the system also includes a flash steam generation system. The flash steam generation system includes a third heat exchanger in fluid communication with the auxiliary heat system. The third heat exchanger receives heat from the auxiliary heat system and conveys heat to the flash steam system for the generation of steam. Optionally, the auxiliary heat system includes a fourth heat exchanger in fluid communication with the third heat exchanger and an auxiliary heat source; the fourth heat exchanger receives heat from the auxiliary heat source and conveys heat to the third heat exchanger. Optionally, the auxiliary heat source, the second heat exchanger, and the fourth heat exchanger are in fluid communication via a liquid-filled closed loop. 
         [0022]    Under a further aspect of the invention, the flash steam generation system also includes a flash steam valve for producing flash steam and flash steam condensate and a flash steam tank for receiving flash steam and flash steam condensate from the flash steam valve. The system also includes a condensate receiver in fluid communication with the flash steam tank for receiving flash steam condensate from the flash steam tank and the third heat exchanger for recycling the flash steam condensate to the third heat exchanger. 
         [0023]    Under yet another aspect of the invention, a method for recovering and redistributing heat includes removing heat from a stream of boiler blow-down liquid and supplying a portion of the heat removed from the boiler blow-down liquid to a stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. The method can further include supplying heat from an auxiliary heat system to the steam of water being supplied to the steam generation system after supplying the portion of the heat removed from the boiler blow-down liquid to the stream of water being supplied to a steam generation system. 
         [0024]    Still other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description wherein several embodiments are shown and described. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not in a restrictive or limiting sense, with the scope of the application being indicated by the claims appended hereto. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEW OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a sectional side view of an embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus. 
           [0026]      FIG. 1A  shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus. 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  shows a top sectional view of the collider chamber apparatus taken along line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the collider chamber apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  shows a top view of a cyclonic flow pattern in a collider chamber. 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of a cyclonic flow pattern in a collider chamber. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  shows a top view of another cyclonic flow pattern in a collider chamber. 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  shows a top view of another cyclonic flow pattern in a collider chamber. 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  shows a top view of alternative embodiment cyclonic flow pattern collider chambers. 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  shows a top sectional view of a collider chamber apparatus in which each collider chamber is provided with its own fluid inlet, outlet, and control valves. 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  shows a sectional side view of a collider chamber apparatus in which the rotor is characterized by an “hour-glass” shape. 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus. 
           [0037]      FIG. 12  shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus. 
           [0038]      FIG. 13  shows a sectional view of the apparatus shown in  FIG. 12  taken along line  13 - 13 . 
           [0039]      FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of a collider chamber apparatus with helical collider chambers. 
           [0040]      FIG. 15  shows a semi-transparent perspective view of a collider chamber apparatus with a segmented stator. 
           [0041]      FIG. 16  shows a semi-transparent exploded perspective view of the collider chamber apparatus of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0042]      FIG. 17  shows a perspective view of one of the segments of the collider chamber apparatus of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0043]      FIG. 18  shows an overview of an embodiment of a heat recovery and redistribution system. 
           [0044]      FIG. 19  shows an overview of an additional embodiment of a heat recovery and redistribution system. 
           [0045]      FIG. 20  shows an overview of an additional embodiment of a heat recovery and redistribution system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0046]      FIG. 18  is an overview of a heat recovery and redistribution system  1000  according to an embodiment of the invention. System  1000  includes a high pressure boiler  1002 , which produces high pressure steam that is fed into a steam distribution system  1004 . High pressure boiler  1002  is fed water from a deaerator  1006  for the production of the high pressure steam. Steam condensate from a condensate return system  1008  is collected in a surge tank  1010 . The collected condensate, along with a fresh water make-up stream  1012  supply water to deaerator  1006 . Although not shown, one or more pumps are included in system  1000  to move condensate between the various vessels, boilers, and heat exchangers. 
         [0047]    As mentioned above, liquid water from deaerator  1006  is sent to boiler  1002 . Boiler  1002  heats the liquid water to its boiling point and supplies the heat necessary for the liquid water to become steam (i.e., the heat of vaporization). In one implementation, the steam is about 9.6 Bar and 176.7° C. (140 PSIA and 350° F.), although steam of higher or lower pressure and higher or lower temperature is within the scope of the invention. The steam flows through high pressure steam distribution system  1004  to various steam loads, e.g., heaters, autoclaves, and pipe steam tracing. The steam loads consume the heat of vaporization stored within a portion of the steam when using the heat from the steam. In doing so, the steam loads create steam condensate. As set forth above, the condensate returns to surge tank  1010 . In some implementations, a portion of the condensate can be returned directly to deaerator  1006  (not shown). 
         [0048]    Deaerator  1006  removes dissolved gases from the liquid water before it is sent to boiler  1002 . Doing so reduces the negative impact of corrosive gases, e.g., carbon dioxide and oxygen, on the boiler and other components of the steam system. Heating and stripping steam  1014  is fed to deaerator  1006 . Steam  1014  heats the liquid water in deaerator  1006  and bubbles through the water, which helps to scrub-out gases dissolved in the liquid water in deaerator  1006 . A portion of heating and stripping steam  1014  condenses in deaerator  1006 , while another portion of steam  1014  is vented as flash steam  1016  to strip the dissolved gases out of the liquid water. 
         [0049]    A relatively small proportion of heating and stripping steam  1014  is vented as flash steam  1016  at all times to ensure adequate stripping of the dissolved gases. However, high condensate return rate and/or relatively high condensate return pressure can result in venting excess steam  1016  due to the condensate flashing into steam upon entering deaerator  1006 . Venting excess steam results in the loss of both the heat energy stored in the steam as well as the loss of the water itself. This requires that additional make-up water  1012  be added to deaerator  1006  to account for the loss of the water mass. Also, additional energy must be added to the system in order to heat and vaporize the new water into high pressure steam. 
         [0050]    Heat recovery and redistribution system  1000  also includes a condensate heat exchanger  1018  and a heater  1020 . Condensate heat exchanger  1018 , as well as any of the heat exchangers described herein, can be one or a combination of any type of heat exchanger known in the art in which fluid passing through a first “side” of the heat exchanger transfers heat to fluid passing through a second “side” of the heat exchanger. For example, condensate heat exchanger  1018  can be a shell and tube heat exchanger, a plate heat exchanger, and/or a plate-fin heat exchanger. Furthermore, the fluids between which the heat is transferred may be in a co-current, counter-current, or cross-current configuration. Further still, although only one heat exchanger may be shown in the Figures, each heat exchanger represented and/or described can be one or more heat exchangers in parallel or in series in order to provide redundancy, increase the surface area available for heat exchange, and/or provide other benefits. In some implementations, the inlet of one side of condensate heat exchanger  1018  receives condensate from surge tank  1010 , while the outlet of the same side is connected to deaerator  1006 . Meanwhile, the other side of condensate heat exchanger  1018  is connected in a closed loop  1020  to heater  1022 . The fluid in closed loop  1020  can be any heat exchanger fluid known in the art for use with temperatures ranging from about −40° C. to about 180° C., e.g., a water and glycol mixture. In addition, one or more pumps (not shown) are used to circulate the heat exchanger fluid in closed loop  1020  as well as the other closed loops described herein. 
         [0051]    Heater  1020  is located on a fresh air intake  1056  of a building&#39;s heating and ventilation system  1054 . Heater  1020  can be any one or a combination of any type of heat exchangers for heating air. For example, heater  1020  can be a radiator or any of the types of heat exchangers set forth as examples above. When relatively cooler air is taken into the building, it passes through heater  1020  and cools the fluid in closed loop  1020  as the fresh air is heated. The fluid, through condensate heat exchanger  1018 , absorbs heat from the condensate passing from surge tank  1010  to deaerator  1006 , thereby cooling the condensate returned to deaerator  1006 . 
         [0052]    By reducing the temperature of the returning condensate, embodiments of the invention reduce the amount of condensate that flashes to steam upon return to deaerator  1006 . In addition, by cooling the condensate in deaerator  1006 , the amount of stripping steam  1014  that is condensed is increased. Thus, the amount of excess stripping steam  1014  lost as flash steam  1016  is reduced and the heat of vaporization stored in the steam is recaptured by the condensate in deaerator  1006 . In this way, the heat that would otherwise be lost by excess stripping steam  1014  exiting deaerator  1006  as flash steam  1016  is recovered and redistributed into the fresh air being drawn into the building&#39;s heating and ventilation system. 
         [0053]    In other implementations of system  1000 , condensate collected in surge tank  1010  is sent to deaerator  1006  without passing through condensate heat exchanger  1018  (not shown). In such an implementation, condensate is taken from deaerator  1006 , passed through condensate heat exchanger  1018 , and returned to deaerator  1006 . In so doing, heat is removed from the condensate in deaerator  1006  in the manner similar to that described above. 
         [0054]    System  1000  further includes a boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  and an air conditioning system heat exchanger  1026 . Both boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  and air conditioning system heat exchanger  1026  can be one or a combination of any type of heat exchanger, such as those described above. The inlet of one side of boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  receives condensate/boiler feed water from deaerator  1006 . The outlet of that same side of exchanger  1024  passes the boiler feed water to high pressure boiler  1002 . Meanwhile, the other side of exchanger  1024  is connected, in a closed loop, to one side of air conditioning system heat exchanger  1026 . The closed loop between the two exchangers is filled with a heat exchanger fluid, such as that described above. The other side of air conditioning system heat exchanger  1026  is connected to air conditioning system  1028  and removes heat from air conditioning system  1028 . 
         [0055]    As air conditioning system  1028  operates to cool a building, heat is generated through the compression of the refrigerant (e.g., R-22, R-422D, etc.) inside the air conditioning system. In conventional systems, this heat is removed from air conditioning system  1028  by radiators and/or cooling towers coupled to the air conditioning system. In system  1000 , the heat is removed from air conditioning system  1028  by air conditioning heat exchanger  1026  and transferred to the boiler feed water via boiler feed heat exchanger  1024 . In so doing, heat that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere is recovered and redistributed to the steam system  1004 . In some implementations, one of heat exchanger  1024  or  1026  is eliminated, and the heat from air conditioning system  1028  is transferred to the boiler feed water in a single exchanger. 
         [0056]    Optionally, auxiliary components  1030 , which include an auxiliary heat exchanger  1032  and an auxiliary heat source  1034 , are included in system  1000 . Auxiliary components  1030  are connected between air conditioning heat exchanger  1026  and boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  such that the fluid exiting air conditioning heat exchanger  1026  is further heated by the auxiliary components before entering boiler feed heat exchanger  1024 . Auxiliary components  1030  can be connected to the closed loop between exchangers  1024  and  1026  by a valve arrangement  1036  such that auxiliary components can contribute heat to the closed loop as needed, or the auxiliary components  1030  can be bypassed. Auxiliary heat source  1034  supplies heat to auxiliary heat exchanger  1032  via a closed loop  1038 . 
         [0057]    In some implementations, additional auxiliary components can be included downstream of condensate heat exchanger  1018  and upstream of heater  1022  (not shown). In this way, the amount of heat supplied to the building&#39;s heating and ventilation system can be increased without unduly cooling the condensate being transferred from surge tank  1010  to deaerator  1006 . These auxiliary components, too, can be bypassed, as described above. 
         [0058]    Auxiliary heat source  1034 , and any other auxiliary heat sources, described above can be any type of heater known in the art. For example, auxiliary heat sources include gas-fired heaters, oil-fired heaters, and/or electric-resistance heaters. However, as set forth in greater detail below, a collider chamber apparatus can be used as an auxiliary heat source. Using an embodiment of the collider chamber apparatus as an auxiliary heat source has advantages over conventional methods of heating, also as set forth in more detail below. 
         [0059]    The boiler feed water supply to boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  includes a bypass valve  1040  and a temperature controller  1042 . Temperature controller  1042  monitors the temperature of the boiler feed water that exits boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  and modulates bypass valve  1040  to achieve the desired temperature of boiler feed water entering high pressure boiler  1002 . Temperature controller  1042  increases the amount of water that bypasses boiler feed heat exchanger  1024  to decrease the boiler feed water temperature, e.g., in order to prevent the boiler feed water from flashing upon entering high pressure boiler  1002 , and thereby, possibly damaging high pressure boiler  1002 . 
         [0060]    Other bypass valves and temperature controllers are provided to maintain the various fluids of the system at their desired temperatures. For example, a bypass valve  1044  can be controlled by a temperature controller  1046  based on the temperature of the condensate returned to deaerator  1006  or the temperature of the condensate in deaerator  1006  itself. Likewise, a bypass valve  1048  can be controlled by a temperature controller  1050 , based on the temperature of the fluid entering heater  1022  or based on the temperature of the air exiting heater  1022 . Furthermore, the individual valves of valve arrangement  1036  can be controlled by a temperature controller  1052  in order to achieve a desired temperature of the fluid passing between air conditioning heat exchanger  1026  and boiler feed heat exchanger  1024 . 
         [0061]      FIG. 19  is an overview of another implementation of a heat recovery and redistribution system  1100  according to an embodiment of the invention. System  1100  includes a low pressure steam tank  1102 , which contains low pressure for supply to a steam distribution system  1104 . Low pressure steam is produced in low pressure steam tank  1102  by flashing hot condensate, which is at an elevated pressure and temperature relative to the low pressure steam, through a low pressure flash valve  1106 , e.g., a throttling valve. To produce flash steam, condensate from deaerator  1108  passes through one or more pumps  1110  to increase the pressure of the condensate to, for example, 4.8 Bar (70 PSIA). The pressurized condensate passes through one side of condensate heat exchanger  1112  where it is heated to the desired temperature, for example, about 150.5° C. (303° F.). Deaerator  1108  has a make-up water supply  1136 , a stripping steam supply  1138 , vented flash steam  1140 , and a condensate return  1142  as described above in connection with system  1000 . 
         [0062]    The pressurized and heated condensate then passes through low pressure flash valve  1106  where the pressure is reduced to the operating pressure of low pressure steam tank  1102  (e.g., about 1.4 Bar (20 PSIA)). As a result of this adiabatic expansion, part of the liquid water evaporates to steam, and the water vapor and liquid water cool to the steam saturation temperature that corresponds to the operating pressure of the low pressure steam tank  1102 . In this illustrative embodiment, a temperature of about 109.3° C. (229° F.) corresponds to an operating pressure of about 1.4 Bar (20 PSIA). Although not shown, an additional heat exchanger can be disposed downstream of low pressure steam tank  1102  to provide a measure of superheat to the steam in low pressure steam system  1104 . This additional heat exchanger can receive heat from another set of auxiliary components and/or from the closed loop between heat exchangers  1114 ,  1112 , and  1120 . 
         [0063]    The other side of condensate heat exchanger  1112  is connected, in a closed loop, to one side of an air conditioning system heat exchanger  1114 . The closed loop between the two exchangers is filled with a heat exchanger fluid, such as that described above. The other side of air conditioning system heat exchanger  1114  is connected to an air conditioning system  1116  and removes heat from air conditioning system  1116 . As described above, heat is removed from air conditioning system  1116  by air conditioning heat exchanger  1114  and transferred to the pressurized condensate via condensate heat exchanger  1112 . In so doing, heat that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere is recovered and redistributed to the steam system  1104 . In some implementations, one of heat exchanger  1112  or  1114  is eliminated, and the heat from air conditioning system  1116  is transferred to the pressurized condensate in a single exchanger. 
         [0064]    Similar to system  1000 , auxiliary components  1118 , which include an auxiliary heat exchanger  1120  and an auxiliary heat source  1122 , are optionally included in system  1100 . Auxiliary components  1118  are connected between air conditioning heat exchanger  1114  and condensate heat exchanger  1112  such that the fluid exiting air conditioning heat exchanger  1114  is further heated by the auxiliary components  1118  before entering condensate heat exchanger  1112 . Auxiliary components  1118  can be connected to the closed loop between exchangers  1112  and  1114  by a valve arrangement  1124  such that auxiliary components  1118  can contribute heat to the closed loop as needed, or auxiliary components  1118  can be bypassed. Auxiliary heat source  1122  supplies heat to auxiliary heat exchanger  1120  via a closed loop  1126 . As with auxiliary components  1030 , a collider chamber apparatus can be used as the auxiliary heat source. Although not shown, a condensate surge tank, condensate heat exchanger, and heater, such as elements  1010 ,  1018 , and  1022  of  FIG. 18 , can be included in system  1100 . 
         [0065]    Low pressure flash valve  1106  can be modulated by a pressure controller  1128 , which controls the operating pressure of low pressure steam tank  1102 . As described above in connection with system  1000 , a bypass valve  1130  and a temperature controller  1132  regulate the amount of condensate that passes through condensate heat exchanger  1112  to control the temperature of pressurized and heated condensate sent to lower pressure steam tank  1102 . Also, a temperature controller  1134  can control valve arrangement  1124  to achieve a desired temperature of the fluid sent to condensate heat exchanger  1112 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 20  is an overview of yet another implementation of a heat recovery and redistribution system  1200  according to an embodiment of the invention. System  1200  includes a high pressure boiler  1202 , which produces high pressure steam that is fed into a steam distribution system  1204 . High pressure boiler  1202  is fed water from a deaerator  1206  for the production of the high pressure steam. Steam condensate from a condensate return system  1208  is collected in a surge tank  1210 . The collected condensate, along with a fresh water make-up stream  1212  supply water to deaerator  1206 . Although not shown, one or more pumps are included in system  1200  to move condensate between the various vessels, boilers, and heat exchangers. 
         [0067]    Deaerator  1206  is similar to deaerator  1006  described above. Deaerator  1206  also includes a stripping steam supply  1214  and vented flash steam  1216 . Deaerator  1206  also includes a condensate feed  1218 . Condensate feed  1218  provides preheated condensate, which originates from surge tank  1210 . Condensate collected in surge tank  1210  passes through one side of a first condensate heat exchanger  1220  and one side of a second condensate heat exchanger  1222 . The other side of condensate heat exchanger  1220  receives high pressure boiler blow-down liquid  1224  from high pressure boiler  1202 . High pressure boiler blow-down liquid  1224  is a stream of liquid water that is removed from system  1200  to a drain  1226  in order to prevent the build-up of impurities and spent treatment chemicals in system  1200 . Because the blow-down liquid  1224  passes through heat exchanger  1220  before being removed from the system, the heat in the blow-down liquid  1224  is transferred to the condensate feed  1218 . 
         [0068]    After passing through heat exchanger  1220 , the condensate feed  1218  passes through one side of the second condensate heat exchanger  1222 , where it is further heated, and continues to deaerator  1206 . The other side of condensate heat exchanger  1222  receives heat from an auxiliary heat source  1228 . Auxiliary heat source  1228  supplies heat to condensate heat exchanger  1222  via a closed loop  1230 . As with auxiliary components  1030  and  1118 , a collider chamber apparatus can be used as the auxiliary heat source  1228 . Through this arrangement of heat exchangers and the auxiliary heat source, the heat contained in the high pressure boiler blow-down is recovered and the condensate is further heated before entering deaerator  1206 . 
         [0069]    Valves  1231 A,  1231 B, and  1231 C can be modulated to control the amount of condensate that passes through heat exchangers  1220  and  1222 . For example, valves  1231 A and  1231 C can be set to fully open and valve  1231 B set to fully closed. In this way, all condensate passing from surge tank  1210  to deaerator  1206  is heated in heat exchangers  1220  and  1222 . Conversely, valves  1231 A and  1231 C can be set to fully closed and valve  1231 B set to fully open in order to bypass these heat exchangers and pass condensate directly into deaerator  1206 . Furthermore, these valves may be set to intermediate throttling positions to provide a mix of preheated condensate and condensate taken directly from surge tank  1210  to deaerator. In this way, the temperature of the condensate sent to deaerator  1206  is controlled. 
         [0070]    System  1200  also includes a low pressure steam tank  1232 , a receiver  1234 , a condensate pump  1236 , a low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238 , and a low pressure flash valve  1240  (herein “flash steam system”). Low pressure steam is produced in low pressure steam tank  1232  in a manner similar to that of low pressure steam tank  1102  described above. Condensate from deaerator  1206  passes to receiver  1234  and is then pumped to low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238  by condensate pump  1236 . Condensate pump  1236  elevates the liquid condensate to the pressure necessary to prevent steam from forming as the condensate is heated in low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238 . Upon exiting low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238 , the heated and pressurized condensate passes through low pressure flash valve  1240 , thereby producing flash steam in low pressure steam tank  1232 . The steam enters a low pressure steam system  1242  through a pressure regulating valve  1244 . Condensate which does not flash into steam or that condenses in low pressure steam tank  1232  is sent to receiver  1234 . In this way, the liquid portion of the flash steam system acts as a closed-loop system. This enables for the generation and formation of a high-temperature and high-pressure fluid in a closed container to, at will, rapidly gather and store thermal energy. In additional, it provides efficient transport of the high thermal energy source in a liquid form to a heat exchanger (e.g., low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238 ). Without maintaining the closed-loop nature of the liquid, adequate pressure could not be maintained so as to prevent undesired and/or uncontrolled flashing of steam. 
         [0071]    The condensate passing through heat exchanger  1238  receives heat from a heat transfer fluid that passes in a closed loop  1246  between heat exchanger  1238  and auxiliary heat exchanger  1248 . The flow of heat transfer fluid in closed loop  1246  is controlled by a heat transfer fluid pump  1250 , thereby controlling the amount of heat supplied from auxiliary heat exchanger  1248  to low pressure steam heat exchanger  1238 . Auxiliary heat exchanger  1248  receives heat from auxiliary heat source  1228  via the closed loop  1230  described above. 
         [0072]    System  1200  also includes a low pressure boiler  1252 . Low pressure boiler  1252  receives condensate from deaerator  1206  and produces low pressure steam in the conventional manner. This low pressure steam is passed into low pressure steam system  1242 . Thus, low pressure steam can be produced by low pressure boiler  1252  and/or the flash method described above in connection with low pressure steam tank  1232 . 
         [0073]    Although not shown, system  1200  includes additional control valves and/or fluid flow control devices. These devices permit the system to operate with or without various components. For example, the flash steam system can be isolated such as to not receive condensate from deaerator  1206 , and, thus, not generate flash steam. In such a operation scenario, heat from high pressure boiler blow-down liquid  1224  is still, optionally, recovered and redistributed to the condensate in deaerator, but all low pressure steam demand is met by low pressure boiler  1252 . Conversely, system  1200  can be operated without supplying condensate to low pressure boiler  1252 , thereby relying upon the flash steam system to meet the low pressure steam demand. In this case, condensate heat exchangers  1220  and  1222  may, optionally, be bypassed, as described above, and auxiliary heat source  1228  and exchangers  1238  and  1248  used to supply the additional needed heat energy to the flash steam system. 
         [0074]    Embodiments of the invention, such as systems  1000 ,  1100 , and  1200  enable heat to be recovered and redistributed within a building&#39;s heating and air conditioning systems and/or steam systems. In so doing, embodiments of the invention conserve energy by reducing the consumption of fuel and/or electricity used to boil water to produce steam, heat ambient air, and/or remove heat from the building&#39;s air conditioning system. This integration of multiple heat producers and heat consumers, across the entire system rather than between one heat source and one heat sink, results in economic savings. In addition, embodiments of the invention provide for a reduction in greenhouse and other harmful gas emissions, thereby lessening the environmental impact of the building&#39;s operations. These economic and environmental benefits are increased through the use of a collider chamber apparatus as an auxiliary heat source, as set forth above and described in more detail below. 
         [0075]    By producing steam, e.g. low pressure steam, in the manner described in systems  1100  and  1200 , additional operating benefits are realized. The method of producing flash steam as described above is believed to be more responsive than conventional boiler systems, especially when a collider chamber apparatus is used as an auxiliary heat source. This increase in responsiveness results in a reduction of the cyclic nature of the steam system in general. Typically, the steam produced by conventional steam systems fluctuate in a cyclic manner. These cycles result in periods of over- and under-production of steam. During the periods of over production, the excess steam that is produced is vented from the system in order to maintain the desired steam pressure in the distribution headers. This venting wastes energy and water. 
         [0076]    Due to the degree of integration between the heat producers and heat consumers in systems  1000 ,  1100 , and  1200  described above, heat that would be used to produce flash steam can be quickly diverted to other portions of the system when the steam load decreases, thereby reducing steam production and reducing or eliminating the amount of steam wasted due to venting. Furthermore, because the amount of heat produced by the collider chamber apparatus can modulated much more quickly than a conventional boiler system, the production of heat that would otherwise be wasted in avoided. Thus, by employing a combination of conventional boiler and the flash steam method, energy and water waste can be reduced. For example, a low pressure boiler can be operated to produce a constant amount of steam that is slightly less than the minimum low pressure steam demand. Meanwhile, the flash method operates in a “peak shaving” mode by producing the balance of steam required to meet the current demand. Further still, because the manner of producing flash steam disclosed herein transfers heat to the condensate to be flashed without the use of steam, additional condensate accumulation due to condensing steam is reduced or avoided. Thus, the occurrences of excess liquid levels in the low pressure steam tank, receiver, and/or deaerator, which can require steam venting or liquid dumping, are reduced. 
         [0077]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show front-sectional and top-sectional views, respectively, of a collider chamber apparatus  100 .  FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a portion of apparatus  100 . Apparatus  100  includes a rotor  110  and a stator  112 . The stator  112  is formed from part of a housing  114  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) that encloses rotor  110 . Housing  114  includes a cylindrical sidewall  116 , a circular top  118 , and a circular bottom  120 . Top  118  and bottom  120  are fixed to sidewall  116  thereby forming a chamber  115  within housing  114  that encloses rotor  110 . Rotor  110  is disposed for rotation about a central shaft  121  that is mounted within housing  114 . Stator  112  is formed in a portion of sidewall  116 . 
         [0078]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the cross section of stator  112  has a generally annular shape and includes an outer wall  122  and an inner wall  124 . Outer wall  122  is circular. Inner wall  124  is generally circular, however, inner wall  124  defines a plurality of tear-drop shaped collider chambers  130 . Each collider chamber  130  includes a leading edge  132 , a trailing edge  134 , and a curved section of the inner wall  124  connecting the leading and trailing edges  132 ,  134 . For convenience of illustration,  FIG. 3  shows only one of the collider chambers  130  in perspective. Further,  FIG. 3  does not show the portion of housing  114  that extends above stator  112  and also does not show the portion of housing  114  that extends below stator  112 . 
         [0079]    The outer diameter of rotor  110  is often selected so that it is only slightly smaller (e.g., by approximately 1/5000 of an inch) than the inner diameter of stator  112 . This selection of diameters minimizes the radial distance between rotor  110  and the leading edges  132  of the collider chambers  130  and of course also minimizes the radial distance between rotor  110  and the trailing edges  134  of the collider chambers  130 . 
         [0080]    Apparatus  100  also includes fluid inlets  140  and fluid outlets  142  for allowing fluid to flow into and out of the collider chambers  130 . Apparatus  100  can also include annular fluid seals  144  (shown in  FIG. 1 ) disposed between the top and bottom of rotor  110  and the inner wall of sidewall  116 . Inlet  140 , outlet  142 , and seals  144  cooperate to define a sealed fluid chamber  143  between rotor  110  and stator  112 . More specifically, fluid chamber  143  includes the space between the outer wall of rotor  110  and the inner wall  124  (including the collider chambers  130 ) of stator  112 . Seals  144  provide (1) for creating a fluid lubricating cushion between rotor  110  and sidewall  116 , (2) for restricting fluid from expanding out of chamber  143 , and (3) for providing a restrictive orifice for selectively controlling pressure and fluid flow inside fluid chamber  143 . The space in chamber  115  between bottom  114  and rotor  110  (as well as the space between top  118  and rotor  110 ) serves as an expansion chamber and provides space for a reserve supply of fluid lubricant for seals  144 . 
         [0081]      FIG. 1A  shows an alternative embodiment of apparatus  100  in which fluid inlets  140  provide fluid communication between the environment external to apparatus  100  and chamber  115  through top  118  and bottom  120 , and in which fluid outlets  142  a permit fluid communication between the environment external to apparatus  100  and the sealed chamber  143  through sidewall  116 . Fluid inlets  140  may be used to selectively introduce fluid into chamber  115  through the top  118  and bottom  120 , and some of the fluid introduced through inlets  140  may flow into sealed chamber  143 . Fluid outlets  142  are used to selectively remove fluid from the sealed chamber  143 . As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the fluid inlets and outlets permit fluid to flow into and out of, respectively, chamber  143  and may be arranged in many different configurations. 
         [0082]    To simplify the explanation of the operation of apparatus  100 , a simplified mode of operation will initially be discussed. In this simplified mode, fluid inlets and outlets  140 ,  142  are initially used to fill fluid chamber  143  with a fluid (e.g., water). Once chamber  143  has been filed, inlets  140  and outlets  142  are sealed to prevent fluid from entering or exiting the chamber  143 . After fluid chamber  143  has been filed with fluid and sealed, a motor or some other form of mechanical or electrical device (not shown) drives rotor  110  to rotate about shaft  121  in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by arrow  150  (in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Rotation of rotor  110  generates local cyclonic fluid flow patterns in each of the collider chambers  130 . 
         [0083]      FIG. 4  shows a simplified top-sectional view of a portion of the fluid flow pattern in a single collider chamber  130  of apparatus  100 . The rotation of rotor  110  in the direction of arrow  150  causes the fluid within chamber  143  to flow generally in the direction of arrow  150 . Arrow  202  represents the trajectory of fluid molecules that are tangentially spun off of rotor  110  into collider chamber  130 . These molecules are redirected by the wall of chamber  130  to flow in the direction of arrow  210  and form a cyclonic fluid flow pattern  220 . Molecules flowing in pattern  220  flow generally in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow  210 . The rotational velocity of flow pattern  220  is determined by the rotational velocity of rotor  110 , the radius of rotor  110 , and the radius of the portion of chamber  130  within which pattern  220  flows. More specifically, the rotational velocity (e.g., in revolutions per minute) of flow pattern  220  is determined approximately according to the following Equation (1): 
         [0000]      V ∝ ∝ (R r /R ∝ )V r    (1) 
         [0084]    where V ∝  is the rotational velocity of pattern  220 , V r  is the rotational velocity of rotor  110 , R ∝  is the radius of the portion of collider chamber  130  within which pattern  220  flows as indicated in  FIG. 4 , and R r  is the radius of rotor  110 . The radius R ∝  of collider chamber  130  is typically much smaller than the radius R r  of rotor  110 . Therefore, the rotational velocity V 4  of flow pattern  220  is normally much greater than the rotational velocity V r  of rotor  110 . In other words, apparatus  100  employs mechanical advantage, created by the disparity in the radii of rotor  110  and collider chamber  130 , to greatly increase the rotational velocity of fluid flowing in chamber  130 . In addition, the center of the roughly circular portion of collider chamber  130  can be located such that a circle formed by the outline of collider chamber would intersect a portion of rotor  110 . Thus, in some embodiments, the widest portion of collider chamber is in the form of a “flattened” circle. 
         [0085]    In one embodiment the radius R r  of rotor  110  is six inches, the radius R ∝  of the portion of collider chamber  130  within which pattern  220  flows is one eighth (⅛) of an inch, the rotational velocity of the rotor is 3,400 revolutions per minute (RPM), and the rotational velocity of flow pattern  220  is approximately 163,200 RPM. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that 163,200 RPM is an enormous rotational velocity and is far higher than has been generated with prior art systems for manipulating fluid. For example, some centrifuges generate rotational velocities as high as 70,000 RPM, however, centrifuges do not approach the rotational velocities, and large centrifugal and centripetal forces, provided by the collider chamber apparatus. Further, centrifuges provide only a single chamber for separation purposes whereas collider chamber apparatus  100  provides a plurality of collider chambers  130 , all of which can accommodate a separately controllable cyclonic fluid flow for manipulating the fluid properties. Still further, centrifuges rapidly move a container of fluid but they do not move the fluid within the container relative to that container. Therefore, centrifuges do not greatly increase the number of molecular collisions occurring in the fluid contained within the centrifuge. In contrast to a centrifuge, an apparatus constructed as described herein generates fluid flows that rotate at extremely high velocity relative to their containing collider chambers and as will be discussed in greater detail below thereby dramatically increases the number of molecular collisions occurring within the fluid contained within the apparatus. 
         [0086]    The rotational velocity V ∝  discussed above is a macro-scale property of the cyclonic flow pattern  220 . The velocities of individual molecules flowing in pattern  220  as well as the frequency of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220  (i.e., the number of molecular collisions occurring every second) are important micro-scale properties of pattern  220 . As is well known, the average velocity of molecules in a fluid (even a “static” or non-flowing fluid) is relatively high and is a function of the temperature of the fluid (e.g., 1500 feet per second for water at room temperature in a static condition). Typically, fluid molecules travel very short distances (at this high velocity) before colliding with other rapidly moving molecules in the fluid (e.g., the mean free path for an ideal gas at atmospheric pressure is 10 −5  cm). The average molecular velocity and the average frequency of molecular collisions are micro-scale properties associated with any fluid. As will be discussed in greater detail below, operation of apparatus  100  dramatically increases the frequency of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220  and also increases the velocities of molecules flowing in pattern  220 , and thereby increases the temperature of fluid flowing in pattern  220 . 
         [0087]    Molecules flowing in pattern  220  continually collide with molecules that are spun into chamber  130  by rotor  110 . In  FIG. 4 , the reference character  230  indicates the region where the maximum number of molecular collisions occurs between molecules flowing in pattern  220  and molecules that are spun off of rotor  110 . The number of collisions added to the fluid in chamber  130  by operation of the apparatus is roughly proportional to the rotational velocity of the flow pattern  220  (i.e., since each molecule is likely to experience a new collision every time it traverses the circumference of the flow pattern and again passes through the location indicated by reference character  230 ). Therefore, the extremely high rotational velocity of cyclonic flow pattern  220  produces a correspondingly large number of molecular collisions. Such a large number of molecular collisions could not occur within a fluid in a static condition, and also could not occur within a fluid that does not move relative to its container (as in the case of a centrifuge). 
         [0088]    A small amount of heat is generated every time a molecule flowing in pattern  220  collides with the wall of the collider chamber or with a molecule spun off of rotor  110 . This heat results from converting kinetic energy of molecules flowing in pattern  220  into thermal energy. This energy conversion results in reducing the kinetic energy (or velocity) of molecules flowing in pattern  220 , and if not for action of the rotor  110  the pattern  220  would eventually stop rotating or return to a static condition. However, rotor  110  continually adds kinetic energy to flow pattern  220  and thereby maintains the rotational velocity of pattern  220 . The rotor  110  may be thought of as continually “pumping” kinetic energy into the molecules flowing in pattern  220 , and the enhanced molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220  may be thought of as continually converting this kinetic energy into heat. As the apparatus  100  operates, the continuous generation of heat tends to increase the average molecular velocity of molecules flowing in pattern  220 , and this increase in velocity further increases the number of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220 . 
         [0089]    In the prior art, heat has been added to fluids and the molecular motion of the fluids have been increased in response to the added heat. In contrast to the prior art, embodiments of the collider chamber apparatus induce rapid motion in a fluid (i.e., the high macro-scale rotational velocity V ∝  of fluid in the collider chamber  130 ) and thereby generate heat in response to the increased motion. The apparatus therefore provides a fundamentally new way of heating, or adding energy to, fluids. 
         [0090]    In a static fluid, molecular collisions are random in nature. In the collider chamber apparatus, the induced collisions are directional in nature. For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , rotor  110  initially causes the fluid in chamber  143  to rotate in the direction indicated by arrow  150 . Subsequently, some of the fluid is redirected by chamber  130  to flow in pattern  220 . Since the fluid flow generated by rotor  110  in the direction of arrow  150  tangentially intersects the flow pattern  220 , collisions between molecules flowing in pattern  220  and molecules spun off of rotor  110  consistently occur at the intersection of these two patterns indicated by reference character  230 . Further, at the time of collision, the colliding molecules flowing in pattern  220  and spun off of rotor  110  are both moving in the same direction as indicated by arrow  202 . This consistent occurrence, and the directional alignment of, molecular collisions within pattern  220  permit rotor  110  to continuously pump energy into flow pattern  220   
         [0091]    Since flow pattern  220  is restricted to flow within collider chamber  130 , the constant addition of heat to flow pattern  220  continuously increases both the pressure and the density of the fluid flowing in pattern  220 . In summary, the combined effect of the unusually high macro-scale rotational velocity of pattern  220 , the continuous addition of kinetic energy by rotor  110 , and the confined space of the collider chamber  130  within which the pattern  220  flows is to greatly (1) increase the number of molecular collisions occurring in the fluid, (2) increase the temperature of the fluid, (3) increase the pressure of the fluid, and (4) increase the density of the fluid. 
         [0092]    As stated above, operation of apparatus  100  dramatically increases the number of molecular collisions occurring in the fluid flowing in pattern  220 . It is difficult to calculate the actual number of molecular collisions added by operation of the apparatus, however, this number of collisions may be estimated for an exemplary embodiment as follows. Assuming that a collider chamber is 6″ tall and that the molecules of fluid in the chamber have a height of 1/1000″, then approximately 6000 layers of fluid molecules are disposed in the collider chamber at any given instant. If the flow pattern within the collider chamber is rotating at 163,000 RPM, or 26,000 revolutions per second, then the chamber adds at least 156,000,000 (26,000×6000) molecular collisions every second, since each molecule on the periphery of the collider chamber will collide with a molecule spun off of rotor  110  every time the molecule completes a rotation around the collider chamber. A typical collider chamber apparatus an may include approximately 30 collider chambers, so operation of the apparatus adds at least 4,680,000,000 molecular collisions every second. It is understood that more or less molecular collisions may be obtained by varying the dimensions of the collider chamber and/or the speed or rotation of the rotor. 
         [0093]      FIG. 5  shows a simplified perspective view of cyclonic fluid flow pattern  220  flowing in a collider chamber  130  that is provided with a central inlet  140 , an upper outlet  142 , and a lower outlet  142 . Molecules flowing in pattern  220  rotate at a high rotational velocity in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrows  210 . The high velocity, and the high number of collisions, of molecules flowing in pattern  220  rapidly heats the fluid in pattern  220 . Some of the heated fluid vaporizes and the vaporized fluid tends to collect in a generally conical, or “cyclone shaped”, vapor region  240  towards the center of pattern  220 . The vapor tends to collect near the center of pattern  220  because the large centrifugal force acting on mass flowing (or rotating) in pattern  220  tends to carry heavier (e.g., liquid) particles towards the perimeter of pattern  220  and correspondingly tends to concentrate lighter (e.g., gaseous or vapor) particles towards the center of pattern  220  where the centrifugal forces are reduced. The extremely high rotation velocity V∝ of flow pattern  220  generates correspondingly large centrifugal forces at the periphery of pattern  220  and effectively concentrates the vapor in vapor region  240 . Vapor region  240  tends to be conically shaped because the heated vapor tends to rise towards the top of chamber  230  thereby to expand the diameter of region  240  near the top of region  240 . 
         [0094]    As the vapor in region  240  increases in temperature (due to the increased molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220 ), the vapor tends to expand and thereby generates a force that acts radially in the direction indicated by arrow  250  on the liquid in pattern  220 . This radial force tends to expand the outer diameter of flow pattern  220 . However, the walls of collider chamber  130  (and the fluid molecules that are continuously spun off of rotor  110  to impact with pattern  220 ) provide external forces that prevent the outer diameter of pattern  220  from expanding. The net result of (1) the external forces that prevent the outer diameter of pattern  220  from expanding and (2) the radial force generated by the expanding vapor in vapor region  240  is to increase the pressure in flow pattern  220 . The increased pressure tends to (1) compress the fluid flowing in pattern  220  to its maximum density, (2) increase the number of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220 , and (3) increase the heating of the fluid flowing in pattern  220 . 
         [0095]    In operation of apparatus  100 , several factors tend to have a cumulative, combinatorial effect. For example, the continuous addition of kinetic energy by rotor  100  results in continuous generation of heat within apparatus  100 . This continuous generation of heat tends to continuously increase the average velocity of molecules flowing within flow pattern  220 . This continuous increase in molecular velocity tends to further increase the frequency of molecular collisions occurring within pattern  220  and thereby also leads to increased heat generation within apparatus  100 . Still further, the increased heat tends to increase the pressure and density of the fluid flowing within pattern  220  and this increased pressure and density also tends to increase the number of molecular collisions occurring within pattern  220  and thereby also leads to increased heat generation. All of these factors combined are believed to provide for exponentially fast heating of fluid flowing within pattern  220 . 
         [0096]    One application of apparatus  100  is as a heater of fluids. Fluid delivered to collider chamber  130  by inlet  140  is rapidly heated. The heated fluid may be removed by outlet  142  and delivered for example to a radiator or heat exchanger (not shown) for heating either a building or applying heat to a process. The fluid exiting the radiator or heat exchanger may then of course be returned to inlet  140  for reheating in apparatus  100 . 
         [0097]    When used as a heater of fluids, it has been discovered that the operating efficiency of a metallic embodiment of apparatus  100 , coupled to a metallic heat exchanger, increases over time with use of the same fluid in apparatus  100 . That is, the amount of heat energy produced by apparatus  100  has increased with continued operation of apparatus  100  without a proportionate increase in the amount of electrical energy consumed to rotate rotor  110 . Without being limited by any particular theory of operation, it is thought that operation of apparatus  100  induces chemical changes in the fluid in collider chamber  130 . These chemical changes are theorized to promote the absorption of metallic species into the fluid from the metallic components of apparatus  100  and the metallic heat exchanger. As now described in greater detail, the addition of metallic species to the fluid is believed to increase the operating efficiency of apparatus  100 . 
         [0098]    As described above, heat is generated when the molecules of the fluid collide with each other or with surfaces of the rotor and/or stator, and at least a portion of the kinetic energy of the molecule is converted into thermal energy. Likewise, any particles that are in motion in the fluid also impart thermal energy when those particles collide with other particles or surfaces of the rotor and/or stator. The amount of energy produced is proportionate to the velocity of the molecule or particles as well as its mass. 
         [0099]    Thus, increasing either or both of the velocity of the particles of the fluid or the mass of the particles in the fluid increases the amount of heat energy produced. When used as a heater of fluids, it is, therefore, advantageous to increase the mass of the particles of the fluid. 
         [0100]    The metallic embodiment and heat exchanger described above were used as a test system for generating heat. Rotor  110  and stator  112  of apparatus  100  of the test system were cylindrical, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Apparatus  100  of the test system had 50 collider chambers  130 . In the test system, fluid was delivered to collider chamber  130 , heated, and removed from the collider chamber. The heated fluid was passed through a heat exchanger (not shown) and returned to collider chamber  130  to be reheated. Thus, the test system was a closed loop system with respect to the fluid. In the implementation of this particular test system, rotor  110  and stator  112  were constructed of aluminum. Thus, in this embodiment, the walls of collider chamber  130  were aluminum. Also, in this particular implementation, the heat exchanger that receives the heated fluid had metallic surfaces (e.g., tubing and heat exchange plates) containing copper and iron in contact with the fluid. 
         [0101]    As stated above, it is believed that operation of the described test system caused metallic species to be absorbed into the collider fluid. The metallic apparatus  100  and metallic heat exchanger system described above was filled with water and operated on the order of hundreds of hours over a period of one year or more. In general, operation of the test system included a warm-up period and a steady state operation period. The warm-up period typically included circulating fluid through apparatus  100  and the heat exchanger at a flow rate of about 1.5 gallons per minute (GPM) and rotating rotor  110  at approximate 2500 RPM until the temperature of the fluid reached approximately 220° F. After reaching 220° F., the system would be operated in a steady state mode. During steady state operation, the rotor was rotated at about 1800 RPM and fluid was circulated through apparatus  100  and the heat exchanger at a flow rate of about 2 GPM. 
         [0102]    Although the distilled water was substantially free of metallic species and had a slightly acidic pH before being subjected to collisions induced by operation of apparatus  100 , a change in pH and the presence of metallic species was detected after operation of apparatus  100  of the test system. Table 1 shows results for three different fluid samples taken from the system after the operational period described above. Approximately one gallon of fluid total was removed from apparatus  100  for the three samples. Fluid sample 1 was taken from the system after the period of operation described above. Analysis of the sample shows increased pH as well as the presence of an elevated level of metallic species relative to the distilled water initially used in the system. Fluid sample 2 was taken during operation of the system. During the operational period, the test system was operated in the steady state condition described above. Analysis of sample 2 shows an increase in pH and metallic species relative to sample 1. Fluid sample 3 was taken from the system after the operational period during which fluid sample 2 was taken. Analysis of sample 3 shows that the metallic species present in that sample are generally equal to those present in the sample before the brief period of operation during which sample 2 was taken. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition Analysis of Fluid Taken From Apparatus 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Fluid Sample 1 
                 Fluid Sample 2 
                 Fluid Sample 3 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Aluminum 
                 220 mg/L 
                 310 mg/L 
                 220 mg/L 
               
               
                 Iron 
                  3.9 mg/L 
                  5.5 mg/L 
                  4.1 mg/L 
               
               
                 Copper 
                  24 mg/L 
                  35 mg/L 
                  26 mg/L 
               
               
                 pH 
                 7.75 
                 7.42 
                 7.41 
               
               
                 Temperature 
                 75 Deg. F. 
                 182 Deg. F. 
                 100 Deg. F 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0103]    Because approximately one gallon of fluid was removed from apparatus  100  of the test system, an equal amount of water was added to apparatus  100  to return the test system to a full capacity. Thus, the concentration of metallic species (and any other particulates) in the fluid was reduced by approximately one-half. Apparatus  100  of the test system was then operated generally as described above for approximately one-half the amount of time that preceded the fluid exchange over a period of about six months. 
         [0104]    Table 2 shows the results of analyses performed on fluid samples taken from apparatus  100  of the test system after the fluid exchange and operational period described above. As before, approximately one gallon of fluid total was removed from apparatus  100  for the three samples. Fluid sample 4 was taken from the system after the additional six months of operation described above. Analysis of the sample shows a pH nearly equal to that of that last fluid sample taken from the first test run (i.e., fluid sample 3). However, with the exception of iron content, the metallic species content was nearly half of that found in fluid sample 3. 
         [0105]    Fluid sample 5 was taken during operation of the system. During the operational period, the test system was operated in the steady state condition described above. Analysis of sample 5 shows an increase in metallic species, total suspended solids, and density relative to fluid sample 4. Fluid sample 6 was taken from the system after the operational period during which fluid sample 5 was taken. An analysis of the metallic species and total suspended solids was not performed on fluid sample 6. However, it is observed that the pH and density of fluid sample 6 are increased from that found in fluid sample 5. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition Analysis of Fluid Taken From Apparatus 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Fluid Sample 4 
                 Fluid Sample 5 
                 Fluid Sample 6 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Aluminum 
                  100 mg/L 
                  150 mg/L 
                 Not Tested 
               
               
                 Iron 
                  3.6 mg/L 
                  5.2 mg/L 
                 Not Tested 
               
               
                 Copper 
                   12 mg/L 
                   17 mg/L 
                 Not Tested 
               
               
                 pH 
                 7.42 
                 7.04 
                 7.33 
               
               
                 Temperature 
                 71 Deg. F. 
                 180 Deg. F. 
                 100 Deg. F. 
               
               
                 Density 
                 1.06 g/mL 
                 1.02 mg/L 
                 1.07 mg/L 
               
               
                 Total Suspended 
                  370 mg/L 
                  620 mg/L 
                 Not Tested 
               
               
                 Solids 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0106]    Table 3 shows the results of analyses performed on the raw fluid (water) provided as makeup fluid to apparatus  100  of the test system before the second test run described above. As the analysis results of fluid sample 7 show, the level of metallic species present in the water is quite low compared to those found in the fluid within apparatus  100  of the test system after operation. Thus, it is concluded that the water is not a significant source of metallic species. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Composition Analysis of Raw Fluid Makeup to Apparatus 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Fluid Sample 7 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Aluminum 
                 0.070 mg/L 
               
               
                   
                 Iron 
                 0.038 mg/L 
               
               
                   
                 Copper 
                 0.099 mg/L 
               
               
                   
                 pH 
                 5.94 
               
               
                   
                 Temperature 
                 72 Deg. F. 
               
               
                   
                 Density 
                  1.00 g/mL 
               
               
                   
                 Total Suspended Solids 
                 Not Tested 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0107]    The analyses for the Aluminum, Iron, and Copper were performed according to EPA Method 200.7. The pH was determined according to EPA Method 150.1. The density was determined according to method SM 2710F. Total suspended solids were determined according to EPA Method 160.2. 
         [0108]    Again, without being limited to any particular theory, it is thought that the collisions experienced by water molecules of the fluid in apparatus  100  causes some of the atoms of the water molecules to disassociate. This disassociation is thought to produce hydrogen free radicals, hydroxonium ions, and/or peroxides. Furthermore, the alkaline pH readings of the six fluid samples taken from the test system are believed to indicate the possible formation of metal hydroxides. It is further contemplated that the formation of hydrogen peroxide in the fluid of apparatus  100  can lead to the creation of metal oxides through a reaction between the hydrogen peroxide and metallic components of the system. 
         [0109]    It is noted that Aluminum, Copper, and Iron are considered to be insoluble in hot and cold water. Thus, the presence of these metallic species in the fluid after prolonged operation of apparatus  100  further supports the theories set forth above. Moreover, the elevated amount of Aluminum in the fluid relative to the amounts of Copper and Iron are thought to be attributable to the fact that the energy of the fluid molecules is highest in collider chambers  130 , which are constructed of Aluminum in the test system. Furthermore, by maintaining the fluid in a closed system, the metallic species and particles accumulate, thereby increasing the benefits. 
         [0110]    In addition to the chemical changes thought to take place due to operation of apparatus  100  on the fluid therein, it is theorized that metallic colloids are formed and suspended in the fluid. That is, microscopic and non-ionic metallic particles become suspended in the fluid in apparatus  100 . 
         [0111]    As both ionic and colloidal metallic species are carried by the fluid during operation of apparatus  100 , these metallic species experience a high rate of collisions due to the extremely high rotational velocity of the fluid within which the species are suspended. However, because the mass of the metallic species are greater than the mass of the water molecules alone, each collision of a metallic species imparts more energy, and thus, more heat, into the fluid. Thus, it is the creation of these relatively higher molecular weight particles (as compared to water alone) that is thought to be responsible for the increase in operating efficiency over time. Furthermore, it is believed that further operation of apparatus  100  on the fluid contained therein increases the metallic species content of the fluid, thereby further increasing the efficiency of operation. 
         [0112]    In addition to increasing the density of the fluid by causing ionic and colloidal species to enter the fluid, the density of a fluid exhibiting any amount of compressibility can be increased by maintaining the fluid under an increased pressure. Thus, by increasing the density of the fluid entering a collider chamber, the total amount of mass entering the collider chamber is increased. Therefore, as described above, the total number of molecular collisions increase, thereby generating more heat than in a fluid of lower relatively density. If apparatus  100  is included in a closed system, the fluid can be maintained under pressure by pressurizing the entire system. In some embodiments, pressure variations throughout the system are minimized. It is theorized that this contributes to maintaining desirable characteristics in the fluid that contribute to the total energy imparted into the fluid by apparatus  100 . However, the fluid entering apparatus  100  can also be maintained under pressure by providing a backpressure device (e.g., a valve) on the outlet of the collider chambers of apparatus  100  and pumping the fluid into the inlet of the collider chambers under pressure. 
         [0113]    The pressure of the fluid circulating through the test system can be maintained at several atmospheres or higher (i.e. about 14.696 pounds per square inch absolute (PSIA) or higher). When circulating a liquid through apparatus  100 , this has the added advantage of reducing the amount of liquid that boils due to the increase in the boiling point of the liquid due to the increase in the pressure of the fluid. By reducing the amount of liquid that becomes vapor in the collider chambers, the amount of mass in the collider chambers is increased relative to what would be expected at lower relative pressures. 
         [0114]    Apparatus  100  can be housed in various settings. It can be in, e.g., a hospital, a hotel, a research facility, a food manufacturing plant, a commercial structure (e.g., office building), a residential home, etc. Also, it can be housed on an ocean going vessel (including a ship or submarine), airplane, terrestrial vehicle, planetary space vehicle, and the like. This apparatus can be used to decontaminate and/or purify fluids while at the same time generate energy that can be used for other purposes, e.g., serve as a heat source. 
         [0115]    As set forth above, embodiments of the collider chamber apparatus can be used to augment or assist heating systems used to control environmental conditions in a public, commercial, industrial, or residential facility, not to mention ocean going vessels and passenger vehicles. Not only can apparatus  100  be used to reclaim waste heat from a facility, it can also undergo de-contamination and purification, as described above. Apparatus  100  can be disposed in-line along a facility&#39;s environmental control system (e.g., heating system). 
         [0116]    As described above, it can be advantageous to maintain the fluid circulating through apparatus  100  at a pressure higher than ambient. Maintaining the liquid under pressure increases the mass of fluid in the collider chambers of apparatus  100  as well as reducing the flashing of the liquid water into steam in various parts of the boiler system. The pressures listed above are provided for illustration only, as embodiments of apparatus  100  are capable of operating at pressures above and below those disclosed, for example, at or above hundreds of PSIG or below atmospheric. 
         [0117]    As those skilled in the art will appreciate, in addition to the simple methods of operation described above, apparatus  100  may be operated according to many different methods. For example, instead of rotating the rotor  110  at constant rotational velocity, it may be desirable to vary the rotor&#39;s rotational velocity. In particular, it may be advantageous to vary the rotor&#39;s rotational velocity with a frequency that matches a natural resonant frequency associated with the fluid flowing in flow pattern  220 . Varying the rotor&#39;s rotational velocity in this fashion causes the frequency of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220  to oscillate at this natural resonant frequency. Altering the frequency of molecular collisions in this fashion permits optimum energy transfer to the fluid flowing in pattern  220 . Molecular collisions occurring at the fluid&#39;s natural resonant frequency facilitates weakening and disassociation of molecular bonds between molecules in the fluid allowing for the withdrawal of selected molecular compounds from the fluid mass flowing in pattern  220  as was discussed above. 
         [0118]    As another example of variations from the basic embodiments of apparatus  100 , rather than using a cylindrical rotor, it may be advantageous to use a rotor having a non-constant radius (e.g., a conically shaped rotor). Using a rotor with a non-constant radius induces different velocities and different frequencies of molecular collisions in different portions of the chamber  130 . 
         [0119]    As yet another example of variations in apparatus  100 , the fluids used in apparatus  100  may be pressurized by pumping or other means prior to introduction into chamber  143 . Using pressurized fluids in this fashion increases the density of fluid in pattern  220  and increases the frequency of molecular collisions occurring in pattern  220 . Alternatively, fluids may be suctioned into apparatus  100  by the vacuum created by the centrifugal forces within apparatus  100 . As still another example, fluids may be preheated prior to introduction to apparatus  100 . When apparatus  100  is used as part of a system, it may be advantageous to use heat generated by other parts of the system to preheat the fluid input to the apparatus. For example, if apparatus  100  is used to vaporize water and thereby separate water from a waste stream, heat generated by a condenser used to condense the vaporized water may be used to preheat the fluid input to apparatus  100 . 
         [0120]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 4 , however,  FIG. 6  shows a more detailed top view of the fluid flow pattern in a single collider chamber  130 . Arrows  302 ,  304 ,  306 ,  308  illustrate the trajectory of fluid molecules that are spun tangentially off of rotor  110  into collider chamber  130 . Arrow  302  shows the trajectory of molecules that are thrown into collider chamber proximal leading edge  132 . These molecules tend to collide with and enter cyclonic fluid flow pattern  220 . Arrow  304  shows the trajectory of fluid molecules that are spun off of rotor  110  into chamber  130  proximal the trailing edge  134 . These molecules tend to impact cyclonic fluid flow pattern  220  as indicated at reference character  310 . Impact with flow pattern  220  tends to redirect these molecules in the direction indicated by arrow  312  and these molecules tend to form a secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320 . Arrows  306  and  308  show the trajectory of fluid molecules that are spun off of rotor  110  into the center of collider chamber  130 . These molecules tend to collide with the secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320 . 
         [0121]    There are several regions of enhanced molecular collisions in the flow patterns illustrated in  FIG. 6 . One such region is indicated by reference character  310 . This region is where molecules in secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320  impact molecules flowing in the primary cyclonic flow pattern  220 . Reference character  330  indicates another region of enhanced collision. This region is where molecules flowing in primary cyclonic flow pattern  220  tend to collide with molecules that are spun off of rotor  110 . Finally, reference character  332  indicates another region of enhanced collision. This region is where molecules flowing in secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320  tend to collide with molecules spun off of rotor  10 . The enhanced molecular collisions in all of these multiple cyclonic regions contribute to the increased heating of the fluid in collider chamber  130 . 
         [0122]    The properties of secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320  are similar to those of primary cyclonic flow pattern  220 . The fluid flowing in the primary and secondary cyclonic flow patterns  220 , 320  becomes heated and pressurized. However, since the radius of secondary cyclonic flow pattern  320  tends to be smaller than the radius of primary cyclonic flow pattern  220 , the fluid flowing in pattern  320  tends (1) to rotate faster, (2) to experience more molecular collisions, and (3) to become heated more quickly, than the fluid flowing in pattern  220 . 
         [0123]    As is shown in  FIG. 6 , when tear-drop shaped collider chambers are used, it is desirable to rotate rotor  110  in a direction that is towards the leading edge  132 . However, as is shown in  FIG. 7 , the apparatus will still operate in such a configuration even if rotor  110  is rotated in the opposite direction. As shown in  FIG. 7 , opposite rotation of rotor  110  will still generate at least one cyclonic flow pattern  220 ′ collider chamber  130 . 
         [0124]    The tear-drop shape (as shown in  FIG. 6 ) is one shape for the collider chambers  130 . However, as shown in  FIG. 8 , other shaped collider chambers may be used. For example,  FIG. 8  shows a top-sectional view of a C-shaped (or circular) collider chamber  130 ′. Rotation of rotor  110  will generate a single cyclonic flow pattern  220 ′ each such shaped collider chamber  130 ′. 
         [0125]      FIG. 9  shows a sectional-top view of one configuration of the apparatus  100 . In this configuration, each collider chamber  130  is provided with a corresponding fluid inlet  140  for introducing fluid into the collider chamber. Each fluid inlet is fluidically coupled to a manifold  412 . Each fluid inlet is also provided with a valve  410  for selectively controlling the fluid flow between its respective collider chamber  130  and the manifold  412 . Each collider chamber  130  can also be provided with a fluid outlet (not shown) and each of the fluid outlets can be provided with a valve for selectively controlling the amount of fluid leaving the chamber  130 . Providing each collider chamber  130  with its own fluid inlet, fluid outlet, and control valves allows the conditions (e.g., temperature or pressure) in each of the collider chambers  130  to be independently controlled. However, each collider chamber  130  of apparatus  100  need not have separate inlet, outlet, and corresponding valves unique to each collider chamber  130 . As explained in detail below, the inlet and outlet of more than one collider chamber may be joined. 
         [0126]      FIG. 10  shows a sectional-side view of another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus  100 . In this embodiment, the apparatus includes an “hour-glass shaped” rotor  510  disposed for rotation about shaft  121 . Rotor  510  includes a middle portion  511 , a bottom portion  512 , and a top portion  513 . The outer diameter of the middle portion  511  is smaller than the outer diameter of the top and bottom portions  512 ,  513 . The apparatus further includes a sidewall  516  that defines a plurality of collider chambers  530  extending vertically along the periphery of the rotor  510 . The apparatus further includes inlets  541  that allow fluid to enter the collider chambers  530  near the middle portion  511  of the rotor  510 . The apparatus also includes outlets  542  and  543  that allow fluid to exit from the collider chambers  530  near the bottom and top portions  512  and  513 , respectively. In one embodiment, the apparatus is constructed as is illustrated generally in  FIG. 9  with a plurality of collider chambers surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor and with each collider chamber  530  being provided with its own inlet  541  and its own outlets  542 ,  543 . Each of the inlets  541  can be coupled to a manifold  561  via a control valve  551 . Similarly, each of the outlets  542  and  543  can be coupled to manifolds  562  and  563 , respectively, via control valves  552  and  553 , respectively. Apparatus  100  may also include additional fluid inlets/outlets  544  for permitting fluid introduction and removal through the apparatus&#39; top and bottom. These inlets/outlets  544  may also be provided with control valves  554 . 
         [0127]    In operation, the centrifugal force, and compression, generated by rotation of rotor  510  is greater near the top and bottom portions  513 ,  512  than near the middle portion  511 . So, fluid provided to the collider chambers  530  via the inlets  541  is suctioned into the apparatus and is naturally carried by the centrifugal force generated by rotor  510  to the outlets  542 ,  543 . 
         [0128]      FIG. 11  shows a sectional side view of yet another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus  100 . In this embodiment, the apparatus includes a rotor  610 . Rotor  610  is generally cylindrical or barrel shaped, and rotor  610  includes a middle portion  611 , a bottom portion  612  and a top portion  613 . The outer diameter of middle portion  611  is greater than the diameters of bottom and top portions  612 ,  613 . The apparatus further includes a sidewall  616  that defines a plurality of collider chambers  630  extending vertically along the periphery of the rotor  610 . The apparatus further includes outlets  641  that allow fluid to exit the collider chambers  630  near the middle portion  611  of the rotor  610 . The apparatus also includes inlets  642  and  643  that allow fluid to enter from the collider chambers  630  near the bottom and top portions  612  and  613 , respectively. In one embodiment, the apparatus is constructed as is illustrated generally in  FIG. 9  with a plurality of collider chambers surrounding the outer periphery of the rotor and with each collider chamber  630  being provided with its own outlet  641  and its own inlets  642 ,  643 . Each of the outlets  641  can be coupled to a manifold  661  via a control valve  651 . Similarly, each of the inlets  642  and  643  can be coupled to manifolds  662  and  663 , respectively, via control valves  652  and  653 , respectively. Apparatus  100  may also include fluid inlets/outlets  644  for permitting fluid introduction and removal through the apparatus&#39; top and bottom. These inlets/outlets  644  may also be provided with control valves  654 . 
         [0129]    In operation, the centrifugal force generated by rotation of rotor  610  is greater near the middle portion  611  than near the top and bottom portions  613 ,  612 . So, fluid provided to the collider chambers  630  via the inlets  642 ,  643  is naturally carried by the centrifugal force generated by rotor  610  to the outlets  641 . 
         [0130]      FIG. 12  shows a sectional-side view of yet another embodiment of a collider chamber apparatus  100 . This embodiment includes a generally disk shaped rotor  710  disposed for rotation about shaft  121  and a top  718  that defines a plurality of generally horizontal collider chambers  730  that extend along an upper surface of rotor  710 .  FIG. 13  shows a view of top  718  taken in the direction of line  13 - 13  shown in  FIG. 12 . Each of the collider chambers  730  is provided with an inlet  741  and an outlet  742 . Centrifugal force generated by rotation of rotor  710  tends to carry fluid provided to collider chamber  730  via inlet  741  to the outlet  742 . In some embodiments, each of the inlets and outlets is provided with its own control valve (not shown). 
         [0131]    The collider chambers in the various embodiments of collider chamber apparatus  100  described above have a substantially linear axis about which the fluid inside the collider chamber rotates. However, in one implementation of the collider chamber apparatus  100 , each collider chamber has an axis that is helical.  FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of a collider chamber apparatus  100  with a collider chamber  830  that twists along an inner wall  824  of a stator  812 . While only a single helical collider chamber  830  is shown for the sake of simplicity of the figure, it is understood that multiple helical collider chambers can be included in this implementation. 
         [0132]    As in the embodiments described above, this illustrative implementation has a rotor  810  disposed for rotation about a shaft  121 . The collider chamber  830  is provided with an inlet  841  and an outlet  842 . Because the helical collider chamber  830  has a longer path between inlet  841  and outlet  842  than is possible with a linear collider chamber in an equally sized stator  812 , the fluid residence time in the helical collider chamber  830  is greater than that in the linear collider chamber. Thus, it is believed a greater amount of energy can be imparted to the molecules of the fluid in the helical collider chamber  830 , resulting in the generation of more heat as compared to that produced in a linear collider chamber. 
         [0133]      FIG. 14  shows the outlet  842  as being located approximately 60 degrees apart from the inlet  841  in a direction of rotation  850 . However, the inlet  841  and outlet  842  of helical collider chamber  830  can be separated by a greater or lesser angle. For example, helical collider chamber  830  can pass along the entire circumference of the stator  812  such that the outlet  842  is located above the inlet  841 . Moreover, helical collider chamber  830  may pass along the circumference of stator  812  in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
         [0134]    When helical collider chamber  830  passes along the circumference of stator  812  in the same direction as the rotation of rotor  810 , the frictional force generated by rotation of rotor  810  not only causes rotation of the fluid within the collider chamber  830 , but also tends to carry the fluid provided to collider chamber  830  via inlet  841  to the outlet  842 . In some embodiments, each of the inlets and outlets is provided with its own control valve (not shown). 
         [0135]    Although  FIG. 14  shows a cylindrical stator  812  and rotor  810  combination, it is understood that the helical collider chamber implementation can be used in any of the embodiments of collider chamber apparatus  100  described above. For example, the hour-glass-shaped rotor  510  show in  FIG. 10 , the barrel-shaped rotor  610  shown in  FIG. 11 , and/or the disk-shaped rotor  710  shown in  FIG. 12  can be implemented with helical collider chambers. 
         [0136]    Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the collider chambers illustrated in  FIGS. 10-14  may be used to generate cyclonic fluid flows of the type generally illustrated in and described in connection with  FIG. 5 .  FIGS. 10-14  have been presented to illustrate a few of the numerous embodiments of collider chamber apparatuses. 
         [0137]    In different embodiments, the face of rotor  110  may be smooth, scoriated (i.e., scored with a cross-hatch pattern) or treated to increase capillary flow for the fluid. The rotor may also be treated to provide for catalytic reactions occurring within apparatus  100 . Further, apparatus  100  may be constructed from a variety of materials including metallic, thermoplastic, mineral, fiberglass, epoxy, and other materials. It may be desirable to base the selection of the materials used to construct apparatus  100  on the fluids that will be used in the apparatus and/or the potential use to which apparatus  100  will be put. 
         [0138]    For example, one embodiment of apparatus  100  is constructed of aluminum and thermoplastic. In this embodiment, stator  112  is constructed of polyvinylidene fluoride (commercially available as Kynar® from Arkema, Inc.), which is a thermoplastic. This particular thermoplastic is desirable because of its resistance to abrasion, its strength, and high thermal stability. However, thermoplastic embodiments are not limited to this material, and the use of other thermoplastics is contemplated. The thermoplastic stator  112  is relatively light in comparison to many metals and increases the transportability of apparatus  100 . Additional benefits are realized when such an apparatus  100  is used to generate heat in a fluid. Namely, the thermoplastic has a relatively high insulation value and overall lower heat capacity. Thus, less of the heat generated in the fluid within collider chambers  130  escapes the fluid due to heat loss from the external surface of stator  112 . 
         [0139]    Rotor  110  described above is constructed of aluminum and is hollow. Both of these characteristics contribute to a reduction in weight of apparatus  100  and reduce the amount of mass of apparatus  100  that absorbs heat produced in the fluid in collider chambers  130 . Thus this particular embodiment has a relatively short “warm-up” period during which rotor  110  and stator  112  absorb the heat produced before arriving at the temperature of the fluid (approximately one-half of the test system described above). In addition, because the rotating mass is reduced, the amount of energy required to spin rotor  110  is reduced, thereby improving the efficiency of apparatus  100 . 
         [0140]    It is expected that the metal and thermoplastic embodiment described above would cause similar effects to take place in the fluid circulated therein upon operation of apparatus  100 . In addition, it is expected that the energy imparted in the molecules of the fluid would cause particles of the thermoplastic to enter the fluid. Due to the relatively higher molecular weight of the thermoplastic molecules (relative to the fluid alone), each collision of the thermoplastic molecules would impart high levels of energy into the fluid. Thus, it is expected that increases in efficiency would be realized with prolonged operation of the metal and thermoplastic apparatus  100 . 
         [0141]    In the embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  and  9 - 14 , the stators (e.g.  112  of  FIGS. 1-3 ) are shown as monolithic. However, the stators need not be composed of a single piece. In some implementations, the stators can be constructed of several pieces that are held together.  FIG. 15  is a perspective view of an embodiment of apparatus  100  with a stator  112  that is constructed of stator segments  112 A-E. Stator segments  112 A-E are shown in  FIG. 15  as semi-transparent to illustrate the tear-drop shaped collider chambers defined by the inside walls of each segment. Stator segments  112 A-E have a generally annular shape, and are held together by a clamping force imparted by circular top  118  and circular bottom  120 . Clamping rods  119  pass between circular top  118  and circular bottom  120  and provide tension to draw top  118  and bottom  120  together. Clamping rods  119  can attach directly to each of top  118  and bottom  120  by a threaded connection, or clamping rods  119  may pass through holes in each of top  118  and bottom  120  and be secured thereto by threaded nuts (not shown). 
         [0142]      FIG. 15  also illustrates central shaft  121  passing through top  118 . Although not shown, central shaft  121  passes through bottom  120  as well. A fluid seal  123  is disposed on central shaft outside top  118 . Likewise, although not shown, a fluid seal is also provided on the opposing end of central shaft  121  outside bottom  120 . The fluid seals allow central shaft  121  to pass outside the cavity created by stator segments  112 A-E, top  118 , and bottom  120  while maintaining a sealed fluid cavity. The fluid seals may be configured to pass a small amount of fluid for cooling and wetting of the seals. 
         [0143]      FIG. 16  is an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of apparatus  100  shown in  FIG. 15 . Seal  123  and clamping rods  119  are omitted for clarity. Each of stator segments  112 A-E has a corresponding inner wall  124 A-E. Inner walls  124 A-E are generally circular and define a plurality of tear-drop shaped collider chambers  130 . Inner walls  124 B-D of segments  112 B-D define tear-drop shaped chambers along the length of the segments, while segments  124 A and  124 E act as “caps” at opposing ends of those chambers. Thus, when segments  124 A-E are held together (as shown in  FIG. 15 ), annular seals similar to seals  144  of  FIG. 1  are maintained at the top and bottom of each collider chamber  130 . 
         [0144]    Although not shown in the figures, it is understood that the outside geometry of the stator is not limited to a circular shape. For example, in some embodiments, the outside cross-section of the stator may be square, rectangular, or another shape. This is true of both the monolithic stator and segmented stator. Thus, stator segments  112 A-E shown in  FIGS. 15-16  could be formed from a square or rectangular plate of metal that has been machined to create the collider chambers described above. In such an embodiment, channels can be created in the corners of the plate through which may pass clamping rods  119 . 
         [0145]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of stator segment  112 B. As described above, inner wall  124 B of stator segment  112 B defines a portion of collider chambers  130 . Inner wall  124 B of stator segment  112 B also defines a inner raceway  146  that provides a fluid connection between collider chambers  130 . Stator segment  124 B also has a outlet port  147  that passes through a sidewall  116 B and provides a fluid connection to inner raceway  146 . Thus, outlet port  147  and inner raceway  146  cooperate to provide a fluid pathway from each of collider chambers  130  to the outside of apparatus  100 , with inner raceway  146  serving as a fluid manifold for each of collider chambers  130 . Although not shown, stator segment  112 E can have a similar raceway and inlet port. Stator segment  112 B also includes a lip  162  that aids in alignment between stator segment  112 B and other segments. Lip  162  can also be lined with a gasket material to create a fluid seal. 
         [0146]    Inlet and outlet piping and valves (not shown) can be attached to the inlet and outlet ports to control fluid flows into and out of collider chambers  130 . The inner raceways and fluid ports can be used alone to supply fluid circulation to apparatus  100 , or they can be used in combination with the other methods for introducing fluid into and removing fluid from collider chambers  130  described above. It is understood that inner raceway  146  and outlet port  147  may also be used in any of the other embodiments described herein and need not be limited to embodiments having a segmented stator  112 . 
         [0147]    Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.