Application features of radial superchargers in discharge airlift units
Background. In the airlifts of the traditional technological scheme, free transportation of the liquid (hydraulic mixture) from the lifting means to the consumer provided. If the geodetic mark of the user of the pumped liquid (hydraulic mixture) exceeds the maximum possible mark of the center of gravity of the outlet section of the air separator of the traditional airlift, the use of the latter becomes impossible. Discharge airlift units that provide pressure transportation of liquid (hydraulic mixture) from the air separator expand the rational scope of application of gas-liquid lifts. To implement this method of operation of the airlift, it is necessary to provide the required excess pressure in the air separator, which, however, in the traditional scheme of installation leads to a decrease in the energy efficiency of its working process. Materials and/or methods. Using the developed analytical methods for the parameter analysis of the working process of a discharge airlift unit based on the comparison of the energy efficiency of the equivalent scheme of the discharge airlift and the equivalent scheme of the traditional airlift the parameters of the airlift units studied using radial superchargers as a source of pneumatic energy : CLW 60/1.6; CLW 100/1.6; 360-22-1; CLW 80/3.2, and CLW 200/3.0. Results. The results of the analysis of the work of airlift units of traditional and discharge designs when using a number of radial superchargers as sources of pneumatic energy, which allowed establishing the conditions of maximum energy efficiency of such units at the maximum possible values of the height of the lift H, the supply of the airlift Q<sub>э</sub> and the geometric immersion of the mixer h, contribute to the expansion of the field of practical application of airlift units. Conclusion. The values of the parameters characterizing the operation of the discharge airlift unit with the given range of superchargers in the range of absolute pressures in the air separator (in the suction nozzle of the supercharger) calculated р<sub>а</sub><sub>вз</sub>=(1.013…1.250)·10<sup>5</sup> Pa and the range of initial relative immersions of the mixer α<sub>0</sub>=(0.15…0.90) calculated. Proved that in comparison with the airlift of the traditional technological scheme, the operation of the discharge airlift in these conditions provides an increase in the height of the liquid lift (hydraulic mixture) to 16.5 % (at α<sub>0</sub>=0.3 mm), the increase in airlift supply (23.1…23.6) % (in the whole investigated range of relative mixer immersions) when increasing the efficiency of the airlift to 29.9 % (α<sub>0</sub>=0.9).