Cavitation heat generator: device, types, application. All the details about making vortex heat generators with your own hands Video. DIY vortex heat generator

Potapov's heat generator is not known to the general public and has not yet been studied enough from a scientific point of view. For the first time, Yuri Semenovich Potapov dared to try to implement the idea that came to mind towards the end of the eighties of the last century. The research was carried out in the city of Chisinau. The researcher was not mistaken, and the results of the attempts exceeded all his expectations.

The finished heat generator was patented and put into general use only at the beginning of February 2000.

All existing opinions regarding the heat generator created by Potapov differ quite greatly. Some consider it to be an almost worldwide invention; they attribute to it very high operating efficiency - up to 150%, and in some cases up to 200% energy savings. It is believed that an inexhaustible source of energy has been practically created on Earth without harmful consequences for the environment. Others argue the opposite - they say that all this is quackery, and the heat generator, in fact, requires even more resources than when using its standard analogues.

According to some sources, Potapov’s developments are prohibited in Russia, Ukraine and Moldova. According to other sources, at the moment, in our country, thermogenerators of this type are produced by several dozen factories and they are sold all over the world; they have long been in demand and take prizes at various technical exhibitions.

Descriptive characteristics of the structure of the heat generator

You can imagine what Potapov’s heat generator looks like by carefully studying the diagram of its structure. Moreover, it consists of fairly standard parts, and what we are talking about will not be difficult to understand.

So, the central and most fundamental part of the Potapov heat generator is its body. It occupies a central position in the entire structure and has a cylindrical shape, it is installed vertically. A cyclone is attached to the lower part of the body, its foundation, at the end to generate vortex flows in it and increase the speed of fluid movement. Since the installation is based on high-speed phenomena, its design had to include elements that slow down the entire process for more convenient control.

For such purposes, a special braking device is attached to the body on the opposite side of the cyclone. It is also cylindrical in shape, with an axis installed in the center. Several ribs, no more than two, are attached to the axis along the radii. Following the braking device there is a bottom equipped with an outlet for liquid. Further down the line, the hole is converted into a pipe.

These are the main elements of the heat generator, all of them are located in a vertical plane and tightly connected. Additionally, the liquid outlet pipe is equipped with a bypass pipe. They are tightly fastened and ensure contact between the two ends of the chain of main elements: that is, the pipe in the upper part is connected to the cyclone in the lower part. An additional small braking device is provided at the junction of the bypass pipe with the cyclone. An injection pipe is attached to the end part of the cyclone at a right angle to the axis of the main chain of elements of the device.

The injection pipe is provided by the design of the device for the purpose of connecting the pump with the cyclone, inlet and outlet pipelines for liquid.

Potapov heat generator prototype

Yuri Semenovich Potapov was inspired to create a heat generator by the Ranque vortex tube. The Ranque tube was invented to separate hot and cold air masses. Later, they began to put water into the Ranka pipe in order to obtain a similar result. The vortex flows originated in the so-called cochlea - the structural part of the device. During the use of the Ranque pipe, it was noticed that the water, after passing through the snail-shaped expansion of the device, changed its temperature in a positive direction.

Potapov drew attention to this unusual phenomenon, not fully substantiated from a scientific point of view, and used it to invent a heat generator with only one slight difference in the result. After the water passed through the vortex, its flows were not sharply divided into hot and cold, as happened with the air in the Ranka pipe, but into warm and hot. As a result of some measurement studies of the new development, Yuri Semenovich Potapov found out that the most energy-consuming part of the entire device - the electric pump - spends much less energy than it is generated as a result of work. This is the principle of efficiency on which the heat generator is based.

Physical phenomena on the basis of which the heat generator operates

In general, there is nothing complicated or unusual in the way Potapov’s heat generator operates.

The operating principle of this invention is based on the process of cavitation, hence it is also called a vortex heat generator. Cavitation is based on the formation of air bubbles in the water column, caused by the force of the vortex energy of the water flow. The formation of bubbles is always accompanied by a specific sound and the formation of a certain energy as a result of their impacts at high speed. Bubbles are cavities in water filled with vapors from the water in which they themselves formed. The liquid exerts constant pressure on the bubble; accordingly, it tends to move from an area of ​​high pressure to an area of ​​low pressure in order to survive. As a result, it cannot withstand the pressure and sharply contracts or “bursts,” while splashing out energy, forming a wave.

The released “explosive” energy of a large number of bubbles is so powerful that it can destroy impressive metal structures. It is this energy that serves as additional energy during heating. A completely closed circuit is provided for the heat generator, in which very small bubbles are formed that burst in the water column. They do not have such destructive power, but provide an increase in thermal energy of up to 80%. The circuit maintains an alternating current voltage of up to 220V, while maintaining the integrity of electrons important for the process.

As already mentioned, for the operation of a thermal installation, the formation of a “water vortex” is necessary. The pump built into the heating unit is responsible for this, which generates the required level of pressure and forcefully directs it into the working container. When turbulence occurs in water, certain changes occur with mechanical energy in the thickness of the liquid. As a result, the same temperature regime begins to be established. Additional energy is created, according to Einstein, by the transition of a certain mass into the necessary heat; the whole process is accompanied by cold nuclear fusion.

Operating principle of the Potapov heat generator

To fully understand all the subtleties in the nature of the operation of a device such as a heat generator, all stages of the liquid heating process should be considered step by step.

In the heat generator system, the pump creates a pressure of 4 to 6 atm. Under the created pressure, water flows under pressure into the injection pipe connected to the flange of the running centrifugal pump. A stream of liquid rapidly rushes into the cavity of the cochlea, similar to the snail in Ranque's tube. The liquid, as in the experiment done with air, begins to rotate quickly along a curved channel to achieve the cavitation effect.

The next element that contains the heat generator and where the liquid enters is a vortex tube, at this moment the water has already reached the same character and is moving rapidly. In accordance with Potapov’s developments, the length of the vortex tube is several times greater than its width. The opposite edge of the vortex tube is already hot, and the liquid is directed there.

To reach the required point, it travels its way along a helical spiral. The helical spiral is located near the walls of the vortex tube. After a moment, the liquid reaches its destination - the hot spot of the vortex tube. This action completes the movement of liquid through the main body of the device. Next, the main braking device is structurally provided. This device is designed to partially remove hot liquid from its acquired state, that is, the flow is somewhat leveled thanks to radial plates mounted on the sleeve. The sleeve has an internal empty cavity, which is connected to a small braking device following the cyclone in the heat generator structure.

Along the walls of the braking device, the hot liquid moves closer and closer to the outlet of the device. Meanwhile, a vortex flow of withdrawn cold fluid flows through the inner cavity of the main brake device bushing towards the flow of hot liquid.

The contact time of the two flows through the walls of the sleeve is sufficient to heat the cold liquid. And now the warm flow is directed to the exit through a small braking device. Additional heating of the warm flow is carried out during its passage through the braking device under the influence of the phenomenon of cavitation. The well-heated liquid is ready to leave the small braking device through the bypass and pass through the main outlet pipe connecting the two ends of the main circuit of the elements of the thermal device.

The hot coolant is also directed to the outlet, but in the opposite direction. Let us remember that a bottom is attached to the upper part of the braking device; in the central part of the bottom there is a hole with a diameter equal to the diameter of the vortex tube.

The vortex tube, in turn, is connected by a hole in the bottom. Consequently, the hot liquid ends its movement through the vortex tube by passing into the bottom hole. The hot liquid then enters the main outlet pipe, where it mixes with the warm flow. This completes the movement of liquids through the Potapov heat generator system. At the outlet of the heater, water comes from the upper part of the outlet pipe - hot, and from the lower part - warm, in which it is mixed, ready for use. Hot water can be used either in the water supply for household needs, or as a coolant in the heating system. All stages of the heat generator operation take place in the presence of ether.

Features of using the Potapov heat generator for space heating

As you know, heated water in a Potapov thermogenerator can be used for various household purposes. It can be quite profitable and convenient to use a heat generator as a structural unit of a heating system. Based on the indicated economic parameters of the installation, no other device can compare in terms of savings.

So, when using a Potapov heat generator to heat the coolant and put it into the system, the following order is provided: the already used liquid with a lower temperature from the primary circuit again enters the centrifugal pump. In turn, the centrifugal pump sends warm water through the pipe directly into the heating system.

Advantages of heat generators when used for heating

The most obvious advantage of heat generators is fairly simple maintenance, despite the possibility of free installation without requiring special permission from power grid employees. It is enough to check the rubbing parts of the device - bearings and seals - once every six months. At the same time, according to suppliers, the average guaranteed service life is up to 15 years or more.

Potapov's heat generator is completely safe and harmless to the environment and the people using it. Environmental friendliness is justified by the fact that during the operation of a cavitation heat generator, emissions of harmful products into the atmosphere from the processing of natural gas, solid fuel materials and diesel fuel are excluded. They are simply not used.

The work is powered by the electrical network. The possibility of fire due to lack of contact with open flame is excluded. Additional security is provided by the device’s instrument panel; it provides total control over all processes of temperature and pressure changes in the system.

Economic efficiency when heating a room with heat generators is expressed in several advantages. Firstly, there is no need to worry about the quality of water when it plays the role of a coolant. There is no need to think that it will harm the entire system just because of its poor quality. Secondly, there is no need to make financial investments in the arrangement, laying and maintenance of heating routes. Thirdly, heating water using physical laws and the use of cavitation and vortex flows completely eliminates the appearance of calcium stones on the internal walls of the installation. Fourthly, spending money on transportation, storage and purchase of previously necessary fuel materials (natural coal, solid fuel materials, petroleum products) is eliminated.

The undeniable advantage of heat generators for home use is their exceptional versatility. The range of applications of heat generators in everyday life is very wide:

  • as a result of passing through the system, water is transformed, structured, and pathogenic microbes die under such conditions;
  • You can water the plants with water from the heat generator, which will promote their rapid growth;
  • the heat generator is capable of heating water to a temperature above the boiling point;
  • the heat generator can work in conjunction with existing systems or be built into a new heating system;
  • the heat generator has long been used by people aware of it as the main element of the heating system in homes;
  • the heat generator easily and inexpensively prepares hot water for use in household needs;
  • The heat generator can heat liquids used for various purposes.

A completely unexpected advantage is that the heat generator can even be used for oil refining. Due to the uniqueness of the development, the vortex installation is capable of liquefying heavy oil samples and carrying out preparatory measures before transportation to oil refineries. All of these processes are carried out at minimal cost.

It should be noted that heat generators are capable of completely autonomous operation. That is, the intensity mode of its operation can be set independently. In addition, all designs of the Potapov heat generator are very simple to install. There is no need to involve service workers; all installation operations can be done independently.

Self-installation of a Potapov heat generator

To install a Potapov vortex heat generator with your own hands as the main element of the heating system, you need quite a few tools and materials. This is provided that the wiring of the heating system itself is already ready, that is, the registers are suspended under the windows and connected to each other by pipes. All that remains is to connect the device that supplies hot coolant. You need to prepare:

  • clamps - for a tight connection between the system pipes and the heat generator pipes, the types of connections will depend on the pipe materials used;
  • tools for cold or hot welding - when using pipes on both sides;
  • sealant for sealing joints;
  • pliers for tightening clamps.

When installing the heat generator, diagonal pipe routing is provided, that is, in the direction of travel, the hot coolant will be supplied to the upper branch pipe of the battery, pass through it, and the cooling coolant will come out of the opposite lower branch pipe.

Immediately before installing the heat generator, you must ensure that all its elements are intact and in good working order. Then, using the chosen method, you need to connect the water supply pipe to the supply pipe to the system. Do the same with the outlet pipes - connect the corresponding ones. Then you should take care of connecting the necessary control devices to the heating system:

  • safety valve to maintain normal system pressure;
  • circulation pump to force fluid movement through the system.

Afterwards, the heat generator is connected to a 220V power supply, and the system is filled with water with the air valves open.

Potapov's vortex heat generator, or VTP for short, was designed specifically to generate thermal energy using just an electric motor and a pump. This device is used primarily as an economical heat source.

Today we will look at the design features of this device, as well as how to make a vortex heat generator with your own hands.

Principle of operation

The generator works as follows. Water (or any other coolant used) enters the cavitator. The electric motor then spins the cavitator, in which the bubbles collapse - this is cavitation, hence the name of the element. So all the liquid that gets into it begins to heat up.

The electricity required to run a generator is spent on three things:

  • For the formation of sound vibrations.
  • To overcome the friction force in the device.
  • To heat the liquid.

Moreover, as the creators of the device, in particular the Moldovan Potapov himself, claim, renewable energy is used for operation, although it is not entirely clear where it comes from. Be that as it may, no additional radiation is observed, therefore, we can talk about almost one hundred percent efficiency, because almost all the energy is spent on heating the coolant. But this is in theory.

What is it used for?

Let's give a small example. There are a lot of enterprises in the country that, for one reason or another, cannot afford gas heating: either there is no main line nearby, or something else. Then what remains? Heat with electricity, but the tariffs for this kind of heating can be terrifying. This is where Potapov’s miracle device comes to the rescue. When using it, the energy costs will remain the same, the efficiency, of course, too, since it still won’t be more than a hundred, but the efficiency in financial terms will be from 200% to 300%.

It turns out that the efficiency of the vortex generator is 1.2-1.5.

Required Tools

Well, it’s time to start making your own generator. Let's see what we need:

  • Angle grinder or turbine;
  • Iron corner;
  • Welding;
  • Bolts, nuts;
  • Electric drill;
  • Keys 12-13;
  • Drill bits for a drill;
  • Paint, brush and primer.

Manufacturing technology. Engine

Note! Due to the fact that there is no information regarding the characteristics of the device in terms of pump power, all parameters given below will be approximate.

Read also about installing a water pump for heating -

The easiest option to make a vortex heat generator with your own hands is to use standard parts. Almost any engine can suit us; the more power it has, the more coolant it can heat. When choosing an electric motor, you should first consider the voltage in your home. The next stage is creating a frame for the engine. The bed is a regular iron frame, for which it is better to use iron corners. We will not say any dimensions, since they depend on the dimensions of the engine and are determined on the spot.

  1. Using a turbine we cut the squares to the required length. We weld them into a square structure of such dimensions that all the elements fit there.
  2. We cut out an additional corner and weld it across the frame so that the electric motor can be attached to it.
  3. We paint the frame and wait for it to dry.
  4. We drill holes for fasteners and secure the electric motor.

Installing the pump

Next we must choose the “right” water pump. The range of these tools today is so wide that you can find a model of any strength and size. We only need to pay attention to two things:

  • Will the engine be able to spin this pump;
  • Is it (the pump) centrifugal?

The body of a vortex generator is a cylinder, closed on both sides. There should be through holes on the sides through which the device will be connected to the heating system. But the main feature of the design is inside the body: a nozzle is located immediately near the inlet. The nozzle hole must be selected purely individually.

Note! It is desirable that the nozzle hole be half as large as 1/4 of the total diameter of the cylinder. If the hole is smaller, then water will not be able to pass through it in the required quantity and the pump will begin to heat up. Moreover, internal elements will begin to be destroyed by cavitation.

To make the case we will need the following tools:

  1. Iron pipe with thick walls with a diameter of about 10 cm;
  2. Couplings for connection;
  3. Welding;
  4. Several electrodes;
  5. Turbinka;
  6. A pair of pipes with threads;
  7. Electric drill;
  8. Drill;
  9. Adjustable wrench.

Now - directly to the manufacturing process.

  1. To begin with, we cut off a piece of pipe about 50-60 cm long and make an external groove on its surface approximately half the thickness, 2-2.5 cm. We cut the thread.
  2. We take two more pieces of the same pipe, each 5 cm long, and make a couple of rings from them.
  3. Then we take a metal sheet with the same thickness as the pipe, cut out original covers from it, and weld them where the thread was not made.
  4. We make two holes in the center of the covers - one of them around the circumference of the pipe, the second around the circumference of the nozzle. Inside the cover next to the jet we drill a chamfer so that we get a nozzle.
  5. We connect the generator to the heating system. We connect the pipe near the nozzle to the pump, but only to the hole from which water flows under pressure. We connect the second pipe to the entrance to the heating system, but the output must be connected to the pump inlet.

The pump will create pressure, which, acting on the water, will force it to pass through the nozzle of our design. In a special chamber, the water will be overheated due to active mixing, after which it will be supplied directly to the heating circuit. In order to be able to regulate the temperature, the vortex heat generator must be equipped with a special locking device located next to the nozzle. If you slightly cover the constipation, the structure will take longer to move water through the chamber, therefore, the temperature will rise because of this. This is how this kind of heater works.

About other methods of alternative heating

Increasing productivity

The pump loses thermal energy, which is the main disadvantage of the vortex generator (at least in its described version). Therefore, it is better to immerse the pump in a special water jacket, so that the heat emanating from it is also beneficial.

The diameter of this jacket should be slightly larger than that of the pump. We can use a piece of pipe for this, according to tradition, or we can make a parallelepiped from sheet steel. Its dimensions must be such that all elements of the generator fit freely into it, and its thickness must be such that it can withstand the operating pressure of the system.

In addition, heat loss can be reduced by installing a special tin casing around the device. The insulator can be any kind of material that can withstand the operating temperature.

  1. We assemble the following structure: heat generator, pump and connecting pipe.
  2. We measure their dimensions and select a pipe of the required diameter - so that all the parts fit easily into it.
  3. We make covers for both sides.
  4. Next, we make sure that the parts inside the pipe are rigidly fixed, and also that the pump is able to pump coolant through itself.
  5. We drill an outlet hole and attach a pipe to it.

Note! It is necessary to place the pump as close as possible to this hole!

At the second end of the pipe we weld a flange, through which the cover will be secured to the gasket-seal. You can equip a frame inside the case to make it easier to install all the elements. We assemble the device, check how strong the fastenings are, check the tightness, insert it into the case and close it.

Then we connect the vortex heat generator to all consumers and check it again for leaks. If nothing flows, then you can activate the pump. When opening/closing the tap at the inlet, we adjust the temperature.

You may also be interested in an article on how to make a solar collector

We insulate the VTP

First of all, we put on the casing. To do this, take a sheet of aluminum or stainless steel and cut out a couple of rectangles. It is better to bend them along a pipe that has a larger diameter, so that a cylinder is eventually formed. Next we follow the instructions.

  1. We fasten the halves together using a special lock used to connect water pipes.
  2. We make a couple of covers for the casing, but do not forget that there should be holes in them for connection.
  3. We wrap the device with thermal insulation material.
  4. Place the generator in the housing and close both covers tightly.

There is another way to increase productivity, but for this you need to know how exactly Popov’s miracle device works, the efficiency of which can exceed (not proven and not explained) 100%. You and I already know how it works, so we can proceed directly to improving the generator.

Vortex damper

Yes, we will make a device with such a mysterious name - a vortex damper. It will consist of plates arranged lengthwise, placed inside both rings.

Let's see what we need for the job.

  • Welding.
  • Turbinka.
  • Sheet of steel.
  • Pipe with thick walls.

The pipe should be smaller than the heat generator. We make two rings out of it, about 5 cm each. We cut several strips of the same size from the sheet. Their length should be 1/4 of the length of the device body, and their width should be such that after assembly there is free space inside.

  1. We insert the plate into the vice, hang metal rings on one end of it and weld them to the plate.
  2. We take the plate out of the clamp and turn it the other way. We take the second plate and place it in the rings so that both plates are placed parallel. We fasten all the remaining plates in the same way.
  3. We assemble the vortex generator with our own hands, and install the resulting structure opposite the nozzle.

Note that the scope for improving the device is almost limitless. For example, instead of the above plates, we can use steel wire, first twisting it into a ball. In addition, we can make holes on plates of various sizes. Of course, none of this is mentioned anywhere, but who says you can't use these improvements?

Finally

And as a conclusion, here are some practical tips. Firstly, it is advisable to protect all surfaces by painting. Secondly, all internal parts should be made of thick materials, since it (the parts) will constantly be in a fairly aggressive environment. And thirdly, take care of several spare caps that have different hole sizes. In the future, you will select the required diameter in order to achieve maximum performance of the device.

Heating a house, garage, office, or retail space is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately after the premises are built. And it doesn’t matter what time of year it is outside. Winter will come anyway. So you need to make sure that it’s warm inside in advance. Those who buy an apartment in a multi-storey building have nothing to worry about - the builders have already done everything. But those who are building their own house, equipping a garage or a separate small building will have to choose which heating system to install. And one of the solutions will be a vortex heat generator.

Air separation, in other words, its division into cold and hot fractions in a vortex jet - a phenomenon that formed the basis of a vortex heat generator was discovered about a hundred years ago. And as often happens, for about 50 years no one could figure out how to use it. The so-called vortex tube has been modernized in a variety of ways and tried to be integrated into almost all types of human activity. However, everywhere it was inferior both in price and in efficiency to existing devices. Until the Russian scientist Merkulov came up with the idea of ​​running water inside, he established that the temperature at the outlet increased several times and called this process cavitation. The price of the device has not decreased much, but the efficiency has become almost one hundred percent.

Operating principle


So what is this mysterious and accessible cavitation? But everything is quite simple. While passing through the vortex, many bubbles are formed in the water, which in turn burst, releasing a certain amount of energy. This energy heats the water. The number of bubbles cannot be counted, but the vortex cavitation heat generator can increase the water temperature up to 200 degrees. It would be stupid not to take advantage of this.

Two main types

Despite the fact that every now and then there are reports that someone somewhere has made a unique vortex heat generator with their own hands of such power that it is possible to heat an entire city, in most cases these are ordinary newspaper canards that have no basis in fact. Someday, perhaps, this will happen, but for now the principle of operation of this device can only be used in two ways.

Rotary heat generator. The centrifugal pump housing in this case will act as a stator. Depending on the power, holes of a certain diameter are drilled across the entire surface of the rotor. It is due to them that those same bubbles appear, the destruction of which heats the water. This type of heat generator has only one advantage. It's much more productive. But there are significantly more shortcomings.

  • This installation is very noisy.
  • Increased wear of parts.
  • Requires frequent replacement of seals and seals.
  • Too expensive to service.

Static heat generator. Unlike the previous version, nothing rotates here, and the cavitation process occurs naturally. Only the pump works. And the list of advantages and disadvantages takes a sharply opposite direction.

  • The device can operate at low pressure.
  • The temperature difference between the cold and hot ends is quite large.
  • Absolutely safe, no matter where it is used.
  • Fast heating.
  • Efficiency 90% and above.
  • Can be used for both heating and cooling.

The only disadvantage of a static VTG can be considered the high cost of the equipment and the associated rather long payback period.

How to assemble a heat generator


With all these scientific terms, which can scare a person unfamiliar with physics, it is quite possible to make a VTG at home. Of course, you will have to tinker, but if everything is done correctly and efficiently, you can enjoy the warmth at any time.

And you have to start, as in any other business, by preparing materials and tools. You will need:

  • Welding machine.
  • Sander.
  • Electric drill.
  • Set of wrenches.
  • Set of drills.
  • Metal corner.
  • Bolts and nuts.
  • Thick metal pipe.
  • Two threaded pipes.
  • Connecting couplings.
  • Electric motor.
  • Centrifugal pump.
  • Jet.

Now you can start working directly.

Installing the engine

An electric motor, selected in accordance with the available voltage, is installed on a frame, welded or assembled with bolts, from a corner. The overall size of the frame is calculated in such a way that it can accommodate not only the engine, but also the pump. It is better to paint the frame to avoid rust. Mark the holes, drill and install the electric motor.

Connecting the pump

The pump should be selected according to two criteria. Firstly, it must be centrifugal. Secondly, the engine power must be enough to spin it up. After the pump is installed on the frame, the action algorithm is as follows:

  • In a thick pipe with a diameter of 100 mm and a length of 600 mm, an external groove of 25 mm and half the thickness must be made on both sides. Cut the thread.
  • On two pieces of the same pipe, each 50 mm long, cut the internal thread to half the length.
  • On the side opposite to the thread, weld metal caps of sufficient thickness.
  • Make holes in the center of the lids. One is the size of the nozzle, the second is the size of the pipe. It is necessary to chamfer the inside of the hole for the nozzle with a large-diameter drill so that it looks like a nozzle.
  • The nozzle pipe is connected to the pump. To the hole from which water is supplied under pressure.
  • The heating system input is connected to the second pipe.
  • The outlet from the heating system is connected to the pump input.

The cycle is complete. Water will be supplied under pressure to the nozzle and, due to the vortex formed there and the resulting cavitation effect, will begin to heat up. The temperature can be adjusted by installing a ball valve behind the pipe through which water flows back into the heating system.

By slightly closing it, you can increase the temperature and vice versa, by opening it, you can lower it.

Let's improve the heat generator

This may sound strange, but this rather complex design can be improved, further increasing its performance, which will be a definite plus for heating a large private house. This improvement is based on the fact that the pump itself tends to lose heat. This means that you need to make it spend as little as possible.

This can be achieved in two ways. Insulate the pump using any thermal insulation materials suitable for this purpose. Or surround it with a water jacket. The first option is clear and accessible without any explanation. But we should dwell on the second one in more detail.

To build a water jacket for the pump, you will have to place it in a specially designed hermetically sealed container that can withstand the pressure of the entire system. Water will be supplied exactly to this container, and the pump will take it from there. The external water will also heat up, which will allow the pump to work much more efficiently.

Vortex absorber

But it turns out that’s not all. Having thoroughly studied and understood the operating principle of a vortex heat generator, you can equip it with a vortex damper. A stream of water supplied under high pressure hits the opposite wall and swirls. But there can be several of these vortices. All you have to do is install a structure inside the device that resembles the tail of an aircraft bomb. This is done as follows:

  • From a pipe of slightly smaller diameter than the generator itself, you need to cut two rings 4-6 cm wide.
  • Weld six metal plates inside the rings, selected in such a way that the entire structure is as long as a quarter of the length of the body of the generator itself.
  • When assembling the device, secure this structure inside opposite the nozzle.

There is and cannot be a limit to perfection, and the vortex heat generator is still being improved in our time. Not everyone can do this. But it is quite possible to assemble the device according to the diagram given above.

Have you noticed that the price of heating and hot water supply has increased and you don’t know what to do about it? The solution to the problem of expensive energy resources is a vortex heat generator. I will talk about how a vortex heat generator works and what the principle of its operation is. You will also find out whether it is possible to assemble such a device with your own hands and how to do it in a home workshop.

A little history

The vortex thermal generator is considered a promising and innovative development. Meanwhile, the technology is not new, since almost 100 years ago scientists were thinking about how to apply the phenomenon of cavitation.

The first operational pilot plant, the so-called “vortex tube”, was manufactured and patented by the French engineer Joseph Rank in 1934.

Rank was the first to notice that the temperature of the air at the inlet to the cyclone (air purifier) ​​differs from the temperature of the same air stream at the outlet. However, at the initial stages of bench tests, the vortex tube was tested not for heating efficiency, but, on the contrary, for the cooling efficiency of the air stream.

The technology received new development in the 60s of the twentieth century, when Soviet scientists figured out how to improve the Ranque tube by running liquid into it instead of an air jet.

Due to the higher density of the liquid medium, compared to air, the temperature of the liquid, when passing through the vortex tube, changed more intensively. As a result, it was experimentally established that the liquid medium, passing through the improved Ranque tube, heated up abnormally quickly with an energy conversion coefficient of 100%!

Unfortunately, there was no need for cheap sources of thermal energy at that time, and the technology did not find practical application. The first operating cavitation installations designed to heat a liquid medium appeared only in the mid-90s of the twentieth century.

A series of energy crises and, as a consequence, increasing interest in alternative energy sources served as the reason for resuming work on effective converters of the energy of water jet movement into heat. As a result, today you can buy a unit with the required power and use it in most heating systems.

Operating principle

Cavitation makes it possible not to give heat to water, but to extract heat from moving water, while heating it to significant temperatures.

The design of operating samples of vortex heat generators is externally simple. We can see a massive motor, to which is connected a cylindrical snail device.

"Snail" is a modified version of Ranque's trumpet. Due to its characteristic shape, the intensity of cavitation processes in the cavity of the “snail” is much higher in comparison with a vortex tube.

In the cavity of the “snail” there is a disk activator - a disk with special perforation. When the disk rotates, the liquid medium in the “snail” is activated, due to which cavitation processes occur:

  • The electric motor turns the disk activator. The disk activator is the most important element in the design of the heat generator, and it is connected to the electric motor by means of a straight shaft or a belt drive. When the device is turned on in operating mode, the engine transmits torque to the activator;
  • The activator spins the liquid medium. The activator is designed in such a way that the liquid medium, entering the cavity of the disk, swirls and acquires kinetic energy;
  • Conversion of mechanical energy into thermal energy. Leaving the activator, the liquid medium loses acceleration and, as a result of sudden braking, a cavitation effect occurs. As a result, kinetic energy heats the liquid medium to + 95 ° C, and mechanical energy becomes thermal.

Scope of application

Illustration Description of application

Heating. Equipment that converts the mechanical energy of water movement into heat is successfully used in heating various buildings, from small private buildings to large industrial facilities.

By the way, in Russia today you can already count at least ten settlements where centralized heating is provided not by traditional boiler houses, but by gravity generators.


Heating running water for domestic use. The heat generator, when connected to the network, heats the water very quickly. Therefore, such equipment can be used to heat water in an autonomous water supply system, in swimming pools, bathhouses, laundries, etc.

Mixing immiscible liquids. In laboratory conditions, cavitation units can be used for high-quality mixing of liquid media with different densities until a homogeneous consistency is obtained.

Integration into the heating system of a private home

In order to use a heat generator in a heating system, it must be installed into it. How to do this correctly? In fact, there is nothing complicated about it.

In front of the generator (marked 2 in the figure) a centrifugal pump (1 in the figure) is installed, which will supply water with a pressure of up to 6 atmospheres. After the generator, an expansion tank (6 in the figure) and shut-off valves are installed.

Advantages of using cavitation heat generators

Advantages of a vortex source of alternative energy

Economical. Thanks to the efficient consumption of electricity and high efficiency, the heat generator is more economical compared to other types of heating equipment.

Small dimensions compared to conventional heating equipment of similar power. A stationary generator, suitable for heating a small house, is twice as compact as a modern gas boiler.

If you install a heat generator in a regular boiler room instead of a solid fuel boiler, there will be a lot of free space left.


Low installation weight. Due to its light weight, even large high-power installations can be easily placed on the floor of the boiler room without building a special foundation. There are no problems at all with the location of compact modifications.

The only thing you need to pay attention to when installing the device in a heating system is the high noise level. Therefore, installation of the generator is possible only in non-residential premises - in a boiler room, basement, etc.


Simple design. The cavitation type heat generator is so simple that there is nothing to break in it.

The device has a small number of mechanically moving elements, and there are no complex electronics at all. Therefore, the likelihood of device failure, in comparison with gas or even solid fuel boilers, is minimal.


No need for additional modifications. The heat generator can be integrated into an existing heating system. That is, there is no need to change the diameter of the pipes or their location.

No need for water treatment. If a running water filter is needed for normal operation of a gas boiler, then by installing a cavitation heater, you don’t have to worry about blockages.

Due to specific processes in the working chamber of the generator, blockages and scale do not appear on the walls.


Equipment operation does not require constant monitoring. If solid fuel boilers need to be looked after, the cavitation heater operates in autonomous mode.

The operating instructions for the device are simple - just plug in the engine and, if necessary, turn it off.


Environmental friendliness. Cavitation installations do not affect the ecosystem in any way, because the only energy-consuming component is the electric motor.

Schemes for manufacturing a cavitation type heat generator

In order to make a working device with your own hands, we will consider drawings and diagrams of working devices, the effectiveness of which has been established and documented in patent offices.

Illustrations General description of cavitation heat generator designs

General view of the unit. Figure 1 shows the most common design diagram of a cavitation heat generator.

Number 1 indicates the vortex nozzle on which the swirl chamber is mounted. On the side of the swirl chamber you can see the inlet pipe (3), which is connected to the centrifugal pump (4).

The number 6 in the diagram indicates the inlet pipes for creating a counter-disturbing flow.

A particularly important element in the diagram is the resonator (7) made in the form of a hollow chamber, the volume of which is changed by the piston (9).

Numbers 12 and 11 indicate throttles that provide control of the intensity of water flow.

Device with two series resonators. Figure 2 shows a heat generator in which resonators (15 and 16) are installed in series.

One of the resonators (15) is made in the form of a hollow chamber surrounding the nozzle, indicated by the number 5. The second resonator (16) is also made in the form of a hollow chamber and is located at the reverse end of the device in close proximity to the inlet pipes (10) supplying disturbing flows.

The chokes, marked with numbers 17 and 18, are responsible for the intensity of the liquid supply and for the operating mode of the entire device.


Heat generator with counter resonators. In Fig. Figure 3 shows a less common but very effective device circuit in which two resonators (19, 20) are located opposite each other.

In this scheme, the vortex nozzle (1) with a nozzle (5) goes around the outlet of the resonator (21). Opposite the resonator marked 19, you can see the inlet (22) of the resonator numbered 20.

Please note that the output holes of the two resonators are located coaxially.

Illustrations Description of the swirl chamber (Snail) in the design of a cavitation heat generator
“Snail” of a cavitation heat generator in cross section. In this diagram you can see the following details:

1 - body, which is made hollow, and in which all the fundamentally important elements are located;

2 - shaft on which the rotor disk is fixed;

3 - rotor ring;

4 - stator;

5 - technological holes made in the stator;

6 - emitters in the form of rods.

The main difficulties in the manufacture of the listed elements may arise during the production of a hollow body, since it is best to make it cast.

Since there is no equipment for metal casting in a home workshop, such a structure, albeit at the expense of strength, will have to be made welded.


Scheme of combination of the rotor ring (3) and the stator (4). The diagram shows the rotor ring and the stator at the moment of alignment when turning the rotor disk. That is, with each combination of these elements, we see the formation of an effect similar to the action of Ranque's pipe.

This effect will be possible provided that in the unit assembled according to the proposed scheme, all parts are perfectly matched to each other


Rotary displacement of rotor ring and stator. This diagram shows the position of the structural elements of the “snail” at which a hydraulic shock occurs (collapse of bubbles) and the liquid medium heats up.

That is, due to the rotation speed of the rotor disk, it is possible to set parameters for the intensity of the occurrence of hydraulic shocks, provoking the release of energy. Simply put, the faster the disk spins, the higher the temperature of the aqueous medium at the outlet will be.

Let's sum it up

Now you know what a popular and sought-after source of alternative energy is. This means that it will be easy for you to decide whether such equipment is suitable or not. I also recommend watching the video in this article.