SPEED-REGULATED PRESSURE EXCHANGER

A pressure exchanger for transferring pressure from a higher pressure liquid in a first liquid system to a lower pressure liquid in a second liquid system having a housing ( 8 ) with inlet and outlet connection openings ( 10 - 10.3 ) for each liquid and a rotor ( 1 ) arranged in the housing for rotation about a longitudinal axis. The rotor has a plurality of through channels ( 13 ) arranged around the longitudinal axis with openings ( 12 ) on axial end faces ( 2, 3 ) of the rotor. The rotor channels ( 13 ) are connected to the connection openings ( 10 - 10.3 ) through flow openings ( 11 - 11.3 ) in the housing such that during rotation of the rotor high pressure liquid and low pressure liquid are alternately supplied to the respective systems. A predominantly axially extending flow transition is formed between the flow openings ( 11 - 11.3 ) in the housing and the openings ( 12 ) of the rotor channels ( 13 ), and the flow openings in the housing form part of curved cavities ( 19 ) with each cavity ( 19 ) simultaneously covering several rotor channel openings ( 12 ) and having a shape which equilibrates the liquid flow speed in the vicinity of the housing flow openings ( 11 - 11.3 ). External surfaces ( 5 - 5.3 ) of the rotor ( 1 ) have an energy converting or energy transmitting configuration ( 6 ), and a partial flow (TS) of high pressure and/or flow energy impinging on the configuration ( 6 ) produces rotation of the rotor ( 1 ). A regulator ( 7 ) the varies the amount of the partial flow (TS) and the rotational speed of the rotor ( 1 ) and controls the rotational speed of the rotor for substantially shock-free admission of the mass flow into the rotor channels ( 13 ).