Multi-effects desalination system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099154-B2
Application number	US-201615132715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A multi-effects desalination system includes a plurality of vessels, including a first vessel, a second vessel, a third vessel, a fourth vessel, and a fifth vessel. Each vessel includes a plurality of heat tubes, a sprayer, and a housing including a preheater tube bundle. Each sprayer can be disposed above a respective plurality of heat tubes in each vessel for discharging saline water onto the plurality of heat tubes. A first tube connects a compressor unit with the first vessel. A second tube extends between a saline water source and a plurality of sprayers. Each vessel is configured to accommodate a different effect or stage of desalination occurring in the system. The housing can be configured for collecting fresh water. The fresh water collected in each housing can be transferred by the third tube to a fresh water tank.

First claim

We claim:

1. A multi-effects desalination system, comprising:
a steam source;
a thermal vapor compressor unit operatively providing a first source of steam, the compressor unit having an input for receiving steam from the steam source, and at least one additional input;
at least three vessels, each vessel consisting of:
a plurality of heat tubes, each heat tube having a first end operatively configured to receive the steam, and a second end operatively configured for releasing uncondensed steam;
a housing operatively coupled to the heat tubes for receiving the uncondensed steam released from each of the heat tubes, the housing further including:
a preheater tube bundle; and
means for collecting and discharging fresh water;

a plurality of sprayers coupled to the preheater bundle, the plurality of sprayers operatively configured for dispersing saline water onto the heat tubes;
means for collecting and discharging brine water;

a source fluid coupling for transferring the first source of steam from the compressor unit to the first end of the plurality of heat tubes in the first vessel;
first fluid couplings between each pair of the at least three vessels for transferring the discharged brine water to the successive vessel, each of the first fluid couplings having a pump;
second fluid couplings connected to each of the at least three vessels for transferring the discharged fresh water, each of the second fluid couplings having a pump;
third fluid couplings between each pair of the at least three vessels for transferring the uncondensed steam from each housing to the successive first ends of the heat tubes of the successive vessels;
fourth fluid couplings selectively coupling the third and successive vessels of the at least three vessels for transferring a portion of the uncondensed steam to the compressor unit;
a condenser for receiving cooling fluid from the saline water source, and operatively configured to distribute saline water to each preheater tube bundle in each housing of each vessel;
a first pump operatively coupled for pumping the saline water from a saline water source into the condenser;
a second pump operatively coupled for pumping the saline water from the condenser to a first of the at least three vessels;
a third pump operatively couple for pumping fresh water from each of the at least three vessels to a fresh water tank; and
a fourth pump operatively couple for pumping brine water to the saline water source.

2. The multi effects desalination system according to claim 1 , wherein the steam source comprises a boiler.

3. The multi effects desalination system according to claim 1 , further comprising a power source operatively coupled to each of the first, second, third, and fourth pumps.

4. The multi effects desalination system according to claim 1 , wherein compressor unit comprises a mechanical compressor unit.

5. The multi effects desalination system according to claim 4 , wherein the mechanical compressor unit selectively receives power from a power source.

6. The multi effects desalination system according to claim 3 , wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of generator, solar panels, and wind turbines.

Assignees

• Univ King Saud

Inventors

• Zeitoun Obida Mohamed
• Alansary Hany Abdelrahman
• Nuhait Abdullah Othman

Classifications

• B01D1/26 Primary

  Multiple-effect evaporating · CPC title

• B01D3/065

  Multiple-effect flash distillation (more than two traps) · CPC title

• B01D1/2812

  The vapour is coming from different sources · CPC title

• C02F1/041

  by means of vapour compression · CPC title

• C02F2103/08

  Seawater, e.g. for desalination · CPC title