Pressurized vapor cycle liquid distillation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10179298-B2
Application number	US-201514942275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2015
Priority date	Nov 13, 2002
Publication date	Jan 15, 2019
Grant date	Jan 15, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid vapor distillation apparatus comprising:
an evaporative condenser for transforming an intake liquid to a compressed vapor and for transforming the compressed vapor into a product liquid;
a first heat exchanger;
a second heat exchanger; and
a third heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger comprising:
a first heat source input connected to a first heat source fluid line, the first heat source input connecting the first heat exchanger and the third heat exchanger, wherein the first heat source input is fluidly connected to a blowdown fluid line in the liquid vapor distillation apparatus; and
a second heat source input connected to a second heat source fluid line, wherein the second heat source input is fluidly connected to a product liquid fluid line in the liquid vapor distillation apparatus, whereby multiple heat source inputs are exchanged with the intake liquid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a steam pump drive motor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator powering the liquid vapor distillation apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid vapor distillation apparatus further comprising:
an input for receiving untreated input liquid; and
a sump in communication with the input wherein the sump comprises at least one heating element and wherein input liquid is preheated.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the liquid vapor distillation apparatus further comprising:
a head chamber for collecting vapor from the evaporative condenser; and
a regenerative blower for compressing the vapor, the regenerative blower in communication with the head chamber.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the liquid vapor distillation apparatus further comprising a switch selected from the group consisting of a thermostatic switch, a pressure-sensing switch, a thermal transducer and a pressure transducer, for signaling completion of the heating phase and turning off the heating element.

8. A water vapor distillation apparatus comprising:
an input for receiving an untreated input water;
a sump in communication with the input wherein the sump comprising at least one heating element and wherein the input water is preheated;
an evaporative condenser coupled to the sump for transforming the water to a compressed vapor and for transforming the compressed vapor into a product water;
a head chamber for collecting a vapor from the evaporative condenser;
a regenerative blower for compressing the vapor, the regenerative blower in communication with the head chamber;
a first two-channel heat exchanger;
a second two-channel heat exchanger; and
a third two-channel heat exchanger, the first two-channel heat exchanger comprising:
a first heat source input connected to a first heat source fluid line, the first heat source input connecting the first two-channel heat exchanger and the third two-channel heat exchanger, wherein the first heat source input is fluidly connected to a blowdown water fluid line in the water vapor distillation apparatus; and
a second heat source input connected to a second heat source fluid line, wherein the second heat source input is fluidly connected to a product water fluid line in the water vapor distillation apparatus, whereby multiple heat source inputs are exchanged with the untreated intake water.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the water vapor distillation apparatus further comprising a switch selected from the group consisting of a thermostatic switch, a pressure-sensing switch, a thermal transducer and a pressure transducer, for signaling completion of the heating phase and turning off the heating element.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a steam pump drive motor.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator powering the water vapor distillation apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchanger further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator.

13. A water vapor distillation apparatus comprising:
an input for receiving an untreated input water;
a sump in communication with the input;
an evaporative condenser coupled to the sump for transforming the water to a compressed vapor and for transforming the compressed vapor into a product water;
a regenerative blower for compressing the vapor, the regenerative blower in communication with the head chamber;
a first two-channel heat exchanger;
a second two-channel heat exchanger; and
a third two-channel heat exchanger, the first heat exchanger comprising:
a first heat source input connected to a first heat source fluid line, the first heat source input connecting the first two-channel heat exchanger and the third two-channel heat exchanger, wherein the first heat source input is fluidly connected to a blowdown water fluid line in the water vapor distillation apparatus; and
a second heat source input connected to a second heat source fluid line, wherein the second heat source input is fluidly connected to a product water fluid line in the water vapor distillation apparatus, whereby multiple heat source inputs are exchanged with the untreated input water.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second the heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a steam pump drive motor.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator powering the water vapor distillation apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and second heat exchangers further comprises a third heat source input fluidly connected to a Stirling engine generator.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a multi-channel heat exchanger.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first heat exchanger is a two-channel heat exchanger.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a multi-channel heat exchanger.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the second heat exchanger is a two-channel heat exchanger.

21. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first heat source input is a first hot water input and the first heat source fluid line is a first hot water fluid line.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the second heat source input is a second hot water input and the second heat source fluid line is a second hot water fluid line.

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Bednarek David F
• Demers Jason A
• Duggan Timothy P
• Jackson James L
• Leonard Scott A
• Mcgill David W

Classifications

• B01D5/0039

  Recuperation of heat, e.g. use of heat pump(s), compression · CPC title

• F04C19/008

  Port members in the form of conical or cylindrical pieces situated in the centre of the impeller · CPC title

• B01D1/2887 Primary

  The compressor is integrated in the evaporation apparatus · CPC title

• B01D1/289

  Compressor features (e.g. constructions, details, cooling, lubrication, driving systems) · CPC title

• B01D1/28

  with vapour compression · CPC title