Multiple-effect vapor chamber distillation system and methods of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10702794-B2
Application number	US-201816175352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2018
Priority date	Oct 30, 2017
Publication date	Jul 7, 2020
Grant date	Jul 7, 2020

Abstract

A distillation system having a plurality of chambers, an input conduit connected to each chamber to deliver an aqueous fluid to each chamber; a pressure reducing valve connected to the input conduit; a waste output conduit connected to a waste collection compartment of each chamber; and condensate output conduit connected to a condensate collection compartment of each chamber. An evaporation wall of each chamber is constructed to maintain an evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a condensation surface temperature of a condensation wall of each chamber. The aqueous fluid forms a fluid coating, which moves down the evaporation wall. A saturation pressure differential is created as water from the aqueous fluid evaporates from the evaporation wall and condenses on the condensation wall forming an aqueous condensate, which moves down the condensation wall and is collected as an aqueous distillate in the condensate collecting compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distillation system, comprising:
a chamber having an internal pressure, a top end, a bottom end, an evaporation wall having an inner surface, a condensation wall having an inner surface, the inner surface of the condensation wall facing the inner surface of the evaporation wall, an edge wall connecting the evaporation wall to the condensation wall, the edge wall having an edge wall width, the evaporation wall having an evaporation wall width, the evaporation wall width being greater than the edge wall width, an inlet positioned above the bottom end, a baffle to direct an aqueous fluid from the inlet to the inner surface of the evaporation wall to form a fluid coating on the inner surface of the evaporation wall, a waste collection compartment positioned at the bottom end adjacent to the evaporation wall to receive an aqueous waste fluid from the evaporation wall, and a condensate collection compartment positioned at the bottom end adjacent to the condensation wall to receive an aqueous distillate from the condensation wall, the waste collection compartment having a waste outlet, and the condensate collection compartment having a condensate outlet;
an input conduit fluidly connected to the baffle to deliver the aqueous fluid to the chamber;
a pressure reducing valve connected to the input conduit and configured to cause the internal pressure of the chamber to be less than atmospheric pressure;
a waste output conduit connected to the waste outlet of the waste collection compartment of the chamber; and
a condensate output conduit connected to the condensate outlet of the condensate collection compartment of the chamber; and
wherein the inner surface of the evaporation wall is constructed to maintain an evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a condensation surface temperature of the inner surface of the condensation wall when the aqueous fluid is delivered from the input conduit into the chamber and the aqueous fluid forms the fluid coating which moves down the inner surface of the evaporation wall towards the waste collection compartment, and wherein a saturation pressure differential is created as water from the aqueous fluid evaporates from the inner surface of the evaporation wall and condenses on the inner surface of the condensation wall forming an aqueous condensate, which moves down the inner surface of the condensation wall and is collected as the aqueous distillate in the condensate collection compartment.

2. The distillation system of claim 1 further comprising a heat source for supplying heat to the evaporation wall.

3. The distillation system of claim 1 further comprising a pump positioned on the condensate output conduit for discharging the aqueous distillate from the chamber.

4. The distillation system of claim 1 , wherein the evaporation wall and the condensation wall are substantially-vertically oriented.

5. The distillation system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is a first chamber, the condensation wall is a first condensation wall, the internal pressure is a first internal pressure, the top end is a first top end, the bottom end is a first bottom end, the evaporation wall is a first evaporation wall, the inlet is a first inlet, the baffle is a first baffle, the waste collection compartment is a first waste collection compartment, the aqueous waste fluid is a first aqueous waste fluid, the condensate collection compartment is a first condensate collection compartment, the aqueous distillate is a first aqueous distillate, the waste outlet is a first waste outlet, the condensate outlet is a first condensate outlet, the waste output conduit is a first waste output conduit, and wherein the distillation system further comprises:
a second chamber having a second internal pressure, a second top end, a second bottom end, a second evaporation wall positioned adjacent or integral to the first condensation wall of the first chamber and having an inner surface, a second condensation wall facing the second evaporation wall and having an inner surface, a second inlet positioned above the second bottom end, a second baffle to direct the first aqueous waste fluid from the second inlet to the inner surface of the second evaporation wall, a second waste collection compartment positioned at the second bottom end adjacent to the second evaporation wall to receive a second aqueous waste fluid from the second evaporation wall, and a second condensate collection compartment positioned at the second bottom end adjacent to the second condensate wall to receive a second aqueous distillate from the second condensation wall, the second waste collection compartment having a second waste outlet, and the second condensate condensation collection compartment having a second condensate outlet,
a transfer conduit extending from the first waste output conduit of the first chamber and in fluid connection with the second inlet of the second chamber for conveying the first aqueous waste fluid from the first waste collection compartment of the first chamber to the second chamber, and
a valve positioned on the transfer conduit for controlling the pressure of the first aqueous waste fluid being conveyed into the second chamber,
wherein the inner surface of the second evaporation wall is constructed to maintain a second evaporation surface temperature that is greater than a second condensation surface temperature of the inner surface of the second condensation wall when the first aqueous waste fluid is delivered via the transfer conduit to the second chamber and wherein as the first aqueous waste fluid moves down the inner surface of the second evaporation wall towards the second waste collection compartment, water from the first aqueous waste fluid evaporates from the inner surface of the second evaporation wall and condenses on the inner surface of the second condensation wall forming a second aqueous condensate, which moves down the inner surface of the second condensation wall and is collected as the second aqueous distillate in the second condensate collection compartment,
and wherein the second internal pressure of the second chamber is less than the first internal pressure of the first chamber such that a second temperature of the inner surface of the second evaporation wall is less than a first temperature of the inner surface of the first evaporation wall.

6. The distillation system of claim 5 , further comprising a heat source for supplying heat to the second evaporation wall.

7. The distillation system of claim 5 , further comprising a heat exchanger located between the first waste outlet of the first chamber and the second inlet for reducing the temperature of the first aqueous waste fluid delivered to the second chamber.

8. The distillation system of claim 5 , further comprising a second pump positioned on the second condensate outlet for discharging the second aqueous distillate from the second chamber.

9. The distillation system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is a first chamber, the condensation wall is a first condensation wall, the internal pressure is a first internal pressure, the top end is a first top end, the bottom end is a first bottom end, the evaporation wall is a first evaporation wall, the inlet is a first inlet, the baffle is a first baffle, the waste collection compartment is a first waste collection compartment, the aqueous waste fluid is a first aqueous waste fluid, the condensate collection compartment is a first condensate collection compartment, the aqueous distillate is a first aqueous distillate, the waste outlet is a first waste outlet, the condensate outlet is a first condensate outlet and wherein the distillation system further comprises:
a second chamber having a second internal pressure,

Assignees

• Univ Oklahoma

Inventors

• Shabgard Hamidreza
• Parthasarathy Kumar

Classifications

• Y02W10/37

  using solar energy · CPC title

• C02F2103/10

  from quarries or from mining activities · CPC title

• B01D3/106

  with the use of a pump for creating vacuum and for removing the distillate · CPC title

• B01D3/146 Primary

  Multiple effect distillation · CPC title

• B01D5/006

  with evaporation or distillation · CPC title