Method and system for batch multi-effect distillation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11192048-B2
Application number	US-202016805726-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2020
Priority date	Feb 29, 2020
Publication date	Dec 7, 2021
Grant date	Dec 7, 2021

Abstract

Methods and systems for conducting batch multi-effect distillation are disclosed. A multi-effect distillation system and one or more isolation devices are provided. A feed stream, consisting of water and a solute, is passed from a feed source into a brine side of the plurality of heat exchangers. The feed source is isolated from the plurality of heat exchangers by closing the one or more isolation devices. A first of the plurality of heat exchangers is heated by the heat source. A steam stream and a brine concentrate stream are produced in all but a last of the plurality of heat exchangers. A condensate stream from the steam stream is produced in all but the first of the plurality of heat exchangers. A warmed feed stream is produced in the last of the plurality of heat exchangers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for conducting batch multi-effect distillation comprising:
providing a multi-effect distillation system comprising a heat source, a plurality of heat exchangers in series, and a feed source;
providing one or more isolation devices between the feed source and a brine side of the plurality of heat exchangers in series;
passing a feed stream, comprising water and a solute, from the feed source into the brine side of the plurality of heat exchangers;
isolating the feed source from the plurality of heat exchangers by closing the one or more isolation devices;
heating a first of the plurality of heat exchangers by the heat source;
producing a steam stream and a brine concentrate stream in all but a last of the plurality of heat exchangers;
producing a condensate stream from the steam stream in all but the first of the plurality of heat exchangers;
producing a warmed feed stream in the last of the plurality of heat exchangers; and
removing a first portion of the condensate stream after the batch is over and leaving a second portion of the condensate stream to prevent fluid communication between air in a condensate stream discharge location and the plurality of heat exchangers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first of the plurality of heat exchangers is a furnace or an electric heater.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more isolation devices are valves or pumps.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed stream is gray water.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feed stream is passed from the feed source by gravity.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising leaving the brine concentrate stream in all but the last of the plurality of heat exchangers as an additional amount of the feed stream is added and batch multi-effect distillation is conducted, resulting in a greater solute concentration in the resultant brine concentrate stream.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein producing the steam stream and the brine concentrate stream is accomplished by a combination of heat across the heat exchanger and vacuum, with the vacuum increasing in the plurality of heat exchangers in series.

8. A system for conducting batch multi-effect distillation comprising:
a multi-effect distillation system comprising a heat source, a plurality of heat exchangers in series, and a feed source;
one or more isolation devices installed between the feed source and a brine side of the plurality of heat exchangers;
the feed source configured to pass a feed stream, comprising water and a solute, to the brine side of the plurality of heat exchangers;
the one or more isolation devices configured to isolate the feed source from the plurality of heat exchangers after the feed stream is passed;
all but a last of the plurality of heat exchangers configured to produce a brine concentrate stream and a steam stream;
all but a first of the plurality of heat exchangers configured to produce a condensate stream from the steam stream;
the last of the plurality of heat exchangers configured to produce a warmed feed stream; and
the heat source configured to heat the first of the plurality of heat exchangers;
further comprising valves or pumps configured to remove a first portion of the condensate stream after the batch is over and leave a second portion of the condensate stream to prevent fluid communication between air in a condensate stream discharge location and the plurality of heat exchangers.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first of the plurality of heat exchangers is a furnace or an electric heater.

10. A waste treatment system for a recreational vehicle or residential dwelling, comprising the system of claim 8 .

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the feed stream is gray water.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the feed source is further configured to leave the brine concentrate stream in all but the last of the plurality of heat exchangers as an additional amount of the feed stream is added and batch multi-effect distillation is conducted, resulting in a greater solute concentration in the resultant brine concentrate stream.

13. The method system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of heat exchangers are configured to produce the steam stream and the brine concentrate steam by a combination of heat across the heat exchanger and vacuum, with the vacuum increasing in the plurality of heat exchangers in series.

14. A method for conducting batch multi-effect distillation comprising:
providing a heat source and n heat exchangers in series, a heat exchanger H 1 being a first heat exchanger and a heat exchanger Hn being an nth heat exchanger, n representing the number of heat exchangers, wherein each heat exchanger H 1 through Hn comprises a brine side and a steam side, and wherein the brine side of the heat exchanger Hm−1 is in fluid communication with the steam side of the heat exchanger Hm, m representing numbers between 2 and n−1;
passing a solution, comprising water and a solute, from a solution source into the brine side of the heat exchangers H 1 through Hn as feed streams F 1 through Fn;
isolating the brine side of the heat exchangers H 1 through Hn from the solution source;
heating the heat exchanger H 1 by the heat source, producing a steam stream S 1 and leaving behind a brine concentrate B 1 ;
producing steam streams S 1 through Sn−1 in heat exchangers H 1 through Hn−1;
producing condensate streams C 2 through Cn in heat exchangers H 2 through Hn;
passing the steam stream Sm−1 through the steam side of the heat exchanger Hm, condensing the steam stream Sm−1 to produce a condensate stream Cm, first heat transfer causing at least a portion of the feed stream Fm in the brine side of the heat exchanger Hm to boil and form a steam stream Sm, leaving behind a brine concentrate Bm;
passing the steam stream Sn−1 through the steam side of the heat exchanger Hn, condensing the steam stream Sn−1 to produce a condensate stream Cn, second heat transfer warming the feed stream Fn to produce a warmed feed stream; and
removing a first portion of the condensate stream after the batch is over and leaving a second portion of the condensate stream to prevent fluid communication between air in a condensate stream discharge location and the plurality of heat exchangers.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising applying a vacuum V 1 to Vn−1 to the brine side of the heat exchangers H 1 through Hn−1, wherein vacuum V 1 through Vn−1 increases in sequence, with a highest vacuum in Hn−1.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising passing the warmed feed stream to the solution source.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising passing the brine concentrate B 1 through Bn−1 out of the heat exchangers H 1 through Hn−1.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein H 2 through Hn are phase-change heat exchangers.

Assignees

• Hall Labs Llc

Inventors

• Hall David R
• Hall Michael
• Lazaro Miguel
• Dean Jacob
• Flinders Chandler
• Jensen Keylan

Classifications

• C02F2103/002

  Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers · CPC title

• B01D3/065 Primary

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

• C02F1/04

  by distillation or evaporation · CPC title

• C02F1/06

  Flash evaporation · CPC title

• B01D1/26

  Multiple-effect evaporating · CPC title