Cooling and desalination system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11618692-B2
Application number	US-202117517497-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2021
Priority date	Nov 2, 2020
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A cooling and desalination system includes a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) system and an ejector cooling cycle (ECC) system. The HDH system includes a heater for heating saline water, a humidifier for humidifying a carrier gas using the saline water, and a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the carrier gas to obtain desalinated water. The ECC system includes a generator for generating a primary flow of a refrigerant, an evaporator for cooling and providing a secondary flow of the refrigerant, an ejector for the primary flow and the secondary flow to pass through to obtain a super-heated stream, and a condenser. The heater and the generator are configured to connect to a heat source. The ECC system and the HDH system are connected at the condenser for heat exchange between the super-heated stream and the saline water to pre-heat the saline water.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooling and desalination system, comprising:
a humidification-dehumidification (HDH) system comprising a heater for heating saline water, a humidifier for humidifying a carrier gas using the saline water, and a dehumidifier for dehumidifying the carrier gas to obtain desalinated water; and
an ejector cooling cycle (ECC) system comprising a generator for generating a primary flow of a refrigerant, an evaporator for cooling and providing a secondary flow of the refrigerant, an ejector for the primary flow and the secondary flow to pass through to obtain a super-heated stream, and a condenser;
wherein the generator is configured to connect to an external heat source, and the heater is configured to connect to no external heat source,
wherein the ECC system and the HDH system are connected at the heater for heat exchange between the saline water exited from the condenser and the super-heated stream exited from the ejector to heat the saline water,
wherein the ECC system and the HDH system are connected at the condenser for heat exchange between the saline water exited from the dehumidifier and the super-heated stream exited from the heater, to pre-heat the saline water.

2. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the heater comprises a first heat exchanger for heat exchange between the saline water within the HDH system and the refrigerant within the ECC system, and
the condenser comprises a second heat exchanger for heat exchange between the saline water within the HDH system and the refrigerant within the ECC system.

3. The cooling and desalination system of claim 2 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are configured such that:
a first outlet of the dehumidifier is connected to an inlet of the condenser,
an outlet of the condenser is connected to a first inlet of the heater, and
a second outlet of the dehumidifier is connected to a second inlet of the heater.

4. The cooling and desalination system of claim 2 , wherein the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger are configured such that:
a first outlet of the ejector is connected to an inlet of the heater,
an outlet of the heater is connected to a first inlet of the condenser, and
a second outlet of the ejector is connected to a second inlet of the condenser.

5. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the generator, the ejector, the heater and the condenser are configured to define a power circuit of the ECC system, and
the evaporator, the ejector, the heater and the condenser are configured to define a refrigeration circuit of the ECC system.

6. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , further comprising a fan so that wherein the dehumidifier, the fan and the humidifier are configured to define a closed path cycle for the carrier gas.

7. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , wherein the humidifier comprises a spray tower humidifier, a bubble column humidifier, a wetted-wall tower humidifier or a packed bed tower humidifier.

8. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , wherein the dehumidifier comprises a bubble column dehumidifier including:
a sparger configured to receive and sparge a humidified carrier gas into a column of desalinated water above the sparger; and
a tube going in and out of the bubble column dehumidifier and including a coil portion that is configured to be in contact with the column of desalinated water, while in operation, for heat exchange between the saline water in the tube and the column of desalinated water.

9. The cooling and desalination system of claim 1 , wherein the HDH system comprises a U-shaped structure wherein the U-shaped structure includes the humidifier, a first connection portion and the dehumidifier serially connected.

10. The cooling and desalination system of claim 9 , wherein the HDH system further comprises a second connection portion between the humidifier and the dehumidifier so that the humidifier, the first connection portion, the dehumidifier and the second connection portion are configured to define a closed path cycle for the carrier gas.

Assignees

• Univ King Fahd Pet & Minerals

Inventors

• Al-Sulaiman Fahad A
• Ibrahim Nasiru I
• Al-Mahmoud Hamad A
• Alkhulaifi Yousif M

Classifications

• C02F2103/08

  Seawater, e.g. for desalination · CPC title

• Y02A20/212

  Solar-powered wastewater sewage treatment, e.g. spray evaporation · CPC title

• B01D5/006

  with evaporation or distillation · CPC title

• B01D5/0003

  by using heat-exchange surfaces for indirect contact between gases or vapours and the cooling medium · CPC title

• B01D5/0039

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